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14 Wedding Trends to Avoid in 2017: Flower Crowns, Food Trucks, and More

Written by: Madeleine Luckel

The aesthetic of your wedding should feel unique, specific to you, and worthy of your special day. But the look of your event should also stand the test of time. However, for many, things often get a little bit muddled. Pinterest boards are made, and trends are quickly copied. So to help you avoid such a blunder, we reached out to seven top wedding planners to hear which trends they believe would be a mistake to incorporate in 2017. The result? A lively mix of opinions as to what has been overused, will soon look dated, and personal dislikes. So brides-to-be, beware.

“Naming your drinks. Please, no one serve another ‘Dantini’ or a ‘Jennyrita.’ Do serve delicious, artisanal, fresh drinks that are seasonal and inspired, but please stop the witty banter via bar menus, I ‘thankyoutini’ in advance.

“Another big one for me is family-style dinners. I love family-style, and I might get a lot of slack for this, but I think it’s time to bring some plated elegance back. There, I said it. Sometimes great chefs can really do more with a plated dinner, and I don’t always feel like working for my dinner, passing all the platters around, et cetera, Instead, offer a choice of entrées, not on the menu, but rather that night, when your guests are seated.”
—Yifat Oren, Los Angeles and New York City–based event producer yifatoren.com

“Rustic and boho-theme weddings. Rustic has become an almost taboo word. Moving forward, we want to see people moving more toward a mountain-elegant vibe, in which the design elements will remain timeless. Rustic elements like burlap-tied napkins or cocktail tables, wood slices, and twine-tied favors are often not representative of a client, and are merely seen as kitschy. Likewise, teepees, dream catchers, feathers, and arrows are lovely, but we’re really ready to see these elements go away unless they are truly representative of who the client is as a person.”
—Virginia Edelson, founder of Bluebird Productionsbluebirdproductions.com

“There are four major trends I don’t want to see in 2017. The first is garlands that run down the length of dining tables. You’ll notice that photos of this generally capture the garland as it falls down the end of the table. That’s because it’s actually the only position that the garland looks good in; it looks really sloppy and is an idea that is better in theory than reality.

“Second, the clown car of bridal parties. I know everyone has a million ‘best friends,’ but they don’t all need to be in your wedding. Third, giant bridal bouquets—the bride should always look like she is carrying the bouquet, not vice versa. And finally, the archaic tradition of the bride’s family footing the whole bill for the wedding. The idea goes back to the time when dowries were all that women brought to the table. In this day and age where a wedding can be two men, two women, and everything in between, this idea no longer even makes sense. Go Dutch or go home!”
—David Stark, wedding and event planner davidstarkdesign.com

“The all-white wedding has reigned supreme for a few years now. I’ll admit, the look is classic and beautiful, but in 2017, I’d love to see couples add a signature color to liven things up. And when it comes to food, I’ve had enough of the long, multicourse formal meals with the usual fare. Guests love having familiar, filling foods—to fuel them for all that mingling, drinking, and dancing they’ll be doing! A spin on mac and cheese, fried chicken, and a delicious hearty salad with fruits, nuts, and cheese are all fun options guests will actually enjoy.

“Lastly, Converse sneakers and cowboy boots paired with formal tuxedos and gorgeous wedding dresses have seen their day. I know it’s charming! But there are so many other unique ways to show your personality and surprise guests with an unexpected twist.”
—Mindy Weiss, celebrity wedding planner mindyweiss.com

“The worst mistake we see is when people embrace a trend when it doesn’t even make sense in the space. People do this a lot with color palettes. While neutrals look great in certain settings, they can be completely washed out in others. Similarly, a farm table can look great at outdoor weddings in California, but renting one for a modern or industrial space is just weird. The lesson? You should decorate your event the same way you’d decorate a home. And you wouldn’t put sequin linens on your dining room table if you lived in a craftsman cottage.

“The other big one is flower crowns. They were adorable while they lasted when they appeared in the right setting, but after five years, I’m afraid it is definitely time to move on. People should be really careful with fashion trends.”
—Alison Laesser-Keck and Bryan Keck, founders of VLD Events vldevents.com

“Pinterest can be an excellent tool for brides-to-be to find inspiration and get their visions in motion, but the home page–of–Pinterest wedding look is well overdone. I’m talking about chalkboard signs, bohemian naked cakes, and geode everything. We thought that boho chic was on its way out last year, but somehow it stuck around for 2016. Let’s hope 2017 can finally ditch the trend.”
—Colin Cowie, wedding and event planner colincowie.com

“Food trucks. They’re not over yet, but they’ve got about 15 minutes left.”
—Bronson van Wyck, wedding and event planner vanwyck.net