Wondering what’s hot for weddings this season? Look to fashion!
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| Photo Courtesy of Fork and Spoon |
This year, what’s in for weddings is what’s in for fashion. That means florists and wedding planners are seeing a lot of “bright colors, fuchsias, purples and oranges [as opposed to] pastels,” says Kim Perrone, owner of Bloom Flowers in New York. For colors, “turquoise was voted the most popular,” says Ryann Klein, event coordinator for North Carolina event planning company, Extravaganza Events. Bright and vibrant hues are everywhere this season. This trend is being expanded not just to include flowers and design, but in food and theme as well.
Randy Adler, consultant to Atlanta-based catering company Affairs to Remember, says that this year, couples “are not being as conventional as they used to be.” Brides, brooms and grooms are opting for more bright and fresh ingredients in their weddings, and this includes what’s being served. Wedding parties are going “more casual with food,” says Shaelyn Thomson, event coordinator of San Francisco–based catering company Fork and Spoon Productions. Weddings are getting smaller and more intimate and so are the menus. Thomson says she’s noticed “fresh ingredients that are beautifully executed, like gorgeous cheese plates and fruit spreads.” In other words, foods that are simple and delicious are popping up everywhere.
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| Photo Courtesy of Fork and Spoon |
Brides, brooms and grooms are doing “whatever is more personal [with] a lot more comfort food,” says Thomson. What does that mean for this season? Wedding menus are incorporating the different cultural backgrounds of the couple into the menu. “We’re doing a wedding right now that mixes Vietnamese and Cuban [cultures].”
According to Molly Schemper, owner of Chicago’s Fig Catering, “people are thinking a lot more seasonally in terms of menus, [like] mushrooms and asparagus.” These vegetables are a perfect example of what types of wedding palettes are in for this season. Not only are bright colors in, but so are neutrals that balance them. This means that in addition to the bright turquoise and purples, what are also very popular are stone colors, beiges and greens. These more neutral colors help to complement the brighter tones in your wedding palette.
What kinds of flowers can help you achieve these bright tones in your wedding décor? Kathleen Spear, owner of Vermont’s Stray Cat Flower Farm, suggests “hydrangea, roses, tulips, freesia and Gerber daisies.” And Perrone of Bloom recommends “Vanda orchids [as a very] sexy flower.” Orchids, Gerber daisies and roses are available year round, while hydrangeas and tulips are only in season in spring or summer.
How do you plan a stylish and affordable wedding? Go small and bright this season, with smaller wedding parties, easy comfort foods and vibrant colors.
