Three-tier cakes, crisp morning suits, elegant floral arrangements and an extensive guest list – these were all the tell-tale signs of a society wedding.
But sticking just to tradition doesn’t appear to cut it for today’s young couples with colourful wedding dresses and informal invitations being adopted in recent nuptials.
Tatler has looked at what constitutes a ‘society wedding’ today and said it includes embracing guests with standout, more informal looks, with some even opting for androgynous attire.
Blue-blooded couples have also latched onto foreign customs from America, such as clapping in church and father-of-the bride speeches, according to the British society bible.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, young royals including Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice all embraced some of these key trends.
Here, FEMAIL speaks to wedding experts who reveal the several aspects now accepted in society nuptials that would’ve previously been avoided.
Colourful wedding dresses are here to stay
Flower power: Princess Maria Theresia von Thurn und Taxis wowed in a Vivienne Westwood golden-rose print during her wedding to British artist Hugo Wilson in 2014, pictured
‘Gone are the days of just white or Ivory, wedding planner Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, Founder of La Fête, told FEMAIL.
‘More and more brides, whether society brides or not, are deciding to be their true selves on their big day. Making decisions that make them happy and best represent them.
‘And obviously a crucial aspect of this is the dress itself! On a normal day you would pick out the dress or outfit that reflects what you want to portray of yourself, so why would your wedding day be any different?’
Society brides that have adopted this trend include model Poppy Delevingne who married long-term partner James Cook in 2014.
She sported a stunning wildflower embellished gown for her second dress, while Princess Maria Theresia von Thurn und Taxis wowed in a Vivienne Westwood golden-rose print during her wedding to British artist Hugo Wilson in the same year.
Back in 2013, British actress Keira Knightley opted for a pale grey tulle Chanel couture during her wedding to musician James Righton in the South of France.
Androgynous outfits are in
Model Cara Delevingne caused a stir with traditionalists after turning up to her friend’s Princess Eugenie’s wedding in a top hat and tailoring, pictured
It appears well-heeled lovebirds have embraced guests wearing glitzier outfits, with some even going for androgynous chic.
Model Cara Delevingne caused a stir with traditionalists after turning up to her friend’s Princess Eugenie’s wedding in a top hat and tails.
Wedding expert Charlotte says: ‘Guest outfits becoming more unique and special is definitely a product of the rise of Instagram and those snapshots taken at the event which showcase everyone’s outfits.
‘Guests see this as a moment for them to look and feel their best too. Dressing for a wedding as a guest in your 30’s is more or less like when you used to dress to go clubbing in your early 20’s. You still need that excuse to glam up and be unique.’
Hats are out, and fascinators are in
Hats have been replaced by fascinators and playful headpieces, such as the headband worn by Cressida Bonas (pictured) at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2018
‘Society weddings definitely tend to stick more to tradition, but hats are being slowly replaced by fashionable fascinators and statement hair pieces in favour of modern trends,’ said wedding expert Samantha.
‘In fact, when it comes to the gents, you’ll likely only see a hat on the driver and maybe the groomsmen if you’re lucky.
‘But for women – hats are part of the fun and it’s competition to see who can wear the most stylish creation.’
Meanwhile, Lavinia suggest headbands were taking over from hats, explaining: ‘There are still certain weddings where hats are a must, and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a hat!
‘However, headbands have now taken over, with many female guests opting for a slightly larger, designed headband instead of a hat.
‘ When looking at the guests sitting down in a church, it certainly tends to be the older guests, such as the parent’s friends, who are wearing hats, not the younger ones.
‘Younger guests enjoy pairing their outfits with headbands from designers such as Jennifer Behr or even smaller more quirky colorful hat options as they can be a lot more fun.’
Guests are going bolder, glitzier and more standout
Lavinia Stewart-Brown, founder of Stewart-Brown-Events, a boutique wedding and events consultancy based in London, thinks guests at well-heeled nuptials have more freedom to embrace daring and eye-catching fashion styles.
‘These days, it certainly seems acceptable for guests and even the bridal party to be less formal at weddings,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘We are seeing a lot of jumpsuits on ladies, and it is becoming a bit of a trend globally for the bridesmaids to wear them, either in patterns or in one solid block colour.
‘The same goes for sequins and shorter dresses. Today’s fashion is a lot more experimental and certain styles are acceptable nowadays whereas they weren’t for previous generations.
‘The same goes for the male guests who once would have worn tails, now seem to wear more suits, especially during the summer.’
Wedding expert Samantha Kelsie, agreed, adding: ‘Guests are definitely making more of an entrance. Fashion is everything, and the current generation of wedding guests aren’t about to lose their style in honour of tradition.
‘Part of the fun of receiving a wedding invitation is deciding what outfit to wear, and with the current trends in modern fashion, we’re a far cry away from the traditional top hats and tails styles of the 90s.
‘Many couples do still offer a dress code with their invitation, and there are still those in favour of black tie on their day, but with many more couples now designing a laid-back approach to their wedding, with a festival feel and an emphasis on fun, the pressure to dress formal is becoming much more relaxed.’