THIS STORY IS PART OF MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE’S 2024 WEDDINGS GUIDE. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
In 2024, we’re prioritizing the party. That means lively music, unique ways to bring guests together and cameras everywhere to capture the fun. Here are the top trends we’re seeing in weddings this year.
1. Brushing Bride
Live painting is a growing trend, and with good reason – it is a performance that guests will enjoy observing, and the resulting picture is a special memento you’ll treasure forever. Two favorites are Katie Geis and Nicole Bobholz; both have a lot of experience and five-star reviews under their belt.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
2. Make It Sustainable
As you plan your event, keep the carbon footprint in mind. One way to go green is with your flower selections. Try seasonal blooms that are grown locally, rather than imported from countries with warmer climates. Wood Violet Floral Design and Alfa Flower & Wedding Shop both offer eco-friendly bouquets.
3. Engaging Icebreakers
Your reception will be a gathering of all of the people you love, but many of them won’t know each other. Dan Fisher and Isabelle Bertram, a Wauwatosa couple, created a custom game of Clue to help their guests get acquainted. They handed out everyone’s game cards in a special envelope containing information about their table number as well as the lowdown about their new identity. Guests had to travel from table to table to pick up clues to solve the murderous mystery. “People figured it out, and the kids especially enjoyed it,” Fisher says. Google “live Clue game” to get the details.
4. Band Together
Liven up the dance floor with a local band. Music from the 2000s is on trend for millennial weddings, and Smart Mouth fits the bill. Expect tunes from the likes of Lady Gaga, Fall Out Boy, Beyoncé and a whole bunch more. Another Milwaukee favorite is Failure to Launch, a high-energy cover band with more than two decades of experience gigging at weddings, playing everything “from Backstreet Boys to Beastie Boys.”
5. Flashing Film
Spring for a few fast-printing instant cameras (like the Fujifilm Instax Mini) or grab a value pack of disposables. Then arm your guests to be your personal paparazzi for the night. The best part is, they will capture friend-to-friend moments that your professional photographer would never get. At the end of the night, you’ll have a collection of fun candids. Bonus idea: Add a personal touch to your thank you notes by including photos of your guests in each card.
