Inspiration Is Everywhere! Top Trends from International Wedding Pros

By Beth Erickson, Wedding Planner Magazine Editor, La Crosse, Wis.;Edna Dratch-Parker, PWP™, EFD Creative – Event Planning & Design, Boston;Diana Da Ros, Diana Da Ros Event Planner, Monza, Italy;Barbara Diez, MWP™, Barbara Diez Events, Buenos Aires, Argentina,and Shereé Bochenek, Après Party and Tent Rental, Edina, Minn.photo by Eduardo GazzottiIf you’re tired of the same-old wedding styles and having trouble unearthing something inspired, you might not be looking in the right spot. Inspiration and new ideas are literally everywhere. Consider seeking inspiration in the following industries.Fashion—Most new trends come from the fashion industry. It’s important to follow fashion weeks, from Milan to London and Paris to New York. Every fashion show is an open book for trends. Watch the cuts, the styles, and especially, the new colors and fabrics. Using fashion fabrics for wedding decorations is a new, original trend.Celebrities—The media broadcasts everything about the celebrity lifestyle, whether it’s what celebrities are wearing, where they live, who they’re dating, places they’re visiting, or even the foods they eat. Celebrities bring fashions and trends to the mainstream.Food—Follow celebrity chefs and their creations when styling menus. Seek out new flavor blends, presentation styles, cuts of meat, pairings, and more.Art—Being curious and visiting classic and contemporary art exhibitions inspires creativity and open-mindedness. Notice trending artists, styles, and subjects.Design—Design fairs like Maison D’objet (held twice a year in Paris), or The Milano Design week that takes place every April in Milan, have immense creativity, with inspiration for lifestyle, décor, and design.Schools—Follow the works of fashion, art, and design schools. Young students are absolutely trendsetters, always. Consider the Royal College of Art, Parsons School for Design, the Rhode Island School of Design, and more.Travel—Sometimes, cities of the world inspire new trends. When traveling, look at everything—clothes, smells, architectures, sound, traditions and innovations, costumes, food, drinks, markets, and shops. Cities have specific identities that can translate into new styles and trends.Video—Be curious and watch new music videos and movies, pay attention to costumes, lights, sets, and decorations. Every detail could be an idea to develop.Social media—Applications like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are where to get a pulse on what’s resonating with brides and grooms. Couples turn to social media for an endless supply of photos, videos, and advice from other couples on what worked or didn’t. They are following popular wedding sites and industry bloggers and then pinning, liking, sharing, and commenting. The best popular design trends bubble their way to the top.Music Festivals—This year, inspiration is coming from international music festivals such as Tomorrowland (Belgium), K-Pop (Korea), Coachella, Lolapalooza, Ultra Music Festival, Creamfields, and Boom Festival (Portugal).Though fresh ideas may come from unusual places, the first inspiration should remain your couple. Find the best theme to represent their love story and passions. The challenge is how to incorporate the couple’s ideas into their wedding in a way that is cohesive and special. This gives rise to one of the biggest trends shaping the wedding industry today—wedding branding, says Edna Dratch-Parker of EFD Creative - Event Planning & Design in Boston. "Wedding branding is about distilling the many potentially great design ideas down to the right set of elements to create a one-of-a-kind experience for the couple and share the essence of who they are as a couple," she says. "More than just design, wedding branding has become a powerful way to transform the wedding experience."Top Trends for 2016Danielle Andrews-Sunke and Tracey ManailescuWedding Planners Institute of CanadaOntario, CanadaParisian style—Think simple, romantic elements. Think calligraphy. Think soft and lacy styles, whether on table runners, fashion, or laser-cut stationery. Think hanging floral, origami, tree branches, or papers.Exotic animals—All the rage in the United Kingdom, renting exotic animals, whether a hawk to bring the rings or other animals for ambiance during cocktail hour, not only provides for stunning photos and interesting chatter, it lends a bit of the unexpected. Be sure to hire animal keepers to ensure the animals are cared for and fed.Better selfie-stations—Selfies are not going away, so how can we better incorporate them? Consider unusual props or backgrounds. Perhaps chalkboard walls or beveled mirrors for a “through-the-looking-glass” pose—with instructions. Put selfie sticks on every