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2023 has arrived!!
New Year, New Opportunities! And what's new for wedding trends?? Elopements, Uniquely Interactive Reception Ideas, Fresh Flavors on the Menu... and more!
Picked your Special Date yet??...
2023 offers some wonderfully memorable numerics! Check out these Top Picks:
1/20/2023
1/23/23
2/3/23
2/20/2023
2/23/23
3/2/23 (an anagram numerically, reads the same forward as backwards)
3/20/23 (another anagram!)
These January, February and March notables of course are coming up quickly! Many couples are picking one of these fun dates as they plan for an intimate small wedding, or exciting elopement or destination wedding. One reason of course is that many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling much more secure since the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act... but some are still concerned about what 2023 may bring in terms of the Supreme Court's consideration of national marriage rights. ...So ELOPEMENTS & DESTINATION WEDDINGS are definitely trending this year!
Check out some of our favorite select vendors who offer Elopement and Destination Wedding services:
Moon River Ranch / Texas
http://www.moonriverranch.com
This incredible venue offers an unbelievable drive-thru Safari Adventure: 550 acres and hundreds of animals! Their wedding packages include options for the charming country chapel, the waterfall grape-lined arbor, rolling pastures painted with pecan trees or the shimmering natural rock pool. Moon River Ranch is a perfect place for you, your family and guests to enjoy memorable moments to be cherished forever.
Island Wedding Services / US Virgin Islands
http://www.islandweddingservices.com
Professional island vendors offering memorable wedding experiences in St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island in the US Virgin Islands directly to you at affordable rates. 30 years experience with Adventure Weddings, Intimate Beach Weddings, Vow Renewals and Romantic Getaways!
Round Peak Vineyards / North Carolina
https://www.roundpeak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Events-Packet-for-Web-October-2020.pdf
Round Peak Vineyards is a boutique winery, quietly tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The property provides a picturesque backdrop for your wedding, and offers two rental cabins on site. Welcoming events from 10 guests to 300!
Vernonia Springs / Oregon
https://www.vernoniasprings.com/best-outdoor-wedding-venue-oregon/
Vernonia Springs is a 28-acre gated forestland private park located at the base of the Oregon coast range. Enjoy exclusive use of the park for your glamping wedding weekend! Luxury glamping accommodations mean you get all of the comforts of home, while being able to stargaze through your yurt moonroof at night. REAL nature, yet only a 30-minute drive from Beaverton, Hillsboro and Portland.
Debating a Wedding Hashtag??...
Here are a few of our favorites!
#AllYouNeedIsLove____ (names or wedding date)
#ProudlyThe___________ (last name)
#Together4Ever______&________
#PartyOf_______ (number in blended family / add wedding date or year also)
#2Grooms4Life________ (names or wedding date)
#2Brides4Life________ (names or wedding date)
#_____+_____ (names)
#Team___________ (last name)
#______loves_______2023 (names)
#RainbowLove2023_____+_____ (names)
Interactive Reception Decor and Festive Activities are definitely continuing to trend in to 2023...
-Now that we're all gathering together more comfortably after the long quarantines of covid, just about everyone on your guest list will be eager to get social and celebrate your fabulous occasion with playfulness & heart. Have fun planning unique ways to incorporate a little whimsy and creative flair in to Your Day!
- Nostalgic Reception Table Placecards: Table Markers may not be necessary... but they add a little extra polish and FUN to your fesitivities! If you're having a Theme Wedding, table names will be a cinch to come up with... but if not, take a moment to consider making nostalgic Table Markers: Brainstorm in advance with your fiancee about places (cities, streets, locations) that hold fond memories for each of you, or are an important part of your story as a couple. For instance: "Pine Street Bridge - we walked across this special bridge on our trip to New England, and it was in that moment Ben was sure that Eric was "The One!"" Each Table Marker will spotlight a fond memory, serving as a conversation starter and simply a joyful little addition for all the guests who join your celebration. To make the Table Markers, search online for ideas using cardstock pre-cuts, or mini chalkboard signs. These can be an extremely cost-effective way to add one more accent to Your Day!
