2009 Trends

I'm constantly asked about past, present and future trends in weddings, so I thought that that I'd take a moment to share what we'll be seeing in 2009.

The Setting:

With budgets tightening, it is projected that nearly 70% of brides will opt to have a destination wedding (non-hometown) in attempt to cut back on the guest list.


The Day-
Friday night. Most locations offer lower food and beverage for events not held on Saturdays. In Los Angeles, Fridays are typically the best value. In Santa Barbara, Sundays reign supreme in terms of cost savings. We've moved! Please find the rest of this post; Ariel Yve Design



The Time-
Saturday daytime weddings are HUGE this year! Having a lunch reception can save you up to 50% on your food and beverage costs. Locations charge less for lunch and guests drink less. I know, I know, you've always dreamt of a romantic candle lit reception. Don't let the time of day deter you...just close the drapes, scatter loads of candles, hire great entertainment and voila...a dramatic wedding on a budget.


Decor:

Color!-
This year the hot shades are Plum/Purple, green, gray (not necessarily all together), with black acting as an accent.

Metallic-
Gold and Silver are timeless metals, but copper, bronze and pewter are going to have a large influence on wedding decor this year.

Patterns-
Gone are the days of the safety found in solids. Patterns are showing up in all aspect wedding design...invitations, table linens, invitations, etc.


The Style:

I always encourage brides to draw inspiration on their own personal lifestyle, but two common themes that I'm seeing a lot of this year are "Eco Chic" weddings and wedding heavily inspired by "Opulent European" aesthetic. Incorporating the best of both themes in your wedding would be as Martha says, "A Good Thing."


Wedding Gowns:

Brides are really going all out on their wedding looks this year. We are going to see loads of elaborate, over sized ballgowns, as well as the goddess-like silhouettes of empire waistlines and asymmetrical necklines/bodice detailing.


Wedding Vendors:

With the economic downturn, wedding budgets are getting tighter and tighter. With that said, brides are hiring "celebrity" vendors and high end wedding services now more than ever. Unwilling to sacrafice their dreams, couples are cutting back on their guest lists in order to free up the funds for fantasy wedding splurges.


Honeymoons:

Europe, Fiji and Mexico are great, but in 2009 a large percentage of couples will book stateside honeymoons. Be it wine tasting in Napa, snowbaording in Vail, or sun batheing in Martha's Vineyard, couples are capitalizing on cheap domestic airfare to visit some of our county's chic-est locals.

More 2009 and 2010 trends to come......