Kate Middleton did it right. The bride-to-be knew the bar was raised high by the royal wedding of her predecessor Princess Diana to Prince Charles. Watched by millions around the world and still talked about with no end in sight, it was a tough act to follow. Still, she prepared and collaborated and delivered a beautiful wedding no one could fault. Every detail was painstakingly perfect. Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton designed the elegant gown. The venue was Westminster Abby. The bouquet was myrtle, lily-of-the-valley and hyacinth. The tiara was Cartier.

It was a wedding to be remembered forever. You too could have a fairy-tale wedding. Here are some suggestions from Ocala Magazine’s Trends Editor Kelli Hart, which you can apply to your personal taste to make your signature statement that would be on point.

[Start Feature(s). Jessi: We designated 4 pages for Wedding Trends (everything up to Floral; 2 pages for Floral; 2 pages for Getaways/Honeymoon; and 1 page for stats]

I Now Pronounce You Trendy and Chic

DECK: Make a statement everyone will remember while avoiding any faux pas with our list of the latest wedding trends from The Dress to the reception to the honeymoon

Complied by: Kelli Hart

THE DRESS

From Bling to Bygone. Last year’s bride was all about the bling. This year, she is focused less on sparkle and more on the softer, more reflective qualities of elements such as mirrors, mercury glass, metallic and gloss. Bringing in the vintage look of antique brooches, silver linens and cracked glass centerpieces still radiate and shine, but with a more vintage, classic feel.

Don’t Replace the Lace. Lace has finally made its come back from the days of the Material Girl’s signature style. In wedding gowns, floral design, table linens and cake art, Lace has emerged to the top of the fabric trends for 2012 and you will see it in colors such as black, eggplants and pearl. For an elegant approach to tables, use a tone-on-tone palate or a metallic lace over a solid color. In bouquets, lace can be used to wrap stems or in creative “loop” patterns throughout your design.

Look Magical. From halter to strapless to plunging necklines, we’ve seen the wedding gown evolve every few years leaving bride’s unsure of what the “it” look will be months down the road when they tie the knot. In 2012, those fashionable brides will choose the “illusion style” gown in which a sheer, delicate, and often embellished layer of fabric veils skin that would otherwise be exposed. Its still very sexy, but much more classy and romantic, making a great choice for brides of all ages.

INVITES AND COLOR SCHEMES

Invitation Sensation. Like in fashion, one of the newest phenomenon is the look of “sketch work.” From charcoal doodles and outlines of floral prints to line drawings and shadowy profiles, one of this season’s biggest trends is to have the couple sketch and design their own invitations on canvas and allow a professional print shoppe to recreate the artwork as invites. It’s unique to the bride and groom and because the trending font this season is “handwriting,” the natural penmanship of the couple makes this invitation simple and perfect.

Color Outside the Lines. Brides of the past have been a slave to the idea that their color schemes have to be familiar and common. Reds, whites, blacks and blues have been used so much that some brides think they are traditional wedding colors. Not so! This year you will see grey with yellow, lime with red and gold with pink. The idea is to pick contrasting colors that still work. Gold mercury glass filled with bright pink peonies makes for a stunning centerpiece. Gray table settings on pale yellow linen are a crisp, clean surround for your guests. And bright red bride’s maid dresses complimented by lime pincushion mums is the perfect summer-time attire.

RECEPTION TRENDS

Do Your Guests a Favor. Let’s face it. No one cares about those terrible little mints you wrapped in tulle and tied with a bow. Your guests don’t care about the M&Ms with your face on them or the chocolate bar with the personalized label or the ridiculous fortune cookie that predicts love and happiness for all eternity. It’s tacky and a HUGE waste of your time and money. If you want to thank your guests and truly impress them, here are some classy, fabulous ideas. Consult with a bartender and have a signature drink or shot created to give during a toast or hire someone to perform that will truly “wow” the crowd. Spend your money on something your guests will actually enjoy and not something that winds up in someone’s coat pocket.

Opposites Attract. An overall trend for 2012 is an eclectic look versus the past year’s theme of “matchy-matchy.” One big change you will start to see is the use of both circular and square tables at the reception. These trends give the reception tables a more interesting look and a less “coordinated” feel.

You LIGHT UP my life! Add some drama or change the mood of your reception venue by adding lighting. Be it small strands of white twinklers or large scale uplights, colored bulbs, flashing lights and twinkling strands can completely change the look and feel of any wedding reception.

Honey, I’m home. As a result of having so many vacant homes on the market, brides and realtors have joined forces and started a trend to rent homes and properties, that are otherwise unused, for wedding ceremonies and receptions. In most cases, couples end up saving money having not needed to splurge on high priced clubs and hotels and the seller profits off of their savings.

Lights, Camera, Keepsake. Box cameras and photo fun booths have been a fun addition to receptions of the past. This year, brides are taking it even a step further and setting up video stations with white cardstock, markers and even costumes for their guests to use to create video snips. After the big day, this footage can be made in to a fun keepsake or even a music video that can be emailed back to guests.

Change Clothes and Go. Wardrobe changes between the ceremony and reception became popular amongst our favorite celebs. Nowadays, the reception dress is becoming very common for all brides. It gives a blushing bride the opportunity to still wear that beautiful, billowing, formal gown for the ceremony and portraits and then spice up the night by changing into a sexier more romantic and festive gown.

