7 Wedding Trends for 2016
Get to know the 2016 wedding trends to make your day extra special !
It’s time to start thinking about the upcoming wedding season. Let’s talk about all things weddings for this coming year — 2016 wedding dresses, colors, themes, and more.
1. 2016 Wedding Dresses: What to Expect
2016 wedding dress trends feature short sleeves — sheer to embellished giving a romantic feel. You can also expect to see layers of tiers, a spin on the traditional layered effect. These tiered layers are going on everything from ball gowns to trumpets. When it comes to necklines expect to see plunging V necks.
One 2016 wedding dress trend is not a dress at all. It swaps the traditional gown for a suit. Designers are showcasing classic, no frills, tailored white suites. One last unique trend is with caps to top the gown. Consider these for evening, outdoor, and / or winter weddings.
2. 2016 Wedding Drinks: Cheers!
The tradition of the open bar has gotten a bit overplayed, not to mention costly. Get creative with your 2016 wedding drinks by specially pairing the meal with local wines. Drinking local can often keep prices down. For more ideas read Real Wedding: For Love and Wine. This Extraordinary wedding couple chose a winery for their location and used wines from the producer for the aperitivo / cocktail reception, then brought in their own wines from local producers for each course, including dessert.
If you feel you must have a liquor option offer his and hers cocktail to tout your unique style. Select two favorite cocktails - one for the bride and one for the groom. Or, work with your catering service to create a specialty cocktail in honor of your union. Make specialty cocktail napkins with your names, date, and the recipe for a guest take-away. Not only does this add a personalization to the day, but it also saves you money by limiting your liquor needs.
3. 2016 Food and Menu Ideas: Buon Appetito!
Pairing menus from wine to beer to cocktails have been all the rage in recent years. It’s a fun way to showcase different drink options as well as local and specialty foods.
A unique spin we had from one couple was to do a progressive after-ceremony enoteca (wine bar) crawl. After they did the couple took their guests around the Italian village where they held the ceremony making stops at two different wine bars, followed by a pizza lunch at favorite local spot. The outing gave the group an opportunity to see, taste, and experience different parts of the local culture. And, it only kicked off the festivities. They returned to their lodging for the formal evening reception and dinner with a five-course sit down dinner. For more details, read Real Wedding: Pop the Prosecco!
4. 2016 Wedding Flowers: What’s in Bloom?
One of our favorite 2016 wedding floral trends is the use of fresh cut flowers. More couples are looking to capture that seasonal, whimsical feel of wild flowers or plant material straight from the garden. In Italy, brides are limited to seasonal blooms, so we’ve had brides get creative by using vine cuttings, fresh herbs, and market-bought flowers to add life to their special day. You can even save some money buy purchasing all your flowers at a local market.
Another floral trend that we are seeing more are flower crowns for the bridal party. The flower girls especially love this princess-like detail.
5. 2016 Wedding Colors: Pick Your Palette
Picking your color palette is one of the most important aspects of your wedding day. It will show in your entire theme, from your save the dates to your wedding information to bridal party attire, and more. We recommend selecting some favorite colors that will work well with your season and venue. Then, start exploring different hues to make sure everything stays uniform on the color front. Our favorite place to look is at Pantone. Each year they designate a color or the year and they create a list of wedding colors. Most of the Pantone 2016 wedding colors are new to their color palette. The shades work well for fashion, interiors, and more making them versatile for all wedding needs. And, many can be used in any season.
Get to know the 10 Pantone 2016 Wedding Color by reading, 2016 Wedding Colors: Make a Splash!
6. 2016 Wedding Prints: Stationary, Programs, Menus - oh, my!
For printed materials from save the dates to wedding invitations, ceremony programs to menus, and more, we are seeing some interesting new ideas. Couples are getting pulled into shiny, metallic colors. Warm tones like copper, rose gold and more and showing up everywhere. The other unique aspect of these items are fun and funky fonts, adding a bit of individual style to a traditional aspect of the wedding celebration.
7. 2016 Wedding Cake Trends: Something sweet
Naked cakes have been a popular choice with couples in recent years. The cake is left with little or no frosting and can have fun decorations, like flowers, fresh fruit, and even local specialties like herbs, seashells, and more. Some couples are looking to add a local flair to their desserts by incorporating a specialty dessert. In Italy we have a lot of couples who offer gelato after cake.
Looking at the 2016 Wedding Trends gets us at Extraordinary Weddings excited for the year ahead!
