Wedding Trends: What's Hot for 2016

Did you know that 33% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? (According to WeddingWire.com.) Why do we even know this stat? Because it means that January is a busy month for us. Very busy.

 

“Newly engaged couples come stampeding into the new year - and our offices - come January,” says Brad Buchanan, owner of Avalon Event Rentals. “In fact, we get about 50% of all our wedding inquiries for the whole year in January, February and March. Couples are fresh from the excitement of getting engaged and eager to plan their big day. And good for them! Because as some famous person once said: ‘an ounce of planning is worth a pound of cure’. Especially here in the Okanagan Valley - or, as we like to call it, ‘Wedding Central’. With limited weekends and venues available, planning early will remove any undue challenges and stress.”

 

With all this wedding planning fever, we also have to be on top of trends for 2016. So we’ve been scouring Pinterest, Instagram and wedding blogs (hey - it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it) to bring you what’s got brides and grooms excited this year. (Okay, mostly brides, if we’re being totally honest.) All of which we can create for you fuss-free! (Your future mom-in-law, on the other hand… well that stress is all yours to deal with!)

 

Yes, Pantone’s Colors of the Year went to pastels Rose Quartz and Serenity, but warm metallics like rose gold and copper are still the most requested shades for 2016 says Amber Harrison, style expert for Wedding Paper Divas. (Cold silver has, ahem, been left out in the cold for 2016.) No matter the venue or theme, wedding planners and designers everywhere are saying these two shades in particular will show up on everything from invitations to rings to table linens to lighting like copper lanterns. Even food and drink will jump onboard, with blushing brides requesting shiny blush icings on cakes and rose-tinted cocktails. 

 

We’ve always been big fans of a well-placed set (or 100) of fairy lights. We like to think of them as the event-sized equivalent of a Band-Aid - there’s nothing they can’t hide or fix. But in 2016 lighting is going even more magical. We can’t tell you the number of Instagram and Pinterest posts we saw showcasing gently swaying pendant lights with bare Edison bulbs. The effect is simple and surprisingly romantic. Other options high in the romance stakes are chandeliers, candelabras and paper lanterns.

 

No more conference event style seating at round tables! More and more couples are asking for more informal seating arrangements. Very long, rectangular tables reminiscent of medieval feasts (we take no liability for any bone-throwing over shoulders or excessive goblets of wine-drinking!); or a mix of long tables surrounded by smaller square tables. It’s all got a much friendlier, more relaxed feel. Weddings are also now seeing the addition of lounge areas with comfy couches and armchairs, perfect for dance-weary feet and after-party snifters of something delicious (see the section on ‘Beautiful Beverages’ for some ideas).

 

In a slightly creepy, Big-Brother-is-watching move, apparently more and more photographers and videographers are using drones to capture aerial footage of weddings. Yes, drones. But wait, there’s more. They’re everywhere: drones for wedding photos, drones for wedding videos, drones as ring bearers, drones carrying your veil, drones delivering the wedding cake to guests… (Okay, okay, we made those last two up but the others are real things!) This is not an episode of Homeland, folks. Weddings have gone hi-tech and drones really are honing in on your most private moments. In a good way. We think. (Whatever you decide on, we're sure one of our fantastic partners can oblige.) 

 

Living as we do in the Okanagan Valley we never really have to worry too much about what to serve at weddings. Our wines are second only to the bride in beauty. And given the BC craft-beer scene, we’ve got beautiful beers covered too. But 2016 is seeing a move towards even more beautification of drinks. In keeping with the rise in rose gold tones, rosé wine and rosé champagne are increasingly popular. Cocktails topped with edible flowers are also making it into wedding bars, as are edible-flower-and-liquor-laced grown-up popsicles, perfect for our blazing hot Okanagan summer weddings. DIY daiquiris are another fun, colourful, cooling option - ask us about our machine! Whatever you do, don’t make your bar boring.

 

Of course, trends are just that: trendy. When it comes to your wedding, the best possible trend you can follow is your own. What do you like? What do you want? What’s your own taste? Whatever that is, we can make it happen.