SOMETHING OLD

sweet sensation Whilst Dessert Buffets were all the rage last year, they are here to stay! And no one does it better than Amy Atlas. The great thing is that you already have this in your wedding budget, namely dessert and a wedding cake. In fact, if you supply little boxes/bags on the table you can even literally eat into your favours budget!

engagement photo shoot You may have heard of them before but most likely it is just conjures up images of faded backgrounds and cheesy formal portraits, but engagement photo shoots are standard for most international brides, and if you take a look at today’s versions you can see why! These are hip and happening and a true reflection of the couple and their personalities. Another trend on the back of this; is having a “Trash the Dress” photo shoot. This is where you and your new hubby get all dolled up again but no longer have the time constraints of a cocktail hour to have some stunning photos together. Maybe it is some you missed on the wedding day, maybe you want to do something completely different, and for some it maybe the chance to really “take the plunge”!

dashing dane Too often the focus is only on the bride, and whilst one can appreciate it is "her" Big Day, there is a lot to be said for the modern 2010 groom. Most likely the bride will make just about ever decision when it comes to the wedding, but there a few things that usually are left up to the groom, one of which we like to think is his attire. It gives the opportunity for the groom to express his own personality. Now don't fret bridezella's! This trend is well-suited (pun intended) to your wedding day - today's men are reverting back to good Old Hollywood Glam. Think smart black tuxedos, pristine white shirts and bowties - AKA James Bond! And if your groom wants a bit of colour we like the idea of coloured stripy socks or quirky cufflinks - sweet but discreet.

family style It has been fashionable in the past few years to do things differently when it comes to the menu and how it is served at weddings - but it seems brides are looking back to the good-old days where everybody sat around the table and enjoyed course after course and each others company.

The dinner-focused reception is back - think either large round tables or long tables all in row. Avoid buffets and the long queues that go with them, and have every course plated and served to the guests and waiters serving drinks (basically what you would experience in a restaurant). And to keep things interesting consider have a course, possibly a starter that has to be passed around or a dessert that is made up from a selection of dishes placed on the table.

fine favours Centuries ago, European aristocrats would send their wedding guests home with bonbonniere: a box filled with delicacies made of sugar. Whilst the trend in the past few years is to give non-edible favours, it seems brides are reverting back to sweet delicacies and more notably ones that are homemade, therefore making them more personal and with emphasis on memories rather than money. Combined with stunning packaging and a thoughtful note, you will have favours that are pure finery.

SOMETHING NEW

home sweet home With the economy taking a bit of a knock and with it wedding budgets, a great new trend has arisen: The “Backyard Wedding” as Americans like to call it. Maybe you are fortunate to already have a big enough home/garden. Or maybe your parents or other family or friends do. Nowadays, so many traditional venues ask quite hefty price tags and whilst this does include furniture and equipment, crockery, cutlery, glassware and table linen, there are many other factors and costs that are not included, especially to the extent where minimum numbers are required. Hosting at a home will have the costs of hiring some of these items, but you may be fortunate in that a number of the items your host may already have. The advantages will be being able to create your own look that suits the home and your wedding style, and the thing we like the best is that you could purchase items that you love and use them at the wedding and then in your new home!

ceremony revamp If you want to avoid a cookie cutter wedding, revamp the ceremony. Whether you choose to host the ceremony in a church, ballroom or under a tree the idea is to make your guests feel right at home. Ideas include: Forgo the common aisle down the middle arrangement and seat your guests in a circle, that way everyone has a front row seat! Avoid assembly lines of chairs and create a lounging style using a mix of couches and chairs. Or what about benches or quilts on hay bales! Create your own “altar” by using a signature piece of furniture. Or make a real feature overhead with paper lanterns in mass. Serve drinks and play festive music during the ceremony, or even if the actual ceremony is quite traditional and formal, this is a great option just before and after the ceremony.

blogging bride Brides are not only using the internet in a big way to look for ideas and shop online, but also to communicate to their bridal party and wedding guests. This is especially the case when the guest list is spread all across the globe or a destination wedding is in the making. Couples now have the option for a reasonable fare to set up their own wedding website or better yet for free a wedding blog from wordpress or blogger.

grand getaway Maybe it is just me, but the idea of the bride & groom "Going Away“ seems to have fallen along the wayside years ago, but it is back and with a bang! It is about creating one last memorable moment to leave in your and your guests’ minds. Ideas include a fancy get-away car or a fireworks display. But grand does not need to mean costly, the same impact can be made with a tandem bicycle and your guests waving sparklers or releasing sky lanterns. In the midst of all your wedding day planning, take a few minutes to plan the last few moments, or better yet assign this to your groom, so you too can enjoy one last big surprise!

love bowls One of the most memorable moments during your wedding ceremony will be the exchange of rings. It is the first time that you will actually touch each other as husband and wife, and for many, many years to come it will be a constant symbol to you and others of the one you love.

