As always, planning that once-in-a-lifetime celebration in this new decade is all about attention to detail, with couples showing their individuality and signature-style. Through the years, while some things about weddings change, others remain exactly the same. While the past is fondly remembered, this year, the present is important too! Save the date cards, self-written vows, mismatched bridesmaid dresses and eco-friendly touches are all new additions to this upcoming wedding season. With the length of engagements today, as people save up for their wedding, save the date cards are imperative! Use this to set the tone of your wedding and have fun with it! I’ve always said (since the 90′s – so for over 15 years -YIPES!) that bridesmaid dresses should be picked for the person. I also think that the groomsmen should wear their own shoes, too.

Veils, cakes, the first dance, champagne, lace, tulle (Urgh. White tulle. Only on a dress, please!!), something old, new, borrowed, blue, and wedding photographs have all remained constant, in an ever-evolving wedding day. New social media such as Facebook and Twitter and the online personalized bridal widgets and web casting of the ceremony in real time, highlight all the couple’s news and the wedding day festivities. Talking about Facebook and Twitter – do you actually look for vendors there? Or is it a way to keep in touch with your friends about your wedding? I believe it is the second. I use both as a way to keep in touch with vendors and former brides and grooms. I don’t think it is a business solicitation forum.

This season’s focus is on retro chic and the Hollywood days of glamour. The traditional black tuxedo is back for the gents (see – it’s just black shoes for the guys… let them wear their own!!) and for the bride, it’s all about accessories; gloves and pearls. I also think that, especially in the south, the bling is still king. Crystals and diamonds are still huge accessories here. The bird cage veil and the emergence of bridal hats and the bouffant or French twist hair styles make for an elegant look. Flowers, feathers, and hair broaches are all immensely popular. The inspiration comes from the sophistication of the 50’s and 60’s. Strapless wedding gowns are as dominant as they have been in the past, and, they will quite likely continue to be in the future, but expect to see sashes of black and high waistlines. Be careful with this trend, though as a slash of color across the body isn’t for everyone!! Gold is back for engagement and wedding bands after an absence of a few years, where silver was prominent as the metal of choice.

The vintage glamour look, which emerged last season, continues this year, and is gaining strength. There’s a breath-taking ambience to today’s weddings. The “something new”, could be hair extensions, while “something blue” can be the sky over a Jamaican destination wedding. Honeymoons are all-inclusive and brides and grooms are gravitating to luxury resorts with their amazing meal packages and opportunities for many different adventures. And this hasn’t changed in a while and I don’t think it will anytime soon!

Invitations range from fun to fancy formal, and some even have illustrations of the bride and groom illustrated in pencil sketched artwork. Look for vibrant colours that match the wedding’s theme such as turquoise/raspberry combinations as well as the traditional and elegant colour scheme of black and white. Invitations are one of my favorite things! Peacock, marigold, purple, traditional navy, the ever present green (in a slightly different shade this year!!), and silver are also very popular. Highly personal and widely seen, the invitation is very important for your day!

Brides and grooms are revamping their first dance with a routine that is a medley of songs, replacing the traditional first dance of the reception, which in 2010, is just called the “party”. I like the “party” aspect, but I sure hope the south misses the whole choreographed production number as the first dance. I love the tender, romantic, and beautiful couple dance. It’s one of the few spots in a wedding that make me want to cry! On the other hand, if it’s a “routine” with all sorts of stuff, I won’t have to worry about waterproof mascara!

Weddings are elegant with a lot of character. For comfort you’ll find wedding venues with comfy couches and living room settings, set up for the ceremony and reception; adding increased comfort and coziness for the guests. Sit down dinners are still in style, but look for cocktail receptions with a supper club feel- cocktails- think, martinis, Manhattans, old fashioned cocktails and big band sounds. I have seen a trend in the south to bands for the reception music again. The bridal lounges have made it here, too. We’ll probably hold on to them for a couple of more years as well.

