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Drumroll Please! 2013 Wedding Trends

In December, I reached out to the 16,000 members of this wedding community and asked, "What are your predictions for 2013 weddings?"  Here are the highlights from the answers that I received from the experts (aka BridalTweet's wedding vendors).  After reading this list of predictions, I'm sure that you'll agree that 2013 will bring forth gorgeous, meaningful moments that we will remember forever!

1.  Bold & Bright Colors.  "More bold and bright colors will be used in weddings - from decor, to bridesmaids dresses and even for the bride.  I can see bridesmaids wearing dresses with more pattern (i.e. polka dots, stripes or very bright color dresses), mixing and matching bright colors (i.e. yellow dresses with hot pink jewelry and shoes).  Besides a bright and colorful bouquet, I can see brides adding color to their jewelry, colorful flowers for hair, colorful shoes and maybe a fun bright color ribbon around the waist." - Gaiana of Bella Vea 

2.  Lace. "In 1981 Lady Diana started a trend with her original wedding dress of bows, puffy sleeves and a large skirt. In 2012, Kate Middleton's lace wedding dress has made lace very popular and I believe it will be the trend again for 2013. Putting lace on anything makes it look so feminine and elegant and when you add pearls, you have an exquisite design. Lace is also part of vintage weddings that are also trendy. The old is now new!!!" - Alexandra Slawek of Always Alexandra's Weddings and Events

"Lace can add a delicate touch to any wedding. Wedding dresses with lace are trending big right now.  Lace is being used in everything from wedding decor to wedding cards, dresses , even on invitations and Cakes. The wonderful thing about lace is that it can blend easily with any theme and color and looks elegant and classy. It gives an affair a magical touch. Lace brings out the feminine touch. The fact that it can be a big trend is that lace is easily available and comes in wide variety of designs and patterns. Lace is easily dye-able too which makes it easier to adjust with any theme." - Maria.G of MG Dezigns

3. Even more DIY touches.  "I think one of the big trends to continue and grow even further is the fusion of DIY elements into everything from the ceremony to reception.  Think paper or fabric flowers, tissue garlands, favors, confetti and more.  With sites like Pinterest becoming more and more popular and brides wanting their big day to reflect their personalities versus traditional styling, I think we will continue to see the growth of DIY projects being incorporated.  Of course while many brides will want this look, they may want to consider hiring a stylist to assist in bringing this look together because some of the DIYs can be time intensive." - Melissa of Styled by Melissa Brown

4.  Cakes with Ruffles.  "There will be more cakes with ruffles! I personally think they are simply elegant!" - Anne-Laurie Placide of Glamorous Elements.

5. More creative, eclectic, non-traditional and exclusive venues.  "There will be an increase of such as farms and wineries on the outskirts of towns, and creative urban settings such as antiques warehouses, art galleries, and photography studios such as our vintage Chicago loft studio."  - Sarah Toulouse, Wedding Creativo Photography 

"I've noticed my clients are asking and booking more creative, eclectic, and non-traditional venues for their wedding day. Although the beach, hotel, and woodsy outdoor venues have been super popular, I think that we will see more unique venues for brides and grooms in 2013, such as museums/art galleries, restaurants, rooftops in downtown areas, vineyards, industrial-like buildings, private homes, and more." - Elvira DeCuir of 3D Memoirs

"To have an exclusive venue all to yourself is a luxury.  For most people, it is most likely a luxury that you can have only once-in-a-lifetime.  Why not take advantage of the occasion of your wedding to have at your disposition an entire castle, villa or resort where you are served and pampered?  This allows you to move around in absolute tranquility in “Your House”. - Italy Prestige

6.  Unique reception entertainment.  "In 2012, we saw fire eaters, mariachi bands, and elaborate custom photobooths.  One couple opted for Nashville's premiere dueling piano players instead of the typical band or DJ to provide music and entertainment for their reception.  Couples will continue to look to non-traditional reception entertainment to create spectacle and ensure that their wedding is talked about and remembered for a long time to come." John Yates of Celladora Wedding Photography

7.  Victorian luxury, flapper style, and art deco.  "By that I mean, rich colors (i.e. aubergine, scarlet, royal blue) or all bright whites, thick velvet, chunky crystal, candelabras, lots of lace, fringe, graceful dresses, hairpins and tiaras.  All this will be done with an elegant simplicity.  It won't be themey or tacky.  Weddings will have a sense of hipness layered with rich textures and an air of sophistication.  I base my prediction on a few things:

• Downton Abbey's popularity will continue to grow especially with a wedding in season 3.
• The remake of The Great Gatsby is coming out in 2013.

As we slowly climb out of our recession, the comfy barn wedding will morph into a more sophisticated affair." - Maria of  A Sweet Start

"Weddings will be really cinematic and vintage inspired" - Tanya of Bowties and Butterflies

"I think the Art Deco trend is going to be big for 2013. It has elements of the vintage trend that was so big in 2012, such as cut glass decorations, lace and pearls. But it's more formal with its old Hollywood vibe - eg. satin, fine jewelry, fur accents, feathers.  It's great for a more formal setting because the color scheme is often white, black and gold although silver is a great choice too.  As a cake designer, I'm definitely inspired by Art Deco/Great Gatsby-esque decor and fashion and it's showing up in my cake designs for an upcoming bridal show." - Ann Yankowsky of Style Cakes 

8.  Bohemian.  "Weddings will be really delicate, floral, natural and bohemian influenced." Tanya of Bowties and Butterflies 

9.  Braids.  "We see braids in every hot summer movie and we think they will be big for wedding hair styles in 2013." Sandra Johnson of Apex Tent and Party

10.  Chevron.  "One trend that I have started to notice in home decor, all over Etsy and Pinterest and is now making its way into weddings is the use of CHEVRON pattern.  These modern, contemporary and bold looking pattern looks gorgeous on invites and other stationary, linens and table runners and attire (i.e. men's ties and socks)." - Kristi Hartig of Glow Weddings and Events

What are your predictions for 2013 weddings?  Please comment below.

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Thank you again for making this a fun and supportive wedding community,


Christine Dyer, Social Media Expert and Founder of BridalTweet