Trends in Wedding Planning

Two thousand six and two thousand seven's big wedding trends were built around monograms. During these last two years monograms were found just about everywhere - incorporated into the design of the wedding cake or as cake tops. Monograms were found stuffed in floral bouquets and on walls. Frankly, it is a beautiful look. I am certainly not tired of it.

Interestingly, I have read some big names in the wedding industry saying that the monogram trend in wedding design is only beginning. Maybe they are right. Like I said, it can be a beautiful touch especially when it is done with crystal wedding cake jewelry - a form of cake toppers that make a great keepsake for after the wedding when placed in a shadow box.

Perhaps, building on the monogram wedding theme trend in wedding planning, is the move towards using silhouettes in decorating. To envision what I mean, imagine a white wedding cake at a spring wedding cake accented with small pastel flowers and the silhouettes of butterflies landing and taking off. Or imagine a tropical colored cake with the silhouettes of orchids.

Of course, using silhouettes in your wedding decor is not limited to your wedding cake. Imagine a centerpiece of a candle in a holder which features the silhouette of a boy and a girl kissing. Imagine commissioning a focal point from a local wood worker or metal artisan for your wedding reception celebration that features a silhouette of whatever you have built your theme around such as doves, hearts, the Chinese double happiness symbol, bicycles, or even castles.

2007 Wedding Trend

Some wedding trends are obvious. Like the big hair of the nineteen eighties. Like the trend away from all white wedding cakes to cakes full of color. Or this year's trend toward accessorizing the cake with cake jewelry. Like personalizing a wedding cake iced in white fondant by having it delivered a day early (this will cost you in freshness) and hiring an artist whose work you admire to paint directly on the white fondant (using edible paints of course which can be obtained through a baking supply store). These are obvious trends in the world of weddings.

Some wedding trends are a little less obvious. For example, for years despite the fact that most couples chose to marry on a Saturday there have always been a few who would choose to marry on other days.

My husband's grandparents, for example, chose to marry on a Sunday right after church. Instead of dismissing the congregation at the end of the service, the pastor simply announced they would be having a wedding and asked the bride to step down out of the choir loft as the groom stepped to the front. It was simple. It was green wedding (since no one wasted extra fuel to get there), whatever other opinion we might have about the option.

But this year there have been a marked increase in weddings held on days other than Saturday. Why this wedding trend? I can only speculate. I know that many wedding venues offer greatly reduced fees on days other than Saturdays. I know this is one of the reasons. I've seen websites that advocate getting married on Friday night to save money on the wedding. But do you really? In some situations you might, but such a choice almost limits you to the bigger, more expensive florists, photographers, planners, and pastry chefs because the individuals who intentionally limit their practice to what they can do outside a day job to preserve the joy of the craft are quite often unavailable do to the need to make a living at a different job.

Another cost of this trend of non-Saturday wedding is the simple fact that not only do some professionals intentionally limit their practice and have to work - but most, if not all, of your guests do to and if anyone has to travel a wedding anytime other than Saturday might not be practical for them to be able to get to and from your wedding

I know that people often have their own personal reason for choosing the date - like the desire to share an anniversary date with a parent or sibling. And if your reason is personal, go for it. Just recognize that every choice has it's cost and you are better off weighing all the costs before you make your choice.