We think that is why there is such a thing as a ring pillow, a place for these beauties to be showcased and put on display for all to see. So what is there not to love, love about these ring bowls. Not only are they sublime in their simplicity, but they are practical too - it is not likely you will use your ring pillow again, but this bowl is perfect for placing on your dressing table should you wish to take your ring off or any other jewellery for that matter.

SOMETHING BORROWED

green is the new black! There is a conscious effort of brides to do things in a way that take the environment into consideration. And this does not mean one has to sacrifice style, in fact just the opposite can be true! So forgo the repurposing of tin cans (still a good recycling use for them though) and have the groomsmen “borrow” some pretty paper garlands that you may have used to decorate the ceremony or venue site, and have these stuck behind your going away car. In fact be even more green and take a bike!

classic cake Wedding cakes in the past few years have been all chocolate or pretty colourful but it seems now it’s all about the classic white wedding cake. Order a simple, three-tiered cake with white icing or fondant forming a surreal backdrop for one of these “borrowed” item: Use an antique cake topper from your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding. Decorate with the same fresh flowers that match your bouquet. Take a close look at your dress, and the leave the cake clear of any colourful add-ons, rather opt for white on white like your dress, think similar beading, lace or bows.

fashionable friends We know you have heard this before: the idea of “rewearable” bridesmaid dresses. But the horrors of websites like uglydress.com and the movie 27 dresses really makes one wonder why brides even bother to spin this little white lie. But we think 2010 bridesmaid dresses really are “borrowed” straight from the runways! The colours are hot, the styles are something you would wear for a night out on the town and the accessories are identical to what you would buy in “normal” shops. The trend really is to have a look that is “co-hesive” rather than “cookie cutter”. It is about having the same colour or the same style or the same look or feature – but not all three; like you all went on a fabulous shopping spree!

vintage and retro touches Brides are “borrowing” trends from a completely different era and with much success: birdcage veils, tea length dresses 40’s style hairdos, gloves (either short or long), vintage glass hurricanes and coloured glass votives or old coca cola bottles and mason jars, old-fashioned phones and books, old typewriters for guest books, bikes for going away...

bouquet bliss What we love about trends is sometimes they are just so original it like a blast of clean fresh air! One automatically thinks flowers when you hear the word bouquet! But instead brides have not only “borrowed” other items for the bouquet, the other items are entirely the bouquet, think butterflies or brooches only. And better yet able to preserve forever!

SOMETHING BLUE

put on your blue suede shoes One of the most important wedding decisions to make will be the colour palette. But even if you go for an all white or neutral colour palette it doesn’t mean you have to forgo colour completely. Have a little surprise up your sleeve, or in this case under your dress. Put your best foot forward and wear bright and we mean BRIGHT coloured shoes on your wedding day. And you know what we are going to say next: splash out on a designer pair as you can definitely wear them again and again!

cobalt Maybe not the colour for everyone, but cobalt blue is a good choice for the modern bride who wants to stand out from the crowd. Choosing such a daring colour is best done pairing with neutral rustic browns and champagnes. However, provided you use one or the other sparingly you could pair with another season favourite: aurora yellow or dried herb green.

We like the idea of having touches here and there: a monogramme on wedding stationery, shoes for the bride and/or bridesmaids or just the ribbon on favours.

out of the blue Your guests most likely know that you are already engaged, and some already know when you are getting married, so this trend is about sending a 3D Save the Date that obviously highlights the actual day that you are getting married but more so to have a fun unexpected element to it! Maybe it is a mini calendar, puzzle, luggage tag, bookmark and then our favourite has to be “Erica and Sam’s 164 Days until they tie the knot save the date card” –a list much like one would read a facebook status of what they would be doing everyday during the run up to the wedding.

turquoise: the colour of 2010 When it comes to colour, there is no question who is the know-it-all. And Pantone has announced not only all the colours that will be fashionable for Spring 2010 but have also declared that turquoise is the colour of the year! Fabulous news for brides as this colour has so many options. For it can look romantic and dreamy with white if done in textures and layers but then equally modern and sophisticated if sharp, clean lines are used.

singing the blues More and more couples are getting involved in their choice of music, gone are the days of having any odd string ensemble at the ceremony and booking a DJ for the reception, couples are looking at what music do they actually enjoy. So whether it is a jazz band or putting together a playlist on your iPod song for song it is about creating the atmosphere to suit the style of the wedding and personalities of the couple. The highlight of this being the first dance: couples are not only going for dancing lessons but are following in the foot steps (or rather dance steps) of the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and putting on exciting show pieces with outfits to match! Have not heard about the Little White Dress?

and a penny in your shoe Whilst you may follow all or none of these, one trend that never changes year after year, is to follow your heart! Have a “penny in your shoe” for your thoughts: what you and your husband-to-be love, what makes you happy and I promise you are guaranteed to have a wedding that will be the “Wedding of the Year”.

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