 A wedding is a life event; a milestone and a full-out party whether formal or not, with a myriad of special touches that flavour the day with the individual touches of the couple’s personality. Making a memory is their top priority and when all is said and done, they want to look back on a beautiful celebration filled with a sense of emotion, sincerity and occasion.
Personalized signature style continues to be the trend, with new touches emerging this upcoming bridal season. The stuffy by-the-book rules of the past have all but vanished. Personal branding continues to be a focal point, with the theme of the wedding revolving around a stylized monogram or icon that the bride and groom may choose.
The vintage glamour look continues its hold from the last two seasons, with the return of romance clearly illustrated in flowing wedding gowns in pale pinks, yellows and this season hottest colour, honeysuckle. The rage of the 1920s ushers in 3D appliqué, layered with lace, tulle and silk details on the dress. The princess style silhouette will be body slimming with a bold train, while sequins and beading will be showing up on everything from the dress to the floral arrangements and the wedding cake.
Flowers will be stylized with keepsakes in the bouquets and they will be green and natural with bright coloured flowers arranged lightly with a leaf wrap. Flower girls will carry bulb bouquets of one colour.
Chic statement- making headwear is in and no bride today would be without it. Sparkly tiaras are back in time for the Royal Wedding and vintage feathers, large flowers, headbands and elegant hair clips are other alternatives.
The black tuxedo has been revamped with flair and attitude. New styles and beautiful fabric has moved them into the 21st century. Bow ties are back and bold and fun is the message in their styling. Brides will wear pearls and Grooms will forgo sneakers for more tasteful wedding day footwear that complements his bride.
For comfort, wedding venues sport comfy couches- lounge weddings are hot and are one of the biggest trends this year! Living room settings add cosiness for the guests and allow people to move around and socialize with ease.
Long table are all the rage and feel reminiscent of family celebrations. The Sweetheart Table reserved for the couple is elegant and comfortable, layered with textured linens and replete with vintage centrepieces.
Food is local, healthy, traditional and original with farmer’s market menus. Lemonade and colourful teas add a “pretty and colourful” twist to the décor. The wedding cake serves as a centrepiece, a photo-op and is a main focal point. Brides are crazy for cakes decked out in jewellery and they are tall and elegant with butter cream icing and big, beautiful natural flowers instead of the large sugar ones.
Dessert bars continue to be a huge guest favourite, laden with brownies, macarons, ( an almond paste cookie, coloured to theme and filled with gelato or ice cream) jelly beans, pies, ice cream floats and cake pops. They add bold colour and sweetness to the post dinner fare.
The supper club feel ties into the lounge wedding and this season, no couple wants the best day of their lives to end. Couples are planning an after party that lasts well into the wee hours of the night. Guests will partake of drinks, entertainment, dancing and snacks, served up with cognac, coffee and cappuccino bars; lounge- like events with bold style so that their guests can party all night!
From sheer whimsy to breath-taking, couples want their uniqueness to shine through all the details. Outdoor weddings are popular décor offering nature as a backdrop; garden weddings, wooded park-like settings or vineyards are ways couples are making the day their own. Sparklers and ice sculptures with beautiful intricate details are gracing their tables and doubling as decorations.
The special handmade elements of 2011 weddings are here to stay and are one of the biggest trends for this year. DIY is big and couples are daring to make their day distinctive and memorable.
Wherever the celebration, from cozy- home-style to country or urban chic, couples are infusing their day with distinctive touches and emotion while choreographing a celebration that is meaningful and unique to them.
The 2011 wedding is a wow from the vows to the departure of the last guest. It will be entertaining, emotional and joy-filled. It won’t be your mother’s wedding!
 Steve Pomerleau Phtography, Windsor, Ontario, Will Travel
Across this land, a “green” wedding is fast becoming the way to say “I do.” So it’s no surprise that eco-friendly are a hot trend. Couples are looking for creative ways to lessen the impact of their big day by giving their celebrations some earthy appeal.
