The Bridal Blog

Shannon Whitney of Wedding Planning Plus shares with us her thoughts on 2012 weddings trends! Out with the old and in with the new. Are you a fan of these changes or are you more traditional?

By: Shannon Whitney (Wedding Planner)

With every passing year things change in weddings and what was in last year may not be what’s in for this coming year.  I want to share with you some of the top wedding trends for 2012 that I am most excited about.

Last year: Candy bars

This year: Bangle bars 

For 2012 the secret to successful weddings will continue to be the personalization and specialization of the event from start to finish. What we will see more of this coming year is catering to the genders by offering guys a man lounge and the women a chic area to congregate and have fun. What female guest wouldn’t love to sip a martini while sifting through bangle bracelets and funky rings to match her cocktail dress? And she can take those items home with her and remember your amazing wedding every time she puts them on. Letting guests dive in to a Bangle Bar is a fun way to make your wedding stand out from the others and also give your guests a fun useful gift instead of some boring wedding favor. Bling it on!

What event in 2011 has had the most influence on 2012′s wedding scene? The Royal Wedding. William and Kate made their mark on weddings with their lush and grand event and brides are snatching up their ideas and their style all over this coming wedding year. One area that has seen a major influence from the Royal Wedding is the wedding dress industry. Look for lace, sleeves, and full skirts in the year to come (as seen below in the Reem Acra and Monique Lhullier dresses). Classic royal beauty never goes out of style.

Let’s not forget to talk about the trends in 2012 for guy’s wedding apparel. The Royal Wedding didn’t miss this area, as we are seeing a return to the classic formal look for guys this coming year. Keep your eye out for black formal tuxedos, bow ties, and the standard shiny shoe. I love this look because classic is my personal favorite way to go and because couples will look back at their wedding photos and never feel that they are so out of style because they decided on something trendy at the time. Way to keep it classy and classic!

Weddings will continue to show a ton of personalization and specialization in 2012 as couples try to wow their guests with style and details that has not been seen before. Here is another trend that can make your wedding stand out and show that you laugh in the face of tradition.

Last year: Floral corsages

This year: Jeweled brooches 

Has anyone really paid attention to the corsage the mother of the bride is wearing? Well that’s because every mother of the bride wears the same ivory floral piece attached to the strap of her dress that gets crushed when she hugs people and slops around when she dances. Who needs it?! Instead of the traditional floral corsage why not choose a beautiful jeweled brooch that all of your important VIPs can wear. They can be of any size and shape and can be selected in a color to match the colors of the wedding. You can even get smaller versions to be pinned down the stem of your bridesmaids bouquets so they can match as well. This is a fun and beautiful way to show that your parents, grandparents, readers and VIPs are important and is something they can have for a keepsake forever. Please if I am in your wedding trust me I’d rather have one of these!