2015 and 2016 Wedding Trends
We're a little late to talk about trends for 2015 weddings, seeing as most of you have already planned your weddings. So, we're fast-forwarding a little. But, can I take a second to say how excited I am that 2015 will be seeing some different trends than the past few years? These are going to pull over into 2016 as well, which is exciting - those of us who work in weddings every single weekend can get a little tired of doing very similar things week after week. Some of the things I'm most excited about playing with this year, and hoping to get to work on in 2016 are:
A little more colour, in refined ways. Just because we're straying from the popular blush and peach palette from the past few years doesn't mean we need to plan a circus wedding.
A lot of blue! Blues can be seriously hard to do, guys. Dyed blue flowers are one of the things in the this world that I just cannot stand, and when people think of blue weddings, this seems to be all that people do. So, I'm really excited to see the return of beautiful blue shades in weddings.
Photo via Magnolia Rouge
Big bouquets. I mean really, a bride's bouquet should make a statement, and I have to say that I'm incredibly excited that many more brides want to make a dramatic floral statement. Also, how good is this bouquet's shape?
Simple, long tables. In certain venues, long tables work really well - and I just happen to love them. They really allow for closer conversation, and you can do some fun things with decor. I love the way we can go with simplistic decor - simple greenery garlands or scattered stem vases with statement blooms.
Natural textures. Because Winnipeg is smaller, it can be tricky for us to get our hands on everything new that we want. One of those things that I'm really craving are natural textures, specifically with linen. I love the way these textures bring an organic feel to a table as opposed to feeling modern, chic or overly stuffy. I also love working with a natural colour palette - softer tones, maybe some terracotta or pottery mixed in.
Need some ideas for your wedding? Be sure to follow Stone House Creative on Pinterest if you like what you see here. I'm always on the search for interesting ideas and brainstorming how to make them my own. And if you're open to letting me do my thing, I have a list of ideas that I really want to work on!
Preparing for your Floral Consultation
Your flower consultation should be lots of fun! Sometimes I hear from brides that they are nervous, but girls, you've got nothing to be nervous about! We're going to have fun. Here's what you can do to make sure that your flower consult goes as smoothly as possible:
1) Do some thinking about what you like, and look at different ideas online or in magazines. Don't worry about being too specific - what's most important is that you know what kind of bridal bouquet shape you lean towards (classic round? something a bit more natural? cascading?), and what type of colouring you like (ie. all white and green? bold hues?). Do you like lots of texture and interesting details? Save some of your favourite images, and bring them in with you - that will give your florist a great idea of what you lean towards.
2) Bring in pictures of your bridal and bridesmaid dresses. Knowing what style and shape your dress is will be an important factor in deciding how large to make your bouquet and what shape of bouquet will be best for you.
3) Bring colour swatches. Whether these are from your bridesmaid dresses or are paint chips that show your entire palette, it will help us pick the perfect hues for you!
4) Have a general list of the things that you'll need - how many bouquets and boutonnieres? What family members and /or friends do you want to have a corsage or boutonniere? Will you need centrepieces plus aisle decor plus an arrangement at your guest book table?
5) Figure out your budget range. Sometimes brides feel like they need to keep their budget number private, and hope that the florists they are talking to will come close to it. It's so much better to be upfront about that number, because it gives your florist the ability to either give you the best suggestions to work within that budget, or tell you what is and isn't realistic.
Photo by Brittany Mahood Photography
Getting Out of the Pinterest Trap
Most brides these days have secret Pinterest boards going long before they're even engaged. I know I'm probably a little late in saying this, but just hold off. Manitobans seem to have an especially long engagement period, and when you start collecting ideas long before your wedding is scheduled to take place, you're going to find yourself falling in love with idea after idea, and getting stuck in some of them. My best advice is to just wait - let the ideas come to you, and don't try to plan too far in advance because you'll find yourself changing your mind anyways.
Tip number 2? Don't be afraid to edit. Before long, you'll see your Pinterest board becoming scattered, disorganized, and convoluted. Something you pinned 3 months ago on a Friday night may no longer be relevant to you. Don't be afraid to delete those images, allowing yourself to curate only a selection of ideas that truly inspire you and get you excited for your wedding day.
Once you have your inspiration images narrowed down to a beautiful set of ideas, analyze them and allow yourself to grow the ideas from there. What is it about these particular images that inspires you? Why do you find something beautiful? Now, consider your daily life - what inspires and excites you, in nature, in your relationship, in fashion?
Put these together - what jumps out at you? Many people think that the way to "personalize" your wedding is by throwing your monogram all over the place or creating some sort of elaborate theme and adding it to everything. No. For some people this works, but I can pretty much promise you that this isn't going to be the way to go. Rather, join together the carefully curated ideas that you've found with the inspiration you find in your daily life. Continue to edit until you find the right combination, and allow your personal tastes to speak through.
Last tip? Turn off Pinterest. There will come a point in your planning when you just need to get tasks checked off your list. At that point, you need to stop intaking new ideas and simply roll with your plans! And of course, if you do need some help getting everything started, you can always check out Stone House Creative on Pinterest ;)
Connecting with your Vendors
I cannot stress enough how important it is that you connect with your vendors - especially those who are working on the aesthetic elements of your day (florist, decorator, stationery designer) - but I'm serious when I mean that you should connect with ALL your vendors.
I'm not saying that you need to become best friends with them. What I am saying is that you should have a fundamental respect for what they do and get along well with them. When you're meeting with your vendors for the first time, consider how much you actually like them - it's important to like their work, yes. But it's just as important to like them as well. Why? They'll be taking care of you on this really big, important day. I can't emphasize how much you especially need to get along with your photographer - he or she will be there the WHOLE time. If he irritates you, guess what you're going to remember from your day?
There's another layer when it comes to the vendors who deal with the visual components of your day, like your florist. A few weeks ago, I met with a bride who had a really hard time communicating to me what she was looking for, but because of the connection that we had, I could say "I've got you!" and she knew that it was true. Her stress just melted away. You shouldn't be concerned about making sure your florist "gets" your style or what you want to do - if she connects with you and you with her, it's going to work out! There have also been a few times when a bride and I just can't get on the same page, and I've had to tell her that I'm just not the right floral designer for her. I can pretty much guarantee that the florist/event planner/designer that has you stressed out and constantly feeling the need to oversee is the one who's not going to do the best job for you.
Still looking for your florist or event designer? I have limited availability throughout June - October of 2015, but lots of spring dates are still available! Shoot me an email if you want to talk - stonehouseweddings@gmail.com. Can't wait to talk with you!
Photo by Victoria Anne Photography for the upcoming Wed Prep Workshop, which you should definitely attend! :)
Announcing Wed Prep Workshop!
I am so excited to announce the launch of Wed Prep Workshop, Winnipeg's first interactive wedding planning workshop!
Coming February 21, Wed Prep is a one-day workshop hosted by myself and Amanda Douglas Events, and featuring several of Winnipeg's favourite wedding professionals, who will provide you with all the information you need to plan the best wedding you can. We're gearing Wed Prep towards you, so that you can have the wedding of your dreams, at the budget you can afford.
This one-day intensive workshop will include interactive demonstrations, valuable handout materials, and Q&A's with your presenters. Tickets are on sale now and registration is limited to 30 brides at the maximum, so be sure to book yours today!
If you need more info or have any questions, feel free to send me an email to stonehouseweddings@gmail.com. I hope to see you all there!