Midwest Wedding Trends (#8 in a Series): Wedding Planning and Styling Ideas for your 2018 Wedding!

Were you one of the lucky girls to get engaged this year?! Maybe even on Christmas? That’s why we post these blogs twice a year — once for brides in the new year and once for brides mid-year! We’re excited to talk about up-and-coming Midwestern wedding trends (specifically, here in South Dakota) that are definitely worth your consideration as we look to 2018. And let’s get real for a minute. I’d estimate the average South Dakota bride has a wedding budget that’s less than $50,000. Although some articles say up-and-coming wedding trends for 2018 include A-list performers surprising your guests on stage, castle tours, fair rides, and hot air balloon rides…I wanted to keep this blog realistic for a down-home, do-it-yourself South Dakota bride. We love a good flower wall, food truck, and 3-D show-stopping display at a reception, but unless you’re having a destination wedding, we left out the sunset cliffs. You want a live marching band parading your guests to the next spot? I mean, if you’re up for it, then Hitch will help you plan it! Let’s see what’s hot for South Dakota 2018 wedding trends according to us, here at Hitch Studio in Brookings, SD.

All you need is love and donuts

Hip hip hooray—donuts are here to stay! Serving donuts, donut holes, or another unique dessert instead of cake was a popular trend in 2017 and that will continue in 2018, too. Cheesecake, ice cream…anything goes that showcases your personalities.

Mixed metals

Gold and silver will always have a place in our hearts at a wedding, but copper and rose gold entered the scene in 2017. Expect them to stick around for 2018! We’re loving it! Metallic wedding colors give an amazing vibe. And speaking of copper…

Copper and marble 

We love copper and we love marble, but the two paired together is absolutely breathtaking! We’re so excited this modern trend has caught on in the wedding industry and look forward to styling it 2018. Hitch Studio co-owner, Renee Bauman, was ahead of this trend and used this perfect combo in her October 2017 wedding. Take a look at these amazing photos of copper and marble and see if this is the right look for your special day!

Unique head tables

Consider having a head table that’s U-shaped or square-shaped. You don’t have to do the long, traditional, one-way facing head table at the front of the room. Maybe your head table is in the middle of the room! Here are some Head Table Decor Ideas!

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Having Some Fun with Your Programs

If you’re having a more casual, fun feeling at your wedding, not everything has to be so serious. Hire Hitch Studio for your wedding invitations, wedding programs, or save the dates for some added personality to your wedding stationery. This bride met her future husband in a car accident, so we illustrated that on her programs. (Can you see the two cars crashing into love in the top left corner?) You can’t find something like that online! We love telling a great love story on paper.

Non-Saturday weddings

Having your wedding on a day other than a Saturday has been a trend for a while now. Friday weddings gained popularity the past couple years. Reason: some vendors are less expensive, it opens up more venue date options, your guests from out of town have an extra day to spend with family (Saturday) and it’s something different. This year, Hitch Studio may have the opportunity to style a wedding on a Sunday for one couple! Keep your mind open to dates other than Saturdays.

You better watch your tone, Mister

Say hello to this year’s Pantone Color of the Year—Ultra Violet! We’ve already seen this trend creeping into the tail end of 2017, but can’t wait for it to become a staple in this coming year! Check out these photos from our past centerpiece showcases to see if this color will leap into your wedding palette.

Dusty blue

Dusty blue made a comeback in 2017, and it’s here to stay in 2018. This color pairs well with bold tones or pastel hues. Consider a palette of burgundy, sage, marigold, and/or dusty pinks. We’re fans! Check out this Pinterest Board at Hitch Studio’s page full of dusty blue ideas, or take a look at this wedding we styled with Dusty Blue and Burgundy, it was gorgeous!