table. Don’t forget to have guests hashtag any photos they take. Rent equipment that allows for changing backgrounds. Set up a selfie-taking station in which guests need only press a foot pedal to take the shot.Cotton-candy coffee—This trend, popular in Korea, is a fun, tasty, and creative idea for a sweet wedding treat. Put either large puffs or small, multi-colored decorative puffs of cotton candy atop steamed milk and have the espresso poured through the cotton candy for a sweet take on lattes. These can be done iced also.Silent weddings—Now, there is finally a way to let guests enjoy the dance and let other folks enjoy conversing at a normal volume and host dances in locales with noise ordinances. Weddings with silent dances are rising in popularity, thanks to companies like Silent Storm, which provide headphones guests can wear while listening to their favorite style of music and dancing the night away.Barbara Diez, MWP™Barbara Diez EventsBuenos Aires, ArgentinaLED wall panels—Whether flat, curved, or concave, these indoor or outdoor panels add pizzazz to any event—whether you are using them to display images of the couple, scenic images, lights, or music videos.3D projection mapping—For that “wow” factor, this trend combines animation, special effects, and motion graphics with projection. This is what Disneyworld uses in its Haunted House ride to project ghosts. Essentially, it allows for the projection of images and effects on solid 3D objects or to merge with backdrops.Food trucks—What better way to convey a music festival feel than by including catering that provides the very fare enjoyed by festers? Today’s food trucks offer everything from old favorites to new and inspired cuisine.Designs inspired by music festivals—Think casual outdoor settings. Think strung lights and tents. Think bonfires, a live band, and dancing under the stars.Shereé BochenekAprès Party and Tent RentalEdina, Minn.Pendant lighting— Chandeliers have been all the rage, but pendant lighting is shining a new light on wedding design. Fueled by trends in home décor, look for curated shapes artfully arranged in the venue space.The Moscow Mule—The Moscow Mule has been around since the 1950s, but the cocktail is now is experiencing a resurgence. Comprised of vodka, ginger beer, and lime, the cocktail is traditionally served in a copper mug.Boho chic— The runway continues to feature Bohemian -inspired fashion, and retail stores, such as Anthropologie, have branded themselves with the Boho look. Seemingly mismatched patterns, a home-spun crafted feel, jewel tones—these represent Boho Chic. Mix in rustic pieces, vintage china, gold accents, and finish with lush canopies and draping.Patterns and prints—Fueled by apparel’s infatuation with prints, table linen is now reflecting the trend. Mixing complementary patterns or solids with prints adds a sense of fun to a reception. Whether bold graphics or oversized florals, patterned table linens are a great way to rev up an event space.Tribal— The tribal motif steps back in time, showcasing wood, stone, and other natural elements. Think animal skins, ikat prints, feathers, and fire pits. Guests will love the coziness of a canvas teepee.Diana da RosDiana Da Ros Event PlannerMonza, ItalyContemporary metals—Since 2013, metal geometric decorations have been used for table settings, sweet tables, and especially wedding cakes. This trend continues due to the influence of fashion, design, and art. To translate this trend, focus on a mix of metals (gold, silver, copper) with vases, metal prints for invitations, menus, chandeliers, furniture, and wall decorations.Classic, total white—White is exclusive and elegant, especially using one gradation and tone. The most important thing is to choose the right tone of white Pantone. This determines the entire look. Decorate everything with lush, white floral and white candles.Romantic travel—Though used in the past, this trend is still valid due to social networking, the use of hashtags at weddings, and social and photo posting. How do you translate it in an original way? Use blackboard globes as decorations, centerpieces, or guest books. Use vintage-effect fabrics with old printed maps to cover vases and supports, put favors or candies inside mini transparent luggage on the sweet table, decorate paper luggage and put flowers inside as centerpieces, use customized leather luggage tags tags (that double as favors) for the name cardholder, and use small and medium hanging globes for the wedding table.Candy love—If the couple loves candies, create original settings with this theme. For centerpieces, use vases filled with candies, for the seating plan give tables candy names and create 3D bon bons. Go over-the-top with sweet tables, using any candy imaginable and in bright colors. ••