Unique hues, table-grazing: A glimpse of wedding decor in the New Year

Experts believe in 2021, the focus of wedding decor would be on sustainability, as guests continue to be socially distant

No doubt the pandemic has made many rethink the concept of conventional big fat Indian weddings, but ideas have vastly evolved for the wedding industry, based on learnings from 2020. From opting for an array of unique colours to spaced out seating and going sustainable, we get experts to decode what’s in store for 2021.

Lending support to #VocalforLocal

Wedding planner and decorator Kaveri Vij from Designer Events Inc, believes that this will be the year of ‘LocTral’, a combination of minimal neutrals mixed with the loud local flavours of India. “The year will see the perfect blend of mixing loud and neutral shades, focusing on clean lines, bright patterns, multitude of culture and supporting local artisans,” she opines. Backing local artisans is something wedding planner Nilma Dileepan of With Love, Nilma also agrees with. “It’s the year to be conscious of where your materials are coming in from. It will be more of using local artisans, as it gives employment as well for those who lost their livelihood during the pandemic,” she says.

Spotlight is on lighting

“People are now preferring outdoor locations and farmhouses. So when you go outdoors, you can play with lights. For instance, one can recreate a ceiling of stars with twinkling lights. I believe couples will have focussed and specific niche ideas for their 50-100 guest gatherings,” says Aanchal Bagaria, co-founder, The Wedding Soul, who adds that they will be opting more for locally grown flowers for decor purposes.

Sustainability is the way forward

Couples will make a conscious shift towards sustainable consumption

Bagaria also feels couples will make a conscious shift towards sustainable consumption, adding, “They’ve already moved to eco-friendly furniture such as cane chairs.” Ankur Sarawagi, India Country Head, The Knot Worldwide, adds, “Big wedding planning brands aren’t shying away from using sustainable decor items such as cane baskets, lanterns, plants, flowers and earthen pots to complete their desired wedding aesthetic.”

Unique contrasting, colour combinations

The bright tones and traditional hues will be a miss this year, feels wedding planner Akshay Chopra. Shedding light on the upcoming shades for wedding decor, he says, “Teal and brick red, eggshell and emerald green, turmeric yellow and old rose are going to be the colour combinations of the season.”

Living room style decor

“People have lived their lives in their living rooms in the last year, and hence, they will be bringing it outdoors in the midst of greenery, out in the open. Lounge seating in lawns is what I forsee people enjoying,” adds Dileepan.

Table-grazing for intimate weddings

The concept of table-grazing (Photo: Instagram/thetheatricplatter)

For those perfect Insta-worthy captures, designers have come up with a number of new concepts centered around table decor, the latest one in this category being table-grazing. Preeti Rathod, founder of The Theatric Platter, says, “The concept of table-grazing started in Australia. The table is aesthetically-designed and is usually placed with cheese, fruits, nuts, olives and meat. But, there are no rules, one can always give it a twist. We recently laid out biryani in jars for a small wedding.” Starting from ₹25,000, the concept is the modern version of a traditional buffet, as no servers are required and are ideal for smaller gatherings, believes Rathod.

Interact with author/sanchita_kalra.