When planning a wedding, couples often begin by looking for inspiration online – Pinterest and similar platforms are full of ideas, and trends inevitably play a role.
At Sauveur, however, we try to avoid trends. They tie couples to formats and aesthetics that may not be truly them and encourage copy-and-paste weddings. Undoubtedly, they’re everywhere and when looking for florals, decor and table settings etc – it can seem a daunting task. The wealth of imagery available online can be both inspirational and distracting. Keeping your wedding day personal is hugely important and here are some tips to go your own way and avoid cliché…
Start simple and be bold
Sometimes it can be difficult to find any inspiration at all or to think about how you might do things differently. If we are working with a couple who are struggling with this it can be helpful to take things back to basics. It can be helpful to select a couple of key colours that you and your partner love that spark some ideas, and let’s be bold.
Embrace aesthetics and visuals that you want and work with your planner to achieve an interesting and loud design. Embrace colour, texture, scent, and scale – there are numerous different ways to excite your guests, create comfort, and emphasise partying that differ from the norm and ensure your wedding celebrations feel uniquely you. Recently we produced a wedding where the task was to creatively tie together the couples cultures. Floral arrangements were swapped for boldly coloured Mexican paper flowers, and the sweet station featured different sweets and delicacies from the countries the couple were connected to.
Play with texture
Texture is playing a key part in wedding design in 2026. When it comes to fabrics we’re seeing lace, crochet, and ruched tablecloths as people move away from the rustic table look. When it comes to florals, people are incorporating more than just flowers in the arrangements. Fruits, metal decorations, and fabric have been introduced into arrangements.
Personalisation can also go beyond monograms and guest names. A couple we worked with recently had a collection of poems selected for them by friends and family. We printed extracts on napkins used throughout the celebrations. You should also discuss together a rough design route you want to go down. It may be more pared back or maximalist, traditional or modern. You can then share these colours and keywords with your planner, florist, planner, or caterer. They will help you develop this into an overall look.
Step away from weddings
The most successful and helpful inspiration images we use often have nothing to do with weddings. This is where Pinterest can be a very useful tool, you just need to know what to search. Try and take a step back from using ‘wedding’ in your searches. Use terms like set design, restaurant, interior and then add in your colour or design ideas. Once you start to finetune your search this way you will come across some fantastic ideas that should sit within what you are looking for. Whatever you do, don’t just search “wedding table idea”! Your suppliers will also thank you for this as they will be able to be more creative and unique in what they suggest to you.
Trust your suppliers
There is an increasing tendency to just share a selection of images with your suppliers and ask them to recreate exactly that. Whilst you should certainly be working closely with them to achieve your vision, your wedding design will be much more special if you share some initial thoughts and ideas with them and let them come up with suggestions and ideas. Make the most of their creativity and let them help you inspire you as well!
Look elsewhere for everyday inspiration
My camera roll is filled with photos from restaurants, gardens, and shop fronts. There is so much inspiration out there that doesn’t just follow wedding trends and this is a really good place to start. I suggest putting together a small selection of images, textures, colours that you can share with your florist and your caterer if they are helping with your tableware. It’s always best to keep your selection of images relatively snappy so you have a clear vision and don’t get too distracted with lots of different designs and options.
Finally, here is absolutely nothing wrong with finding your inspiration on Pinterest or elsewhere online but I would suggest being targeted. Try and focus on a couple of ideas that you can pull out and put your own spin on instead of completely recreating images you have seen.
When browsing for inspiration the questions I would always ask are ‘does this represent us’, ‘what’s the reason I want this’, and ‘does this work in our venue’. Asking yourself why you are doing or choosing something is one of the best things you can do. It may be that it makes sense within the venue setting, you’ve always dreamed of it, or it just feels very you. Always stick to your guns and don’t worry if it doesn’t feel ‘wedding-y’ or you haven’t seen other people do it. Your wedding will be all the more unique, and also exciting for your guests, because of it!
Always stick to your guns and don’t worry if it doesn’t feel ‘wedding-y’ or you haven’t seen other people do it. Your wedding will be all the more unique, and also exciting for your guests, because of it!n here
Matthew
