Out with the old, in with the new — Actually, strike that, reverse it! 2021 was an incredible year for weddings, and there are many trends from this year that shouldn’t be left behind! I’m going to show you some of my favorite stationery trends of 2021 that we should all be excited to bring with us into the New Year (and beyond)!
Bright Colors
Sometimes, formal events like weddings are associated with stale and stuffy traditions. While the classics will never go out of style, I love the trend of adding bright colors to your palette! 2021 saw lots of beautiful designs brought to life by bold, fun colors. Incorporating classic elements like florals allows your bright colors to shine while maintaining an elegant style.
Additionally, bright colors can be added to your wedding palette by choosing a unique, colored paper for your invitations instead of the traditional white background. Or, you may choose a brightly colored envelope or additional embellishment to add the perfect pop of brightness to your palette.
Alternatively, bold and bright colors can also be used in a completely unique and modern way! For example, this cool retro suite reflects the couple’s fun personalities and style. Remember, its your big day! Adding bright colors to your special day is a great way to allow your style to shine!
Photo: Bold as Love Studios, Stationery: Custom Creations Boutique
Monochrome Color Palettes
Speaking of wedding colors, monochrome color palettes were another huge trend in 2021! If experimenting with multiple bright colors isn’t your style, a monochrome palette may be perfectly suited for you! Monochrome palettes center around a single color family. Then, you simply use different tones of that color for an elegant result! Oftentimes, this results in a watercolor-esque effect, which can add a beautifully modern twist to a classic style, such as with this monochrome blue-hued floral design.
Dainty Details
One thing that will never go out of style? Details! While I love the overall look of invitations, the little details are often my favorite parts of a design! One of the most popular detail trends I saw this past year was custom monograms!
Personally, I love designing this personalized touch because it adds a sweet recognition of the couple. You can choose to put both initials, or create a beautiful single-letter monogram for their soon-to-be-shared last name!
Stationery: Custom Creations Boutique
Another of my favorite trends to keep is vow books! These beautiful pieces have become increasingly popular recently, and have even become one of the top 2021 trends! A pair of vow books is the perfect way to commemorate your words of love forever! Even better, you can have your stationery designer create them so they also incorporate your colors, style, and overall beauty of your wedding day!
Photo: Kate Elaine Photography, Vow Books: Custom Creations Boutique
The options are endless when it comes to the dainty details that can be added to your wedding invitation suite! Other embellishments, such as envelope liners, belly bands, and wax seals have also been very popular in 2021! Adding greenery details — often times, an ode to the floral table arrangements or the bride’s bouquet — is another popular option to add an extra special touch to your stationery! The possibilities are endless!
Let’s Get Personal!
While this isn’t necessarily a new trend, creating wedding stationery that is totally unique and personal to the couple is increasing in popularity. Many couples are moving away from the standards and traditions that used to dictate wedding styles, and leaning into their personal styles instead! As a custom stationery designer, this is perhaps the best part of my job. I love having the opportunity to learn details about the couples’ relationship and find ways to incorporate those personal touches into their stationery! For example, this year, I created a wedding suite that incorporated drawings of different buildings and locations that were important to that couple’s history!
Other couples may opt for different ways to incorporate their love story into their big day. Getting creative with table numbers and signage is a great way to do this. For example, you can label tables based on the years of your relationship, or places that are significant to you! Sharing “inside jokes” or even incorporating a shared hobby or interest is another way to add a personal touch. If you want to find ways to incorporate your unique love story into your big day, a custom stationery designer is the perfect person to help bring your vision to life!
What’s Next?
2021 brought so many wedding stationery trends that I loved! And, while I look forward to carrying these trendy styles into our New Year, there are also some newer ideas that I would love to see more of in 2022 as well! Vellum sheets are gorgeous, translucent accents that add an upscale touch of elegance and luxury to your invitations. Fun Fact: you can print on vellum, so these sheets can be a functional component of your suite in addition to being a design element!
Metallic printing is another glamorous-feeling upgrade that I would love to see more of in the coming year! This is a great way to add a metallic accent to your palette. And, with digital metallic colors, you can add metallic printing without breaking the bank!
Watercolor designs are another invitation style that I love to create! I look forward to seeing more watercolors in the coming years. As I mentioned, this look can be accomplished with a monochrome color palette, but it can also incorporate multiple colors.
While florals are a classic and beautiful way to add this style, some of my favorite watercolor designs are more modern or abstract.
Photo: MisaFlix Photography
Finally, in my opinion, ribbons are some of the most underrated elements that can make a wedding stationery suite look polished and professional. After all, they quite literally tie it all together! Ribbons are affordable and beautiful, and there are different styles and materials that can match nearly any aesthetic! These are the perfect addition to give your invitations a “finished” look!
What are some trends you are excited about for 2022? I cannot wait to see what this year brings!
