Top Ten Wedding Trends for 2010
We've studied the landscape, interviewed experts and listened to you and now, we proudly unveil our top ten wedding trends for this year! In the coming weeks we'll bring you in-depth explanations of these trends with specific examples and LOADS of photos, but to get you started, here are the top ten trends!
1. Screw the Trends - Be Yourself
The top wedding trend for 2010 is personalization. Instead of a cookie-cutter ceremony and reception, the new focus is on customizing the big day for the bride, groom and wedding party. Do you and your future hubby share a special hobby? Whether it’s exotic travel or tennis, find a way to make your passions part of the celebration. Also, the emphasis on individual style includes your bridesmaids. Instead of clones wearing the same dress, shoes and identical updos, try picking a color scheme and giving each bridesmaid the opportunity to choose a dress that shows her personality… and complements yours.
2. Bright Color, Black Backdrop
For the latest wedding look, the only thing white should be the bride’s wedding dress. Black accents and bright, bold colors are in, for everything from bridesmaid dresses to flowers to table linens. However, if you want a timeless dress for your bridal party, you can always do classic black with vibrant accessories and bouquets.
3. Earth-friendly “I Do’s”
You can have a sustainable love and a sustainable wedding. Eco-conscious nuptials are all the rage, featuring pre-owned and vintage wedding dresses, LED lighting, recycled paper invitations and locally grown food and flower choices. Couples are making a commitment to each other and the environment with green weddings!
4. Groomed for Success
Today’s groom not only rocks a tux, he dives into the planning process… and a little man-scaping along the way. As a fashion-conscious guy with a vision for his wedding (or at least a few worthy ideas), he’s jumping online and searching blogs like: The Man Registry, The Plunge, Temple of the Groom, The Groom Says, and Ben the Groom. It’s wedding planning with a healthy shot of testosterone and a great distraction while you go dress shopping.
5. Everything Old Is New Again
Maybe it started with Mad Men, or with the desire to wear a pillbox hat, or a fixation with a fabulous birdcage veil. Brides are catching vintage fever and falling head over heels for retro looks like Depression era glass and tea-length dresses. On the upside, vintage looks are not only classic but eco-friendly and affordable. Brides can channel old-school glamour with a modern twist… and keep budget worries in the past.
6. You Can Go Home Again
Backyard rustic chic is the best way to describe the newest wedding venue - your own backyard. Whether the wedding actually IS in your own backyard, a local park, beach, barn or even the “backyard” of a fabulous resort, the idea is to invite just your nearest and dearest to a wedding that’s long on comfort, charm and love, but low on artifice, pretension, and unnecessary extras. Low heels, casual dresses, and a tent in case of rain are all you need!
7. Mix and Mingle
Instead of a traditional sit down dinner, experiment with a new twist on wining and dining. To get your guests mingling, try an extended cocktail hour, lounge-style seating or a family-style meal. Anything you can do to shake up the format will give your guests a chance to socialize more freely… and avoid the awkward introductions at the table with assigned seating. Also, couples want to maximize their time with guests and are taking advantage of first-look photo sessions (to cut down on photo time after the ceremony), pre-wedding festivities and after-parties to keep the celebration going.
8. Return to Romance
Forget the “perfect day.” Now couples are letting go of the pressure and creating a “perfect for us” wedding. Romance is in the air with special engagement photo sessions, videotaped proposal stories to capture the memory (and possibly share at the reception) and a renewed focus on marriage. A few other romantic touches include the abundance of lace and tulle on the bridal runway for 2010 dress trends and the continuing popularity of deeply emotional vows and toasts.
9. Food You Can Eat
We all cheered when wedding menus expanded beyond chicken, beef and fish, but let’s face it, infusions, foams, mousses and “bites” left a lot of us speed-dialing for delivery after a wedding reception. Fortunately, today’s wedding receptions are serving upscale comfort food at sit down meals, buffets and as late night snacks. Desserts are getting a make-over too as hard-to-eat fondant is upgraded to butter cream icing on wedding cakes (softer and sweeter) and the cakes are paired with palate-friendly sweets like pies, brownies and cakes.
