More Wedding Trends for 2010

From gowns to favours, here's a sneak peak into more trends for this years' brides.

Gowns
When it comes to wedding dresses this season, it's all about, the bride. And while that may seem like a tired old thought, it has never been more true than now.

A gaggle of gown trends are sweeping the bridal world this season, allowing every bride to express herself in her own way.

From slinky, mermaid ensembles to sleek, '50s-inspired frocks, this year's gowns are as glamorous or traditional as the bride herself.

Lace is also back, with Ivanka Trump lace-layered style dresses.

Also popular are dresses with illusion necklines or bits of black or coloured trim and detailing.
In addition, the '50s fashion craze has also brought back tea-length gowns, tulle skirts and high necklines.

Colours
Choosing a colour scheme for a wedding is as personal a decision as picking out the perfect dress. It all depends on a bride's taste and the statement she wants to make.
With so many options, it can be a bit daunting. Looking at the latest trends can spark some inspiration and help narrow down the colour choices for your bridesmaid dresses, flowers, invitations, table settings and more.

Wedding planner Marlene Walton, owner of KMK Weddings & Special Events in Hope Mills, says a bride should consider the season of her wedding date before picking a colour. Popular wedding shades for fall brides are deep reds, browns and rusty oranges. Navy and lavender are trendy hues for winter brides. Spring and summer brides gravitate toward brighter colours such as yellow, pink and orange.

Colour combos such as black and white or brown and navy have also become popular selections for brides, Walton says. In addition to colours, prints are becoming a staple of wedding decor, Walton says. Prints such as a black-and-white damask pattern are being paired with bright colours such as a pale blue, she says. Monograms are also being used in wedding decor, from the cake topper to the reception menus.

"We're seeing this carried throughout the whole wedding as the theme," Walton says. "It's used to tie everything together."

Flowers
Flowers can be as important to the atmosphere of a wedding as the bride and groom themselves. But finding the right blooms isn't as simple as it looks.

From the bride's bouquet to the centerpieces at the reception, wedding flower trends change through the years.

This year, popular bridal bouquets will likely be traditional nosegays with a medium-length cascade, or tail, in colours that complement the bridal party.

In the '80s, the cascades were long. Think Princess Diana's 42-inch-long triangular bouquet that probably required tiny muscular men to hold it up.

In recent years, Martha Stewart and her popular floral arrangements have changed all that, but choices have evolved some this year, and a little cascade is being added to the rounded settings.
And the type of flowers? That depends on the bride. But one thing's for sure, roses have never gone out of style, and lilies and orchids are always a popular choice.

Other trends in wedding flowers include centerpieces of grouped bud vases in varying sizes – very popular and pretty, and guests can take them as a remembrance.

Photography
Photography is an essential component of a wedding, but it has often a decision that comes long after the dress, the invitations and just about everything else has been fussed over. This isn’t quite the case anymore – couples have started planning their budgets more, and placing a more significant focus on photography.

Trends come and go, but when it comes to wedding photography, brides all want the same thing - gorgeous pictures that will last a lifetime. Most brides opt for a combination of traditional posed pictures, with candid photojournalism-style shots. Having a second photographer can help to ensure the entire wedding is covered, from dress and makeup preparations to well into the night of dancing.

Once it's time to see the pictures of the big day, the trend is now to proof the photographs online. Brides log in to Web sites where they can pick and choose which photos they want.
Photo albums also are being replaced by leather-bound coffee-table books. Each page of the coffee-table book is designed with pictures of a couple's choice and a collage of shots. The books are easier to thumb through than traditional albums and often are more durable and attractive.

Favours
When it comes to leaving wedding guests with a little something to remember the event, brides are scaling back on the more elaborate favours.

Instead, they are being more socially conscious and opting for charitable favours, such as giving a donation to their favourite cause or a scholarship fund. In those instances, couples have left printed charitable donation favour cards at each place setting for guests. Charity registries such as the I Do Foundation helps engaged couples give back by encouraging guests to make donations to charities in lieu of lavish wedding gifts.

As far as favours go, couples also are leaving more personalized gifts, such as tiny jars of jelly with a printed copy of the bride's grandmother's recipe. Another popular idea is setting up a photo booth where guests can have their photos taken. The guests can keep a copy of their pictures, while the couple gets a copy, as well. This photo booth also doubles as great entertainment between the ceremony and reception while the bridal party is off smiling away for their own photos.