2020 Fall/Winter Event Décor Trends for Venues

As we make our way through this unpredictable year, it feels like the first half of 2020 has flown by — likely because we don’t have weekends upon weekends of events to look back on. Instead, we’ve been spending weeks working from home, jumping on Zoom meetings, and keeping a close eye on the news. Before we knew it, spring went by in the blink of an eye and we’re in mid-summer with the same uncertainty of when we can get back to ‘normal.’

It’s looking like fall and winter will be our time to shine and we fully expect the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 to be filled with catchup events, as well as those already slated for those months. In that, many clients with spring-minded aesthetics will have to see their designs adapt to the seasonal change: expect pastels to make way for earthy hues and DIY spritzers replaced by mulled cider stations.

As we plan ahead for a slew of fall and winter events, here are a few things to look out for in the way of event décor trends.

One-of-a-kind blooms

Floral design plays a major role in event décor and, as trends shift to a more avant-garde style as a whole, expect for flowers to see this shift as well. Our wedding clients have been seeking unique textures and abstract color combinations that bring their arrangements to life. To achieve this, blooms can be dyed, painted, bleached, or dried for a variety of effects. These techniques tend to cost a bit more than standard blooms, but they sure pack a lot of character into an event space.

Photo Credit: Sunshower Photography

Vibrant & vivid colors

We’ve all had our fair share of dove grey and blush pink for a lifetime. It seems like the industry trends are moving away from the traditional neutrals and pastels that make up your typical spring wedding. Instead, all and winter will be filled with bold hues that evoke the seasonal aesthetic. Think rich mustard and deep emerald tones or bright amber accents that pop against a moody background. These shades will play into everything from floral design to linens to stationery and we expect to see many creative color palettes coming to light.

Photo Credit: Ka’mera Productions

Fresh takes on Pinterest trends

Wedding couples still love to browse Pinterest and save all of their favorite looks to their pin boards; this is such valuable content for us as event professionals, so encourage them to keep it coming. However, on our end, we need to recognize that they’re falling for styles that have already been done before — we should aim to provide them with a custom experience instead. Ask them about the specific elements of their favorite designs — colors? textures? lighting? —and work with their feedback to create an event that they can call their own.

Photo Credit: Katie Beverly Photography

Venues need to take some time to consider how these trends fit into the existing design scheme and whether anything needs to be changed or updated. A blank canvas is always the best option for event spaces, as it allows clients and their planners to transform it into any type of vision. As venues navigate changes that need to be made with respect to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, now is also a great time to consider making upgrades to enhance a property and include some on-trend fixtures.

Eddie Zaratsian is the visionary behind Eddie Zaratsian Lifestyle and Design, a full-service event design and production studio based in Los Angeles, California. With over 25 years of experience, Eddie’s creativity and passion is evident in every aspect of his work, and his ability to imagine and actualize events is unparalleled. Named as one of the top five international florists by the London Financial Times, Zaratsian has built a reputation as a visionary artist, and his work has been celebrated and featured by Martha Stewart, Harper’s Bazaar, Grace Ormonde, E! News and Glamour, among others. Now, through guest lectures and classes globally, as well as private workshops in his spectacular LA Design Studio, Eddie generously shares his extensive business, design, and floral expertise.