10. iDo
Tech-savvy couples are embracing online wedding planning to save time and money…and tweeting about it along the way. Aside from status updates, brides-to-be are experimenting with LED lighting, iPod DJ’s and digital cameras to complement their professional wedding vendors. WeddingPreParty.com is also a top destination for Facebook-friendly couples who want to bring their friends and guests into the planning process.
Helpful Links:
Wedding Trends 2010
Wedding Dress Gallery
Shoes for You and Your Bridesmaids
Photo: Trend 1: Be Yourself (and let your bridesmaids be themselves)
Photo: Trends 6 and 7: Mix & Mingle in a Rustic Chic Setting (Molly Marie Photography)
If I could go back, I would use vibrant, jewel-toned colors for my wedding colors. I chose to go with the soft and classic. Another color theme I like is the classical all-white. With this color theme you could have unexpected pops of color. I love this blog post by a florist re: ugly-pretty flowers: http://thetreasuredpetal.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/ugly-pretty-flowers/. The colors of these flowers are untraditional and show-stopping.
I am pretty much a traditional bride - however we are excited about our not so traditional venue. We are having our reception at a zoo. Not a banquet hall.
#8 & #9 is our wedding all the way. We're doing a low budget wedding with lots of family and nice little church ladies offering to help with food, decorating, etc and it's been so wonderful. We don't want to get wrapped up in the details and forget why we're even having a wedding. And since we are having a wedding, we want our favorite delicious foods served at the reception in lieu of pastel mints and peanuts. I can't wait!
I love the look of the birdcage veil. I want one sooo bad. but I do not believe it goes with my dress. Instead, I am opting for a floral clip with feathers and netting. It gives me the look, without having to commit to the veil. :)
I love the trend of couples having their wedding be an extention of their own style. Breaking with tradition is a good thing!
Remembering the day and why you are all there is really what is most important. Incorporating things that really make you comfortable makes everyone else comfortable -- and that goes for the shoes too!
I'm definitely following trend #2- our colors are black, turquoise and apple green, and my dress and our table cloths are ivory. I think it'll look sophisticated and fun. :)
At Caricature King we have found there is a number 11. That is people are using custom created caricatures for everything from date claimers, to invitations, to sign-in boards. This allows them to really put a stamp on the mood of the event. And no, not all caricatures are wacky distortions. Most are a subtle modification of true features, but with the flexibility of pose, props and background and are often quite beautiful.
As a floral designer, I am thrilled to hear the advice to PERSONALIZE. You may not think of your flowers as something that can be personalized but they SO can be tailored to perfectly fit your personality. Choose your designer carefully - as if you were commissioning an artist to paint your portrait. Then don't be afraid to express yourself through your flower choices. Since you've chosen the designer that fits, your "portrait" will turn out exactly the way you hoped. Twigs, Leaves & Flowers in Georgia
As a wedding videographer we see the wedding trends change from year to year. From trashing the dress to the new dress styles and bird cage veils. No matter what your style, traditional bride, eco concious or trendy bride you want to be sure you have this special day recorded. I am sure no matter what your dress, hair and venue is today, when you look back on it years later, it will be with much suprise to see just how different things are from now until then. Your friends and family will never be the same as they are in this exact moment. Times change and now has become just as important as photos. Now you can hear your vows, the love in your voices, the music you danced too, and your cake cut wether friendly or smashing. Videography is now one of the most popular trends in wedding vendors. Don't forget to find the one that fits your budget, yet captures the magic of your wonderful day. A Moment in Time Video Productions in St Louis MO
