Whether you’re newly engaged or well into wedding planning mode, it’s never too early to start looking at wedding trends for the coming year.
Celebrity weddings on the cards include Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux along with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis who will be setting the fashions for others to follow.
What we do know is that this is the year classic romance comes back into wedding themes. Metallics such as gold, silver, bronze and copper will be offset by neutral whites and ivory to create a timeless and elegant era.
As they say the attention is in the detail and so it is out with the old and in with the new as we ask our experts to look at the hottest wedding trends…
The dress with a splash of colour
A splash of colour in wedding dresses from blush, gold to delicate floral details and backless designs is the message from the catwalk shows.Unlike Angelina Jolie, this doesn’t mean you have to adorn your dress with drawings from your children, but you could select one of the beautiful hand-painted Alan Hannah dresses with its floral flavour – perfect for a spring or Easter wedding.
Designers like the late, great Oscar de la Renta have embraced draped shoulders and off-the-shoulder designs as modelled by bride of last year Amal Clooney who married confirmed bachelor George in Venice.Monique Lhuillier’s range introduces blues (a great way to incorporate your something blue!), greys and minty greens.
Optical illusions like bodice netting designed to look like skin and over lays, perfect for showing a peek of leg. Reem Acra, Watters and Carolina Herrera all offer gowns which are sophisticated and sexy this season and its backless all the way.
Convertible gowns or “transformers”
Transformers are on trend for the coming year.These dresses are perfect if you want to wear your show-stopper from the moment you exchange your vows to the last sip of champagne on your wedding night.
Their name hails from the ability to remove straps, a top, a train or even an entire layer creating two separate looks. Two perfect dresses in one – what a dream!
If you like then you better put a ring on it!
We all know fashion trends are heavily influenced by celebrities. Wedding bands and engagement rings are no exception. Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Amal Clooney both chose emerald cut engagement rings which are sure to be copied this year.
“The current trend in ladies wedding bands is for more diamonds on show and less gold or platinum set around the diamond, so that from a distant only the diamonds are visible, said Elaine Whitehouse of Diamond Bespoke Design.
“This has meant that diamond-set wedding bands have to look a lot narrower and more delicate. Amal Clooney’s wedding band with diamonds set all the way around the finger is a perfect example of this trend,” she said.
Designing your own rings will become big business in 2015 along with brides re-designing, or melting down any old gold to sculpt a new, but historic ring, for her husband-to-be. “We use CAD design technology alongside traditional goldsmithing techniques to allow couples to get directly involved in the designing of their own wedding rings,” said Elaine.
Sparkling accessories
Veils may be the quintessential bridal accessory but this season you may want to spend more time thinking about your other accessories, too from bling ear-rings to embellished gloves.
Don’t be afraid to be bold; On the catwalk, designers Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera’s brides both wore larger-than-life earrings, and necklaces at Oscar’s show were worn short at the front and dangling at the back for a dramatic effect to a backless dress.
Veils will be traded in for full on glamour headpieces, bows and braids and there will be a nod to the floral theme with garlands being very popular. And bridal head crowns will be big this year as they offer a good mix between traditional and modern while still leaving the bride with a variety of hair styling options.
Wild flowers and floral backdrops
Roses, peonies, dahlias, ranunculus and hydrangeas are all on trend for brides along with green foliage and wildflowers.
Donna Beaver of The Flower Studio predicts the more informal with a rustic ‘picked from the garden’ feel for this year’s bouquets. “Hessian/twine finish on the handles will still be a big thing this year,” she said.“Brides are also having their bridesmaids’ flowers in neutral colours with a hint of blush. The choice of mixed pastel coloured dresses (each maid in a different colour) also means mixing the colours in the flowers such as lavender, lemon, pale pink or blue.”
Another wedding flower trend is the floral backdrop, made popular by Kim Kardashian’s wedding in which she had a beautiful wall of white peonies, roses and gardenias. Floral backdrops create the most beautiful wedding photograph settings. Although filling an entire wall with blooms can be expensive, you can create your own version in a smaller more intimate area.
