SPRING/SUMMER WEDDING TRENDS 2013

Though your wedding is ultimately a reflection of the bride and groom du jour, there are certain touches that are on trend each wedding season. This Spring/Summer season, we predict more weddings to become a little bit more down to earth yet still stylish and chic of course.

Here are some key trends that will play into this Spring/Summer:

FOOD & BEVERAGE

In-season and locally produced is the most common request for food this season. Brides want boutique bounty on the menu and boutique food that is both local and fresh. It’s very on-trend to boast that the menu is predominantly grown and produced down the road. Party favours, too are a great way to give a nod to local and seasonal produce. 

Beverages follow suit. Cocktails are in with spring themed garnishing - mint and berries and citrus, even flowers tucked onto the side. Have a signature cocktail for your event that is appropriate. And as the wether warms make sure  it’s refreshing. We’ll be seeing lots of tequila and fruit-infused vodkas thrown into the shaker with fresh fruits and berries and St. Germain elderflower liquor is huge this year.

For a bit of fun, don’t be afraid to trust your guests with self-serve beverage bars. Piled with fresh garnishes -buckets of mint bunches, dishes of brownsugar - and unique glasswear, the idea of making your own cocktail will be a fun treat for your guests.

The dessert bar is here to stay. Treat the morsels as though they are part of the décor of the wedding. They should be as aesthetically delightful as they are delicious. Keep them seasonal and fresh too, and again try to source local sweet-makers.

DECOR

For your décor, hire companies are being complemented by prop hire and antique rentals. Mismatched and one-of-a-kind pieces are big this wedding season. Of course your decor and furniture must be complementary. Rustic, with touches of vintage, mixed with simple contemporary throw cushions are popular choices.

Think soft color palettes. Emerald Green may be pantone’s colour of the year, but spring and summer weddings are opting for softer pinks, mints and guava tones.

The most important trend this season is to personalise. More and more we see couples opting for a ‘blank canvas’ for venue so they can create a space that is all their style. Gardens, beaches and large contemporary spaces are proving more popular than the more traditional grand ballrooms and dining rooms.

A touch of the handmade, ‘I-did-it-myself’, is a simple way to give the illusion that your wedding is a product of your own creativity, and your own bare hands, which is very in this season. Handwritten name cards and menus, bows tied around napkins and jug handles – are all simple and elegant touches that prove your handy work has been involved.  

Be sure to give a nod to the environment with simple and tasteful touches such as recycled paper, and opting for a predominantly organic menu.

FLOWERS

Brides are opting for English beauties this spring and summer - opulent and classical garden roses, hydrangeas, peonies, and camellias. To create a modern and lush arrangement, the trend is textured bunches, organically, almost roughly assembled, with buds still on the brink of blossoming tucked tight between bloomed roses and greenery. 
The look is very soft and romantic.

Beyond the bride’s bouquet, the floral decorations follow suit in the same soft, organic, lush fashion. Floral cascades are very in-vogue this wedding season, alongside few succulents and pastel-toned fruits.

Take a look at Saskia Havekes of Gradiflora Sydney for inspiration in floristry. Havekes isn’t afraid to hang flowers in garlands, to create chandeliers of cascading hydrangeas and roses, or wrap storm lanterns and candlesticks in wreaths of buds.

THE CAKE

Clean and modern with simple embellishments that parallel the theme of the day are very much the way forward this wedding season. Simply eye-popping block colour or a very contemporary, all-over applique, is the perfect level of embellishment this season. However, hold true to the classic, humble silhouette of deep, rounded tiers.

Find inspiration in these simple, ethereal Maggie Austin Cakes.