2016 Wedding Trends

Niagara Wedding Planner

Wedding Trends to watch for in 2016

So the new year is here!  2016 Wedding season will be soon upon us and with it we will be seeing some new trends and some that carry through from 2015.

Metallics!

In 2016 we will see lots and lots of metallics.  Couples are using metallic as a compliment to their colour palette.  We will not only be seeing gold and silver but a lot of copper and rose gold.  Metallics are very versatile.  They can be used to bring a little sparkle when a couple doesn’t necessarily want glitter and bling.  Gold can be used to add elegance to a formal Wedding while copper can be used in aspects of a more rustic affair.  Rose gold is so pretty!  We are starting to see more and more rose gold Wedding rings, rose gold foil on invitations and rose gold sequin linens.  Another place we are seeing metallics… bridesmaid dresses!  Love them!  I totally wish I could rock a metallic sequin dress everyday!

Cake

Weddings are continuing to move away from traditions and becoming more and more about the couples own personal styles.  Couples are coming up with creative ideas for a “Wedding cake” instead of the traditional cake.  While we will still see cupcakes... they are not as popular as they were last year.  We will be seeing donuts, cheesecakes and pies!  Mmmm… Donuts are pretty much one of my most favourite things in the world... so I am totally on board with this!  A wedding cake that is rising in popularity is the naked cake.  This modern style wedding cake is basically without frosting on the sides and can be adorned with flowers or berries or anything else that can tie it into the season or theme of the wedding.

Themes/Personalization

Instagram is so popular that couples are trying to create aspects of their wedding that are “Instagram worthy” They are creating hashtags so that their guests can take pictures at their wedding and post them using the hashtag for others to see.  Couples are putting more effort into creating beautiful displays on their receiving table and dessert tables.  They want a beautiful head table with elaborate backdrops and food that looks as fabulous as it tastes.  Couples are trying to find unique ways to bring in their own personalities in the littlest of details.  Creating a custom cocktail with a fun name in a fun colour with a fun garnish is something we will continue to see because it gives the couple the ability to serve their guests their favourite drink as well as encourages guests to have a drink that goes with the theme of the wedding.  This drink is usually a favourite among the guests and a lot of them will drink them throughout the night.

Décor 

Couples are now leaning towards more romantic, intimate feeling Weddings.  Lighting is an effective way of achieving different feelings at a Wedding.  We will be seeing more Edison bulbs and strings of globe lights, candelabras and both rustic and elegant looking chandeliers.  All of these types of lights give off a romantic soft type of glow.  When it comes to colours, it seems like 99.9% of weddings last year were some sort of combination of pink, gray, ivory and gold.  Yes it is oh so pretty and feminine and that is why it is so popular.  Luckily we have seen so much of it that it seems like couples are starting to get over it and we are starting to see darker, richer colour palettes.  Jewel tones with the addition of metallic are so romantic for any style of wedding.  Couples are still preferring chiavari chairs over using chair covers on banquet chairs… but since chiavari chairs have become so popular, couples are looking for something new.  We will be seeing other options such as acrylic ghost chairs or tiffany chairs and wooden crossback chairs.  Barn weddings are still going to be oh so popular and I am totally ok with that.  Everyone that knows me knows I live on a farm and have totally wanted to build my own venue… but don’t get me started on that because I could go on forever.  This trend is still on point and I think it will continue to for a while.  It has changed from rustic with burlap and mason jars to a softer feel with lace, mismatched glass vases and chandeliers.  Couples are visiting antique shops or renting pieces that are mismatched but complement each other.  We are seeing mismatched milk glass vases or clear glass vases in many different shapes and sizes to make clusters of small floral centerpieces instead of 1 large centerpiece.

