It would be fair to say that 2020 has not been the best year for destination weddings. So many couples, around the world, have had their wedding day postponed and even local weddings at home have been cancelled. Whilst none of us have a crystal ball, many couples are now looking ahead and thinking about their 2021 & 2022 weddings.
France is the Perfect Choice for a Destination Wedding from the UK
Destination Weddings are still popular. If you’re coming from the UK, France is the perfect choice. With travel options by plane, train, ferry or via the tunnel there are so many choices for coupes and guests travelling from the UK.
As well as the obvious major airport hubs, France has many regional airports served by lo-cost airlines. If your guests book early they can find flights at a very reasonable price. Your hotel, Chateau or wedding venue will be able to recommend car hire or local taxi and transport options for your guests if they arrive from local airports or train stations.
If you are looking for transport options there are a few websites that can help with your planning :
- SkyScanner : will show your flight options from your local airport to the local airport in France
- Trainline : a useful English language website for booking trains in France
- Rome2Rio : very useful website showing transport options between 2 destinations
Wedding Trends in 2021
As wedding professionals, we like to stay informed and we’ve been reading that the trends which started in 2019 are continuing into 2021. Couples want to make their wedding unique. The food, the music, bridalwear, groomswear, flowers – the trend is to make this less about what’s popular or fashionable and more about personalising their big day.
Less Formality – more Relaxed
Regardless of whether couples are choosing small and intimate gatherings or huge parties it is clear that the current trend is for more relaxed affairs. This doesn’t mean any less fabulous but certainly less formal.
Small but Beautiful is Popular
Many couples are looking to arrange smaller weddings with just their nearest and dearest and their closest friends. They are seeking locations where the entire wedding party can be close by and share the celebrations for the duration and not just the wedding day. France offers so many options for this kind of celebration; luxury holiday complexes, large chateau with additional accommodation and even fabulous glamping sites.
Informally Fabulous
Smaller weddings can mean that budgets can stretch a little further. Couples are choosing more than just a wedding day. They organise welcome parties, pool parties, group BBQ’s and local visits such as wine tasting.
Couples maybe hosting weddings for fewer guests but they are choosing more entertainment and different food options; pizza vans, hog roasts and vintage ice-cream carts. All of these different options add up to a fabulous 3 or 4 days wedding event.
Wedding Fashions
Just as weddings are becoming more informal so it seems are wedding fashions. Simple designs, understated, elegant & timeless are the most searched for options; a trend started with Meghan and Harry’s wedding and continuing into 2021.
Enviromentally Friendly
Another big trend that is gaining a foothold is the need for couples to make choices that are kind on the environment. Today couples want décor that can be recycled or that is locally sourced and leaves no footprint; and this includes the waste from packaging and supplies at the venue. (Certainly plastic is not desirable)
These choices are also seen in the food choices, opting for local high quality produce with organic and vegetarian and vegan options. France may not have had a great reputation previously with non-meat options but that has changed enormously in recent years and there are numerous options for all diets. And as a world leader in locally produced artisan food, finding high quality, organic options is never a problem.
Countryside over Seaside
It is becoming more popular to choose weddings in a more rural setting, away from the more traditional beach resort weddings. This makes France the perfect choice for all destination weddings. You can choose lakes and mountains, rural splendour or weddings with a coastal backdrop. France really does offer something for everyone.
Not Just Summer
Savvy couples are realising that whilst peak wedding season may be from May to September, there are bargains to be had outside the main season and they are more likely to have the wedding suppliers of their choice. France is a large country and the weather in the north varies greatly from that in the south, where autumn sunshine stretches out well into November. And in the south west and the east, the mountains are the perfect backdrop for a snowy winter wonderland wedding. And if you prefer an early spring affair the Cote D’Azur is the place to be.
2020 has been a hard year for us all. We hope that 2021 will be easier for us all and after the stress, many couples are looking for a destination wedding where guests can relax with their closest friends and family, where they can enjoy being in nature, away from it all, and where they can have the happiest of times for perhaps 4 days. A wedding is no longer just a day. It’s an event. It’s a time to come together and make memories and France is the perfect choice!