What Is The Downside Of Having A Friend Or Family Member Perform Your Marriage Ceremony? Although an honor, presiding over a friend or family member's wedding has its pros and cons. Yes, there are benefits to being married by someone familiar, but even these can become detrimental to the potentially successful marriage ceremony. For example, a "deputized" officiator friend or family member: 1. Can make a bride and groom more stressed or nervous during the pre-ceremony planning. Causing extra work for all concerned - bride, groom and their "deputized" or "licensed" friend or family member must learn about the wedding ceremony (planning and presentation). 2. Does not provide qualified "back-up" in the event of "cold-feet" or illness 3. Does not know how to construct a wedding ceremony - as to legal requirement or presentation protocol. Writing to present orally is different than other kinds of writing. 4. Is unable to knowledgably plan important organizational aspects of the wedding ceremony. Officiant planning and organizational coordination, whether pre-ceremony, week-of-wedding, or on the ceremony day are crucial to the bride, groom, and those participating in the marriage ceremony. 5. Is, by virtue of "non-training", not competent and knowledgeable marriage officiator. A number of people are dependent upon the wedding officiant. What if they are not knowledgeable or competent? In fact, wedding photographers, ceremony musicians, wedding coordinators/planners, etc., often dread working with "deputized" or "licensed" family members or friends of a bride or groom. It makes their job harder, and can negatively affect their professional services. "Hand-holding" the wedding officiant is not part of any other wedding vendor's job description. Can-A-Lope Weddings.com
Love, Love, Love backyard weddings with do it yourself creative details. So sweet and intimate. ~Sara, GrowingTreePhotography
I agree with Can-Alope Wedding Ministers post. There are certain things you want to have a professional involved in. They have years of experience at what they do, they are able to do their job naturally. Your Marriage Officiator, Videographer and Photographer are key aspects of your wedding. The Officiator knows the flow of the wedding and is like a conductor of a symphony. Please consider very carefully before you have a friend do this job as well as capturing your special day on film. Do not put yourself through this kind of stress. The professionals you hire to photograph and record your wedding will give you the results you are looking for. Unless your friend is a professional, please do not cut corners on these services. I have heard so many sad stories resulting from this. Pictures out of focus, resolution too low because camera was not set properly so that when you want to enlarge your image to a 8x10 or larger, you can't, missed shots - with video, you can't hear the ceremony. The video camera as well as digital camera did not do well in low lighting situations, the list is endless. Take lots of time to shop around and get a good idea of pricing, set your budget but be realistic and go from there. Ann's Photography, Fort Mill, SC
I love the weddings being so much about who the couple getting married is. Remember that with your officiant you can customize your vows to fit you as well. You do not have to have the ceremony that everyone else has. Choose an officiant that will do it your way and honor the traditions and new trends that you want. Not all Ministers havejust one ceremony and it is a one size fits all. I like to customize every ceremony and bring in elements that have meaning to each couple. So enjoy and have fun and be yourselves!!!
Glad to read your post! Thanks for all the hard work, you totally deserve it. http://www.elegantandbeauty.com/stylear1001-p-714.html
As a wedding photographer serving Kansas City, Lawrence, Omaha, Columbia and the St. Louis regions. I've certainly seen these trends pick up and I love it! The vintage, the color, the uniqueness, the outdoor ceremony and receptions - it's all FANTASTIC! Thanks for the trends update OneWed. Matt Frye / www.onetreephotoservices.com
It's so exciting to see brides putting their personalities into their weddings now. Going vintage also helps the environment out with the recycle/reuse process. There are so many ways to incorporate old with new and I think it's more fun for the brides to get creative and be more involved in designing their wedding. As an eco-friendly photographer, I believe that "green weddings" are here to stay as more and more people are becoming aware of their carbon footprint. It's not a trend, it's a movement. Back to simplicity and ingenuity! Love it. Thanks OneWed!
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We at Collage Music have been seeing some really interesting trends in live wedding music that are worth mentioning too. While "Here Comes the Bride" will never be forgotten, couples are increasingly choosing non-traditional songs for their processional and recessional music; we've played everything from Beatles songs to Sade to Iron & Wine to Michael Jackson. These kinds of tunes definitely put a more personal stamp on the walk down the aisle! We are also seeing a lot of interest in smaller ensembles; rather than the traditional string quartet, couples are going for duos of mandolin and flute, or guitar and cello. Out here in the Pacific Northwest, "rustic chic" is without a doubt more than a trend, and these smaller, more intimate ensembles really work in outdoor/backyard settings. Thanks OneWed for this lovely post!
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