The 10 Wedding Trends That Ruled 2017

Another year, another great mix of real weddings. To celebrate the end of 2017, we looked back on the events that we featured in the past 365 days, and boy, were they something. We were thoroughly impressed with what brides, grooms, planners, and vendors put together in an effort to make their celebrations memorable and unique. We stumbled upon a ton of amazing ideas, and also noticed a handful of new trends.

In 2017, weddings drew inspiration from nature, but in unexpected ways. Flowers were used outside of standard bouquets and centerpieces—they were stuck to walls, hung from ceilings, and arranged in unique shapes. But many nature-inspired details didn't involve flowers at all. Greenery and grasses made their mark, as did surprising animals.

This year's real weddings put a heavy focus on three themes: modern, bohemian, and tropical. Many couples went with minimalist décor, which gave their celebrations a contemporary feel. Others opted for unconventional additions, styling their events in more casual, alternative ways. And whether or not their weddings were held at the beach or in the tropics, many couples chose to incorporate fun patterns, like palm and banana-leaf prints.

For examples of these fads, look no further than this slideshow. To help you get inspired for your own celebration, and to showcase all that 2017 had to offer, we rounded up the top 10 trends from the real events we featured over the past year. Click through for ideas, and to see what defined the last 12 months in the wedding world.

Banana leaves and palm fronds popped up everywhere this year. Prints of the plants were used on stationery, furniture, and more. Meanwhile, the real stuff was added to bouquets and other natural arrangements.

The critters made their way onto a number of wedding details, from escort cards, to plates, to desserts. These cookies, for example, featured shimmering beetles.

Brides and grooms just couldn't resist the fluff of the this towering plant this year. Its plumes were incorporated into ceremony arches and centerpieces alike as a rustic touch.

These two materials continue to reign in the wedding world, and especially for modern celebrations. Clear chairs and see-through seating charts were just some of the details made from them in 2017.

The popular stationery style was appropriated by desserts this year. Rather than stick with smoothly-iced confections, many couples, like this one, opted for cakes with rough edges.

Brides and grooms gave their weddings a homey vibe by adding rugs to their décor. They put them under reception tables, on their ceremony aisle, and in ever-popular wedding lounges, and in turn, made their celebrations feel more intimate. 

Flowers will always be wedding classics, but couples have been using them in unexpected ways as of late. Overhead blooms were a huge trend in 2017, whether they were arranged as hanging garlands, wreaths, or huge canopies.  

These wedding-arch alternatives were used to beautifully draw attention to the bride and groom come vow time. Tall greenery, full flowers, and—you guessed it—pampas grass—made up the bulk of these arrangements.

Monogramming isn't new, but there was a serious increase in the number of monogrammed dance floors we saw this year. Brides and grooms used decals, projections, and more to customize the space where they took their first twirl together as newlyweds.

Drive-up food options—be they ice cream trucks or portable pizza ovens—are here to stay. In 2017, we discovered companies that are taking the trend even further, like the Bubble Bros, who serve perfectly-chilled Prosecco from a van or motorcycle and sidecar.