Rapid change means new trends and fresh takes on faves continue to inspire weddings in the future.

Want food for thought for 2018? Two members of the National Associationfor Catering and Events weigh in with their ideas of what couples want to transform their wedding food from everyday to extraordinary! MEGAN FRISBEE, www.GigSalad.comWhat’s the key to keeping your couples’ wedding guests happy? Food and drink, of course. For trendy brides, there are a few ways to stand out from traditional wedding refreshments.Do-it-yourself food bars have been popular for quite some time, and there’s no end in sight. Creativity and new ideas freshen up this ever-popular trend.Do-it-yourself bars are budget-friendly, easy to set up, and fun for guests. S’mores bars are perfect for outdoor fall weddings, while a build-your-own-taco bar is fabulous for laid-back summer weddings. Get creative and tap into the wedding’s theme with particular types of bars that reflect the tastes of the couple.If you’d rather let someone else handle the job (while staying trendy), food trucks continue to be popular. You can find everything from chicken and waffles to caviar at these portable vendors. This type of offering usually can feed large crowds quickly, and lend that free-spirit vibe that many couples seek. Some trucks even offer wine or champagne bars!Wine is a growing universal trend being embraced universally. Adding a bit of Moscato to the wedding cake is a fun way to hop on this trend! It lends extra sweetness, and is a fun twist to share with guests.BECKY BASSOUNAS, www.WineForTheReception.comBeyond blue suits, off-the-shoulder dresses, photo booths and grand dance entrances, today’s weddings continue to evolve. Today’s Pinterest culture has put every idea within reach and on our phones. Today’s couple knows what they want and is willing to go the extra mile to make it happen. They havemore control than ever before as is evident by the rising trend of the crowd-sourcing model where the venue is selected and the experts surround the couple and their vision. Leaving no detail untouched, today’s couples are the creative curators of their vision.Weddings aren’t in “just push play mode,” where one provider or location is used for all services; the package deal once the standard of weddings has been disrupted.As an outgrowth of the farm-to-table food trend, couples are increasingly getting back to basics—farms, barns, and restored factory environments are rising in popularity. The food is taking on these cues. Local fare is brought into the fold, versus stuffy dishes that sound good on the menu but leave guests wanting more. The formal wedding cadence of events has been replaced with a more organic schedule, such as desserts in a separate room from the main reception so guests may sample at their discretion, signature cocktails for each portion of the evening and after-party food trucks to name a few.Driven in large part by social media, weddings aren’t just about the day-of anymore; they’re about everything around and leading up to it. Weddings are branded occasions with promotion before, during, and after—insert wedding hashtag here.Instagram stories are becoming more important than the family photographs.Likes, shares, and engagement around the branded event increasingly are becoming part of the puzzle. Couples see the wedding as a storytelling opportunity about their relationship, lifestyle, likes, and interests. Socialmedia is driving this in a big way. Everything that’s old is new again.In the end, today’s perfect day is different from yesterday’s perfect day, and will be from tomorrow’s when something new will inspire couples to challenge the status quo once again. WPM__Kim Grimm, National Association for Catering andEvents, Columbia, Md.