2022 Wedding Trends For Non-Traditional Couples

Two brides holding hands at their outdoor wedding

Photo by Paola De Paola

Well, what a year 2021 has been for weddings - so many rescheduled, cancelled, pushed back, postponed, and then suddenly going ahead at the last minute. It’s been a true rollercoaster ride. Now, the new year is approaching and we’re exploring what 2022 wedding trends will look like after the craziness of this last year. Things have certainly been shaken up - and at Un-Wedding, there’s nothing we love more than that.


Sequel weddings


You might be thinking: what is a sequel wedding? Well, it’s not a second wedding - it’s more like the bonus DVD disc (for anyone who’s still got a DVD player). It’s an opportunity for those who chose to have a small legal wedding during lockdown to now celebrate with a more public celebration. We love any excuse for a party - and this certainly is one!

For a sequel wedding, some choose to have it as the celebration of their one-year wedding anniversary, turning it into a big event with friends and family - effectively, you can now have the wedding reception you always wanted but didn’t get to have. Others choose to just throw it when suits, perhaps you’ve dreamed of a summer party with food trucks and music going late into the night, or were after an intimate wedding without any fuss and this is your chance to do it right. This sequel wedding is up to you.

Sequel weddings have been around since before the pandemic, but they’re certainly back in fashion now for everyone who wants to enjoy a wedding celebration without social distancing laws in play.



Back garden weddings

Over the past year outdoor and back garden wedding have become increasingly popular due to lockdown restrictions, and this is set to continue. Think marquees, stretch tents and making the most of outdoor catering and entertainment.

Back garden weddings can be a little unpredictable in the UK, but nothing as unpredictable as the last year and a half with Covid! You’ll need to be mindful of planning for weather emergencies (but that’s exactly what marquees are for). Another thing to note is that you can’t legally get married outside in England and Wales, so you’ll have to do the legal bit at a legal location, and then can enjoy the rest of the wedding ceremony your way. 

For enjoying the most of the day and the best of the evening, be conscious of lighting and decor. Food and drink is one of our favourite bits of any wedding, and we’ve got all the tips you’ll need to a back garden wedding in our blog here.



Destination weddings

After so long with travel off the cards, we suspect lot's of people will be making the most of people able to hop on a plane again (fingers crossed). Destination wedding are ideal for planned elopements, or for shipping your friends and family off to a dream holiday destination for your dream day.

You can enjoy the wedding you’ve always wanted, from running wild in your wedding looks down city streets, to escaping to Buenos Aires to tie the knot, to making your favourite pastime the centre of your wedding (snowboarding!).

Destination weddings can be exactly what you want to make them. Check out our Instagram for inspiration from other couples who’ve done it before, or spin the globe and pick a random place - how you do it is up to you. 


Ditching traditions


This is one we can really get behind! If the past couple of very not-normal years have taught us anything, it's that you don't always need to follow traditions for a day to be special. The way you celebrate your marriage is 100% down to you. Don’t let “in my day” or “how we did it” or “well you have to do it this way” comments from friends/family/baristas/landlords/the lady in your office with the squeaky shoes tell you how you should have your big day.

Instead, listen to us - because all we care about is that you celebrate the way you want to. Firstly, ask yourself what really matters to you? Then, take the core of that sentiment and plan your wedding from there.

Instead of getting married in a church like your nan did, you can absolutely go ahead and get married via a beach elopement. We love elopements, and we’d love for you to love them too. If the idea of ditching all the family obligations and rollerblading with your love down Brighton promenade in your wedding looks (we’ve seen it done!) fills you with joy, then maybe an elopement is right for you. Find out more about elopements here. 

Streaming your wedding became pretty big with the pandemic, and we think it’s still a great option if you’ve got family all around the world. You can Zoom your family into your wedding (and maybe use that as a great way to combine wedding and honeymoon into one, streaming your ceremony from your honeymoon location!).

For more about ditching traditions, we’ve got some ideas here to get you started! You can also check out our directory for finding the perfect alternative wedding suppliers. And, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for all the alternative wedding inspiration you could ever need.

Guest User