Wedding cakes continue to be tiered, but the trend is to more white cakes with butter cream or fondant icing, topped with an heirloom antique cake topper of a bride and groom. Monograms are still big here. I don’t see the bride and groom toppers coming back in North Carolina yet. Colourful macaroons are replacing cupcakes. MMM. Macaroons. Dance floors are adorned with custom vinyl monograms of the bride and groom’s initials. I certainly wouldn’t go vinyl. Have a beautiful gobo designed and light it. Which leads right into… and look for special lighting, which amps up the décor of the reception site, adding warmth and atmosphere. Here’s where I get to say to that other article – HA! It’s LED lighting….

On this special day, couples want their signature style shining through. The possibilities are endless! From sheer whimsy to the outrageously breath-taking, today’s couples are style-makers and it shows! There has never been a better time to marry! So we can help you make your event Always unique. Never ordinary.™

Catherine

I must give credit where credit is due. I found the original article via Wedding Business Today, from The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County. I have modified and added to the original article with the trends and tips that work for North Carolina brides!

So, for the first in our etiquette series, we’re going to tackle a question that has come up several times with our brides in the past couple of years. “Do I have to address my invitations by hand?”

Traditionally, all invitations were hand written and hand delivered by footmen to all invitees. The outer envelope could (and did) get dirty during this process, so there was an inner envelope that was also hand addressed. No abbreviations whatsoever were allowed. So, if your wedding has 200 guests, can you imagine hand writing every single invitation? I’m sure glad that has changed! Although, I wouldn’t mind having someone hand deliver all the invitations for me – that would be cool!

An inner envelope, if there is one, should still be hand addressed to your invitee. It is much more personal and is just nice to see when you open the outer envelope. If even this is too much for you, then consider one of the fantastic options without an inner envelope that is available.

Even today, outside envelopes inviting guests to a very formal celebration should still be hand written. Whether you do it or hire someone to do it, if you are having a white tie wedding, don’t use the computer for your invitations! If it isn’t so formal, you do have the option of having your invitation company address the envelopes for you in a matching color. This is very nice, but does add to your invitation cost.

If you consider yourself a “DIY bride” or if you are on a budget (and who isn’t?) then there are many other options available to you. You can choose to write the address yourself. Use the guide that comes with your envelopes and work on them in small batches. You’ll be surprised at how little time this takes. Just be sure to have a few extra envelopes on hand for mistakes – they will happen!

If you have a good printer and it feeds envelopes well, you can try to print the address on the envelope itself. There are some drawbacks for this – most stationery envelopes are heavyweight paper. Your printer may not feed them through easily, the ink color (if you choose to print in color) may not exactly match your invitations, and if your envelope is not in the white or ivory color family, you’ll have a hard time printing directly on it.

Another option is to print address labels. If you’re going to print yourself, I suggest this method. If you use a clear label, you may still run into a problem with darker paper, but you can try lots of different color combinations to see what works without breaking the bank. You won’t need many extra envelopes because you will catch your mistakes before you even get to the envelope. If you use a white label, you can create a design that is all your own to use on your envelopes.

Your return address should be printed or embossed on the back flap of the envelope. It should not be on the front. This is the same for any type/style/formality of an occasion.

Here are a few invitations and what I think would be an acceptable way to address them. All invitations are from Carlson Craft. {http://www.carlsoncraft.com/}

I consider the above invitations formal and they I would suggest handwriting addresses on the outer envelope.

I consider these invitations to be more contemporary or informal, so, in my opinion, a label or computer printing would be acceptable.

I also love handwriting fonts. You can even have a font made out of your own handwriting at a number of places. If you use these for addressing your envelopes, you can still convey a personalized feeling without worrying if your guest (or the post office) can read your handwriting. There are also many, many good calligraphy fonts available as well. Some of my favorites are below (with a nod to a certain 80′s sitcom!). All are free fonts available at Dafont. {http://www.dafont.com/}

So, if etiquette is “the rules governing social acceptable behavior” then I say if your wedding is not formal and you are comfortable with printing your envelopes, then go for it! Whatever you do, your invitation is usually the first item people receive that conveys the style, feel, and formality of your event. Be sure that whatever you choose to do with addressing your invitations says what you want it to say!

Catherine