HARD to believe, but the days are already getting longer.
Summer - and wedding season - is just around the corner.
If your nuptials are scheduled for 2012, it's time to get cracking. You've got a venue to book, a dress to buy and the many details to consider that will help turn out the day you're dreaming of.
Local event planners say the year's hottest trend will be a return to traditional weddings and details. Alexandra Fischer, the inhouse events and wedding expert at Hollyburn Country Club, says many brides are opting for vintage-inspired fashion and décor, from old Hollywood formal (think Great Gatsby-esque style) to royal wedding touches.
Fischer also predicts this year will see an injection of romance into the wedding scene - with plenty of Victorian flair such as lace in wedding dresses, muted, calming palates and a demure style overall.
Lisa Ng, senior catering sales manager at Four Seasons Vancouver, agrees, and says the vintage vibe plays out in different ways.
"A lot of brides like to add some bling: dangling chandeliers or long strings of crystals." While others like to infuse their event with a "shabby-chic" feel, by creating do-it-yourself table numbers and menus.
The cost savings incurred by doing some elements themselves allows wedding couples to spend more in other areas, says Ng, like the food.
The focus on food and wine is an enormous shift in the 12 years she's been planning weddings, she says. When she started (at another hotel), the wedding package usually came with a set menu.
Especially with Vancouver's buzzy restaurant scene, foodfocused publications, websites and blogs, "everyone's a foodie," says Ng. At Four Seasons, couples now sit down with chef and customize their menu. And with the city's only hotel kosher kitchen and justannounced Chinese kitchen, Four Seasons is equipped to please.
Some of Ng's other top trends that she predicts will gain in popularity this year:
? Lounge settings for the cocktail hour. Many brides and grooms love to have a space set with a mix of lowslung couches and chairs for relaxing before dinner and enjoying hors d'oeuvres and drinks.
? Ice bars, sometimes with the couple's initials carved into them, and with holes drilled for liquor bottles make an impact.
? Photo booths, red carpet photos, or onsite photography and editing services so that guests can get in on the action are proving very popular.
? Environmentally friendly celebrations continue to gain traction.
While Four Seasons is already a certified Green Key hotel, Ng says they can go further with linenless tables, soy candles, an Oceanwise and sustainable menu, and by providing a list of green vendors for their couples to use.
? Dessert and candy bars have been all the rage for several years. The former - offering a selection of smaller desserts - lets guests sample a range of treats; the latter can either be for snacking on, or for filling favour bags at the end of the night.
? The return of the late-night buffet is another hot trend, says Ng.
The hotel recently did a carnival theme for one wedding's late-night noshing, complete with mini hot dogs, mini doughnuts and cotton candy.
Regardless of trends you choose to follow (or start!), both Ng and Fischer agree the best weddings are the ones that are all about you, with personal details infusing the event from invitations to favours.
Now, get planning!
dlancaster@nsnews.com
