Sometimes I think it’s easier to style your wedding if you leave it almost until the last minute. It amazes me how quickly trends can change, and within eighteen months things like gypsophila, ombre and olive branches can all but disappear from our feeds. So today we’re talking about the top trends for wedding styling in 2018!

The key to a truly beautiful celebration is always to style your wedding to your personality rather than the trendiest looks you find in magazines. As a blogger though, I love to seek out next year’s trends – I kind of know where they’ll appear first and which will appeal to our English sense of style and elegance – and today I’m going to share my predictions for the coming year with you lovely lot.

Of course, I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on any upcoming trends I’ve missed from the list. Are there colour palettes or details you’ve seen which are going to be huge? Head on over to our Facebook page to join in the discussion!

1. Paper

My absolute favourite trend for the coming year has to be this – paper wedding stationery including invitations. Less of a card, more of a letter – and somehow they feel that little bit more personal for it, don’t you think? I love working with handmade papers – even sourcing them from the likes of Signora e Mare or Silk & Willow in the US for really special invites.

The trend for beautiful papers will filter through to receptions, with beautifully soft place settings in loose, flowing calligraphy. Torn edges (or the softly shaped edges of handmade papers) are set to be a key feature, and paper place settings will tuck into natural fabrics and organic cotton napkins at the most beautifully styled weddings.

2. Houseplants

Botanicals was on every top stylist’s lips at the beginning of 2017, and we saw some incredible weddings with greenery trailing everywhere. They were beautiful. Our favourite foliage (because yes, we have that!) is slowly changing from the graceful olive branch to a more robust, exotic look – and tropical houseplants are going to be huge.

Plus, if you fill your wedding tables with little pots of ferns, Swiss cheese plants, prayer plants and weeping figs, you can take them home (or gift them) and keep them for years!  Follow @houseplantclub on Instagram for tons of brilliant inspiration.

3. Macrame

With its roots firmly in the boho trend, macrame is only getting more popular and will be a key feature for all of you rustic-loving, crafty couples marrying next year. There’s something about big, chunky string and a backdrop which catches in the breeze which I really do love.

Learn the basics of macrame to help craft your own gorgeous macrame backdrop with Pretty Little Knots Co in Manchester, or Urban Rose in Winchester.

4. Vibrant

Colour palettes for 2018 will take a step away from the ultra pale greys and blushes of 2017 towards something a little more dramatic. We’ve seen stunning florals dominating wedding shoots over the last twelve months, and their colours can be used to great effect elsewhere in your day. Choose brights for your stationery and a vibrant splash of colour to create excitement from day 1. Decorate tables, walls and outdoor spaces with streamers, colourful containers and eye-catching florals for a really festive atmosphere!

5. Edgy editorial

Wedding blogs in 2017 have been all about ‘light and airy’. The fine art look has been our favourite for the last few years, and the likes of Wedding Sparrow have kept our focus firmly on pale, ethereal fashions, styling and photography. One of my favourite wedding photographers whispered in my ear about a more edgy, editorial look coming through for 2018 – and I’m so excited to see how this will begin to transform the wedding media.

We’re already seeing more “bridal editorial” than “styled shoots” on blogs and wedding websites. A subtle shift in wording has a deeper implication – stylists, designers and photographers are taking from the fashion world to develop a look to their wedding work which has depth and drama. We’ll see darker colours and beautifully moody imagery in wedding magazines and on blogs – and the beauty of this will inspire our choices of table linens, stationery and accessories – even dresses, by the end of the year!

6. Transparency

Were you around the other week when we featured these beautiful ghost chairs from Wedhead on the blog? They’re a hint to another key trend for 2018 – the breathtaking use of transparent materials in wedding decor and styling. Glass and acrylics can be written on (signwriters and calligraphers take note!) – and they’re also an elegant blank canvas to pair with any colour palette.

This is a trend to embrace in so many ways: does a local venue have an orangery which would work beautifully alongside little glass details? We love Broadoaks in the Lakes, and Chiswick House in London – there’s a fabulous list of more glasshouse and orangery venues here.

Simple styling touches with glass and acrylics include table plans (large acrylic sheets, handwritten in white or pink ink), invitations on vellum or acrylic, or with a semi transparent cover, modern glassware and graceful floral containers. If you love the concept, look for sheer fabric layering when you’re wedding dress shopping!

Family style

Trends aren’t always about how things look: a huge part of planning your wedding is about the party itself. A trend I love from the US is family style dining – and when my cousin married her guy this year I saw how wonderfully relaxed it makes the wedding breakfast. If this is a new concept for you, allow me to explain: caterers will bring out platters to each of your tables with, say, a roast, potatoes and veg, breads, and so on. Everyone serves themselves, which means a little more choice in what you’re eating! Imagine this as a Mexican or Spanish tapas-style feast, and this is pretty much my dream wedding meal.

Family style dining is a practical solution: there’ll be less food waste, and your catering staff costs will be lower as they’re not having to plate and serve individual meals. (My cousin was able to donate leftovers from the kitchen to a local homeless shelter too.) I love that it’s a conversation starter too – even if you’re only asking your neighbour to pass the couscous!

Neon brights

One of my favourite calligraphy orders in 2017 was for a London wedding with black stationery and neon pink ink. The overall effect was incredible (thanks Emma!) and the floral styling and table decorations were out of this world.

Neon brights work with modern or urban chic venues – they’re out of place in country houses and don’t really translate to a marquee wedding. But if you’re having your reception in a chic dining space with monochrome or metals, adding neon touches will bring the place to life! A neon light can be the focal point for your evening celebrations – try Neon Creations.

Paper and printing is where you can get really creative with neon. Paper flowers, streamers, paper ribbon backdrops or paper cranes will look amazing in neon pinks, yellows and greens. Find cute favours in neons, and dress your cake with flamingos and the brightest florals you can find. The littlest touches will make a huge difference: neon straws at your drinks station, and glowsticks for the dancefloor!

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I hope you’ve found inspiration in today’s feature – or perhaps we’ve reconfirmed that your styling is on the right track for 2018? Will you be filling your tables with houseplants (and taking them home – massive bonus!) or styling a vibrant and modern wedding full of neon accents?