Entertainment

We are seeing couples leaning more and more towards live entertainment over a DJ.  Incorporating a band, orchestra, solo singer, pianist or guitarist has really become popular.  Couples are also deciding not to choose between a DJ or live entertainment.  They are deciding to have both, live entertainment for the ceremony, cocktail hour and through dinner with a DJ at night.  It will be a trend this year to incorporate both DJ and live entertainment together.  Couples want to entertain their guests and having back and forth sets of a DJ working with a Band will certainly do that.  It keeps the dance floor rocking all night long!

Cocktail style 

Couples are caring more about the party and the experience for themselves and their guests.  They are deciding to move further away from more formal events and enjoying a less formal cocktail style reception or dinner being served in the form of stations such as in marché style receptions.  These style of Weddings are so fun for your guests and WAY better than a buffet style wedding.  Your guests can walk around and mingle, there is no long lines to wait in and you aren’t stuck sitting the entire time in a seat where you may not enjoy the people you are sitting with!  We will see more long harvest style tables for seating over the round banquet style tables.  Couples want their wedding to stand out and be different from the other weddings their guests have attended.  We will see options such as lucite or wooden tables and chairs.  We will continue to see a lot of sparkly sequin linens on the tables.  Especially the head table, sweets table and receiving table.  Couples will also continue to create lounge areas with either antique furniture, picnic tables or modern leather sofas for cocktail hour and for guests to relax after dinner.

Intimate Weddings

With couples steering away from formal dinners… they are also inviting less guests.  Yes the bride and groom do want to make their parents happy and are often still inviting guests because their parents would like them to… but they are inviting less and focusing more on having the venue they would like and being able to save the money by having less guests so that they can put their money towards other aspects of their wedding.  Venues such as barns and wineries are the popular choices for wedding venues.  These style venues don’t typically have the capacity to hold a large guest count.  So couples are sacrificing the guest count in order to get the style venue they would like.  I personally love this trend because the couple is able to enjoy their big day with those closest to them instead of surrounded by people they hardly know or have never even met.

Different Wedding Dress Styles/designs

There are so many different styles/designs becoming popular for your Bridal gown.  Brides are looking for a knock out gown that is memorable and doesn’t look like another bride’s gown.  We will see high neck lines, crop top 2 piece gowns, gowns in colours other than white or ivory, deep “V” necklines, feathers, floral patterns and fun easy sundress styles.

Day of edits

The Day of edit has become popular at Weddings.  Instead of hiring a videographer that gives you a long raw footage wedding video, couples are hiring a videographer to create a shorter film edited with short pieces of the entire wedding to music.  These day-of edits are being shown at the reception so that the guests can enjoy watching your day from start to finish.   Not all of the guests attend the ceremony and most don’t get to watch what was happening before the ceremony.   So guests enjoy this little surprise!  It is also much easier to watch whenever you would like to than a full video of your wedding.

Floral 

We will be seeing floral featuring seasonal, locally grown flowers and foliage.  Floral arrangements especially bouquets are getting a more untidy, wild look.  Brides are going for a more loose style as opposed to the tight, tidy floral arrangements and bouquets.  We will see lots of textures with the addition of flowers of different shapes and sizes, vines, foliage, fruit and berries.  Brides aren’t sticking with one colour for their bouquets either.  We will see bouquets with many shades and complimenting colours within them.  Although it is always popular to have a floral centerpiece, we will be seeing florists add in succulents, ferns, foliage, branches and decorative leaves to add texture.  This assists with the cost of the centerpiece as well.  Couples are even opting to do potted plants so that that their guests can take them home and plant them or they can plant them in their garden and watch the plants from their wedding grow year after year.

Invitations 

We will be seeing lots of shimmer paper in invitations.  Seems like everyone would like at least some shimmer or shine.  Even the rustic weddings would like to ramp up their rustic designs by adding a little sparkle.  If shimmery paper isn’t enough, couples are adding foil-pressed lettering in either gold, rose gold or copper.  Couples are using the same stationary company to not only do their invitations but to tie together all of the stationary and create a consistent look with their menu cards, table numbers, escort cards, etc.

Sounds like 2016 is going to be beautiful!  Looking forward to it!