FLOWER TRENDS

Something Old. This year’s weddings are all about customization and personalization. Brides will choose personal mementos to incorporate in to their floral designs. Grandma’s brooch will make a perfect addition to the bride’s stem wrap. Old bottles from the family farm will add a personal touch to any centerpiece. Mother’s lace can be used to wrap bouquet stems of cover otherwise boring table linens. This year, it’s all about pulling in those little trinkets from years past.

Go Heavy on the Metal. Because metallic are going to become more and more prevalent this year, brides will be encouraged by their florist to use as much shimmer as possible in their designs. From mirrors, leafing and cracked glass, this year’s go-to element is anything reflective. A design of crisp, white peonies in a mercury glass dish is a classy, sophisticated look sure to wow any guest. Take the 1980’s “square mirror in the middle of the table” look, but elaborate by having mirrors cut to cover the entire tabletop. This will reflect the color of your floral and give each table the appearance of more.

Groom’s Blooms. Interest in the boutonnières for the gentlemen will continue to grow, making selections of unique designs of unusual materials popular. Emphasis on the men’s flowers will equal that of the choices for the ladies in the wedding party. Ask your florist to show you some unique boutonnière options so the fellas aren’t left out when it comes to overall design.

Go Right with Light. Good lighting creates drama, introduces color and provides atmosphere. More and more focus will be placed on lighting in floral. Props such as chandeliers, shades and lamps are often added to further emphasize the lighting effects. Adding white floral lights to bouquets and centerpieces will set you apart from brides of the past. Your florist will be able to help coordinate the right floral choices with your lighting needs.

Loosen Up. Bouquets will focus on texture while designed in a more relaxed style than the tight, compact bouquets popular in the past. Floral elements such a fern curls, echiveria and craspedia will offer diversity combined with more traditional blooms. By choosing a less “arranged” look, your florist can create an airy, gathered bouquet style that will look romantic and soft, while also making bouquets appear larger. These styles can save a bride money and tend to photograph better.

HONEYMOON/GETAWAY TRENDS

Hello, Goodbye! Indian Ocean paradise the Maldives continues to be the number one destination for newlyweds say most honeymoon specialists, and it’s little wonder with over-water bungalows on private islands ringed by white sand and turquoise lagoons on offer. However couples are seeking new experiences in this classic destination, such as the glass walled undersea nightclub and 24-hour spa at just-opened Niyama Resort. Sounds like the perfect start to a life of love.

Love on a Budget. As purse strings are increasingly tightened, honeymooners are looking for a lot more for their money in 2012. Deals such as 14 nights for the price of 10 or the bride stays free are in abundance in the Caribbean, where all-inclusive, couples-only resorts like Couples and Sandals are seeing a leap in newlywed guest numbers. Anything that stretches the budget further is proving popular, such as free champagne, candle-lit dinners and spa treatments.

Minimoons. Many couples are opting for shorter honeymoons to more quality locations versus the traditional 7-10 day getaways. Why not spend 4 magnificent days in Spain or Italy over a weeklong cruise or resort to a tourist trap? And by arranging a trip mid week, couples can save on travel.

“I DO” like a Package Deal. It has become more and more popular to plan a wedding, reception and honeymoon all at the same place to help stay within a budget. Rather than plan a wedding and reception at home and then flee for a romantic adventure, many couples are planning the nuptials and honeymoon all together. Travel agents are a great resource for information on how to plan these destination style weddings.

Couple’s Retreat. More and more couples are putting their heads together and scheduling delayed honeymoons that they can take and enjoy together. If three couples plan spring weddings, they may put off taking an immediate honeymoon and all take a trip together in the summer. It’s a great way to get group rates and share on expenses. Plus, it’s a great time shared by all with the opportunity to still have private time with the new spouse.

Wedding Statistics

Complied by: Caroline Fischer

• The average number of weddings per year is 2.3 million
o Means 6,200 weddings per day
o Average of 44,230 weddings per weekend
• The average number of guests is 178
• The average budget is $26,951
o Avg. dress is $1,124
o Avg. bride’s ring is $6,113
o Avg. groom’s ring is $468
o Avg. wedding cake is $591
• The average age of brides is 25.3
• The average age of grooms is 26.9
• The average number of bridesmaids/groomsmen is five
• The most common song is ‘Nothing Compares to You’ by Sinead O’Connor
o http://www.popular-wedding-songs.com/
• June is the most common month for weddings
o Followed by August, then May, and last is September.
• 80% of weddings are in churches or synagogues
• The most common place for a wedding is Istanbul, Turkey. The second most common place is Las Vegas, Nevada.
• In 2010, the most expensive wedding areas in the USA are
o 1. Manhattan ($70,730)
o 2. Long Island ($51,811)
o 3. North/Central New Jersey ($49,374)
o South Florida was number 10 on the list
• Most popular engagement month: December
• Most popular wedding color theme: White/Ivory
• West Texas has the youngest average brides, New York has the oldest
• Nebraska and Iowa have the largest average weddings, while Hawaii and Nevada have the smallest. (guest list)

http://www.weddingstats.org/index.html
http://www.soundvision.com/info/weddings/statistics.asp
http://www.partytime-rentals.com/blog/127
http://www.weddingbusinesstoday.com/wedding-industry-statistics/wedding-statistics-from-the-knot/