• Venue: Wisteria Room Centennial Homestead
• Address: 1 Grand Drive, Centennial Parklands
• Standing Capacity: 650
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

Weddings just don’t stand still – they’re ever-changing and wedding trends change fast.

The last year was enormously difficult for the wedding industry and brides and grooms across the globe who’ve had to reschedule their special day. 

So, whether you’re just beginning the planning process, organising your dream Covid-safe day or you’re looking for some final touch tips then you’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together 8 of the biggest trends for this year.

1. Sustainability is everything

• Venue: Foundation Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
• Address: 140 George St, The Rocks NSW 2000
• Standing Capacity: 750
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

The single ‘trend’ you’ll read more about this year than any other is sustainability. Cutting down on plastics, waste and carbon footprints in weddings is the biggest wedding trend of 2021. The main areas to consider to have a sustainable wedding are flowers, transport, food waste and plastics.

Sustainable weddings promise to be naturally beautiful. Gone are cheap plastic trinkets (table diamonds and glitter confetti are OUT!) and they’ll be replaced by flickering soy candles, recycled paper place names and growing plants along natural wood tables – all with a soft, organic colour palette.

2. Nature and natural materials

• Venue: The Atrium, the Grounds of Alexandria
• Address: 7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria NSW 2015
• Standing Capacity: 170
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

Sustainability is also transforming the styling and look of our weddings in the loveliest of ways! Bringing the outside in with greenery and natural materials will be key to wedding styling in 2021. Consider plants in pots rather than cut flowers to style your tables. And scale it up, with trees in pots, or tropical houseplants to create a big green splash of eye-catching colour!

Perhaps you could source or even make a dried flower bouquet rather than fresh blooms? And always, always find a local, organic flower grower so you can avoid the carbon footprint from importing flowers.

3. Embracing locations and landscape – being outdoors or bringing it inside

• Venue: Bank West Stadium
• Address: 11-13 O’Connell St, Parramatta NSW 2150
• Standing Capacity: 200
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

The world has opened its doors to wedding couples, with unusual wedding venues popping up in the unlikeliest of locations. Couples will be strolling through city streets in full wedding attire as they walk from church to reception – or hopping on the back of a sporting bus to their secluded party space in a field.

Adventurous souls are heading for breathtaking beauty spots as part of their day, making the most of their wedding photographer to grab epic images-of-a-lifetime on beaches and hinterlands  – and looking for venues as close to those beauty spots as they can find!

4. Wearing it again!

• Venue: The Tea Room
• Address: 455 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
• Standing Capacity: 300
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

Tying together the wedding trends of sustainability and colour, brides are opting for outfits they can wear again: including bridal separates (skirts and tops) or even dresses that can be dyed and worn to another occasion.

And we’re not just talking daytime: second outfits are still a key wedding trend for 2021! Couples are loving that element of surprise when they change from formalwear to dazzling party wear for the evening do!

Treat yourselves, go on – you’re destined to be the centre of attention anyway, so sparkle and shine your way onto that dance floor… and every time you wear that outfit in the future, you’ll be reminded of your wedding day.

5. Creative venues

• Venue: The Venue, Alexandria
• Address:  55 Doody St, Alexandria NSW 2015
• Standing Capacity: 1000
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

If a local hotel or a white marquee doesn’t take your fancy, now’s the time to take the plunge with an alternative wedding venue. 

Farms, festival fields and urban warehouses are opening their doors to the wedding market. Museums are joining in with the celebrations – you could even hire a garage or glamping site to say your ‘I do’s’ – really make a weekend of it. 

The options are endless if you’re getting married in a city too, choose from a Historic Building  to a beautiful rooftop bar.

6. The rise of the micro wedding

• Venue: Bennelong, Sydney Opera House
• Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
• Standing Capacity: 50
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

The global pandemic has brought the idea of a super intimate wedding into reality over the last year. Celebrating with a handful (the mates you can count on your fingers) of your faves is a wonderful option if you’re looking for a little less fuss!

And a micro wedding doesn’t mean you need to go small on the styling or catering, why not choose an extra-special menu or go super personal with favours and decorations.

7. Authenticity in wedding photography

When it comes to hiring a wedding photographer, couples are looking for documentary wedding photographers who’ll capture the spirit of their day, from the nerves and tears of the morning to the great big beaming smiles after the ceremony and all your aunties’ bear hugs.

Real moments are what it’s all about in 2021, and your wedding photos will last a lifetime and be filled with authentic memories of everyone you love being their brilliant, natural, wonderful selves!

8. Destination style at home

• Venue: Pilu at Freshwater
• Address:  Moore Rd, Freshwater NSW 2096
• Standing Capacity: 110
• Event Type: Networking, Parties, Weddings

International travel is no longer available at the time being for us Aussies. So wedding venues that evoke dreamy Sicilian courtyards or Greek Islands are set to be hugely popular in summer 2021. Think olive trees and strings of fairy lights for your evening reception outdoors; fire pits and cosy blankets and soft guitar music as the sun sets on your day. Vineyard hinterland weddings are becoming even more popular, with Australian vineyards being some of the best, they can host wonderful weddings – and provide excellent wines, of course!

So, there you have it, 8 of the biggest trends to look out for in summer 2021. If you are searching for a wedding venue in Brisbane or Sydney, explore our collection of the finest venues here.