CATERING:
Ask the caterer that you select to use readily available organic ingredients- eggs, milk, sugar, spices, herbs, butter- to create your wedding menu. Finding a truly all-organic caterer will be next to impossible, so work with your caterer to choose dishes that incorporate local, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Heirloom tomatoes in the summer will not only taste fresh and look gorgeous, but they will also be less expensive because of their abundance. Think crisp apple tarts in the fall, fresh herbs and baby-green salads for spring and exquisite root-vegetable purees for winter. Suggest your caterer shop local farmers’ markets for the freshest selection.
WINE:
 - Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario, Will Travel
Organic wines, which are made from grapes grown without chemical pesticides, have improved by leaps and bounds over the years. Ask your caterer about local wines. Our area is producing award-winning wine and is expanding and creating a wonderful industry.
RECYCLING:Ask caterers to recycle cans, bottles and aluminum foil and insist on a no-Styrofoam policy. Ask the bartenders to save the wine corks from the evening and transform them into a beautiful keepsake trivet by encircling them all with a pipe clamp you can find in a hardware store.
FLOWERS:
 - John Lyons Photography, Windsor, Ontario, Will Travel
Order locally grown, in-season flowers, preferably organic, which are grown without chemical pesticides and insecticides. Not only are you helping the environment, but also locally grown, in-season flowers are likely to be cheaper. After the wedding is over; the flowers can be donated to a nursing home, hospital or assisted living home. Another idea is to save your organic flowers and make potpourri. Fill cellophane bags with the mixture and send them to guests with your thank-you notes. Potted plants can also be reused.
Invitations:
Weddings generate a lot of paper. Look for post-consumer or recycled paper for your wedding invitations. There are many tree-free invitations out there and most companies offer this option. Some alternatives to look for include paper made from hemp or bamboo, or choose 100% post-consumer recycled stock produced from discarded newspapers, office paper and magazines. Also, ask your printer to use a soy-based ink; it’s a greener choice (made from renewable soy beans), and the end result can be brighter, clearer printing.
 See You There Invitations, Judene McCalla Pluck leaves from the trees and handwrite with a permanent – ink pen the guest’s name on each leaf; add an extra-skinny ribbon at the stem and tie the leaf around the napkin. Stamp large river rocks with guest’s names using an alphabet stamp set available at any craft store; rest a rock at each place setting and ask guests to return the rocks to a river; or add them to a garden or planter in their own homes after the reception. Use what you have and be inventive.
 Brandon Scott Photography, Windsor, Ontario, Will Travel
The Gown:
Today, wedding gowns are made of everything from silk to organic cotton, but they are all eco-friendly. Think about it. No bride would seriously consider her gown to be disposable. So, choose the dress you love the most; the one you envision passing down. This is the greenest thing any bride can do. Whether it is made of hemp or the finest silk money can buy, you can’t go wrong, so invest in an exquisite piece to be shared with future generations. If you don’t plan on keeping your dress, opt for a vintage gown that can be donated later on.
LIGHTING:
Lighting creates a “mood” and what better way to celebrate your day by saving electricity. If you’re having an outdoor wedding, consider hanging solar lanterns (available at hardware stores) in the trees, or use them to line the lawn to create pathways. They charge in the sun all day long and cast a soft glow at night. Since they need no special wiring, you can put lanterns wherever your heart desires. Paper lamps and candles are another alternative that can always be reused.
 Transportation:
Location, location, location. Try to have the wedding ceremony at or near the wedding reception. It saves on gas and makes it easier on guests, who may be unfamiliar with the area. Also, consider the benefits of a stretch limo. Instead of taking numerous vehicles to one place, one vehicle transporting a large group can be more economic.
 Photo: Festival Tent & Party Supply, Windsor, Ontario
“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” - John Ruskin
A fully equipped rental store will have a wide range of appropriate wedding accessories, including arches, and chupahs, kneeling benches, candelabras, plant stands, aisle runners, wedding canopies, gazebos, artificial greenery, chair covers and more.
