This year ’ s
WEDDINGS
This year ’ s
HOTTEST WEDDING TRENDS
BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
Weddings used to be quite formulaic , running relatively smoothly from ceremony to reception and sit-down dinner before finishing with a bit of a boogie , but now the intention of many is to make their special day as personal to them as possible and often a little bit different . We asked expert wedding planner , Joanne at The Wedding Dolls ( www . theweddingdolls . co . uk ), for the inside track on wedding trends set to make their mark in 2017 .
Credit : Kay Young & Buxted Park Hotel Credit : Emma Sekhon & Joanne Truby
Colour
“ I think that 2017 will be the year that brides and grooms have some fun and won ' t be afraid to use a mismatch of colours to create a vibrant atmosphere and make bold statements ,” says Joanne . “ The images below are from a wedding I helped plan last year and I think the ideas for the look we created are really trendsetting ; the party vibe in the evening was reflective of the vibrant colours throughout the day .”
All-weekend celebrations
“ Holding a weekend-long celebration will be more popular in 2017 ,” says Joanne . “ Hiring a beautiful hotel on an exclusiveuse basis means that couples can relax and be made to feel really special for a few days rather than just the one . I ' d advise couples to have breakfast with their guests , enjoy a country walk , savour afternoon tea and make the celebration last a little bit longer - why not , you only get to do it once .”
Street food
“ Street food style catering is set to soar this year ,” says Joanne . “ It takes a lot of thought and careful planning though - nobody wants to stand queuing for hours to get food at a wedding – but , having fresh food cooked to order gives wedding guests more choice and gives you more options when it comes to which cuisine you ’ d like to serve . For couples having a laid back marquee wedding at home this option works wonderfully .”
Credit : Rebecca Douglas & Joanne Truby Credit : Rebecca Douglas & Joanne Truby
Less flowers , more props
Photo booths are soooo 2016 . Once the go-to wedding accessorie , it seems pics of your guests posing in sparkly top hats and oversized sunglasses are out , and this year is all about the GIF booth , which is just like a photo booth , but instead of taking stills , it takes a series of still images that are then put together to create a short animation . Props are still a must for this though , but bring it all up to date with props that are more special to you as a couple and are representative of ‘ in jokes ’ that your friends will understand and make the most of .
Look up
If you ’ re using a marquee or a tent for your wedding celebrations , you have oodles of overhead space to play with and ceiling installations can add instant drama to your theme . They don ’ t have to break the bank either – hang homemade dip-dyed bunting for atmosphere ; go whimsical with intertwined foliage and florals ; or hang oversized brighty coloured lanterns ( paper lampshades come in handy here ) at different heights for a bit of edge . “ In 2016 , I loved having hanging centrepieces for some of my marquees ,” says Joanne . “ Using the space above to create a ‘ wow ’ will be huge this year !”
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