Antlers and pheasant feathers

You won’t find that trend in a west-coast bridal magazine! That’s for right here in Midwest South Dakota. Deer antlers and/or pheasant feathers are a beautiful, naturalistic way to incorporate one of our favorite hobbies — hunting. Whether it appeals to the bride or groom, use antlers and feathers to put a personal touch to your table decor! We promise…it can look elegant and purposeful. Plus, it’s another way to showcase your personalities at your wedding! Not everything has to come straight from Pinterest.  (Coming from a Pinterest-lover)

Metallic foil wedding invitations

This iridescent look will really catch the eye of your wedding guests when they receive your save the date, invitation, and even sit down with your wedding programs. If you’re having gold, silver, copper, bronze or rose gold as one of your wedding colors, Hitch Studio can help you get metallic foiled invitations! They’re the first thing your guests receive for your wedding, so invitations and save the dates should really set the tone of your entire day.

Grand entrance

Having a decorated grand entrance into your reception is a brilliant idea! It’s especially great when there may be more than one event happening at your venue on the same day. An amazing entrance can be just the detail you needed to set your wedding apart.

Say Goodbye to …

  • The Cake Smash. Thank goodness. We pay to get our makeup done and nothing is more horrifying to watch a piece of perfectly edible cake being shoved into our contoured face and elegant up-do.
  • Over-the-top wedding favors. Save your money and enhance the day’s experience for your guests. Or consider donating the money delegated to favors — to a charity instead. Maybe your guests could even vote on the three charities closest to your hearts. (Renee did that! Ask her about it!)
  • DIY everything. Consider hiring a wedding decorator, like Hitch Studio, to decorate your reception for you so there’s less pressure on you to hand-craft every detail of your wedding and reception. The good news? When you hire Hitch, there is no extra fee for decor! Anything you want from our huge inventory of wedding items is open for you to use. We just want your wedding to be as beautiful as it can be at an affordable price!

Helpful Tips

  • Number your RSVP cards
    • As silly as it sounds, some guests will forget to sign their names on the RSVP cards. By numbering the back corner of the cards (so each number corresponds with the Excel spreadsheet row of guests) before sending them out, you can avoid the confusion!
    • For more tips on RSVP cards, read this!
  • Recycling your wedding
    • We know how expensive weddings can get. Check out secondhand sites, Facebook pages, or ask friends who were recently married to buy wedding items for savings. You can also re-sell the items after the wedding, or donate to a charity/Goodwill! Hitch also offers a variety of decorations for rent! See our inventory here.
  • Registry exchanges, returns
    • Ever hear those stories about one couple receiving 10 toasters, six pasta makers and seven punch bowls? Unless you’re making breakfast, lunch and drinks for your entire city block, you probably don’t need all of those. To avoid duplicates or unwanted gifts, be sure to register someplace that allows exchanges or returns for cash. [Another trend? Register on Honeyfund for honeymoon excursions, dinners, and spa dates! Let your guests gift you with memories you’ll have forever on your honeymoon!]
  • Hot, hot, hot date!
    • If there is a chance that your wedding day will be a little toasty, have your designer make the programs double as fans! Hitch has catered to hot outdoor weddings before. Make an appointment to see them all in our beautiful store-front location on Main Ave in Brookings.
  • Reduce, reuse, recycle your dress
    • If you’re handy with a sewing machine and not keen on that gorgeous wedding dress going into storage and not seeing daylight for years to come, you have plenty of other options! For home décor, you can turn that dress into a pillow — maybe a future ring bearer pillow, a decoration for your new baby’s nursery, or for your living room. Maybe you make a tablecloth or table runner…we’ve even heard of turning it into a Christmas tree skirt for an heirloom to be passed down for generations to come. Renee’s idea? Use the extra fabric from her wedding dress’s alterations (fabric from her lining, her lace, and the ribbon from her belt) and use them to make a baptism dress for a baby girl someday. Maybe. Someday. A baby. Maybe. Let’s not get carried away.

Did you get all of that? It’s quite a lot to take in, but we hope that all of these tips and tricks will help you feel a little more prepared for what we hope will be the most cherished day of your life! Here are past issues of Midwest Wedding Trends if you want to take a look:

Contact our wedding specialist, Renee Bauman, here to set up a free consultation! We’d love to help your 2018 wedding a memorable and unique one.

Future Wedding Trends to check out: 2019 Wedding Trends & 2020 Wedding Trends

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