Mid 2021 – Mid 2022 Wedding Trends

1)   The majority of weddings will continue to be smaller scale, at least for the next year. Based on information from our database at TrinidadWeddings.com, the average Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) wedding stayed steady at around 200-250 guests for many years. Although there will be lavish, large weddings when restrictions ease, we believe those will be in the minority, as most couples will opt for 100 guests and under or decide on elopements or destination weddings outside of T&T, to locations where Covid-19 is under control.

2)   Food and beverage service will change. To minimise contact and interaction, weddings may temporarily move away from buffet service or any type of self-serve options (e.g. salad bar or drink stations/fountains) and more towards plated-style meals. Hors d’oeuvres will still be passed on trays but will be done/packaged in such a way as to avoid the touching of food, from other guests. A possible solution is to give each guest a pre-plated hors d’oeuvres plate. In lieu of full bar service, a safer option could be having “bottle service” to pods (i.e. groups of people/families who socialise together in-person, and follow safety protocols, such as mask-wearing and social distancing)

3)  Livestreaming, which is the streaming of live video in “real time,” is here to stay – whether couples chose a “DIY” way to livestream (using a private Facebook group or mobile phones/tablets and apps) or they go all out with a multiple camera production, will depend on their budget. This will allow foreign guests or those who are not comfortable coming to the wedding because of crowds, to still have access and be part of the day.

4)  Digital invitations will be the new trend, not only to cut costs (and because there are smaller guest lists) but because the information attached to them will be useful for contact tracing, if necessary.

5)  We will see a change in the format and structure of the wedding programme. Couples will now feel free to cherry-pick items they like, especially in order to keep the programme shorter – for example, shorter speeches and skipping the bouquet toss or the garter throw (to avoid unnecessary co-mingling)

6)  More virtual wedding planning consultations – previously during the planning process couples would have in-person meetings with their Planner and vendors. This will change as more planning sessions will be done virtually.

7)  Outdoor venues will be in higher demand, as they offer more air circulation and guests may feel more comfortable.