Romantic and rustic cakes
Last year there was a surge in naked wedding cakes, but this year we’re seeing a return to the romantic and rustic cakes. According to Fran Duhig, of Cut Above Cake Co, cupcakes are definitely on the way out and the more traditional cake decorated with pearls or lace is now on trend.“
Hand-piped lace is becoming very popular and looks very romantic,” said Fran. “Brides seeking a more relaxed approach are also choosing rustic-styled cakes decorated with hessian ribbons and draped with fresh flowers. “Metallic is also becoming popular and we recently made a six-tiered cake covered in gold leaf which is a real statement cake,” she said.
The all-inclusive venue
Forget the hassle of trying to co-ordinate the church, reception for the wedding breakfast and hotel to accommodate your discerning guests.
Today’s bride and groom are opting for all-inclusive venues which offers all this under one roof and usually provides an expert wedding planner to help you navigate towards your big day.Manor by the Lake is one of the best all-inclusive venues in the country with an option to exchange your vows in gardens overlooking the private lake or in one of the Manor’s historic rooms in front of a crackling fire.
Come rain or shine, nothing dampens the spirits when the happy couple and their guests are pampered and no-one has to hail a taxi to get home.Luxurious hotel rooms wait at the Manor from the exclusive bridal suite to the ground-floor suite with disabled access. All inclusive is on trend for 2015 as busy brides know this is the answer to a stress-free journey from engagement to saying “I do”.
Best of British Food
The two key words for this year will be individuality and simplicity when it comes to food, said Norbert Schon head chef at Manor by the Lake.
“Individuality will be key as no-one wants to have a box standard wedding menu when so much thought and preparation is going into the day,” said Norbert.
“The food should be created around the couple’s needs. We use lots of edible flowers, micro-leaves which, don’t just lift up the dish, but ties the food in with the bride and groom’s colour scheme.
“Simple is not necessarily a bad thing. When you only have four items on your plate, they all need to be in perfect balance because you can’t hide your mistake. The days of menus with fancy wording is over too. People want to know what they are eating without having to use a dictionary.
“I think the essentially British dishes will make a return on wedding menus, the sort of food that everyone recognises but brought up to a modern day standard, and can be translated to a banquet.
“The classic canapés are definitely back. We took some of the traditional starters and main courses and turned them into canapés – steak and chip, duck rillettes and cured pigeon.
“When it comes to the evening, the pork pie and cheese buffet days are gone. Most people get to visit exotic countries where they come across a big variety of street food and that reflects in the evening food trend.
“I personally love street food. It isn’t just tasty, but its cooked right in front of you which adds a sort of theatre – it never fails,” he said.
And for him…
Bright canary yellow and mismatching is the must-have trends for the groom in 2015.
Top designers such as Jimmy Choo and Paul Smith allowed this hint of summery hue to feature in their footwear collections.
Groomsmen fashion has now moved away from a look of uniformity, towards a more cohesive kind of ‘boyband’ styling. Mismatching the groomsmen not only gives you a chance to wear something that actually suits you (sir!)
Top 10 wedding songs
It’s definitely out with the old and in with the new when it comes to music choices for the coming year.
Couples are now seeking their inspiration from romantic songs from the past couple of years from the likes of Beyoncé, John Legend and Taylor Swift.
Here are the top 10 tunes you are likely to hear if you’re invited to a wedding this year:
Choose You by Sara Barceilles
All of Me by John Legend
Happy by Pharrell Williams
I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
One Day Like This by Elbow
Safe and Sound by Capital Cities
At Last by Beyoncé
Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
Everything has Changed by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran
Why Shouldn’t I? by Cole Porter(back in the top 10 after it was the first dance for George and Amal Clooney at their fairy tale wedding in Venice).
And, why shouldn’t you… whatever trends your wedding day reflects it will always be a timeless day for you and your partner.
