Unit 5: Predicting Wedding Trends

Keeping On Top Of  The Wedding Trends- The Latest and Greatest Wedding Industry Trends

When it comes to Weddings- anything goes!  But what makes a wedding stand out?  Something unique and different- modern and relevant to the social economic right now, and something that reflects the couple’s individual personalities and tastes!

What is going to make you stand out in your wedding business- is to offer the goods and services that are ‘hot’ right now- and ‘on trend’.

Making sure you stay on top of the latest wedding trends is integral to staying innovative and fresh in business, and making sure your business is on top!

So- what is a ‘Wedding Trend’?

A wedding trend is  the general direction in which something is developing or changing.  It is also a popular movement and direction in which brides are adopting.

Many trends start out as being small, and then through blogging and social media, online directories and wedding vendors, it can slowly gain momentum, and more and more people start asking for ‘that’ particular  item or service.

Wedding Trends in Different Categories

Wedding Trends can be different in different Bridal Categories-  so its important to know ‘what’s hot and what’s not’  in your wedding category.  As a Wedding Planner, its important to know what is ‘hot’ and ‘on trend’ for each wedding category.

As a Wedding Planner, brides look to you for advice on the latest products and services- and want to know the newest thing on the block!

Research Tools

Here are some great websites that allow you to do your own research on the latest wedding trends:

www.burnettsboards.com/inspiration-boards

www.100layercake.com/inspiration

www.ruffledblog.com/diy-ideas

www.theperfectpalette.com/p/colors.html

www.projectwedding.com/boards

www.dessy.com/styleboard

www.pinterest.com

www.instagram.com

www.luxuryweddings.net.au/luxury-wedding-style

General Wedding Trends For 2016

There are some overarching wedding trends and themes that are coming in to light at the moment..

Wedding Reception Style Trends: Bold Patterns and Souped- Up Bars
This year’s receptions are all about cocktail hour, with creative seasonally inspired cocktail displays, like a beer garden wall or a carnival-inspired bar with vintage marquee lights. They’re a fun intro to the party and pair perfectly with themed cocktails. Bold patterns, like ikat, toile and paisley-printed linens, are taking centre stage with a few small centrepieces.Bar tables with a patterned or even metallic runner and branch centrepieces are a hit for a casual affair.Hanging elements like flower-filled globes over long tables and flower-and-moss-covered lamps bring the outdoors inside.Also big? Animal motifs like birds, butterflies and even more unexpected animals like rabbits and frogs work with a modern theme, especially as a motif on stationery and as wooden cutout escort cards.

Wedding Dress Trends: Blush and Dresses With Barely There Colour
Subtle hints of blush, champagne and blue grazed the bridal fashion runways, and so it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that the hot style for the year involves wedding dresses with a little bit of colour.For an ultra-subtle look, an underlay that peeks out or even an ombre gradient is a modern twist to an otherwise traditional gown. Also big? Believe it or not, there is a fashionable way to show off a little skin with crop-top wedding dresses. For a more demure version of the same look, choose overlapping separates like a shell to wear over your strapless gown that you can take off for the reception.

Wedding Cake Trends: Greenery and Naked Cakes Topped With Fruit
Floral motifs are always big, but this year, cakes are going back to basics and letting fresh flowers and greenery take front and centre, instead of icing and design.This year’s naked cakes will include fresh, seasonal fruits, like figs and grapes. Simple cakes really steal the show in elaborately designed cake tables with garland-covered backdrops mimicking the details of the cake.Also big? Watercolour details aren’t just for your stationery suite—Monet-inspired cakes with whimsical and light diffused colour make a statement, especially when paired with metallic tiers.

Wedding Flower Trends: Hanging Garland and Cascade Bouquets
Leafy green accents add a fresh touch to every wedding element, from hanging lanterns covered in flowers above the altar to garland-covered chairbacks. Even the traditional bridal bouquet is getting updated with cascading greenery (like ivy) hanging down almost to the floor. Also big? Paper and wooden flowers in the shape of seasonal flowers, like tulips and peonies, are a creative alternative to fresh traditional flowers. Bonus: They can be easily preserved as a pretty keepsake.

Wedding Invitation Trends: Watercolor Florals and Gold Foiled Everything
The popular watercolour theme is huge for wedding paper — with soft and romantic painted florals and diffused pastel colours.For added dimension, wax-resist font and graphic designs, like flowers and trees, are an unexpected touch.Gold foiling, bright paper and mismatched patterns are also making wedding stationery pop this season. Also big? Circles! Save-the-dates, RSVP cards and other wedding paper elements shaped like circles rather than traditional rectangles are a fun way to add variety and dimension to a multipiece invitation suite.

