Hello readers, It’s Michelle here from wedding planners Pocketful of Dreams. We’re back this week with part 2 of our wedding trends roundup. Last week we focused on the design strands filtering through to the wedding world, this week it’s about those all important details that bring it all together.
THE INVITATIONS
Heavenly Handwriting It’s fair to say that handlettering and calligraphy is a pretty hot ticket across the design world right now. And why not? With it’s beautiful sweeping nature it’s a very romantic aesthetic and with more eclectic styles opening up it can still be a modern choice too. For unique handlettering try Berinmade, Paul Antonio Scribe (watching him write is like watching magic unfold – mesmerising), Calligraphy for Weddings, Quill London and Lamplighter London.
Image Credits: 1 & 2. Weddings by Nicola and Glen // Design & Styling: Pocketful of Dreams // Stationery Gemma Milly
Let Me Take A Selfie You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in this day and age that hasn’t succumbed to the selfie phenomenon. Now couples are using ever more creative ways to include their faces on invitations and save-the-dates – we say save it for the professionals and book yourself in for an engagement session with a great photographer.
It’s All In The Details Couples are utilising craftsmanship to create something entirely unique with their invitation suites from folded origami to lasercut paper, to printing onto unusual materials like perspex, wood and leather. The only limitation is your imagination.
Image Credits: 1. So Shine 2. Whitney Neal Photo
THE FLOWERS
Organic Loose and unstructured arrangements are still the order of the day, as though you could have been walking through a wildflower meadow picking up blooms as you go along. We’re seeing a heady mix of flowers with foliage as well as herbs and even fruits mixed in for a decadent feel. Colour-wise it’s rich bold colours softened slightly with paler creamy blooms.
Image Credits: 1. Weddings by Nicola and Glen 2. Chris Barber Photography// Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams // Flowers: Euphoric Flowers
Image Credit: Weddings by Nicola and Glen // Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams // Flowers: Euphoric Flowers
Hanging The trend for refectory style dining is great as it is so much more intimate and interactive than traditional round tables, it does mean though that there’s much less space on those tables for flowers and decor, particularly if family-style sharing platters of food are added too. So there’s only one thing for it and that’s to go up with your decor.
Image Credits: 1. Katie Kett Photography 2. Evergreen Direct
We love a good floral chandelier and this year have seen some incredible creations (as well as commissioning a few for our weddings too), from a mass of twigs and foliage to cascading flowers, they look nothing short of magical.
Image Credits: 1. Christian Oth Studio 2. Designed by Fleur, photograph by Becca Heuer
Faux Flowers Another trend we predicted at the start of last year was the use of faux flowers in wedding designs. There’s so many great reasons to use them and it’s not all about budget-saving, there’s a sustainability aspect too as you can keep them long after the day, or just hire them in minimising the wastage associated with throwing away fresh flowers. Plus they give you the chance to have your favourite flower even when it’s out of season or to create lavish installations that may be difficult with real flowers. Friend of Faux answered our call and now offer a wide range of garlands and wreaths to hire, do check them out.
Image Credit: Friend of Faux
Unique vessels A vase is just a vase – or is it? What you pop your flowers into is just as much a part of the design as the flowers themselves and we’re seeing such a creative selection filtering through nowadays. From minimalist, geo-inspired pleated styles in soft dusty pastels through to modern metallics and even fruit. Seek out the unique.
Image Credits: 1. Mary Costa Photography 2. Dustin & Corynn Photography
THE DECOR
Creative Backdrops We’re seeing ever more creative backdrops being used, from the ceremony through to the reception, a backdrop can provide a focal point and highlight specific features of the day. Like installed works of art, we’re loving this trend and have a few really interesting backdrops featuring in our 2015 weddings.