- LOTS OF WEDDING GUESTS who are not famliar with each other?? Plan an interactive Wedding Game! Here's an easy one: On the back of each guest's seating card, write one half of a famous duo (such as "Peanut Butter / Jelly... Salt / Pepper...." Or, more LGBTQ+ specific duos such as "Ellen / Portia... Mitchell / Cameron... Poison Ivy / Harley Quinn..." Or, if you don't have seating cards, just add a colorful, eye-catching basket or vase at your entry table - in it dump the collection of cards with the half-names of famous duos. Post a quick note with directions for all to see: "Pick a Name! During the evening, please take a moment to find your "Other Half", and introduce yourself! Tell them where you're from, and how you know the Happy Couple. Please take a selfie together and post it using our Wedding Hashtag! We appreciate you taking time to bring all our Guests together in friendship and fun!" -By the end of the party, you'll have a room full of chatting friends, not strangers... and your Wedding Photo Album will be full of outrageously silly selfies!
- Sacred Stones - the heartbeat of Mother Earth, stone decor also brings in grounding energy and adds a rustic touch. Consider making this an interactive piece: With a vase full of permanent markers, arrange various rocks in a basket or on a table and ask guests to write a short saying or prayer on a stone of their choice, as a beautiful and heartfelt message for your future together. Then you'll have a collection of stones to take with you - for home decor, garden decor, or to set about the corners of your home: foundational keepsakes for your new life together!
READ MORE OF OUR INTERACTIVE RECEPTION ACTIVITIES IN THIS FULL ARTICLE:
https://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/wedding-tips/unique-interactive-reception-ideas
2023 Trending Menu Ideas...
...Back when I had my first wedding in 1987... being vegetarian I could eat nothing on the dinner menu! Just cake that night for me and my new spouse, lol. But all that has certainly changed!
Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free and other options are definitely available for all courses... and don't hesitate to anticipate that you and your guests will savor the flavor! Diverse, delectable, offering an array of color palettes and the opportunity to use locally sourced fare...
Appetizers & Casual Fare: Endless options!! Beetroot hummus, stuffed mushrooms, spring rolls with varied dipping sauces, vegan 7 layer chili dip, salsa bars, fried cauliflower, sweet potato canapes, chickpea bruschetta with olives or sundried tomatoes, vegan tzatziki and flatbread, loaded potato skins (bacon-free of course) ... YUM!
Vegan Cakes: Literally ANY FLAVORS are possible! Whether you want your cake to be out-of-the-closet vegan, or secretly vegan... you do not have to compromise on taste, moistness or decoratives!
Other CATERING TRENDS for 2023 include:
Food Trucks... Charcoal grilled fare or theatrical cooking displays... Sushi bars... BBQ banquet meals, either self-serve or family-style... Locally, organically and sustainably sourced foods... Signature beverage stations are still trending (whether alcoholic cocktails, hot cocoa bars, or something even more uniquely you! -Be sure to name a drink or two after yourselves, just for added fun! "The Samantha & Kaydee Rainbow Martini"... "TheSmithsx2 Signature Margarita"...)
Also trending are choices to offer culinary choices that are Most Preferred by and/or Custom-Crafted for the Happy Couple! Either based on heritage or personal tastes, many couples are opting to request that their caterer provide uniquely inspired and creative dishes that they, themselves, will be able to savor... and that their guests will be able to not only enjoy in the moment, but remember as a tribute to their special couple's style and preferences.
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No matter the current trends... What's important is that you and your beloved choose whatever it is for Your Special Day that delights you, represents your own beautiful Love Story, and celebrates this exciting chapter in your lives together. Make the most of all your options! CONGRATULATIONS!
