Top wedding trends 2012

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Guest blogger Fay Millar, Creative Director of Pink Rose Cakes, gives us the lowdown on the latest wedding styles for 2012.

The beauty of getting married these days is there are no hard and fast rules about how you should do it.

With brides and grooms, events planners and the wedding industry coming up with ever more elaborate ideas, just about every dream can be fulfilled.

Vintage and rustic top the list

But just like fashion the wedding industry follows trends and there are several which are proving popular in 2012 with vintage and rustic topping the list.

Several years ago, there was a real revival in vintage styling – catwalks harked back to the Fifties and suddenly retro was cool. At weddings bunting was de rigeur and cute jam jars filled with flowers and sweets littered many a reception table.

Vintage has definitely found its spiritual home with weddings and the trend is even bigger this year but with more glamour and sparkle.

Modern elegance meets glamour of the silver screen

Brides are clamouring for accented dresses with lace, faux fur and beading that combine modern elegance with a firm nod to the golden age of the silver screen.

Antique brooches, pearls and vintage jewellery are worn not only by the brides and bridesmaids but can also be seen reflected in the invites, on the cake, in the reception styling and even in the food.

Companies hiring out vintage crockery have sprung up everywhere and event planners are being asked regularly to style venues with everything from bunting and old apple crates, to suitcases and even gramophones.

Neon colours

But vintage isn’t the only trend capturing the imagination of the wedding market. This year’s spring fashion collections saw bold splashes of colour and this has been translated into a rise in popularity of receptions decked out in hot pink, lime green and vivid orange as well as bridal gowns with accent colours.

And for those where one colour, albeit a bright one, just isn’t enough there is also a trend towards rainbow-inspired weddings incorporating every colour. From the flowers and bridesmaids to the cake and menswear multi-colour is proving very popular.

Dessert tables overflowing with sweet treats

Dessert tables are a relatively new import from across the pond andAustraliabut their popularity is growing in theUK, the idea being that just a wedding cake isn’t enough. In addition to the cake a table, themed to match the rest of the reception, is adorned with a layer cake, cup cakes, cake pops, French macarons, cookies, meringues and sweets to create an amazing visual and culinary experience.

And leaving your reception in style…

As if all that weren’t enough there is an increasing trend to create a dramatic exit for the bride and groom. Where once a a bit of confetti or rice might have sufficed, now couples are trying out unusual departures such sparkler archways, horse riding, quad bikes or even paddle boards (beach weddings only of course!).

Ultimately you can expect to see less and less matching colours, themes and styles for the rest of 2012 and more and more mix and match than ever before – different dresses, colours, crockery, shoes, bridesmaids dresses and even place cards will all contain individual details but no doubt with a healthy dose of vintage and rustic still thrown in.

Destination weddings

But if you’re not keen on organising, or want to escape with your loved one, destination weddings continue to grow in popularity, with couples by-passing the expense and organisation of an elaborate at-home wedding, and combining their big day with a honeymoon. Read about one of our Constance guest’s dream wedding at Constance Moofushi, Maldives.

More wedding ideas

Don’t miss Fay’s previous article on Trends 2012: Wedding cakes

Honeymoons

Planned the wedding and looking for honeymoon ideas? Check out our article on Honeymoons at Constance Hotels

And if you want to book your holiday at Constance – visit our website for the latest special promotions.