FOOD
Locally sourced
At Main Course Catering, the big trend is “Local, local, local!” says Catering Director Amanda Serroukas. Clients are requesting baby vegetables “left whole and displayed in a way for guests to enjoy the beauty of the vegetable itself. A crowd favorite is our savory spin on a macaroon using golden beets, goat cheese, and fresh herbs.” Mini-edible spoons and tasting cups at dessert stations are popular, and pies and pie bars are still trending, she adds.
Main Course Catering
New Paltz (845) 255-2600
 |
Ethnic influences
At Abigail Kirsch, a popular trend is ethnic comfort food with a contemporary twist, according to chef and partner Alison Awerbuch: “Couples have been opting for menu items that tie into their family cultures and ethnicities in a way that personalizes the menu.”
Abigail Kirsch Catering
New York, NY (212) 696-4076
www.abigailkirsch.com
MUSIC
Set the tone
“One of the most popular wedding songs in the last few years has been ‘Thinking out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran, but we still get requests for classics like ‘At Last’ by Etta James or ‘The Best Is Yet to Come’ by Sinatra,” says Jill Prince, president of Hal Prince Music and Entertainment. When it comes to wedding music, Prince advises thinking outside the box: “Consider hiring a string quartet, but request nontraditional music for your wedding ceremony. Many brides and grooms take dance lessons prior to their big day and have their first dance choreographed.”
Hal Prince Music and Entertainment
Mount Kisco (914) 241-3300
www.halprince.com
CAKES
 |
Tiers of joy
“We see a lot of variations on ruffles,” says Jay Muse, chef and partner at Lulu Cake Boutique. “We’re starting to see graphic prints and patterns and black and white, as well as cooler color hues and templates — slate blue, pewters — coming away from the whole blush-and-gold experience, which dominated for a while. We’re seeing sage green, mint green, moss green — a whole spearmint palette, which works with the trend of succulents going on in the floral industry, so we go hand-in-hand with the farm-to-table movement.”
Lulu Cake Boutique
Scarsdale
(914) 722-8300
www.everything lulu.com
 |
Layer it on
“Trends include watercolor, geodes, and gold, an ongoing trend,” says Jessica Minisci at Just Desserts by Jess. “White wedding cakes will always be a classic choice, but more brides are looking to steer away from traditional white, and want to wow their guests with cakes covered in rhinestones, delicate lace, cakes themed after a couple’s own interests — you never know what you’re going to see next!”
Just Desserts By Jess
Westchester
(914) 424-8611
www.justdessertsbyjess com
FLOWERS
Bohemian Blooms
Lee Vazquez of Lee Vazquez Floral Design & Event Planning says the current big trend in floral arrangements is “loose, bohemian, soft, and a bit wild! Garlands of foliage and cascading greens and big blooms are what brides are asking for.”
Lee Vazquez Floral Design & Event Planning
Piermont (845) 365-0315
www.ladybuglee.com
 |
Organic & Intimate
At Joseph Richard Florals, “We’ve seen a trend toward local, in-season, and handcrafted,” says Floral Concierge John Shepard. “More and more couples are looking for organic and intimate — seasonal wildflowers, natural textures like birchwood wrappings for a bouquet. We’ve also noticed a switch from DIY weddings to “DIFY” — Do It For You — weddings.”
Joseph Richard Florals
Armonk (914) 273-3361
www.josephrichardflorals.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Get the Picture
“The biggest trend I see now is people wanting to be original and not limiting themselves to what they see on Pinterest. Nobody wants their things to be the same as what everyone else has pinned,” says Jade O’Connell of Uplift Photography.
Uplift Photography
Jade & Tim O’Connell
www.upliftphotography.com
Hudson Valley, NY, CT (347) 633-3596
PHOTO BOOTHS
 |
Smile & Say ‘Congrats!’
At The Booth, a Port Chester-based company that provides studio-style photo booths, “Our motto is ‘Annie Leibovitz meets photo booth,’” says Laura Londin, co-founder and CEO. “We love props, backdrops, and spirited photographs!” Services include video, slow-motion, and GIF booths — a wedding-crowd favorite.
The Booth Photo & Video
Port Chester (917) 655-2832
www.theboothphotovideo.com
 |
Old School
ISH rents old-school (and new-school) photo booths, with photo strips that come out in seven seconds, and an optional custom logo. Photos are captured digitally, as well, and guests can leave a 30-second video recording.
Photo Booth Rentals by ISH Events
Stamford, CT (888) 340-9190
www.ishphotoboothrentals.com
INVITATIONS
(L to R) Photography by Caitlin Chadwick, Kesha Lambert, and Aida Krgin
Styles run the gamut from traditional engraved invitations to hand-written invite cards to email and even text invitations.
According to Laura Damiano, founder and creative director of Laura Damiano Designs, “shimmer paper, stacked invitations, layers incorporating color, foil, and letterpress printing” are popular. Requested styles include vintage, Art Deco, “Old Hollywood glam,” watercolor, and “good ol’ traditional.” Damiano says that “neutral colors and metallics always do best, but navy/white, and gold/blush are popular color combos. Couples often bring in elements of their color palettes with small design details, such as adding a ribbon, pocket, or patterned/glitter envelope liner.” Thermography (raised ink) and foil are the most popular printing trends, with letterpress a close second. “This year, we’ve had a lot of requests for foil in rose gold, a very popular color trend.” Though email is certainly an easy option, Damiano says RSVP cards are still used “95 percent of the time.”
Laura Damiano Designs
Briarcliff Manor (914) 760-6909
www.lauradamianodesigns.com
