Many weddings today are a blend or “marriage” of traditions and trends. There are certain wedding traditions that’ll always be a part of a wedding. After all, what’s a wedding without a cake of some sort, flowers, or a wedding gown? What makes a wedding different from one that took place 50, 20, or even 5 years ago, are the latest nuances and trends that give a wedding a fresh look and feel. For example, you definitely want flowers at your wedding, but rather than going with the traditional pale roses and peonies, you opt for the bold look of lots of greenery with hints of bright-colored blooms. Your version of the tradition might look different than the original, but the sentiment is still the same.
Here’s a look at some of the latest wedding trends to consider when planning your special day.
Naturally Glamorous
Every wedding has a style and theme. One of the most popular trending themes is the natural, earthy wedding, with hints of glamour. Think of an old Hollywood actress from the ‘40s having her wedding in a meadow or a forest. To achieve this look, try centerpieces with tall branches of greenery accented with pops of full-blooming flowers. Rather than formal, structured centerpieces, arrange the branches and flowers loosely in a tall vase for a natural, just-picked look. Tie a piece of ribbon around the vase and add some sparkle by pinning a crystal broach to the ribbon. Try a crystal or silver vase or vessel to hold your bouquets for an elegant and retro look.
Bountiful Blooms
Flowers are a staple at weddings. What’s new in wedding flowers? The phrase, “Go big or go home,” comes to mind. Wedding flowers– from bouquets, to ceremony arrangements and centerpieces–are oversized and abundant. Bridal bouquets have been upgraded from dainty nosegays to dramatic, cascading arrangements. Floral garland, ceremony arches with fresh blooms, and floral canopies are also very popular.
Dance the Night (And Morning) Away
One of the biggest complaints brides and grooms have about their wedding day is that the day goes by too fast! To help make the festivities last as long as possible, couples today are having “all-nighter weddings.” Once the reception ends, couples continue the vibe by having an after-party where they usually change up the style and mood and move the party to another room or outdoors and sometimes even change venues completely. Hors d’oeuvre and small food bites are usually served with custom drink pairings and plenty of music is played, of course.
Bejeweled Necklines
The latest wedding gowns to hit the bridal fashion runways are ablaze with bejeweled necklines. Many designers–from Marchesa to Amsale and Badgley Mischka– are creating gowns with dramatic necklines accented with beads, rhinestones, and crystals. Also known as “built-in dresses,” styles vary from delicately beaded illusion necklines to halter-styles heavily accentuated with bold crystals and rhinestones. For more versatility, many designers are creating gowns with detachable embellishments to give brides the option to remove the embellishment for a different look. No need to change into a second dress for the reception!
Bold and Bright
Weddings and the color white go hand-in-hand. Yet, many brides are steering away from white and pastel-hued color palettes and opting for big pops of bright hues. We’re not talking about going for a Crayola crayon box look. The idea is to infuse color strategically throughout your wedding. You can start out with a neutral palette and inject bold color–bright coral, turquoise, or Pantone’s radiant orchid color of the year–throughout such as in the flowers, table settings, and even the bride and bridal parties’ nail polish. For a more dramatic look when it comes to your table décor, use tone-on-tone color. If blue is your favorite color, you can incorporate light shades to darker shades of the same hue for an eye-catching look.
Dare to Bare
For the audacious bride, two-piece, crop-top wedding dresses have recently made their way into designer’s wedding collections. Designers such as Houghton and Hayley Paige are adding dresses to their collections that go from demure to a bit daring. For the more conservative bride, try a two-piece design that shows just a hint of skin or choose a top that just hits the top of the skirt.