Author: Lisa Hanslip

With all the exciting and innovative possibilities available when planning your wedding, you may want to incorporate a new trend into one or more areas of your ceremony or reception. Whether it’s a fresh take on a long-standing tradition or a completely new innovation, it is your once-in-a-lifetime day, so dare to have at least one element that will reflect both your personal style and your relationship, and also make it a memorable event for your guests.

Both in secular and in religious weddings, couples often incorporate the unity candle into their ceremony. A new twist on this is the wine unity ceremony where the bride and groom pour from two separate bottles into one cup and both drink from it. Another option is using sand. In this incarnation of the unity ceremony, the bride and groom pick up a handful of sand from separate vessels and drop it into a larger vessel. This is a nice option because it is easy to incorporate other members of the family into the ritual.

In addition to new ceremonial additions, there are also many new trends when it comes to the reception, the most prevalent of which are colour, geometric shapes, unique cuisine and ethnic entertainment. The top event planners and caterers now avoid white linens because everyone has come to expect white linens and chair covers. Try incorporating several shades of the same colour or contrasting but complementary colours. One option is covering the tables with different shades of green, from sage to forest, with taupe chair covers and napkins. Pair this with a breathtaking boxwood and lemon leaf garland with ivy, Casablanca lilies, and roses running down the head table, and pale green votives to give the room a warm ambient glow. Another option utilizes chocolate brown, which is the hottest colour at the moment. It is both stylish and welcoming when paired with pale blue or pink. As these colour combinations are currently the fashion, it is easy to use this colour palette throughout your wedding from bridesmaids’ dresses to reception favours.

Instead of the traditional rounds, try large square tables, which look sleek and can seat 12 comfortably. You may also consider varied table shapes throughout the room. Consider having a beverage greeting for your guests as they arrive at the reception. Anything from a colourful lemonade stand to ice blocks holding infused vodka will add a memorable touch.

Food stations, an assortment of different textures to create unique passing trays, and interactive cooking are all hot trends for the coming year. You can even match the entertainment to your choice of food: after your guests have eaten paella or visited your sushi food station, consider entertaining them with a flamenco dancer, classical guitarist or Japanese drummers.

Another great concept is “going nostalgic.” Try bringing in something from your childhood, even if it’s just presenting your favourite candy in a great little box as a favour. You can also make the nostalgia the theme of your wedding. 1950s Hollywood glamour, for example, is easy to pull of with the right attention to detail. The new sleeker sheath wedding gowns can hearken back to several different eras while still being fashion-forward.

Though the wedding cake has always played a significant role in the classic wedding, the modern take on this traditional sweet is quite different. Cakes used to be almost thought of as a decoration – with sadly little attention paid to the taste. Though the design will always be important, flavour has stepped to the forefront. Ask your baker for each layer to be composed of a variety of complementing flavours – especially if you plan to serve the slices as the plated dessert.

There are even trends when it comes to the top of your wedding cake. For the last decade or more, the tops of most wedding cakes have been adorned with flowers, fresh or meticulously made from sugar. Many couples are now opting for a sleeker and more personalized look using their initials, made either from silver or from tin, as the topper. As is the case with many aspects of style and fashion, what was old is new again. The bride and groom cake toppers, which were once the norm and then highly unfashionable, are now gaining in popularity again. In fact, there are companies that do nothing but produce them; however, now they can be made to match you – hair colour, skin colour, age, or even gender (to accommodate same-sex unions).

Last, but certainly not least, no discussion of wedding trends would be complete without mentioning the wedding gown. The biggest trend in this arena, colour, will probably take a while to catch on in North America. All the top designers in Europe are showing lots of colour. One bridal shop owner in Toronto I spoke with said that, on arecent buying trip to Italy, it was difficult to even find a white gown. So remember, when planning your wedding, don’t be afraid to express yourself with colour. Whether it’s a pale pink or blue wedding gown, lavender table linens or a troupe of Japanese drummers entertaining your guests, make sure your wedding reflects your style, your relationship and your sensibilities.

Lisa Hanslip
www.AskAWeddingPlanner.com