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PrintSetting the Scene
From the style of your gown, the flowers, the cake and invitations that make a first and lasting impression, local pros and international designers weigh in on the latest trends.
You’ve said “yes!” Now the fun begins: It’s time to plan the wedding of your dreams. To throw a wedding you’ll cherish for a lifetime that friends and family will remember just as long, it’s all in the details. The celebration begins with your stationery, your guests’ first glimpse into the theme and style of your wedding, and continues into every facet of your big day, from the flowers to the cake to, of course, your beautiful wedding gown. We’ve spoken to local wedding pros and internationally renowned wedding gown designers to showcase the wedding styles of 2010. The following pages are filled with ideas and tips to incorporate into your own special day. After a little planning, your journey as husband and wife will begin. Enjoy the ride!
Fashion Trends
Every woman has dreamed of walking down the aisle in a gorgeous wedding gown, and in 2010 the options are endless as gown designers get more detailed in their efforts to allow brides to look one-of-a-kind.
Priscilla of Boston’s 2010 spring line, for example, uses traditional fabrics like silk and satin and targets brides who embrace tradition, classic styling, and attention to detail, but enjoys a little more of the modern touches of today, says designer Tracy Uomoleale.
The classics are still available, such as sweetheart necklines, spaghetti straps, gathered taffeta, and intricately designed lace and sequined chapel trains, but contemporary styles abound. Necklines go off-shoulder or haltered, gown lengths go mini and forgo trains altogether, silver and pearl colors blow away traditional white, and detailing digs deeper with stripes, embroidered lace, and handmade flowers.
Invitation Trends
Your invitations and save-the-dates are the best place to put your own mark and introduce the theme of your wedding. “Brides are trying to do more fun save-the-dates such as a map of the wedding location,” says Megan Khayali, owner of Social Graces in Hingham.
Personalizing this first piece of bridal news will set the intimate tone for your nuptials.
Coordinate the inside liner with the color palette of your invitations for a lasting, classy impression. More brides are also opting for an elegant motif hand-pressed at the top of the invitation and stamped on the liner. Colors change seasonally with more brides using cranberry or burgundy in the autumn and winter as well as a rich white letterpress with a wintry feel to it.
“Letterpress printing will continue to be strong in the stationery marketplace, as will engraving,” adds Peter Hopkins, Head Historian for Cranes & Co. Traditional invitations with old style script are making a comeback this wedding season, albeit with the modern twist of clean, classic lines and fresh colors.
Flower Trends
Creativity is key when it comes to fantastic wedding flower design. Whether you prefer delicate pastel blossoms or bold, vibrantly colored blooms, the texture and types of flowers that you choose and the way they are arranged is guaranteed to make a statement.
When choosing your flowers, local floral expert Jennifer Cahill of The Tangled Web suggests taking a more natural approach by using voluptuous garden-variety flowers in wedding bouquets and incorporating large green leaves, ivy, and decorative grasses into the mix. The effect is elegantly casual and is perfect for an outdoor setting. Bouquets don’t have to have a uniform look, either. Try mixing different kinds of flowers in an asymmetric arrangement. You can add textural elements like fiddleheads, berries, dried seedpods, twigs, or even seashells for a bit of coastal flair.
Bouquets can be both lavish and pocketbook friendly, as well. Combine just a few calla lilies or orchids with another, less expensive flower to create visual depth and save money. Be sure to ask your florist about using certified organic and responsibly grown flowers and arranging them in recycled vases. It’s also possible to acquire certain varieties of garden-style flowers from local growers. Keep in mind that the supply is often limited and is season dependant.
Cake Trends
When it comes to wedding cakes, South Shore residents like things simple, says Paula Rossi-Clapp, owner and cake designer for Custom Cakes by Paula, based in Plympton. “Despite what big bridal magazines showcase, I find my clients tend to go for simple, dotted Swiss cakes with ribbons and flowers,” she says. “Although square cakes are still a big trend.”
Brides and grooms let their personalities come out in the cake toppings, which Rossi-Clapp says are become less traditional and more whimsical. “I've had brides hooking grooms with fishing rods and brides dragging the groom by the seat of his pants. There's more comedy rather than formality,” she says.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to wedding cakes? “Choose what makes you happy and don't try to please everyone else. It's your cake; let it be a reflection of you and your groom,” says Rossi-Clapp.
