Martha’s Vineyard is more than just a picturesque New England island; it’s a romantic haven for couples seeking a unique wedding experience. From its charming down-island towns to its up-island stone walls and beautiful beaches, Martha’s Vineyard weddings offer a stunning backdrop that perfectly captures the essence of love and romance.
What sets this island apart from other wedding destinations is the deep respect that people have for its natural beauty. This reverence for the island’s pristine surroundings makes a wedding on Martha’s Vineyard beautiful and meaningful.
This marks our 27th year on Martha’s Vineyard as wedding photographers, and we can’t help but feel excited to see how this season’s weddings will evolve! From unique decor and personalized touches to more intimate ceremonies and larger welcoming parties, we love the direction couples are taking their celebrations. We talked with Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals about some of the most popular wedding trends for 2023 on Martha’s Vineyard, and as someone whose job is to capture the visual interest, we can’t wait to be inspired by this season.
Uniquely Yours: The Rise of Customized Weddings
Customization is rising in 2023 weddings as couples seek to create more intentional and personalized celebrations that reflect their unique values and personalities. From the venue to the decor to the food and drinks, couples carefully curate every aspect of their big day to create a truly bespoke experience. This trend allows couples to prioritize what’s most important to them and to craft a wedding that feels authentic and meaningful.
As photographers, we love seeing couples break away from traditional wedding norms and create weddings that truly reflect their unique love stories. The possibilities for making a dream wedding are endless, from beautiful coastal cottage hotel venues to beachside ceremonies, historical churches, and picturesque island farms. It’s clear that in 2023, couples are blazing their trails and making tradition less of a focus when planning their big day.
Patterns and Textures Galore
According to Erin Jochems from Big Sky, there will be plenty of patterns and textures at this year’s celebrations. They have seen increased floral prints, geometrics, and plenty of pattern mixing. From playful polka dots to elegant stripes and florals, incorporating patterns into wedding decor and fashion is a fun and creative way to add personality to your big day.
Whether through bridesmaids’ dresses, tablecloths, or even invitations, patterns can help tie a wedding theme together and make it visually delicious. We’re always excited to capture the unique patterns and textures that each couple chooses as their theme to tie everything together. From their cake to the napkins, the trend of using patterns in 2023 certainly inspires me!
Martha’s Vineyard Weddings Get a Colorful Makeover
Bold and bright colors are a wedding trend that appears to be sticking around for now, and we’re not upset about it! Big Sky claims that no one is afraid of color this year, and they’re seeing a common theme of bold colors, specifically blues, greens, and pinks.
To prepare for the season of color, they are adding inventory to their showroom, including their new amber and pink colored water glasses and a new line of floral china. From the table settings to the flowers to groomsmen’s ties and socks, we expect to see bold pops of color everywhere. One of the things we love about photographing weddings is the chance to capture all the beautiful colors of the day. Each wedding has a unique palette of hues, from bold and bright to soft and subtle.
The Future of Weddings: Sustainability is Shaping Celebrations
Another trend emerging in 2023 weddings on Martha’s Vineyard is a push toward sustainability. Couples are pushing back on old wedding trends that are wasteful and unnecessary and instead opting for more intentional and personalized celebrations that align with their values. From reducing waste in gift bags to forgoing single-use items, such as straws and plastic utensils, couples are finding creative ways to make their weddings more eco-friendly.
One way to reduce waste from celebrations is to rent furniture, dishes, and linens. It ensures these items get reused instead of thrown away.
The sustainability trend is certainly one to watch in 2023, and we’re eager to see how couples continue to prioritize less waste and a lower carbon footprint in their wedding celebrations. If you need ideas and inspiration for a more sustainable wedding, we wrote a blog post on planning a zero-waste wedding!
The Party Starts Early: Big Welcome Parties
Another movement taking over 2023 weddings is throwing big welcome parties for guests. More and more couples are opting to entertain their loved ones on the day of their wedding and the days leading up to it. Whether it’s a seaside clambake or a sunset sail on the Vineyard Sound, these pre-wedding celebrations allow guests to mingle and get to know each other in a more relaxed setting.
They offer the perfect opportunity to showcase Martha’s Vineyard’s local charm and flavor. Many island businesses can help you provide incredible guest experiences leading up to the big day. Welcome parties also allow us at RBP to meet and identify the essential family members and the wedding party so that we are more informed on the wedding day. Big welcome parties allow for more quality time between family and friends and are certainly something to look forward to in 2023!
Martha’s Vineyard Weddings Get Cozy: The Trend of Intimate Ceremonies
While big welcome parties are on the rise, there’s also a trend towards more intimate wedding ceremonies on Martha’s Vineyard. Some couples opt for smaller, more private affairs, with immediate family and a few close friends in attendance. These intimate ceremonies offer a chance for couples to focus on the true meaning of their marriage and to create a more personal and meaningful experience for themselves and their loved ones. Intimate ceremonies are also budget-friendly and are a great way to have a more affordable wedding on the island. From simple beach elopements to cozy backyard gatherings, intimate wedding ceremonies are a refreshing change of pace in a world where bigger is often seen as better. We love capturing the deep emotional connections between couples and their closest friends and family members during these intimate ceremonies and celebrations. If you want an intimate ceremony, explore our blog post about planning micro weddings!
Individuality in the Wedding Party: Unique Bridesmaid Dresses
In today’s weddings, your bridesmaids no longer have to match! A new trend is emerging where bridesmaids are more free to choose their dresses, resulting in a more comfortable and individualized wedding party. Brides increasingly opt for bridesmaid outfits in a similar color palette but with different styles, cuts, and patterns.
This trend of mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses allows each to show off her unique style and personality. Additionally, wearability is becoming more of a consideration. Bridesmaid dresses with simple silhouettes and luxe patterns are rising. We love how this trend allows for stunning visual variety in the wedding party, resulting in beautiful and memorable photos!
We eagerly await this coming wedding season and are excited to see so many couples planning more personal celebrations. If you’d like to read our other posts about weddings on Martha’s Vineyard, visit the wedding section of our blog!
