HOT TOPIC

Local experts on what’s hot for weddings in 2022 LET THE MUSIC PLAY ON

The soundtrack to your big day can evoke lifelong memories, so it pays to get it right. Here drummer Tom Phillips and bass guitarist Al Moghadam of popular Southampton wedding band The Big Town Boppers share some top tips and industry insight for the year ahead.

❤ Music and entertainment Live music at weddings will be making a big comeback in 2022. One thing we’ve noticed after lockdown is just how much people appreciate having live music again and we fully expect that to continue. Couples often like to mix it up with a combination of live music and DJ sets throughout the evening. Afternoon acoustic music during the drinks reception or any lulls in the proceedings looks set to be popular too, going all out to make sure there’s entertainment throughout the day.

❤ Emerging trends Post-lockdowns, we’ve noticed a tendency towards more lavish weddings with fireworks, choreographed first dances, grand and opulent venues and, of course, more guests! It’s gorgeous and fun to be part of, even with all the extra organisation involved. People have missed seeing each other and nothing brings everyone together quite like a wedding, so many newlyweds-to-be are really going all-out with their plans and guest lists.

❤ Popular music styles The mainstays of Motown, classic rock, and pop bangers (old and new) are always a big draw. The trick is to keep things interesting – good bands set themselves apart from the rest by doing things in their own way; like playing traditional hits in a really modern style, or merging songs with medleys and introducing other hidden surprises. It’s unexpected and exciting, and when you hear a great big roaring cheer as one song shifts into another, you know it’s working!

❤ Advantages of live music As well as surprising audiences, live music is versatile and can adapt to the venue, crowd and the couple’s wishes. A good band will read the room and adjust their set or tune their sound to the environment on the fly. Plus, it gives audiences a chance to participate in a way that you can’t with a set playlist. We always like to get everyone involved and singing along as live music is and will always be about how it makes people feel. 1. Some venues don’t suit live music, and that’s OK! Having live music may not be a deciding factor in choosing where you want to get married, but if it is really important to you, there are a couple of things to consider: •Venues sometimes have sound limiters and while bands will accommodate as much as possible, it can really impact on what they can do. •If there are lots of different rooms your guests will naturally disperse, so it can be harder to get that live music party atmosphere going. This can be the case even without live music, particularly if the bar is set away from the reception room.

2. See your band/entertainment perform before you book! You can make a music video or recording sound great, but going to see your band live will give you a much better sense of whether they bring energy to the room. Bands are a bit like wedding dresses – you’ll just know if they’re the one!

3. Reception timings Planning reception timings is important and it helps you get the most out of the money you’ve spent. •If at all possible, don’t start live music before 8pm, 300 weddings down and we can safely say that people need time to settle into the evening and have a few drinks before they’re truly ready to party. Also try to plan sets around other evening entertainment like fireworks and food.

REGENCY ROMANCE

Laura Denny of Hampshire-based Spiral Events sees more Regency-themed weddings coming through, inspired by the popular period drama Bridgerton. Gifts with sentiment are also on the rise in place of standard favours for guests. “As people haven’t been able to see each other for a while the meaning behind the gift has become more important,” she reports. Also to look out for in the wake of the pandemic, Laura warns of rollercoaster emotions. “Many couples have waited so long for their big days to arrive, that the reality of them actually getting married hasn’t hit. We’ve worked with brides that have said that they didn’t feel like it was ever going to happen or they were waiting for something else to go wrong. So the emotional hit on the actual wedding day can be big, not only for them, but their guests too. Our advice is to try and prepare for it and have some extra tissues to hand at the front of the aisle.”

Spiral Events | www.spiralevents.co.uk

ON-TREND WEDDINGS

Anouska Parsons, event manager and founder of Hampshire-based event agency Raggy&Boo shares her insight into key trends for 2022.

❤ Small and intimate Intimate weddings have made a big comeback and are likely to stick around. Some couples who had to cancel their original plans realised that the big wedding day wasn’t necessarily what they wanted after all. The pros of a scaled-down affair mean you can be more extravagant with your ideas or you might want to save cash for an almighty celebration or dream honeymoon afterwards!

❤ Eco-friendly and earthy tones During the pandemic people have been spending more time outdoors and have become more connected to the environment. Increasingly newlywedsto-be want to incorporate their eco-ethos into their big day, not only in terms of recycling, reducing and re-using but also in their big-day colour palette, so more earthy tones will be making an appearance in 2022. so it’s likely that in 2022 we will be seeing a big trend for weekday weddings. Even though it can be a little trickier for guests, it’s a great way to benefit from reduced rates, which can be a bonus for your family and friends too, if they need to book a hotel room.

❤ Going local Backing small businesses and shopping locally is increasingly at the forefront of people’s minds, not only to support them through the recent turbulent times, but also from an environmental aspect. More and more couples are choosing to use suppliers local to their venue and long may it stay that way.

❤ Sequel weddings Many couples who were deprived of their big wedding day due to Covid opted to go ahead and tie the knot despite restrictions and organise a follow-up celebration afterwards when they can hit the dancefloor and party into the night with all their friends and family.

Raggy&Boo | www.raggyandboo.com