Beyond Barns and Mason Jars

Wedding Trends 2017: What’s In, What’s Out, What’s Over

Today’s hottest trends could be passé next year — or next month! (Remember when leg o’mutton sleeves and sky-high poufs were the height of bridal fashion?) Bridal trends, like consumer tastes, are fickle, and, before you know it, what’s corny and dated will be making a comeback. Here’s what’s sizzling, fizzling, and ready to reheat in 2017. 


TRENDING NOW


Metallics Silver, gold, platinum, copper, and bronze are having a moment, trending in everything from bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses to shoes, décor, table linens —  even cakes.

 

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Rose Gold Rose gold is popping up in trend lists from jewelry to invitations to hair color. Amanda Serroukas of Main Course Catering in New Paltz says it’s popular in decor, too.

 

Cascading Florals Buh-bye, boring bunches! Glamorous cascading flowers are happening as bouquets, centerpieces, table décor, and more.

 

Photo Booths Photo booths don’t seem to be going anywhere — in fact, they’re offering more options than ever. Many let guests paste photos into a scrapbook for the bride and groom, and post directly to social media.

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Donut Walls Donut walls are all the rage, replacing (or used in addition to) gelato bars and candy bars. Be creative with your wall; you can use a (food-safe) painted pegboard. Just make sure the donuts have holes! 

 

Customization  Whether designing your own shoes or your own invitations, customization is hot. Bruce Lubman of Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck says, “Everyone wants to be a designer these days.”

 

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Cigar Bars & Whiskey Bars Cigar bars are all the rage — with some grooms even opting to have cigar rollers onsite — as are bourbon bars, craft-beer bars, and tequila tastings. 

 

Gaggles of Flower Girls  Perhaps it’s an influence of royal weddings, or maybe it’s just another form of  “more is better.” But as we looked through photos by sought-after wedding photographers, we noticed many elegant weddings with bunches of flower girls.

 

Cultural Elements Whether it’s a twist on ethnic comfort food, served creatively, or a ceremony that incorporates a bride and groom’s religions or nationalities, couples are embracing their heritage.

 

Green From wedding shoes to cakes to the succulents in floral arrangements, green is the new blue. 

 

Farm to Table, Locally Sourced You may think the farm-to-table thing is waning, but these trends are showing up everywhere, with couples choosing heirloom organic produce as well as food and flowers from small, local farms. 

 

Mirrored Signs with Calligraphy Forget those frumpy chalkboard signs. Seating charts and menus on glistening mirrors are what’s happening now!

 

 


STILL POPULAR 


Bridesmaid Proposals Just like  promposals, bridesmaid proposals are a thing, and they’re getting more elaborate than ever. Pop the question with a #Bridesmaid necklace from Haute Bride at Kleinfeld. 

 

Boho is still popular, particularly with younger brides. Boho dresses are casual yet feminine and look good on just about everyone. The look is versatile: You can dress it up or dress it down. Plus, it’s easy to incorporate boho elements into flowers, décor — just about everything. Still, it’s become so common, it appears to be trending downward.

 

Two Dresses Many brides are still  opting for two wedding dresses: one for the ceremony and one (usually more comfortable and less formal) for the reception.

 

Hashtags Couples come up with clever hashtags as soon as they start planning as a way to collect and share images through social media. Some are using services like Sharypic to live-stream photos as they’re posted during a wedding. Vendors are turning to Instagram as a way of networking with brides and grooms, searching for them using geotags and common bridal hashtags, and commenting on their posts. 

 

Design by Laura Damiano designs, photo by Joanne Giannetti Photography

Lace Though it fell out of favor in the ’80s and ’90s, it’s been cropping up in young, modern ways, from delicate edging on veils to patterns on wedding cakes. “I’m seeing fine laces used in surprising elements, not just in dresses and veils but garters, gloves, jackets, invitations, and linens,” says Alisa Koysman of Alisa Brides in Chappaqua.

 

Monograms They’re on wedding cakes, invitations, centerpieces, table linens. Jill Prince of Hal Prince Music says she’s seen white dance floors with monograms in the center.

 

Personalization Private messages are everywhere, from a monogram or message stitched on the lining of a custom-made suit to an embossed stamp inside a shoe.

 


PASSÉ


Naked Cakes We don’t know about you, but we love buttercream and fondant. These cakes may still be in vogue, but sooner or later, someone’s going to point  out that without the frosting, it’s just not a cake. One very high-end wedding coordinator we talked to advises her clients to eschew nakedness in favor of a fully clothed cake. Frosting, she says, keeps the cake from drying out.

 

Mason Jars Canning peaches or preserves at your wedding? If not, you may want to rethink those Mason jars. In the aughts, they were quaint. Then they became ubiquitous. Now, they’re just plain annoying — and very, very tired.

 

Barn Weddings Seriously, aren’t you secretly starting to long for a nice, clean, crisp, air-conditioned ballroom?

 


OVER


The Garter Toss Nothing says “awkward” like watching the groom hike up his bride’s gown to retrieve her garter to the tune of “The Stripper” and hoots and hollers from the crowd — as her red-faced father grimaces in the corner. Anyway, who would want to toss away these pretty garters from Alisa Brides? 

 

The Cake Smash After decades of popularity, couples are beginning to realize that a $5,000 gown covered in frosting is just… silly. But Jay Muse of Lulu Cake Boutique begs to differ. “Lighten up!” he says.

 

Chalkboard Signs These were cute at first — but they got real old, real fast.

 

“YMCA” Sadly, this Village People anthem seems to be taking its place next to “The Alleycat.”

 

Burlap As potato sacks? Yes. As wedding décor? No.

 


READY FOR A COMEBACK?


Gloves “No gloves!” says Kleinfeld PR Director Jennette Kruszka. We’re not so sure about this one. Check out these lovely lace ones from Alisa Brides (and on our cover). 

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