2009 Wedding Trends

Wedding Gowns and Accessories
Vintage is in. Whether you wear your grandmother or mother's dress, or pick something up at a vintage clothing shop, you'll be in style. Much like the glamour days in Hollywood's golden years, vintage is evidenced in halter necklines, cap sleeves, light draping, strapless gowns, plunging necklines, antique lace, satin ribbons for straps, ruffles, tea-length dresses. For the Spring and Summer, the vintage look gets its bling from diamond or rhinestone accessories, and open-toed stilettos, and dangling earrings.

Brocade and beads take center stage along with floral appliqués, brocade accents and shimmering beads. Silver or gold trimmings done in good taste and with restraint along with fabric choices such as silk, satin and charmeuse, fit well with the glitzy look. Off-white, pearl and iridescent silver complete the look that era. Trimmings such as bows do much to add a feminine touch to an otherwise "masculine" styled dress. The bows can be found at the shoulder, or on the small of the back. Fashion experts say to skip ruffles and lace accents and rather to punch it up to a more romantic look.

A mix of classic styles and modern designs is always popular, so gowns are showing up on the runway with multilayered fabric. Tinted voile and chiffon can be seen layered over a simple white dress, resulting in an entirely different silhouette.

As to the styles of 2009 wedding gowns, there are several things on the horizon. Slimmed down gowns yield a soft silhouette. Flowing layers, lace, and detail replace formerly larger gowns. Hats and fascinators (a light scarf, usually knitted or crocheted, worn around the head or neck)are coming back. They will add a touch of sophistication.

Warmer weather will usher in really short wedding dresses, which can be paired with ankle-tied sandals. These short gowns will replace corset style, with straps and sleeves. To add color to their otherwise white gowns, brides will wear colored crinoline underskirts. Some brides will color the soles of their shoes to achieve the extra pick-me-up of color.

Color Pallette
The key phrase is lots and lots of color. Don't get confused. Just pick the colors that fit with your personality and taste and that "speak" to you.

The most popular color for next season is purple, from pale lavender to deep purples and every shade in between. For winter, black, plum and navy will take center stage. For Spring it will be latte, coral and lavender. For Summer, mauve, sage and turquoise will dominate and for Fall, the top hits for colors will be emerald, burgundy and chocolate. Shiny metallics will be what couples who want added glitz will choose.

And, of course, there are those who predict that black will reign supreme in everything from gowns to decor and accessories and gray and white will always be "in" colors.

Jewelry
Look for lots and lots of color starting with engagement rings. Brides are hinting and grooms are buying emerald, topaz, gannet, and other precious stones as the center, or complimentary stone for engagement rings.

Attendants
Traditional pastels and classic white will still be available, but also are being kicked up to red which makes a bold and vibrant statement for Spring weddings. The red highlights will be seen as trimmings on wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses. The combination of white and red is in tune with the trend to more romantic weddings, while touches of shocking pink will be really eye-catchers. And don't be surprised to see flapper-inspired dresses in fitted, mid-calf length.

Flowers and Decor
Color will play a big part. Stunning reception decor will move away from white and ivory and will be much bolder in colors for accents, linens, and designs. Exotic flowers are more popular than ever. The cascade-style bouquet is experiencing a resurgence.

Bolder colors will be carried through from invitations to linens, wedding stationery and wedding cakes. Red will be everywhere . . . In tents, tablecloths, flowers, and trimmings. Yellows, oranges and pinks will also be "in." All shades of purple will be very popular and carried over into decor. Blues combined with gold, silver, gray and platinum metallics will be very popular for the 2008 season. It's all about breaking up the white décor and wedding gown with hot flashes of color.

And there will still be those who opt for black . . . roses or rosettes, black table linens and black and white color combinations make a really sophisticated statement. Black orchids, albeit both rare and expensive, will make a fashionable statement floating on a pond, or in a fountain.

Other Trends
It's all about comfort and making an impression, so more brides will be changing out of their wedding gowns and changing their hairstyles for the reception. .
Bridal couples are moving away from all-inclusive resort vacations in one honeymoon location and, instead opting for honeymoon-hopping to three or more locations.
Monogramming, once very popular is coming back into invitations, wallpaper and dinner plates. The look works well in complimenting a vintage-style wedding.
And no surprise, Destination Weddings continue in popularity.

Cakes
"Couture" wedding cakes are in remaining in vogue. You'll see black-and-white icing, gilded patterns, sequins, pearls and frills, polka dots and everything in between. Brides are looking to bakers for unusual taste combinations and loving the multi tiered display with cupcakes.

Dinner
Sit-down dinners will not be as popular as they have been in the past, instead the trend is toward having several food stations with a variety of foods, everything from appetizer selections to dessert choices.

Caterers will have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills with what's being called a "progressive wedding." The idea is to have every course with a different country's cuisine for each part of the dinner. In that way guests can sample foods from all over the world and are sure to find something on the menu that suits their taste.

Signature drinks and family recipes are extremely popular. Color will be key in food presentation, with caterers making an attempt to make food even more pleasing to the eye. Ethnic theme dishes such as Middle Eastern, Latin and Mediterranean themes are the newest trends.

Theme Weddings
In keeping with the concept of a "progressive wedding," the type of music being played and the entertainment can be switched in keeping with the food changes.

Brides are coming up with more and more creative ways to make their theme weddings stand out from the rest. To carry through a Harry Potter theme, in Britain brides are turning their wedding receptions into woodland fantasies, spraying trees purple and creating centerpieces that have an enchanted forest appearance.

Party Favors
Instead of traditional Jordan almonds, couples will go upscale by giving each guest an iPod Nano pre-loaded with the couple's favorite songs.

Unusual Honeymoons
Wild honeymoons like an Ice Hotel in the Arctic, backpacking in the rain forest, or honeymooning in a hut along the Amazon are definitely in.

Invitations
For a new twist, bridal couples are having their invitations hand-delivered or contacting ExQuisite InVitation for one of kind invitation creations...;)

Going Green
Couples are choosing to go green as a reflection of their commitment to being their eco-conscious. Brides will demonstrate their affirmation of this trend in everything from getting to the church and reception in a rickshaw to growing their own centerpieces and bouquets, to wearing recycled gowns. This is a trend that will expand in the numbers of brides coming on board and in the ways in which wedding-related professionals will offer green options to their brides.

Photography
Formal and posed shots will always be popular, but more and more couples are choosing to switch to, or add candid, photojournalistic photography. Black and white photos continue to be popular, as an addition to shots in color.

Timing
Because, in part, of the down turn economy, 16% of couples are delaying their wedding date by an average 10 months.

Budget
Results from recent surveys by The Wedding Report show that 62% of couples are cutting their wedding budgets by an average 32%.This is reflected in choices that bridal couples are making, such as the following:
*Smaller weddings with fewer guests
*Destination weddings or destination type weddings closer to home
*Increased reliance on family and friends to help plan, pay, and provide some of the services
*Simplified decorations, centerpieces and wedding invitations
*Increased use of online RSVP's vs. traditional mail-in RSVPs
*Off-peak weddings; Mornings, Afternoons, Fridays, Sundays
*Buffet meals, Hors d'oeuvre, and cocktail receptions
*All-inclusive packages

The key word in 2009 wedding trends is "glamour." Well-to-do couples are being more and more extravagant. Those not in the affluent income category are opting for a small, decadent wedding, by electing to do more for fewer guests, rather than less for more guests. Whatever you do, keep in mind that it's your wedding and it should reflect your style.

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