- Etsy released its 2023 Wedding Trends Report, and eagle-eyed readers spotted a uniquely American theme trending.
- It's speculated that the revival in "Western Wedding" themes may have to do with the popular TV drama Yellowstone.
- Despite the show's bleak content, it has revived interest in the Western genre for audiences across demographics.
Yellowstone: It's one of the most popular shows in America, and has been since it debuted in 2018. The Kevin Costner-led drama inspired multiple spin-offs, lured major stars like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren to the small-screen, and revived the public's interest in the Western more than anything since Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.
And now, it's apparently also inspiring a ton of wedding themes and wedding registries, according to a new trends report.
"Etsy just released its 2023 Wedding Trends Report and announced Etsy Registry, their brand new wedding gifting experience," Sunset recently reported. "And one of the trending themes is 'Western Weddings,' which made us immediately think about the Yellowstone effect."
Yes, one can't help but think Yellowstone had a huge impact on the revival of "Western vibes" when it comes to wedding themes (unless America suddenly got The Power of the Dog-pilled while we weren't looking or something). As for how that cowboy vibe translates to the wedding ceremony, the Sunset article quotes Etsy Trend Expert Dayna Isom Johnson:
"The western-themed wedding trend is a laid-back and unconventional style that is part coastal cowgirl and part Vegas elopement. As one of the hottest wedding trends of the year, this playful theme allows couples to get creative with their big day—from their decor to their style—and show off their fun side."
Now, admittedly, Yellowstone feels like...kind of a dark show to theme a wedding around. I mean, it's chock full of alcoholism, abuse, and like ... a ton of murders. So what themed things are popping up on these Yellowstone-themed registries? "Here's a custom iron brand for you to burn people's flesh with, just like Rip!" "Here's a metal basin for you to drink liquor in naked outside in front of all the ranch hands just like Beth did during one of her spirals!"
But perhaps we're just jealous. After all, all this neo-Western chic going into wedding plans might cause cowboy-themed venues to get all booked up before this author can follow his own boyhood dream of a wedding themed to The Dippy-Doo-Dads in Go West, a 1923 western made up almost entirely of tiny monkeys in cowboy clothes. And if that can't happen, what's the point of getting married at all?
Michael Natale is the news editor for Best Products, covering a wide range of topics like gifting, lifestyle, pop culture, and more. He has covered pop culture and commerce professionally for over a decade. His past journalistic writing can be found on sites such as Yahoo! and Comic Book Resources, his podcast appearances can be found wherever you get your podcasts, and his fiction can’t be found anywhere, because it’s not particularly good.
