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Sure… your love is forever, but wedding trends come and go. If you’re working on the details of a 2024 wedding, there are definitely some popular changes to the industry, and some you’re definitely going to want to embrace! Stay in style as you celebrate a timeless love story with these five wedding trends for 2024:
1. Restaurant Receptions
You read that wedding trend right—Restaurants aren’t just for rehearsal dinners anymore! Turn your favorite date night spot into the perfect place to celebrate your nuptials. Depending on where your heart and stomach connect, renting out a restaurant for an evening can be considerably easier on your budget than snagging a reception venue, and most will let you decorate for the occasion with wedding colors and personal touches. Different dining areas can be utilized in different ways (think dinner, dessert stations and a cleared floor for dancing), and you can add tons of your own personality to your already favorite food to make the day feel like your own.
2. Intimate/Low-Key Ceremonies
According to expert wedding planners, 2024 will be the year we say farewell to over-the-top spectacles, and say hello to intimate ceremonies that foster a sense of community and friendly accessibility. So ditch the razzle dazzle and giant floral arrangements, and gather your intimate guest list around a big family table instead. This trend lends itself to memorable ceremonies that are warmer, more meaningful, less formal and more comfortable for everyone.
3. Two-Day Events
If you’re on board with the intimate ceremony trend, but still want to dance the night away with an unforgettable party, you’re in luck. Friday night ceremonies and Saturday receptions is one of the biggest wedding trends making a splash in 2024! Even without keeping your ceremony small, planning a two-day wedding event can keep the ceremony from cutting into reception daylight and time, and keep the celebration from overshadowing the vows. Give each piece it’s due, and have twice the fun with double the days to remember.
4. Digital Guest Books
While there will always be space in the wedding industry for the old fashioned letterpress, wedding trends have long been highlighting the digital age, from the need for a wedding website to online registries and RSVPs. The next piece of a wedding now trending digital? The guestbook! Instead of asking your guests to sign a book, ask them to record a voice memo, short video or photo gallery with their well wishes. They’ll have fun embracing the technology and mediums we use every day. You’ll have fun watching and playing your messages in a more personal and interactive way!
5. Less-Formal Photography
Don’t get me wrong, here. Bridal portraits are still a must. But current wedding trends are all about the candid image. Think documentary-style photography, perfectly capturing moments as moments, not poses. It’s 2024… Your wedding photographer is also your content creator! This more relaxed approach to wedding photography allows others who weren’t there to experience your event as if they were there, documenting real-time memories you can share on any platform.
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When it comes to wedding photography, there’s a lot of information out there. Let’s face it… These days we’re inundated with details, opinions and advice, and it’s up to us to decipher what’s fact vs. fiction, and what’s perfect for us. But who has time for that? You have a wedding to plan! So read on for my take on some of the biggest misconceptions about wedding photography, and why these myths are easily debunked with the right photographer.
1. “The price is too much for one day of work.”
This one couldn’t be farther from the truth! The wedding day itself is just one of the many parts of an investment in wedding photography. Sure, the wedding is the only day you see us working, but my job really starts from the moment we meet! Getting to know the happy couple, communicating the vision, engagement sessions, event scheduling and task management, image selection, shot list finalization, editing, previews, deliverables and designs are just a few of the many “unseen” tasks that go into this process—and what makes professional wedding photography a worthwhile investment.
2. “It’s just taking pictures. Anyone can do it!”
I know everyone has a digital camera in the palm of their hand these days, and odds are you have a friend or relative who has even picked up a professional camera a time or two. But trust me. Wedding photography is an entire industry of professionals for a reason! It takes more than a camera to capture a wedding, and it certainly isn’t something you want to risk missing the mark on. Afterall, this day only happens once! While most of us only attend a handful of weddings in our lives, a professional wedding photographer probably shoots every weekend during busy summer months every single year. We know the ins and outs, the moments to watch for, and the rundown of how the event schedule typically works. Leave it to us. We know the drill!
3. “Hiring a professional photographer isn’t worth the investment.”
Once upon a time, this misconception was everywhere. Nowadays we want to capture and share even the quietest moments of our everyday lives, but still—shouldn’t your wedding day be different? This is a huge day in anyone’s life. It should be celebrated and preserved (and it shouldn’t live inside your phone)! When you invest in professional wedding photography, you’re getting more than just pictures. You’re getting the knowledge and experience of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. You’re getting high-quality products and images worthy of the time and effort you put into the details of the day. And most importantly, you’re getting peace of mind in knowing this detail will be taken care of, off your plate and mind, and done well. We can focus on getting the best images so you can focus on saying “I do.”
4. “All wedding photographers have the same style.”
We all fall into this trap sometimes… A wedding photo is a wedding photo, so why does it matter who I ask to photograph it, right? Nope! This is another myth that’s easy to debunk. Just like every wedding is different, every photographer brings a unique style to the table. Before you book, follow these important steps, and ask these important questions. If you put just anyone behind the lens, you probably will get run-of-the-mill photos. But if you find someone who shares your vision, captures your creativity and showcases your style in a way that you love, your wedding photos can shine as brightly as the day itself—and last a whole lot longer!
5. “Wedding photographers only photograph weddings.”
Love your images? Why stop at wedding photography? We photographers shoot a whole lot more than brides and grooms, and we love keeping up with our clients by celebrating births, anniversaries, graduates, family sessions and so much more. Browse through a photographer’s social media to see their specialties, and to get a feel for their style. One of my favorite things about being a photographer is getting to know people and share their stories. Your lives don’t stop at “I do,” and your photo albums shouldn’t either!