Image Credits: 1. Bek Grace 2. Hikari Events Photography
Linens Last year we talked about more creative and textural linens and we’re so pleased to see more and more companies offering a wider selection in the UK now. Linens can really set the tone for an event and are a key element of the design, so if you want to add luxe and elegance choose a beautifully textured linen in a mink or camel shade, if you want fun and sparkle go for sequinned linens in gold or silver. For unique linens try Pudding Bridge or Table to Dine For.
Image Credits: 1. Photography by Vanessa 2. Cristy Cross
Image Credit: Weddings by Nicola and Glen // Shoot Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Props & Installations Oversized is still the way to go for props that add wow-factor impact. Light-up marquee letters have been a popular choice for a while now and are a great way for adding fun and personalisation, as are letter balloons.
Image Credit: Jeremy Beasley // thedesignerpad.com
We’re loving the new take on this idea though – flower and moss letters – great for a more organic feel and perfect for all those garden weddings.
Image Credit: Jose Villa
Image Credit: Katie Julia Photography
Kites Fed up of giant balloons? Go fly a kite instead! A nostalgic and fun addition, if the wind isn’t on your side that day just use them as decor, they will still look pretty.
Image Credit: greenweddingshoes.com / Photographer – Ann Kozionova / greylikesweddings.com / elizabethannedesigns.com
THE LIGHTING
It remains one of the most important design elements for setting the right tone and ambience, lighting serves much more than just a practical element at any wedding. Giving consideration to your lighting can help to establish the right mood at different stages of your day and bring your design concept to life, be it a soft, romantic glow you are after or fun and funky to encourage those dancing moves.
Chandeliers and Canopies We’ve used lots of chandeliers in our designs this year and for 2015 it’s all about placing them in unexpected places, like in a tree or against other rustic foliage chandeliers for contrast. We’ll also see more industrial style naked Edison bulbs as well as more creative chandeliers, perhaps even handcrafted to really personalise a space.
Image Credits: 1. Matt Parry Photography // Wedding Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams 2. Studio Impressions
Neon Finally the lighting element we’re most excited about: NEON. It ramps up the cool factor and allows you to really add your own spin on things. Speak to neon specialists like God’s Own Junkyard about having your own neon light created – it’s something you can hang in your home afterwards and forever be reminded of your day.
Image Credit: Rebecca Douglas Photography
Neon doesn’t have to be used in just a modern setting either, it’s a great juxtaposition in a more traditional venue too.
Image Credits: 1. Mademoiselle Fiona 2. Charles Aydlett Photography
Lightboxes Another cool trend we’re seeing filtering through is the use of lightboxes as signage – we’re in the process of adding one of these beauties to our prop inventory for 2015 weddings and can’t wait to use it.
Image Credits: 1. Wedding Chicks 2. Artelleriet
THE FOOD AND DRINK
Go Mini 2015 is the year for bite-sized portions and mini plates of your favourite foods, giving guests more of a grazing dining experience.
Image Credit: Matt Parry Photography // Nick Rose Photography // Wedding Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Interactive Whilst interactive stations remain one of the most requested options from our couples. These stations elevate the guest experience, from bartenders muddling cocktails in front of you, to make-your-own-pizza stations, they are unexpected and surprising, plus a lot of fun.
Family Style It’s still a hot choice for our couples; they want that relaxed and laid-back feeling that comes with sharing food platters and nothing gets a conversation started more quickly than a love of great food.
Custom Cocktails Drinks stations that offer the couples favourite tipple with a variety of mixers are definitely hot right now. We’ve created tequila parlours, gin tasting stations and whisky bars. Serve them up in beautiful cut-glass decanters with custom-made labels depicting the history behind each offering.
Image Credit: Chris Barber Photography // Wedding Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Go local We all have that go-to restaurant, the one where we go every birthday and anniversary because the food is just THAT good. Well we’re now seeing a trend where couples are enlisting their local restaurants to do the catering for them, guaranteed to be enjoyable and a little different from the norm.
THE WEDDING CAKE
Cake stations Why have one when you can have five? No more arguing over which flavours would be best and when arranged on a fancy table together it looks super impressive.
