We are already far into the New Year and no doubt by now you have broken your resolutions and vowed never to give up chocolate cake as a breakfast item again. Aside from those New Year changes one of the biggest changes occurs in the wedding industry, the hottest new trends. From what colors are hot and what patterns are so last season to which reoccurring themes you probably be seeing if you are attending or planning a wedding. So what are the newest trends of 2012? Well I have searched the internet, bridal magazines and lost many a days on Pinterest, to highlight the top 12 trends of 2012.
He Saw Sparks on Etsy
{Patterns}
1. CHEVRON
It may sound like a stop to get your oil changed but instead it’s a very simplistic yet classic geometric pattern. This pattern looks good in a variety of colors or is just as strong in black and white. It can be incorporated into your wedding in a multitude of designs and mediums (paper and/or fabric). The other great aspect of this pattern is that it can be used as an accent but isn’t overpowering as a dominant element.
See the full post after the jump . . .
Photo via Style Me Pretty by Lisa Lefkowitz
2. OMBRE’
If you’re anything like me you’ve probably heard of Ombre’ from Project runway (Thanks Tim Gunn). Ombre’ refers to a gradual change in one color into another (if you are a designer you may also know this as a gradient). This is a unique way blend your colors together without be overpowering. It can also be used to create some softness to your day or a unique pop of visual appeal. I have seen this motif for the usual invitations and décor but my favorite uses are in the cakes and in the dresses & other attire.
Photo via Style Me Pretty by Ryan Ray Photography
{COLORS}
3. BLACK & WHITE
You can never really go wrong with black & white. It’s one of the few palettes that can stand alone or be paired with any and all accent colors. It’s also so versatile to the style of you wedding. Black and white can be a marker for a sophisticated or traditional wedding, it can also signify a more casual or themed celebration. There’s a reason it’s a classic.
Photo via theBERRY
4. GREY & YELLOW
This color combination is still holding strong after being very popular over the past few years. The advantage to this having enduring popularity is that you should have no problem finding items in a variety of styles to fit your unique day. This combination is not suitable for every wedding style or season but does charm and a sense of vintage flare when used. These colors work well for a more rustic event or an outdoor themed celebration. A great visual pairing to this palette is wooden textures and outdoor lights.
Photo via Southern Weddings by Gina Zeidler
5. BRIGHT COLOR COMBINATIONS
I absolutely love this trend partially because there are no rules. This is a particularly good idea for an outdoor wedding or for spring and summer. The basic idea is combining bright colors that don’t normally go together in amazing ways. This is a clever way to really make your reception area POP! Whether it’s incorporating it into your centerpieces or into your choice of china. It can also be added into your bouquet or even the bridemaid dresses. The added bonus to these colors is they look amazing in photographs and really brighten up any pictures.
Photo via Green Wedding Shoes by Kaitlyn James
6. TANGERINE & AQUA
This is a fairly new combination and it works well for outdoor summer weddings. It pairs great with citrus drinks & looks great with a picnic style reception.
A HELPFUL HINT ABOUT PALETTES: Okay so I might be impartial when it comes to talking about Etsy but it really does have every color combination under the sun. But the other advantage is if you see a design that you like you can always contact a real person to see if they can work with your particular color palette. I would venture to say 97% of the time they say yes!
FYI: Pantone’s color of the year was Tangerine Tango so try that in your searches.
Twigs and Honey on Etsy
{Themes}
7. ROARING TWENTIES
Prohibition and Flappers, maybe not the first thing to pop into your head when you think of weddings, but this trend is getting increasingly popular. The interesting thing about this particular theme is you can go for super elegant & sophisticated or go the non-traditional route. Many designers have hopped onto this bandwagon with 20’s inspired wedding gowns, dresses and amazing hair accessories instead of veils. Also The Great Gatsby inspired engagement shoots are popping up in numbers as well.
DON’T BREAK THE PIGGY BANK TIP: Visit local thrift stores, vintage shops or even your grandparents closet and see what great things you can find. Look for gold trimmed fabrics for use on the tables and lace accents for the bouquets or floral arrangements.
Photo via Green Wedding Shoes by Blushing Bride Studio
8. MOVIE INSPIRED
A HUGE trend in recent years and getting even bigger this year is having a wedding based on a particular movie. Sometimes it’s because you really love the story in the movie but it can also be because you like the costumes or just the overall imagery of the film. The fun part of this theme is that it allows you to get creative and have endless ways to incorporate the film into every aspect of the event.
TIP: When researching this trend I found just about every movie I could think of from the always popular “UP” to a “Star Wars” wedding. What’s my point? No matter what movie you are thinking of doing chances are you can find some great ideas and inspiration out there.
SOME EXAMPLES: Incorporate characters from the film into the table numbers, use tag lines from the film into invitation wording and use food & drink from that time period.
Photo by Jenna Walcott Photography
9. RUSTIC BARN
You know what they say it’s all about “location, location, location,” and what better location can you have when creating a rustic or vintage look to your ceremony than an old barn. These locations have had a huge rise in numbers over the past few years, not only for the visual appeal but also the feeling of comfort and intimacy it gives. Also with the rise in weddings that are “going green” this lends a perfect backdrop to incorporate recycled materials, organic and rustic elements while staying very modern and chic.
SOME IDEAS: String twinkle lights in the inside, use burlap as table runners and incorporate the wooden texture of the barn into your paper goods.
TIP: Just because a local barn doesn’t advertise that they do events if never hurts to ask. There is a barn that I always went to for my farmers market and loved it, so I asked and they were very open to the possibility (this does not mean knocking on random farmer’s doors though).
Photo via 100 Layer Cake by Readyluck Photographers
10. DIY (do it yourself)
A lot of brides are intimated by this option because they feel they aren’t creative enough or don’t want it to look cheap but I am here to put your fears aside. DIY can be taken two ways you can either make most of the items yourself or with the help of friends or family!
SOME GREAT DIY INSPIRATION SITES: craft gawker/wedding gawker, offbeatbride, project wedding, The Broke Ass Bride, Ruffled and even larger sites such as Martha Stewart weddings and The Knot have DIY sections. Or you can enlist the services of handmade artists, on sites such as Etsy.
SOME ADVANTAGES TO CHOOSING ETSY OR OTHER HANDMADE MARKET PLACES: They give you the options of finding local artists in your area, some artists may offer DIY options of their products, these sites are more sensitive to brides on a budget and you can email any artist to create custom art for you (not all offer but it never hurts to ask).
Photo via Green Wedding Shoes by Sloan Photographers
11. CANDY BAR
What’s better than candy? Nothing, except maybe getting a free assortment of free candy to take home with you at a wedding reception. The great thing about this option is it sets a tone of fun into your reception and lets your guests have some control over the wedding favor (the other great thing is you don’t have to be polite and only eat one piece because you are being watched you can take it home and eat the whole bag with no judgments).
Little Retreats on Etsy
12. PHOTO BOOTH
Talk about a trend that seems to have come out of nowhere and now you can’t go to a wedding without it, the photo booth. This consists of setting up a photo booth with funny props & costumes for your guests and the couple. The cool thing about this is it allows you and your guest to have fun and let loose a bit and always offers unique and fairly inexpensive wedding favors and mementos. However the downside, is how popular it’s become you don’t want your guests to walk in and go “Oh great, another photo booth.” The props can either be made or bought and can vary depending on your overall theme. But trend lightly before this unique idea become the chicken dance of weddings.
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