Hot Trends in Wedding Planning

Almost every aspect of wedding planning has evolved over time. That’s why the saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same” rings true in wedding planning. Many wedding traditions and trends have changed along with wedding fashions. Though wedding trends may come and go, many items like reception favors and the use of calligraphy remain constants.

Calligraphy has long been a part of wedding invitations. The word “calligraphy” means beautiful handwriting and includes a variety of writing styles. Even after it became customary to order printed or engraved wedding invitations, calligraphy was still used to address the invitation envelopes to add a special touch. Whether you are planning a formal or informal wedding, using calligraphy to address your invitation envelopes, and your reception placecards adds a touch of elegance.

Today’s bride has many choices when it comes to calligraphy. Just as it seems that everything else has gone high tech, the new trend in calligraphy is computerized calligraphy. Just like traditional calligraphy, computerized calligraphy services include invitation envelopes, reception placecards and menu cards. While each calligrapher may offer you a choice of calligraphy styles, computerized calligraphy generally offers a wider selection of fonts. Often, your wedding invitation font can be matched to a computerized calligraphy font. Another appeal of computerized calligraphy is its affordability. Many brides are opting for the computerized calligraphy not only to save money, but because computerized calligraphy orders usually can be completed in a shorter amount of time. Also, brides realize that most guests discard the invitation envelopes, keeping only the wedding invitation itself as a keepsake. So the money you save by using computerized calligraphy can be put towards another part of your wedding budget.

It is still customary for the bride and groom to give their guests wedding favors as a token of appreciation for sharing in the couple’s wedding celebration. Usually, these favors incorporate candies, with almonds being the traditional favorite. However, other types of candies are also being used in wedding favors today to add a creative or whimsical flare. For example, many couples in southern New Jersey prefer to use salt water taffies to add a hint of the Jersey shore to their wedding, while candy corn is becoming popular for fall weddings. One of the newest trends in favors is using wedding conversation heart candies. These heart-shaped candies bear wedding related messages such as “Kiss the bride”.

Whatever type of candy you choose, the wedding favor’s presentation has also been updated. Some couples still choose almonds wrapped in tulle or lace, but candy favors can also be presented in colorful cellowraps, personalized clay pots and stemware, just to name a few new ideas. Another popular trend is attaching the guest’s placecard to each wedding favor, eliminating the need for a separate placecard table at the reception. The room saved by eliminating a placecard table can be used for a larger cocktail or dance floor area, or making room for additional guest tables. Whatever your taste or budget, many traditional aspects of your wedding can be updated to incorporate these latest trends.

by Elaine Carroll of Elaine’s Creations
elainescreations@yahoo.com

Elaine’s Creations
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
(973) 926-0375