For the first time in years, I’ve had multiple clients hire live musicians — not just for the ceremony either.

I’m seeing live bands booked for cocktail hour and the reception, too. (Live music is a great way to have a packed dance floor at a wedding.)

Several of my recent clients chose to do their first dance as soon as guests sat down for a main meal.

It’s a good choice for a couple who’s put some time into practicing a first dance or really just want people to pay attention to it.

If you do this and don’t have additional VIP dances planned for later in the reception, make sure you have a way to signal to guests that your dance floor is officially open. (An announcement works great as does a particularly beloved song.)

Flowers aren’t going anywhere, but I’m seeing increased interest in couples wanting to incorporate live plants like succulents, ferns, and even potted trees into their decor.

I’ve noticed an uptick in the number of venues that require vendors to provide proof of business insurance. This is important for couples to know since not all vendors carry it.

Read your venue contract and use my list of interview questions for vendors to avoid a sticky situation.

Many of my clients have begun celebrating the quirky parts of their relationship at their weddings and letting guests in on the fun.

From wearing wings with a wedding dress to using Lego bricks as centerpieces, there are so many unique ways to add whimsy to the big day.

There’s no denying that people love photo booths — they combine a souvenir with an activity.

I’m seeing continued interest in these, especially ones with a real person attending them instead of the more DIY ring-light setups.

People seem to be craving more physical mementos from their weddings than ever — especially when they can help create a memorable experience for guests.

I’ve seen couples hire artists to paint the ceremony as it happens or to create tintypes and flower pressings for guests.

Audio keepsakes, where couples rent a phone and have guests record messages that’ll later be turned into a vinyl, are also popular right now.

Mixed-gender and mixed-number wedding parties aren’t anything new, but how we recognize the people we love continues to evolve.

Some couples are skipping wedding parties entirely and instead celebrating VIPs through toasts, flower handouts, and other meaningful moments.

Over the past few years, couples just had to have custom drinks inspired by themselves and maybe even each of their pets.

These special cocktails are still cute and fun — but the once-intense desire to have them seems to be dying down.

More of my clients want to magically appear during their reception instead of being formally introduced.

This makes sense for introverted folks, and it’s not hard to make a grand entrance into a more casual one. For example, skip the coordinated dance moves and don’t have the emcee announce the arrival of every VIP.

Streaming the ceremony and other key wedding-day moments feels like a vestige of a former time.

Folks still use video during a wedding — perhaps for calling loved ones who couldn’t attend in person — but I saw far fewer clients send around Zoom links in the past year.