I t’s happened to us all: a client shows you something they want for their event, something that you’ve seen 20 million times, something you’re less than thrilled about including and even less thrilled to argue with them about. On the flip side, everyone has felt that spark at the first inklings of a trend, when it feels new and exciting and your brain is running a mile a minute figuring out how you can best try it out. Love them or hate them, trends are the driving force of events, and in a world that passes along the latest and greatest faster than most of us can comprehend, it can be tough to keep up with what’s in or out. Don’t fret! With the right approach, you can discern which trends are meant for you and how to organically work them into your events. Impact that matters Infusing your events with the latest trends can be beneficial for various reasons. “For businesses, staying on top of trends is key to survival. According to a study by McKinsey, companies that effectively use market trends are two-and-half times more likely to outperform their peers in growth and financial success,” says an article from Evolved Office . Staying on top of trends makes you better able to anticipate client needs and requests, gives you better competitive edge, provides a veritable gold mine of content, shows that you’re adaptable and in-touch, builds your credibility as a thought leader, and keeps you in tune with where the industry is headed. That doesn’t mean copy-and-pasting your social media feed into your events. Many event pros resist trends because they don’t resonate, and for good reason— in an event climate that is increasingly personalized, authenticity matters. How to remain authentic when doing what everyone else is doing
Take it or leave it Social media creates a lot of expectations around trends, and it is without a doubt one of the top places where trends are made and spread like wildfire. In her session Future of Weddings: Decoding the Trends and Planning Ahead at Catersource + The Special Event 2024, Adrianne Harris (Blessed Events) put it best: “Everything is on demand.” Clients want everything bigger, better, and faster, with little understanding of how far a budget will (or won’t) get them. You and your team can’t do everything, so it’s important to take time to discern which trends you take on and which you leave behind. Jaclyn Watson (Jaclyn Watson Events) starts by asking herself some questions. “When looking at trends, I always ask: Does this enhance the guest experience? And: will it still feel beautiful and relevant in a few years when they look back? If the answer is ‘yes,’ then it's something worth exploring. “I’m also careful to choose trends that complement my clients’ personal styles, not just what’s popular in the moment. Trends should feel like a natural extension of the story we’re telling—not something we’re forcing into the day just because it's ‘in.’” It’s equally important to know what doesn’t work. “Trends that feel forced or that distract from the overall vision make no sense to add at all,” says Brian Green (By BrianGreen). “An example is the Color of the Year— there's no reason to incorporate it into your design to say it's a trendy thing to do. “I also want to be very transparent: trends that feel fleeting are not something I want to use. No one wants to look back at images of a previous event years later and see a trend that was around for a brief moment in time—think like the blue ruffle shirts of the ‘70s. Bad idea then...bad idea now!”
(Opposite page, top) Mocha Mousse inspired these rich brown wedding party dresses. Photo courtesy Pamela Tatz Photography; (Bottom) A greenhouse-inspired wedding by Kristin Banta Events Inc. incorporated the biophilic trend in a sophisticated style. Photo courtesy Scott Clark Photo
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SPECIAL EVENTS SUMMER 2025
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