Happy Thursday! I have a special treat for you today. This past Sunday {Jan 26th}, one of the first major New York City-area wedding events of 2014 took place at Gotham Hall. The Wedding Library hosted Martha Stewart's Wedding Party and my go-to girl from Brooklyn, Jackie, was there to take photos and mingle with the celebs of the industry. Today she's here to share all the hot wedding trends for 2014 that she saw and heard about with YOU! So, I now turn the blog over to Jackie . . .
Gotham Hall in NYC - wedding venue with gorgeous architecture
The Martha Stewart's Wedding Party event was kicked off by an all-star panel of wedding industry experts that included: Darcy Miller : Editorial Director at Martha Stewart Weddings, Amsale Aberra : Dress Designer, Preston Bailey : Event Designer, Marcy Blum : Eventiste, Peter Callahan : Caterer, Sylvia Weinstock : Cake Designer, and Kellee Khalil : Lover.ly
Darcy began by giving a presentation highlighting some of her favorite unique details from recent celebrity and real weddings, including her own! Some of the highlights included a large menu custom-printed on fabric from Kate Bosworth's recent wedding to a re-imagined bridal bouquet made out of tiny wildflowers to new takes on the rustic wedding.
wedding floral display using stacked books as pedestals and candles surrounding them
The celebrity panel then offered brides-to-be
several tips for planning a memorable wedding:
Tip 1. Brides and grooms are encouraged to hire the best vendors they can; Peter Callahan stressed the importance of working with professionals and once vendors are hired, trust them to do their jobs - they have lots of great experience.
Tip 2. In 2014, there are no rules for weddings! Brides are encouraged to think and plan outside the box. Darcy Miller and Kellee Khalil both shared that only traditions relevant and meaningful to the couple need sticking to, but even certain traditions can be re-invented for today's weddings. Everything from food to decor to wedding vows can be as creative and unique as the couple wishes.
Tip 3. Panel participants noted that increasing personalization of wedding details is a big trend. Brides and grooms - and the vendors they choose - are focusing more on details that reflect the couple's individual interests, families, cultures, etc, as well as meaningful experiences from their lives together to incorporate into the wedding.
Tip 4. The guest experience is growing more important to brides and grooms. Couples are now considering not just what would make them happy, but what their guests might enjoy as well. Everything from comfort food and wine pairings to little extras for guests - like printing ceremony programs on fans for guests attending an outdoor ceremony in hot weather - ensures everyone will have an enjoyable time.
Tip 5. Marcy Blum emphasized the importance of enjoying the process. Acknowledging that wedding planning can be stressful, it's also important to take advantage of such a magical time in your life and the happiness you're inspiring among those close to you.
Tip 6. Everyone on the panel concluded by agreeing that the most important aspect of the wedding is the people getting married. No matter how much planning there is, no matter how beautiful the details, at the end of the day, it's the marriage that matters most.
Over 100 vendors were represented, offering engaged couples everything from photo booth rental services to hair and make-up services to registry assistance.
Many of the vendors showcased some of the
new and exciting wedding trends out there:
rice krispie treat wedding cake by Treat House in NYC
Trend 1: Ultra-creative cakes, both in design and ingredients, including a wedding cake made out of rice krispie treats! Talk about personalization and crowd-pleasing!
Trend 2: Rustic wedding details are still popular, from burlap table linens, birds' nests and tree branch table number holders
unique china pattern for wedding registries - popular trend for 2014
Trend 3: Couples don't have to register for traditional china - patterns are more modern, whimsical, and unique than ever
Trend 4: Floral arrangements still remain popular ways for couples to decorate and express their personal style; arrangements ranged from tall, textured and elegant to full, single-flower, bold-colored centerpieces.
Trend 5: Table linens and rental furniture also make bolder statements with bold colors and patterns.
wedding linens with a woodgrain table runner and a row of florals and vases along the center
Trend 6: Gowns and bridal accessories still feature traditional fabrics like lace, but bling seems supreme. Vintage Hollywood styles appeared in both gowns and accessories. Even the classic, vintage NYC taxi is still a favorite for the getaway car!
vintage nyc taxi cab - the perfect getaway car for a new york city wedding
Trend 7: Personalized wedding favors take a twist as dual-purpose gifts for guests: a personalized inflatable beach ball is a great way to commemorate your special day and keep guests entertained for a beach or warm-weather destination wedding.
personalized beach ball for wedding favors - perfect for beach and destination weddings {they also pack flat}
So many great ideas and vendors to give brides- and grooms-to-be tons of inspiration for 2014!
I have to send a huge thank you to Jackie for attending this spectacular event on my behalf and sharing all of the amazing finds and trends with us today. {ps: all of the photos shown are courtesy of Jackie}
Jackie Peterson is a proud NJ-native-turned-Brooklynite and lover of all things creative, crafty and delicious. By day, she works in the exhibit design industry, making museums into more awesome places; but often you'll find her moonlighting as a travel expert, party planner, flower-arranger, chef, writer and social media maven. You can follow Jackie's adventures on Instagram.