Textured The naked cake may have been everywhere in 2014 but we’re now seeing a move back to icing and with it some rather creative offerings. From ruffles to weaving to pleating it’s all temptingly touchable.
Image Credits: 1. Sweet Tooth 2. Weddings by Nicola and Glen // Shoot Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Chalk & Paint We love a good chalkboard and now those clever confectioners have figured out how to make a cake look like a chalkboard. Fun and fresh. Whilst handpainted cakes are a great way of adding your own unique design – they look beautiful in a watercolour effect.
Image Credits: 1. Betsi Ewing Studio 2. Artisan Cake Company
Weddings by Nicola and Glen // Shoot Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
THE ENTERTAINMENT
Music will continue to be king when it comes to wedding entertainment but not everyone wants to bust their moves on the dance floor. So having alternative forms of entertainment that your guests can participate in is a fantastic way to help people really feel involved. Looking ahead we expect to see much more interactive styles of entertainment being introduced.
Image Credit: Matt Parry Photography // Wedding Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Video Booths Without a doubt, photo booths have been a huge hit in the world of weddings, they’re great fun and a brilliant way to get your guests actively involved in the celebrations and for 2015 we’re seeing a move towards video booths for a new twist on the trend. Or why not combine music and video with a karaoke booth that also allows guests to film a message to you with snippets of them murdering a song. Years of laughter to follow.
Request Acts DJ’s, bands and musicians who play to request are great fun and your guests will really appreciate being put in charge of the entertainment….. it’s a surefire way to keep that dancefloor filled all night! Dot notepads and pencils around the venue to encourage guests to leave their requests….or add a request option to your RSVP cards.
Mash-ups Mix it up with a hot-to-trot DJ pumping out the very best classic tunes whilst a saxophonist, bongo player or violinist works their magic over the tracks. It feels like a live music act and will help to recreate the feeling of those halcyon days of dancing the night away in the Balearics.
Silhouette Artists A fairly low key form of entertainment and one that’s ideally suited to a cocktail reception. Silhouette cutting artists can move around a space mingling with guests leaving them with a unique and surprising momento of the day. We loved The Roving Artist from our summer festival wedding; as well as creating extraordinary silhouettes on the night he also created a framed artwork of all the silhouettes for the couple to keep.
Image Credit: Charley Smith Photography // Wedding Design & Styling: Pocketful Of Dreams
Don’t Forget the Kiddies We may as well accept it, after about an hour, weddings are just boring for kids. So keep them entertained and well looked after. Music workshops and cinema rooms appeal to their senses, fun activities like face-painting let them in on the dressing-up action, whilst activities that get them out in the fresh air, such as a mini Wilderness camp or assault course, are a welcome change at more relaxed affairs.
Image Credit: Chivaree Circus
Circus Acts Don’t limit yourself just to traditional wedding entertainment – 2015 will be the year that we really start to see something different. Incredible circus performers wearing the most stunning outfits are guaranteed to wow your guests and fabulous companies like Chivaree Circus will create tailored performances to complement your broader design concept. From mind-blowing aerobatic acts, to fire eaters and balloon artists challenging guests to balloon sword duels, it’s showstopper acts like this that ensure your wedding will be memorable and unique!
So plenty of wedding trends here to give you some food for thought, I hope you have enjoyed this little foray into our world, wishing all you 2015 couples lots of love and luck with your planning. Enjoy it!
Michelle xx
Brought to you by Michelle Kelly, Creative Director and expert wedding planner at Pocketful of Dreams, who create captivating and unforgettable celebrations for creative clients across the UK and Europe. Contact them at [email protected] or visit www.pocketfulofdreams.co.uk for more information.
MichelleView all Michelle's articles
Michelle loves to embrace life and it’s many adventures and is a strong believer in healthy body, healthy mind. When she’s not planning show-stopping weddings she loves long walks with her little dog Alfie, meditating and devising new green smoothie concoctions.
