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Twenty/10 Wedding Trends

Monochromatic Colors

The past couple of years we have seen a lot of white with colored accents. This year, forget the white. Choose two or three main colors (or even one) and use all types of tints, tones and shades of each color ~ monochromatic colors. Use big, bright tones. Spring will see a lot or oranges and pinks, while fall will have more reds, teals, and blues. Amidst all the bright colors in 2010, you will also see a lot of grey – again in all types of tints and shades. Grey has been extremely popular on the runways, and will definitely be making way through wedding color palettes.

Simple Florals
The day of tall, extravagant, jewel draped floral arrangements with random fruits and feathers peeping about are out this New Year. A variety of simple, monochromatic color flower arrangements in creative containers are in. Try different height square glass vases, surrounded by matching square glass votive candle holders. Or white flowers in fun colorful vases. You can make these simple colors pop by drowning them with water in tall (or short) glass containers. Tulips and orchids both look large and bold when displayed in a water filled vase.

Lighting

Draping a ballroom in satin is not only old news, but costs an arm and a leg. Find a wedding venue with simple, light walls that can easily reflect color. This way any color scheme will do, and it’s easy to personalize your wedding. Single can lights with colored gels can usually be rented anywhere from $20 - $30 each, and if you want a lot of them you can usually negotiate a discounted lighting package. A little can go a surprisingly long way when it comes to lighting. Have different colors splashed on your long, white head table, providing a fun and bright focal point in your ballroom

Mini Artisan Desserts

Cupcakes have been slowly replacing more and more tiered cakes at weddings. In 2010 try French inspired mini artisan desserts, decorated with colored icings, sugar flowers, and shaved chocolate chunks. These petite, creative sweets offer a fresh look for guests and are a fun photo instead of the traditional cake feeding shot. Use a large, tiered tower for display or set out small towers at each individual table at the end of dinner. Create an artisan cream puff “croche en bouche”, using a cake base tower covered with colorful iced puff pastries. photo by www.darinfong.com

Textured Cakes
For those still dreaming of the traditional wedding cake, 2010 brings a new “feel”. No more flat, unappetizing fondant. Try textured butter cream or whipped cream peaks. Top your icing off with edibles, like covering every angle large shaved white chocolate slices. For a spring wedding try a clean line of fresh, round cherries across the top of every tier. Fall weddings, try placing pomegranate seeds in a damask design. It’s not only pleasing to the eye, but offers a fresh new taste. If you can’t live without the smooth fondant lines of un-edible “frosting”, then at least make sure it is in color. Try the same color but each tier in different tints and shades.

Destination – Home
Though 2010 forecasts our economy as looking brighter, asking guests to all partake in a destination wedding will still be a long shot. A traditional backyard wedding gives you the freedom to have every detail the way you dreamed, and does not limit your food and beverage choices. If planning every, single, minor detail scares you, (which it should unless you hire a wedding planner), try a hotel or resort destination within driving distance. If you live in Los Angeles, plan a wedding in San Diego, and vice versa. It is far enough to be considered a vacation, but close enough to drive down for a weekend of wedding planning and meeting with vendors. Your guests will enjoy “getting away” without airfare and multiple hotel nights.

Specialty Cocktails

Weddings are all about being personalized in 2010. Meet with your bar provider’s Mixologist to create a custom cocktail using both the bride and grooms favorites. The bride loves lemon drops, and the groom loves to be creative in the kitchen: try a lemon basil martini with specialty vodka and fresh herbs. Have a love for hot food and smooth drinks? Hot and Dirty Martini with hot sauce and olive juice. Or have coinciding drinks, each symbolizing the bride a groom. Lovebliss Lemonade of Chambord and vodka in martini glasses for the ladies, and tray passed Shandy’s in pilsner glasses for the guys (lager and top with ginger ale).

Fresh and New Cuisine

Every wedding has done a cheese and vegetable platter. BORING! Be different! Food and creative chefs are so popular right now, take advantage! Have tray passed appetizers of new, fun food. Instead of traditional coined smoked salmon, have fresh seared white fish on a wonton crisp with crème frâiche and herbs. No chewy beef skewers; mini romesco beef tostadas with savoy cabbage and cotija cheese. Can’t live without the cheese and vegetables – try small. tray passed portions. Bite size French brie puffs pastries and a raspberry chipotle dipping sauce. Have fresh vegetable sticks in small glass cups with dip pooled in the bottom, so people take a cup and have several sticks to enjoy why mingling.

Theme

Having a subtle theme throughout your wedding is important to carry out through every aspect of your evening. Im not referring to a Luau or Western theme. If the groom is a musician, or the couple met at a concert, have minor references to musical influences like favorite lyrics quoted on the guest book, menu cars, and wedding favors. Musical notes can decorate the cake or ceremony pamphlet. If you are having a coastal wedding and love the beach, or maybe got engaged on a beach, try staying with a coastal color palate like blues, oranges, and beige. Have beach sand incorporated into your centerpieces, and serve local fish and seafood in your menu. The theme should be important to both bride and groom and your life together.

Basic Traditions
A lot of the 2010 wedding trends above tend to go against what we feel is “traditional” wedding style. Stay true to the basics: Have bridesmaids and grooms men, and put them all up on diplay during the reception at a head table. Designate ushers for show guests to there seats, and later seat guests of honor such as mothers and grandmothers. Write your own vows. Have an intimate and casual rehearsal dinner after your ceremony rehearsal two days before your wedding. Spend the day before (and night before) your wedding apart – with your bridal party. Guys, go golfing. Ladies, hit up the spa for last minute relaxation. Enjoy bachelor and bachelorette parties the night before the wedding, your last true night of being “single”. Have a ceremony program listing everyone involved in your wedding, and thanking those who made it possible. Be sure to visit each table during dinner and thank your guests for celebrating with you. It really does make a lasting impression. Make sure to have not only a first dance, but a father/daughter dance and mother/son dance. Have a traditional toast given by the best man, not an open mic night from all the college buddies. Offer a morning after brunch for out of town guests. Take pride in your wedding, your love, and your new life together.