Wedding Trends 2010

What is “in” this year!

A turn in trends

·  The key words for wedding design are: Clean, Simple & Natural

·  Opulent pleasure is downplayed

·  The wedding reception is no longer a generic ballroom

·  Objects used for decor tell a story and create a relationship with the guests

·  Ethnic celebrations are big!

Our Society is Going Casual

·  Groom no longer wearing tux.

·  Ball gown has become an evening gown

·  Entertaining has gone casual with formal china out

Wedding Designs Are In Living Color

·  Wedding designers should look to nature, from the garden to the dessert and the beach for inspiration

·  From the Garden, the trend color is "Vibrant Green"

·  Hot summer days, gently rolling surf, the beach scene colors are "Blue Turquoise" and "Coral Reef"

·  Pink was is still hot. For pinks we have "Begonia Pink" and "Cayenne". Hot! Hot! Hot!!!

·  Slate Gray and Sweet Lavender for color as well

Trends in food

·  Food presentation is a bit like fashions

·  Ostentatious weddings are a thing of the past

·  The traditional martini bars, lavish buffets and pretentious food selections are out.

·  Hors d'oeuvres "shooters" in cylinder glasses (Tall, sleeks, cylinder shaped glasses or shot glasses)

·  Butler passed Hot Soup Sips or Cool As Ice Soup Sips

Environmental Consciousness

·  Culinary responsibility is "in"

·  Artisan cheeses made in small batches, usually by hand, using traditional methods

·  Farmstead foods

·  Organic vegetables

·  Sustainable fish--refers to fish whose population can support their catch in a safe and legal manner.

·  Non-sustainable fish suffer from diminishing populations due to over-fishing.

·  Fish not to eat: Swordfish and Chilean Sea Bass

Tasty Libations

·  Non-alcoholic drinks such as flavored waters, gourmet coffees, designer teas and fruit smoothies are in.

·  Wines from California, Chile, Argentina and Australia are must-haves.

4 Wedding Cocktails

·  Mojito--thanks to the popularity of Latin cuisine, the Mojito remains an "in" cocktail.

·  Add a twist and serve the "Mango Mojito" in tall frosted glasses, garnished with lots of mint.

·  Saketini--instead of the traditional martini. With the popularity of Asian cuisine, this can be made with either sake (rice wine) or plum wine.

·  Sea Breeze--one of the many vodka-based drinks savoring the sea and shore.

·  Courvoisierpolitan--In the late 1990's, the Cosmopolitan became the drink of choice among hip, savvy wedding guests. Here's a variation on the cosmo: make with Courvoisier instead of the usual vodka.

Nibbles of the World

·  Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese influences

Smaller Hors D'oeurvres Are "In"

·  One bite, pop them in your mouth, guaranteed not to crumble or dribble

"Individual" is the Word in Presentation

·  Food items served in miniature mugs or votive holders

·  Silver spoons or edible spoons for presenting hors d'oeuvres.

·  Individual servings in glasses, small bowls, unusual containers.

Passing Small Hors D'oeuvre Plates to Guests Is "In"

·  "Individual" is the word in presentation

·  Food items served in miniature mugs or votive holders

·  Instead of stations, food is served to the guests.

·  The food is all fork friendly--no knives

·  Menu items are customized to special "small plates"

·  Food on forks displayed upright as hors d'oeuvres lollipops.

Food Stations

·  Linear layers on food stations are "in": Use shelves on risers--square, boxy, straight lines and clean edges

·  Striking architectural displays of ice are "hot" whether it's a raw bar, beautifully carved ice sculptures or a complete bar.

Menus That Rise To The Occasion

·  Plated sit-down dinners still seem to be the most popular

·  The trend is to start with an amuse bouche before the meal is served.

·  Getting away from salads as a first course, and serving soups instead

·  Beef, lamb and halibut appear to be winners again

·  Fusion Cuisine--a blend of ethnic influences, usually 2 or 3 cultures combined, such as Asian-Latin.

·  Foods from North Africa, The Middle East and Southeast Asian cuisine

·  Communal dishes passed around family style are big hits

·  Family style dinners with long tables and platters of food placed on the table for every four guests to share.

·  An intermezzo course such as apple sorbet is a must!

Sweet Inspirations

·  Wedding dessert sampler and tasting plates with smaller-sized dessert portions.

·  A "Sweet Endings" Buffet - a dessert buffet can be opened after dinner and before cake.

After-Dinner Beverage Stations

·  Cappuccino, espresso, Cuban coffee, cordials, cognacs

·  Hot Cocoa Bars: guests can accent their cocoa with Kahlua whipped cream, shaved Mexican chocolate and mini-marshmallows

What's "Out"

·  Doilies

·  Hors d'oeuvre trays with tropical leaves

·  Pebbles underneath a glass sheet

·  Luminescent glass marbles

·  Gold & silver coated almonds

·  Salads as a first course

·  Mashed Potatoes in Martini Glasses

·  Salmon and Sea Bass

Trends in Wedding Cakes: What's "In"

·  Butter cream has returned as a sophisticated finish, just as smooth as fondant

·  Fondant is out.

·  Theme design

·  Irregular heights of tiers and alternating designs

·  Painting of floral, geometric and free form shape

·  Imported white and dark chocolate finishes are "in"

·  Pastels, especially baby blue and blush

·  Place cards and table numbers made of white chocolate, dipped stem berries or little pears

·  Individual cakes uniquely displayed

·  The cake should be a focal point at the wedding, the entire table needs to be decorated

Cakes: What's "Out"

·  Overdone sugar floral treatments

·  Basket weaves

·  Stenciled designs

·  Repeating swags

·  Those generic gold or silver foil boards

·  Plastic columns, any equipment visible on the cake!

Venue Trends

·  Hotels and restaurants appear to be less desirable than home-style weddings, destination weddings, mansions and outdoor settings

·  Destination weddings

·  Weddings smaller in size, 60-120 guests

Tabletop Trends

·  Linens: Bold colors, beading and embroidery, multiple-color linens and sheer overlays

·  Tableware: Colored glass plates and glasses, curvaceous, wavy plates

·  Individual three-compartment holders for humus, olives, and olive oil and at each place setting

·  Non-traditional plate shapes - triangles, squares, rectangles

·  The charger remains popular, left throughout the entire service, and removed only when the entree plate has been removed

·  48" or 54" squares are in, all 60" rounds are out

·  Combine squares and rounds

·  Using glass, metal, ceramic or stone table tops instead of linens...way cool.

Floral Trends

·  Unique items are being used in bouquets: shells, feathers, crystallized fruit

·  Transition of color in the wedding is "hot". The color and theme of a wedding is first seen with the save-the-date card. At the ceremony the colors are different than what was seen in the save-the-date card/invitation. At the cocktail reception the colors are different from the ceremony. At the dinner reception the colors are a combination of all colors previously seen. More than just two colors and no matchy-matchy!

Elements of Decor

·  Different ways to present guests' escort cards: suspended from trees, clotheslines or decorated boards

·  Place candles in the hallways and lanterns on the stairs leading to the door and entryways

·  What's definitely "out"...ruffles, frills, tulle or floppy bows!

Interactive Designs

·  Create vignettes for your guests to engage in

Favors

·  Something actually worth keeping---soap sachets, theme items

·  Couples are making donations to their charity in lieu of giving a guest a favor