With the 2016 wedding season finished, we’re taking a glimpse into what trends we’ll be seeing in the upcoming year. Destination couples really made their mark this year, with new and exciting ideas that produced some of the best celebrations we’ve seen to date. With that, let’s take a look at what we can expect in 2017.
Excursions
It should come as no surprise that to-be-weds want to enjoy some adventure while celebrating their wedding. No matter where couples are hosting their nuptials, whether it’s a tropical location like Costa Rica or in the mountains of Italy, they’re finding a wealth of activities that are suited to their interests and the preferences of their guests. Snorkeling, hiking, boating, and wine tastings are just a few of the popular choices we’ll continue to see next year.
Family Friendly
More and more, couples hosting a destination wedding want their friends and family to be able to bring kids and enjoy a fun vacation. With 88% of our consumer base having children at their destination wedding, resorts have really been embracing this idea and have started catering more to multi-generational events. New services include teen lounges, kids’ clubs, and 24/7 on-call babysitters.
Food
The food and beverage services at weddings have really transformed in the last few years to be a highlight of the celebration and it’s only going to get better in 2017. Couples are going local in a big way, incorporating ingredients of the region and embracing dishes they can only get there.
Food will even be making an appearance in floral arrangements, with brides bringing their visions of one-of-a kind bouquets and centerpieces to life.
Personalization
We are living in the era of individualistic weddings, where no two celebrations look the same. To-be-weds are integrating unique details into their wedding design, from personalized favors to DIY centerpieces, all the way to thoughtful welcome bags—couples are truly making their wedding their own.
Personalization is also popping up with the use of technology, for example 3D printers that allow you to make items like cake toppers and even wedding bands. Snapchat’s personalized geotags are also a very popular extra that couples are investing in.
Next year promises to be a great one with destination weddings steadily gaining in popularity. We’re certainly looking forward to what couples bring to the proverbial table in 2017.
Megan Velez is the Vice President of Product at DestinationWeddings.com, the world's leading destination wedding and romantic travel planning company. DestinationWeddings.com has worked with nearly 25,000 couples and half a million guests to plan dream destination weddings. DestinationWeddings.com is one of the award-winning brands in the Celebration Travel Group collection.
