Top 10 Trends to Watch

From food and drink to wedding dresses and decor, wedding and event planner Dakin Reed of Taylored Well Events expects these cutting-edge trends to make their way to north Mississippi.

Compiled by Dakin Reed | Photographed by Taylor Square Photography

1.      Family-style seated dinners instead of individual servings for everyone. This creates a more European dinner party atmosphere and helps assist guests in conversation.

2.      Greet guests with champagne or a welcome cocktail before the ceremony (churches not included!) Ideal for an outdoor ceremony at a private venue or an at-home wedding.

3.      Have the wedding party sit down during the ceremony on the first few pews behind the parents but before other family members, so that only the bride and groom are standing at the altar. At the start of the ceremony, the maid of honor takes the bride’s bouquet, and then she sits down on a pew or chair. This puts the focus back on the couple getting married.

4.      Wedding weekend cohesive and unique marketing. Instead of a crest with initials, opt for something more unique, almost like a pop-up high-end brand is hosting the weekend. No one wants to wear or use items with the couple’s initials on them after the wedding is over, so for longevity use a slogan like “From Oxford with Love,” or if a specific graphic was used in invitations like a butterfly, consider branding all of the cups, napkins, etc., with that same butterfly instead of with the couple’s names or initials.

5.      Creative takes on traditional gowns allow a bride’s unique personality to shine through. Detachable trains can change the look of the dress, for example. And, in the future, look for two-piece sets with separate tops and skirts that are becoming popular with designers.

6.      Bridesmaid dresses that are dresses in real life. This gives the cohesive look of mix-and-match dresses but allows the bridal party to really like what they’re wearing and wear it again and again. Brands like Reformation, Lula Kate and V Chapman are great for this look.

7.      Wedding scents. Incorporate a custom scent into a room spray or diffuser at the wedding, in a perfume for your welcome boxes, in candles. Try spraying it on stationary to carry through the entire weekend and invoke memories every time guests smell it.

8.      Plan activities for bridesmaids while they wait for hair and makeup, like a custom hat bar. We just did this in April, and it was a huge hit.

9.      A specialty bar. Signature drinks as they are typically done now are starting to feel dated, but the idea can still be incorporated in a different way. A few possibilities: a tequila bar, a spritz bar with three different kinds of spritz, a martini bar, a beer bar, etc.

10. Forgo a groom’s cake for something special and unique to the groom and his interests. A few examples: milkshakes inspired by his favorite dessert spot; mini burgers, the groom’s favorite pizza in custom wedding boxes; a coffee cart; or even a cigar bar. His special item doesn’t necessarily have to be food.

About Dakin Reed

Dakin Reed is a 2021 University of Mississippi graduate who has worked in event and wedding planning the past four years. She started Taylored Well Events a year ago after getting engaged and moving back to her hometown, Tupelo. Follow her company on Instagram @tayloredwellevents.