Rental furniture is now available and choices includes modular leather sofas and chairs, besides the standard banquet style. Bride and groom booths, a brilliant idea in white leather studded buttons have become a comfortable trend in today’s weddings, for use at the head table or to stand- alone, so the newlyweds can share their first meal as husband and wife seated together, apart from their guests.
The use of “Lounge Style” furniture allows for “living room” or “settee” areas where guests, should they choose, can mingle and catch up, away from the dinner tables that they were seated at.
Photo booths, expresso, ice cream and liquor carts, as well as completely portable, bar refrigeration trucks have all become popular items in the past few years. There has never been a better choice in rentals items for both indoor and outdoor weddings as there are today.
Lighting is becoming another must-have for some couples. Adding ambiance, excitement and mood, a good lighting tech can transform your reception site from ordinary to extraordinary.
Rental companies will work with you to create the mood and feel that you want for your reception. Rental professionals will provide you with everything you need to create a truly memorable affair. Trust their advice as they plan more parties in a year than most people plan in a lifetime.
Read more about rentals and tents in the current issue of The Wedding Guide. Click here to order your copy.
Our Featured Vendors
Festival Tent and Party Rentals Inc.
Twenty years ago there was no thought as to where a wedding and a reception would be held. The church or synagogue were the official ceremony sites and the community hall or venue is where the partying mostly took place.
With dramatic changes in society and how things are done, today there are many more options for venue. From yachts to sandy beaches with glimmering sunlight, to museums, zoos, wineries, historic buildings and county clubs; brides have more choice than their mothers could ever imagine.
Themes are also paramount in wedding planning and the sky is the limit to what uniqueness can be achieved with a good idea and out-of-the-box thinking. From Hollywood sets to medieval themes, brides and grooms-to-be are having the time of their lives matching their lifestyles and personalities to their receptions.
From florals, food, invitations and fashion, today’s weddings have taken on a whole new face. Guests marvel at the Monday morning water coolers, when they describe the weekend weddings they attended. Celebrations today are fun, unique and energizing and most definitely a treat to attend.
Now if you are a bride and thinking that all you ever wanted was a simple, traditional affair, don’t let anyone sway you.
 Steve Pomerleau Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel Traditional never goes out of style and what goes around comes around. Weddings are wonderful because no two are alike and they are dictated by the families, customs and personalities of the people hosting them.
Remembering the reason to marry is to spend your life with the person you love,planning sets the stage for the life you will be living in the future. Do it your way and put the touches you want on it and it will truly be a memorable event in your life.
Wedding professionals are there to assist you in translating your dreams into realities. Ask for references and employ their services if, and only if, you feel comfortable that they can do the job you want. Ask for references and talk to people candidly about the services that they received. Based on your research you will find someone compatible and at the budget you are seeking.
We’ll be talking more aboutr budgets, trends and wedding day planning!
Register now and come back often. Feel free to email topics of interest or things that you would like to read about.
Until later,
MEDIA RELEASE
UNVEILING THE BRIDE
Looking Ahead at Wedding Trends 2011 Style
For Immediate Release
Windsor, Ontario
September 29, 2010
This upcoming wedding season is once again about personalized signature style wedding ideas as couples want to make this special day meaningful with elements of their own personalities injected into their wedding plans.On their day, which can now be any day of the week, guests will still come to honour the couple as an alternative to the conventional ways of the past.
 Mustang Wedding - Chalet Studios Photography Windsor, Ontario Mixing vintage with modern has been carried forward from last season; this nostalgic trend has become even bigger. It’s back into the past for many brides as they mix an item from their mother’s or grandmother’s wedding memorabilia into their wedding mix. Think an antique hankie tucked into the bridal bouquet, or with a piece of lace from a veil. Some brides are using a mannequin with a family wedding gown displayed at the reception. Brides and Grooms are actively looking for a connection to past traditions.
Knowing that the trend this year is colour, brides are seeking out Pantone’s Wedding Colours, which are “the stars” in the fashion world. 2011 colours are exotic purple orchid, (HOT) chocolate truffle, lagoon, lipstick red, golden glow, living coral, oyster gray, rose dust, and crisp endive. These colours will be the most used and recognized this upcoming season and, when used in a palette, will provide an invigorating and intriguing colour combination to any wedding.
