Couples getting married go to great lengths to make their big day a celebration to remember. From personalised cocktails and themed decor to lavish hen dos and multi-day festivities, weddings are constantly being updated and refined against the backdrop of changing social media trends.
A report has found that British couples are increasingly ditching elaborate three-course meals in favour of more laid-back catering options such as fried chicken, smash burgers and even mac-and-cheese. However, a wedding expert has warned that not all trends are worth following and revealed how they can quickly backfire.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Gemma Logan has decoded the most common mistakes that will either leave your guests grumbling or sniggering behind the scenes. The wedding expert at The Stag Company and Hen Party Deals also reveals how you can turn things around with a few simple tweaks and mindful details.
Cookie-Cutter Luxury Weddings
Designer dresses, A-list guests, high-end catering, a country manor and an eye-popping price tag - Jack Whitehall's wedding to model Roxy Horner should have been a celebrity wedding to remember. The 37-year-old English comedian married his model girlfriend, 34, at Euridge Manor, a 17th-century stately home, but kept everything else about the lavish £250,000 affair under wraps. The buildup may have been more exciting than the big reveal in Vogue, as it turned out their big day was an ode to Disney fairytales.
'When a wedding costs £250,000, people expect to be wowed,' said wedding expert Gemma Logan. 'From what's been shared, it all sounds lovely enough but quite familiar. Think pretty countryside, tasteful decor, nothing too risky,' Gemma, who works with The Stag Company and Hen Party Deals, continued as she noted that the 'cookie-cutter' nuptials had little 'personality'.
Gemma also added that most of the buzz around the eye-wateringly expensive nuptials came from 'very human' mishaps, which suggested something else was 'missing'. Jack revealed how his Tom Ford trousers split at the altar and left his 'a**e hanging out' mid-ceremony when he bent to pick up the couple's daughter Elsie. Elsewhere, the groom's mother Hilary revealed she had to hunt down a last-minute outfit after he gave her the wrong dress code.
'These are the kinds of things that happen at all weddings, not just celebrity ones,' said Gemma. 'But when those details become the headline, it can suggest something else was missing. In a way, these mishaps made the whole thing feel more relatable, which isn't a bad thing. The issue is that they've almost overshadowed everything else. Instead of people talking about a standout ceremony moment or an incredible party, the focus has landed on what went wrong.'
According to Gemma, a £250,000 wedding should feel memorable from start to finish, but if the main takeaways are wardrobe issues and minor mix-ups, it feels like something didn't hit the mark. The secret to pulling off a big wedding with even bigger expectations is remembering even luxury ceremonies need a bit of personality. 'Guests want moments that feel specific to the couple, something that makes you think "that's so them". Without that, even a huge spend can feel a bit flat,' she added.
Themed Weddings
Katie Price is no stranger to walking down the aisle. She has got married four times since 2005, when the former glamour model wed Peter Andre in a £1million Cinderella-themed extravaganza. The TV personalities, who fell in love while filming I'm A Celeb, exchanged vows during an unforgettable 'pink' ceremony - but Gemma says it veered dangerously into 'costume party' territory. From Katie's bejewelled pink dress and foot-high tiara, to the horse-drawn pumpkin carriage, the 'garish' details stuck out like a sore thumb against the backdrop of Highclere Castle - the stately home where Downton Abbey was filmed.
Gemma said: 'It was theatrical and absolutely unforgettable, but it also sparked the question we still ask today: "When does a themed wedding stop feeling magical and start feeling like a costume party?"' She added that a themed wedding can often overshadow the couple themselves, as 'guests tend to forget the emotional moments' because the visual elements are all larger than life.
Her best advice for couples who want a themed wedding is to practice restraint. She said: 'A nod to a shared interest is lovely. When everything, from the dress to the transport to the decor, is locked into one concept, it can start to feel a bit one-note. Weddings are at their best when the theme supports the couple rather than replacing them.'
Nuptials That Feel Never-Ending
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's three-day Venetian extravaganza, which cost $50million, is among the most expensive celebrity weddings ever. Other celebrities who have opted for longer celebrations include Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, who paid tribute to their Hindu and Christian upbringings by having two ceremonies at an opulent palace in Jodhpur, India.
Gemma says multi-day festivities, comprising welcome dinners, beach parties, cultural moments, and a big finale, are 'becoming the ultimate celebrity statement' as their A-list guests are treated to a 'full-blown experience'. But these she warns that these 'marathon' weddings can cause serious 'guest fatigue'. 'Outfits, travel, childcare and time away from work all start to add up. Even the most enthusiastic guests can hit day three thinking they could do with a quiet evening and a takeaway,' she explains.
Another con of having a long celebration is that everything starts to feel planned and curated. Gemma adds: 'Some of the best wedding memories happen in the gaps between events, not during the structured parts. When every hour is scheduled, it can start to feel more like an itinerary than a celebration.'
