Top wedding trends of 2019, from male engagement rings to sustainable dresses
In the Instagram age, weddings are no longer planned solely to please the happy couple – as the big day needs to be in keeping with the grid.
According to a new report by global fashion search platform Lyst, the average nuptials is becoming increasingly influenced by social media with wedding hashtags getting an estimated 10 times more engagement than heavily-documented holidays.
READ MORE: The best budget high street wedding dresses
So it comes as no surprise to learn that brides have reached peak ‘personal brand’ with the average length of an engagement now sitting patiently at 13.6 months – giving couples longer to save and plan.
After all, approximately 23% of brides are now splurging on two wedding dresses while guests are willing 26% more on their outfit than two years ago.
So what exactly can we expect soon-to-be newlyweds and their guests to blow their budget on this year?
Wedding dresses with pockets
Last year, a refreshingly dare-we-say-it practical trend emerged from the red carpet with actress Gemma Chan stashing cookies in her Oscars‘ Valentino gown.
The news coincided with bride Eve Paterson from Cambridge, who went viral after sharing a photograph of her and her bridesmaids with their hands in specifically designed pockets.
My friend got married last month and her dress and the bridesmaids’ dresses ALL HAD POCKETS.
And yes, we did use them for storing snacks, thank you for asking. pic.twitter.com/3fRWtmJS2F
— Nell Goddard (@alianoree) January 23, 2019
With an increasing number of us requiring storage space for everything from mid-aisle snacks to our iPhone, search for gowns with pockets has shot up by 83% in the last six months.
Wedding blazers
Most likely a trend driven by wedding guests, blazers have grown in popularity over the last three months with search up by 57% according to Lyst.
Swedish giant & Other Stories led the high street trend while French fashion house Jacquemus is the go-to for those willing to splash out.
The alternative wedding day
According to Lyst, ‘modern’ is one of the most popular search terms associated with weddings, as soon-to-be newlyweds hope to create a unique day for everyone to remember.
This means there’s been an increase in themed nuptials with guests dressing in everything from ‘Game of Thrones’ attire to Disney-themed frocks.
READ MORE: Is it ever acceptable to wear white to a wedding?
Male engagement rings
A growing number of soon-to-be newlyweds are eschewing tradition with male engagement rings soaring in popularity.
Ed Sheeran soon graced the headlines after being spotted wearing a band before wedding girlfriend Cherry Seaborn.
A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos) on Feb 17, 2019 at 3:50am PST
Search is reportedly up by 66% year-on-year, suggesting it could well soon be the norm.
Personalised wedding trainers
The Veja-clad street style set is behind our newfound love of trainers with athleisure sported by the fashion elite.
Now, it seems the trend has infiltrated the registry office with searches for ‘white personalised trainers’ at an all time high – we’re talking about a 61% year-on-year spike.
The white bridal suit
Who said you needed a dress to say “I do”?
The bridal suit is quickly garnering momentum with high street staple Whistles recently introducing a white co-ord to its wedding line.
The millennial pink formal dress
We blame Villanelle’s killer wardrobe for our obsession with that Molly Goddard dress. Hot pink frocks are on the rise with a 45% year-on-year increase in search.
![We’re more obsessed with millennial pink than ever before thanks to BBC1 cat-and-mouse thriller ‘Killing Eve’ [Photo: Sid Gentle Films/Robert Viglasky]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/67MiQk0Td1h5k_ToZTmxfg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/2338dcc19703067cc8a3f4804cebc309)
Interestingly, search for Goddard’s cult dresses shot up by 24% after ‘Killing Eve’ graced the small screen.
The social media-worthy headpiece
In a not-so-surprising turn of events, brides are looking to the past for inspiration this year with a 94% increase in search for vintage headpieces.
A post shared by Anna Rosa Vitiello (@annarvitiello) on Nov 7, 2018 at 12:24pm PST
Our bet is that influencers are to blame with the ’90s headband and childhood barrette dominating Fashion Week.
READ MORE: How to choose the perfect engagement ring
Sustainable wedding dresses
Sustainability has been drilled into every fashion devotee’s brain this year with a change in our shopping habits finally impacting the bridal market.
So far, there has been an applause-worthy 93% increase in views of pre-owned wedding gowns with a 42% combined increase in search for ‘vintage’ and ‘second-hand’ year-on-year.
