1. A Green Wedding
With climate change on the rise, we all want to do what we can to help the earth. And a lot of people are doing just that by beginning with their big day. We’re not saying brides are choosing to wear biodegradable paper dresses or choosing toilet-less receptions. There are many ways couples are choosing to be green and sustainable on their wedding day without having to sacrifice their vision or budget.
Let’s start with flowers! Couples are looking for vendors who are truly farm-to-table. In other words, florists who do not use chemicals to elongate the life of the flowers because as we know, chemicals are not good for the earth, insects or animals near the flowers and even the workers who look after them. Couples who have a large amount of floral work for either their ceremony or reception are sourcing companies who can pick up the flowers at the end of the day and reuse them. For example, The Violet Heart Project located in Toronto will take event florals, reuse and repurpose them and then deliver them to hospitals and retirement homes. Here’s a sustainable tip from us: try incorporating silk florals as well as they are often less expensive and will always be reused by the vendor for another event.
When it comes to choosing venues for summer weddings, couples are opting for locations such as farms, vineyards and barns to avoid the heavy use of electricity. As we know, most of the lighting for these locations is natural as it comes from the sun. If you and your fiancé are currently searching for venues but don’t want to get married outdoors, then look for venues in which you can host both the ceremony and the reception. Not only does this save you and your guests travel time, but it reduces everyone’s carbon footprint from traveling from the ceremony to the reception site.
Last but not least, the notion of going paperless is becoming a lot more popular. Why not show your guests your sustainable efforts right from the get-go? Some couples are choosing to go entirely paperless by sending out e-invites and directing guests to their wedding website whereas others are choosing stationery vendors who use their material from recycled paper. Here’s a tip from us: hire a calligrapher to write your invitations as this will avoid the use of toxic printing and will also make your wedding invitations look gorgeous.
2. Hand-Painted Cakes
Forget an all-white fondant cake! Bakers are taking a fresh and creative approach to wedding cakes as they use fondant for their blank canvas. From unique imagery, patterns and watercolours, bakers are hand-painting their couples’ every vision and detail. And that to us is true artistry. Hand-painted cakes are also becoming more popular as they can be applied to any wedding style. If you’re hosting a boho chic themed wedding, your cake artist can hand-paint pampas grass and geometric shapes or if you’re hosting a celestial themed wedding, your cake artist can hand-paint moons and stars. Our point is that hand-painted cakes are unique, trendy and will leave a lasting impression with your guests.
3. Beautiful Lighting
Beautiful wedding lighting is definitely becoming trendy. And we’re not talking about the typical lighting that comes with the reception venue. We’re going beyond marquee letters too. We’re referring to string lights, bistro lighting, Edison lighting, hanging chandeliers and even hanging candles! Couples are utilizing these lighting options to show off their wedding style, create a wow factor and ultimately set a romantic ambiance for their guests. If you are hosting an outdoor wedding in the summer, then these options become a lot more accessible. For example, if you are renting a tent you can install gorgeous chandeliers or bistro lighting. No tent? No problem! These options work great without a tent as well. You can utilize trees for string lighting and even hang chandeliers off of tree branches. Our favourite lighting trend however, is Edison lighting. Edison lighting is the truest form of lighting – they are literally hanging light bulbs! This lighting works great for an outdoor rustic wedding style. Looking for more advice on lighting options for your wedding? Contact us and we’ll be more than happy to assist you with your wedding vision!
4. Bridal Jumpsuits
Wedding jumpsuits are becoming more common as we see real brides take this bold approach for their reception nights. Not yet entirely worn as the gown for walking down the aisle, we are seeing many brides change into these chic, modern jumpsuits after their wedding ceremony as their second wedding outfit. There are so many types of bridal jumpsuits. From jumpsuits with a peplum-style and long trains to jumpsuits with coats and capes or a full pant suit, this style of wedding attire for the modern bride truly makes for a bold statement. If you want to explore this trend, but don’t want to risk this for your wedding day, you can always wear a bridal jumpsuit for your bridal shower, a night out during your bachelorette party or save it for your post-wedding day brunch. As wedding jumpsuits become more popular, we definitely expect to see more of them on the aisle way for the years to come. We love that they are incredibly stylish, yet very bold.
5. Non-Traditional Florals
Brides are always asking how they can make their wedding different and unique from others. They will select unconventional reception venues such as greenhouses or incorporate different types of entertainment such as violinists. However, brides are now being open to change the design of their floral work for their wedding ceremony and reception. Non-traditional florals such as pampas grass great for a boho chic wedding, hanging potted plants perfect for an outdoor summer wedding and florals with fruit accents ideal for any season are on the rise. Brides are still incorporating the traditional flowers such as roses, peonies and hydrangeas but are increasing the non-traditional floral work within their design. And boy does this look pretty! You don’t need to undergo large changes to have your wedding standout. Changing small details such as floral work will create a wedding that is unique and personal to you and perhaps even save you on some costs.