The trick to pulling off a two or three-day wedding is flexibility. Gemma suggests mixing high-energy events with 'genuinely relaxed ones' and giving your guests the freedom to 'opt out' of something if they would like. 'A long wedding works best when it feels like a holiday with optional extras rather than a full compulsory programme,' she says, adding that the main purpose is still fostering connection and being a part of memorable moments.
Beach Weddings
All eyes were on Meghan Markle when she married Prince Harry at St George's Chapel in May 2018. The televised ceremony in Windsor was the complete opposite of her relaxed Jamaican beach wedding to her first husband, Hollywood producer Trevor Engleson. Guests were booked to stay at the luxury Jamaica Inn for the four-day ceremony, which included time for 'beach yoga' sessions with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland and a leaving brunch. The former couple, who divorced in 2011, also hosted a 'beach Olympics' with events such as kayaking and a tug of war.
While Meghan wore a custom Givenchy gown, believed to be worth between £110,000 and £387,000, when she exchanged vows with Prince Harry, she went for a decidedly simpler strapless style for her barefoot celebration. According to Gemma, 'overly styled' beach weddings can quickly go downhill if you don't 'respect the environment'. 'Heavy decor, complicated setups and formal rigidity can feel completely at odds with the setting,' she explains.
Another common mistake is assuming 'beach' automatically implies 'casual'. 'There's a fine line between relaxed elegance and looking like everyone just wandered in from a day at the seaside,' Gemma continues. As far as guests go, the key is ensuring everyone feels looked after, with non-negotiables including comfortable seating, clear directions, and practical footwear advice. 'Even simple touches like shaded waiting areas or chilled drinks on arrival make a noticeable difference to how polished the whole experience feels,' she says. Listing the logistical challenges, Gemma adds it's crucial to consider things like sound and lighting. Chances are, if the guests can't hear the vows, they will quickly become disinterested in the ceremony.
Branded Weddings
After eloping to Las Vegas and formalising their union in a courthouse ceremony, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker headed to Portofino for a third wedding. Nearly four years later, the Italian extravaganza is remembered less for being an authentic celebration of love and more as a business deal after the Daily Mail revealed it was sponsored by Dolce & Gabbana. Details included the bride's custom white silk dress and hand-embroidered veil, bespoke outfits for their famous family, accessories from the fashion house's homeware collection and the picturesque ceremony at the brand's L'Olivetta villa.
Gemma says: 'On the surface, it had everything you'd expect with a gorgeous Italian backdrop, stunning fashion choices and a very clear aesthetic running through the entire event. But when the cutlery, the outfits and even the overall look are so closely tied to Dolce & Gabbana, it does start to feel less like a wedding and more like a fully styled brand experience.' The wedding expert felt the wedding came across 'a bit staged' as the celebrity couple were accused of 'selling out'. She added: 'It's not always meant as harsh criticism, but it does suggest that people are questioning whether the day felt genuine or carefully packaged.'
According to Gemma, the Anthea Turner's infamous wedding saga was a 'textbook example' of how celebrity PR can backfire. The TV presenter, who has since remarried businessman Mark Strong, was heavily criticised after she and her second husband Grant Bovey posed while eating Cadbury's Snowflake bars in a promotional tie-in. She was previously married to Radio 1 DJ Peter Powell, whom she left in 1998 for property developer Grant. However, branded weddings can still be classy, but the 'key is balance', Gemma says. She adds: 'If it feels like a natural extension of the couple's style, it works. If it feels like the wedding has been built around the brand, it starts to feel a bit forced.'
Expensive Vow Renewals
Vow renewals are meant to be fun, relaxed celebrations of a relationship, but there's a growing trend where they're starting to mirror full-scale weddings, Gemma says. Pointing to Rochelle and Marvin Humes's lavish second wedding in Lake Como, which was attended by 75 guests, these events might be deeply meaningful for the couple but raise a 'quiet question for the guests'. Gemma says this can make guests wonder if the ceremony is 'a celebration or an obligation', explaining that pricey vow renewals can lead to 'behind-the-scenes grumbling'.
'When a vow renewal involves expensive travel, multiple outfits and time off work, it can start to feel like a big ask, especially when guests have already attended the original wedding,' she added. The way to circumvent any awkwardness is to take the pressure off attending the ceremony. 'A vow renewal should feel like an open invitation, not a summons,' she says. 'Make it clear that you'd love people to be there, but you completely understand if they can't make it.'
Gemma also advises couples who might be keen on 'retying' the knot to keep things 'lighter' and avoid repeating all the formalities. 'Guests tend to respond much better when it feels like a celebration they can dip into and enjoy, rather than something they have to fully commit to and spend a lot of money on,' she said.
