Wedding trends come and wedding trends go; from meringue dresses with puffy sleeves to donut walls and vintage tea sets. But although these examples reference the interests of society at the time, they’re mainly based on what is aesthetically considered ‘in’.

A recent report by Etsy, however, has shown that one new wedding trend gaining popularity seems to have a deeper connection to the way our culture is evolving.

We’ve seen wellness, mindfulness and spirituality become a bigger part of our focus for a few years now. Books that promote mindfulness and new-age spirituality such as Witching Hour by Sarah Bartlett and Five Minutes To A Mindful You are now commonplace in highstreet shops like Oliver Bonas and Anthropologie. 

The way we socialise has also become centred around these topics. Take London’s millennial-pink Glow Bar, for example, which is a trendy health food café, crystal and elixir shop and infrared sauna, and allows you to hang out with your friends while getting your wellness fill.

So, you could say it was only a matter of time until this trend spilled into the wedding world, too.

Thanks to its focus on aesthetic trends, Etsy is known for having a handle on what the next ‘big thing’ in the wedding industry is, and the brand’s recent findings show that consumer searches for crystal favours have increased by 11% compared to this time last year.

But what does this really mean? Is receiving a crystal as a wedding favour akin to being given a religious item, with the intention of converting friends of the couple to their lifestyle – or is it simply a pretty trinket?

Lara Faye, fashion writer, Reiki practitioner and crystal healer believes in the healing power of crystals and regularly gifts them to friends and colleagues, so she doesn’t think it would be out of place to use them in place of a traditional wedding favour.

“I’ve bought my best friends large rose quartz and amethyst crystals for Christmas and if someone is curious about crystals I am always happy to take them crystal shopping to find stones that resonate with them,” says Faye.

“I once took a Hinge date crystal shopping (it was his suggestion) and yes – there was a second date!”

Specifically, on the subject of weddings, Faye explains: “I would absolutely give crystals as a wedding favour. I think that would be a deeply personal gesture and a way of sharing love and happiness with your nearest and dearest.

“Plus, if you’re in my circle you know that I love crystals and would expect nothing less! I think it’s always very important to respect people’s beliefs and the lovely thing about crystals is that even if someone doesn’t feel comfortable with the idea of crystal healing, they still make a beautiful ornament to appreciate at home.”

Obviously, Etsy is already selling a selection of crystals that would work well as wedding favours, but other, smaller purveyors of crystals online have also caught on.

Website Little Gem Rock Shop sells a variety of rose quartz (known for promoting love) in heart shapes, which it says would help make a wedding day “special for everyone” when placed on tables thanks to the natural properties of the stones. Wedding blog Wedding Wire has been writing about crystal touches since 2017, noting that although “crystals look beautiful as décor, for those who believe in the crystals’ ability to balance, energise or cleanse oneself, the stones take on an entirely new role.”

Faye agrees, saying: “I believe that crystals can promote healing and wellbeing for everyone. Every crystal contains distinct energetic properties, for example turquoise is a stone associated with Native American tradition and promotes power and protection – the ultimate empowering stone!”

“Rose quartz is a stone of pure love, and it’s a beautiful crystal to meditate with to promote self-love,” she continues.

So, if this has got you thinking about how crystals could be incorporated into your wedding, here’s a guide on what they do and how to use them.

Images: Darra Sargent at Dear Darling Weddings / Instagram