Wedding Catering Trends: Nostalgic Menus and Creative Condiments
Nostalgic menu items, like homemade tarts, milk shakes, marshmallow treats and BLTs, are making a comeback this year, especially with adult updates.Food stations are taking on a whole new look, and condiments and sauce bars are going modern and creative with chalkboard displays for an interactive element to a hot-chip or ice-cream-sundae bar. Cheese spreads are a perfect alternative to heavier passed hors d’ouevres, especially when paired with complementary wine selection. Also big? Chilled carrot soup shooters and elaborately displayed fresh veggies like celery and carrots are both nods to fresh, healthy food that are tasty and refreshing.

Wedding Beauty Trends: Nude Lips and Dewy Cheeks
Understated beauty is making a comeback. Instead of bold and bright, it’s all about pared down makeup and nude lips. Dewy cheeks and hint of shimmer for the eyes creates a fresh and ethereal look that’s perfect for any bride. Also big? Braids – especially fishtail braids – are perfect for a wedding. Weave ribbon or even vines and flowers throughout your style to get that pretty country whimsical style that’s so big right now.

Bridesmaid Dress Trends: Nuanced Neutrals and Lace Panels
Neutral bridesmaid dresses in ecru, eggshell and even ivory are on trend for 2016. Find dresses with added romantic details, like lace panels, metallic sashes and even oversize fabric flowers, to give your bridesmaids a look that feels unique and pretty. Also big? On the other end of the colour spectrum, beautiful brights – especially in berry, coral and purple – are also hot. And there’s no rule that says everyone has to wear the same colour. Mixing up your bridesmaid dress colours is a fresh idea too.

Top Wedding Colours for 2015/ 2016

When talking about wedding colour trends for 2016, we’ll see the increasing of misted colours in 2016  like periwinkle, neutral colours and powder colours, together with some layers of red and pink. There’re also some new colour combinations- see below…

Blue is a classic colour for wedding planning and we’ll see more navy, royal and powder blue in the year 2015. Check these out if you love the colour blue.

We saw the outbreak of blush and peach in 2015, which will be continuously popular in 2016 with more shades of pink and red added like sangria and burgundy.

If you prefer neutral color for your big day, here’s your turn. Personally I can’t love these color more. They’re just amazing. What do you think?

Here comes purple! Brides will show their love for purple in the way of different layers and periwinkle.

 Other Popular Wedding Trends continuing on into 2016

• Vintage/ Rustic Themed Weddings
• Country and Barn  Weddings
• Marquee Weddings
• LED coloured Lights at Reception
• Festoon Lighting
• Large Marquee Letter Lights
• Lace and Pastel Colours
• Vintage furniture and Prop Hire
• Flower Walls
• Luxury Oversized Centrepieces- ( High End weddings)
• Unique Photo-booths for the Reception
• Outdoor games and drinks between Ceremony and Reception
• Arbours/ Alters and Wedding Arch  for the wedding ceremony
• Wedding Chairs- Tiffany Chair, Chivari chair, ghost chair, bentwood chair, crossback chair, napolean chair
• Rectangle Tables
• Unique Backdrops
• Hanging Floral Chandeliers
• Instagram wedding

Implimenting Wedding Trends Into Your Business

The key to success is actually interpreting these wedding trends into your business model, and updating your stock, imagery and service to reflect the current trends.

Brides are savvy, and many follow american blogs and pinterest boards- so they will often ask for things that are found in the states.

Implimenting popular  trends into your business is a winning formula!

Here’s some successful examples:

A Wedding Decoration/ Hire Service Company:

The Old props:  

The New Props- updated with current trends:

Ceremony arches have changed a lot over the years- and some of the main trends are to add florals to the arch, use blush tones and draping, make the arch look more vintage- or  some more luxury and elaborate!

 Research Activity and Assignment

1.  Think about how you can impliment the latest wedding trends into your business and service.  It may be the font you use, the advice your give, your packaging, your props, or additional services that you can add.   Write down at least 5 ideas on products/ services that you can impliment straight away.

2. Choose a Wedding Category that  your business will be providing a service in. ( I.e  it could be- wedding venues, wedding cakes, dresses, invitations, centrepieces, makeup.)

3. Research the latest trends in your category. Select minimum 3 of these trends.

Assessment

1.  On the chosen trends- put together 3 inspiration  boards for that trend.

The purpose is that you can show your clients these boards- to show the latest looks that are popular- to help brides gain inspiration.

You can use these boards in your portfolio, on your website, to email out to clients, or to print out and create a ‘look book’.

Here are some examples: (you can use ‘Canva.com’  or any inspiration board/ photoboard app on your phone to create the boards!)

Email it to admin@lamodecollege.com.au  for marking.