In our third annual International Wedding Trends Report, we asked over 50 industry experts to share with us their predictions for all things weddings in 2017. They certainly gave us some exciting things to watch for!
Flowers, Color and Design
According to celebrity designer and planner David Tutera, “Floral for 2017 is going the modern industrial route. We’re taking this year’s trends like metallics, and softening them with clean white, creams and ivory tones paired with natural elements and geometric accents.”
That focus on natural elements is reflected in Pantone’s Color of the Year, “Greenery”. Youngsong Martin of Wildflower Linens indicates that Greenery, “has always been a popular color, especially in summer, but we’re now seeing more enquiries from brides who want ‘greenery’ color schemes and patterns, especially whites with green accents.”
Abundant Minimalism
Eddie Zaratsian of Eddie Zaratsian Lifestyle and Design anticipates trends similar to Tutera and Martin. “I’m noticing that clients and styles are leaning toward more modern and cleaner looks.” He sees couples pairing the contrasting concepts of abundance with minimalism. “For example, in New York style, a person can live in an elaborate and ornate penthouse, but their wedding can be simplistic, modern and gorgeous at the same time,” says Zaratsian.
Opulent Simplicity
Jes Gordon of jesGORDON/properFUN! calls this movement, “Opulent Simplicity.” More than just a design trend, she has found it spills over into venue selection as well, “such as buying out a ranch for a weekend somewhere fabulous most of their guests have never been before.” Gordon’s couples “want something that is warm and inviting but also elegant, and something that they want their guests to be organically impressed by.”
Also highly popular in venues this year are “open” spaces like factories and warehouses that can be transformed using flower walls, hanging décor and other custom installations.
Service Styles and Menus
AOO Events’ David Merrell predicts that family tables, which he calls, “Royal Tables”
along with family-style service will be big in 2017. According to Merrell, they are a great way for guests to “get to know each other as they share food in an environment conducive to conversation.”
Couples will treat “their guests to a fine dining experience during the wedding,” says Brooke Keegan of Brooke Keegan Special Events. “Wine pairings,” where chefs and couples collaborate to recommend specific wines to accompany each course, “are becoming very popular,” continues Keegan.
Photography and Technology
“There is a lot of change in this area,” says Mike Busada of Mike B Photography. “Photo filters are decreasing in popularity, and our clients are now looking for very natural photos without a lot of post processing.” In contrast to a demand for more natural photographs, Busada’s clients are also increasingly asking for the use of advanced technology, like drone photography. “We offer drones for weddings where it’s appropriate, but we do caution our clients that drones can be both noisy and distracting when used at the wrong times.”
2017 offers couples everything from classic simple elegance to state of the art, cutting edge technology – and sometimes both at once. We are certainly excited to watch how these hot trends unfold!
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