For a lot of couples planning their weddings, less is more this upcoming year. Some weddings will have a lower guest count and a more intimate feeling. Head tables are being replaced by communal seating, with the bride and groom sitting with their guests in a dinner-party style. Venues such as an art gallery tented outdoor locations, beaches, farms, historical sites and other hipper locations are replacing the huge banquet halls of the past.
Reality wedding video and engagement and post-fashion wedding shoots are gaining status as a new way to capture the moment with technology. This style really reflects the personality of the couple.
Photographers continue to be more candid with photo-journalistic style shooting and are now offering IPAD albums, loaded with wedding images. The grooms are jumping for this new feature and it’s a leap right into social media, which has definitely been embraced by brides and grooms alike.
Social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other networks are showcasing all aspects of the wedding, including the couple posting online photographs from the engagement to the honeymoon. This is a great way to share all the wedding planning with friends and family all over the globe. Webcams are growing in popularity and are a grand way to include anyone who cannot make it to the ceremony and reception, still providing real time viewing and inclusion.
Statistics show that 50% of today’s couples set- up a home together years before the wedding date, which has lead to alternative bridal registry choices. They have their toaster, kettle and cake plates! Monetary donations are now part of a bridal registry and can be made toward the couple’s preferred charity, a deposit on a new home (yes), wine or book collections and outdoor patio items like fancy barbecues and outdoor furniture. Honeymoon gift cards are also a popular registry item and help offset the price of a glorious time away together from this busy world that we live in.
Today, receptions have many add-ons that were unheard of twenty years ago. Decked-out photo booths of our past are fun and add a new element to what the photographer captures. This is a chance to have a photo of every single wedding guest.
Comfy couches and intimate seating areas dotted throughout the venue provide the guests with a living-room feel that allows for conversation areas that are private, while also providing the photographer with casual and relaxed picture opportunities.
Receptions have a wide array of finger foods, commencing with a cocktail hour that feels like a red carpet gala. Guests, instead of picking at their plates will delve into delicious comfort dishes like pizza, burgers and pasta with a twist.
Family-style service- think big platters loaded with chicken, beef and pastas, help spark conversation with guests who don’t know one another and provide a festive touch. Light-hearted dishes and a comfortable atmosphere will put a relaxing spin on the evening. Also, very current are gourmet food stations with hors d’oeuvres and perhaps a brushetta bar is a big new trend. Buffet service is also in!
Local produce, organic meat and local wines are taking their rightful places at a reception, Brides and grooms are more environmentally conscious than their counterparts of past years and it’s good for the local economy.
The bridal gown may be the ceremony’s show stopper, but wedding cakes are the main attraction at the reception. Many brides are incorporating the style of their gown into the designing of their cakes, with the addition of intricate icing, pearl and crystal studding, rosettes and lace. Stately, towering layers with metallic designs and colours are also making a statement. The one thing that hasn’t changed from year to year is that, this decision is always in the bride’s hands.
Macaroons, (delicious cookies) are a new and pleasing addition to any sweet table and are popping up everywhere, with dough dyed to match the colour of the wedding theme. They, are made with crushed almonds and are filled with gelato, or ice cream, sandwich-style, and sit next to those delightful and yummy cupcakes of last season.
We’re seeing the emergence of pinwheels, those colourful windmill decorations that are fun for guests to wave as the bride and groom drive off into their future, après the reception. They are cheerful to look at and more environmentally friendly than rice or confetti and create a festive mood.
Statistics are proving that couples today prefer to have a unique wedding rather than their parent’s traditional wedding of the past. There will still be traditional and ethnic wedding invitations in your mail box and no matter what mode the bride and groom are in- a wedding is a commitment to a future together and may it be blessed with love, laughter and friendship.
For media information:
Please contact: Sheryl Davies
The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County
bridaltalk.theweddingguide.ca
[email protected] or [email protected]
519-252-8463
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