Planning your wedding can be one of the most stressful events in your life. No matter the size of your wedding, good planning and keeping track of a myriad details can be overwhelming.
Now planning for your wedding just became a lot easier. Amanda Cunningham, who founded The Wedding Expo, identified a need for a professional showcase for a growing wedding industry.
She said, “The inaugural show in Durban in August was a smashing success with more than 100 wedding industry companies presenting their businesses to 4 000 visitors.
“It has grown over the years and the last show had 270 exhibitors and over 11 000 visitors,” says Cunningham.
The show is aimed at anyone who is getting married and individuals who are looking for service providers and event planners… as well as anyone who has an interest in planning events and weddings, explains Cunningham.
She has distilled the advice from top wedding planners, photographers and caterers, each with a wealth of experience, expertise and advice on how to tailor your wedding to your individual needs, to bring us the latest trends. Visit http://www.wedding-expo.
* Illusion necklines are by far the hottest trend around at the moment. This super-flattering trend is comfortable to wear, and offers more support and modesty for brides.
* Encouraged by celebrities such Nicky Hilton who wore a Valentino gown at her wedding to James Rothschild, long sleeves are an all-season look. The hottest looks include sheer sleeves with lots of embroidery, lace or applique.
* Whether it’s floral materials, floral detailing in lace, applique, beading, laser-cut flower embellishment or fabric flower details on waistbands or necklines, floral embellishment are must-haves for brides.
* Boldly coloured dresses are popular with adventurous brides. From sand to taupe, blush and other colours all the way to extremely daring options of bright reds and even, occasionally, black wedding dresses.
Brides are realising the opportunity to express their personality in something other than classic white or cream.
* Metallic colours are a massive trend in all things bridal this season, and metallic colours are also making an appearance in wedding dresses through accessories, belts, beading and lace overlays.
* Metallic is a huge trend for the season, replacing the usual neutral of white, cream and taupe with bronze and gold. The Metallic creates a striking statement on stationery, with foiling, embossing and metallic prints.
* Light hues of blue are also popular, especially duck egg blue. This stunning colour will keep the groom happy while the muted tones make the design soft, elegant and romantic.
Navy is also a popular choice for a more contemporary, urban edge to invitations and decor.
* Laser-cut detailing adds another layer of interest to invitations, place cards, menu cards and stationery elements. Whether it’s the actual invitation or another element of the stationery, this trend allows you to be as creative as you’d like.
* Soft, gentle and romantic, watercolour floral detailing is a big trend summer trend. We are seeing roses, peonies, sweet peas, hydrangeas and other lush flowers featured across stationery detailing in soft, romantic colours of pinks, faded purples, muted greens and creams.
* Hand-painted calligraphy fonts are a popular option as they add punch and excitement to a stationery suite.
* Vintage-themed cakes are very popular at the moment – whether it’s lace detailing, scalloping, delicate pastel colours or pearl detailing, this imaginative trend is here to stay.
* Tiered cakes are back in favour and the more, the merrier. Generally, at least three tiers, and often the tiers have different flavour cakes.
* The naked cake (a cake without icing) trend continues without pause. This is a particularly popular trend for people who want to serve their wedding cake as part of dessert or who are more excited by cake flavours than elaborate layers of icing.
* Butter cream icing is a great alternative to a more formal fondant icing design and offers a wealth of decorating choices, whether it’s messy-iced and decorated with fresh flowers, piped in beautiful patterns or features of ombre or other colour detailing.
* Textured cakes are another popular trend. It’s a fun way to include detailing to your wedding party - whether it’s brocade, patterns, herringbone, lace or ruffles representing a reference to your dress fabric or decor elements – it creates a striking centrepiece.
...
Enter Bride of the Month
The Daily News and The Wedding Expo want to give brides another chance to show off their gowns in their new Bride of the Month competition.
Entries have been coming in from the first Wedding Expo event at Moses Mabhida Stadium in August, and the first page was published this week, with one every month thereafter.
Brides are invited to submit a full-length picture of themselves in their wedding gowns via the Wedding Expo page, www.wedding-expo.co.za (make sure you choose Durban when submitting online entries) or e-mail your entry to Shabnum Moosa, marketing executive of the Daily News at [email protected]
Brides married between June 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016 are eligible to enter. Each month 10 brides will be chosen and will be featured on our bridal page and Daily News readers will be able to vote for their favourite bride of the month. Each bride of the month will receive:
* A one-night stay at ATKV Drakens-ville Resort valued at R1 250.
* A one-night stay at ATKV Natalia Resort valued at R1 250.
* A one-year subscription to Glamour magazine valued at R396.
* A couple’s treatment at Lemon Wellness Spa valued at R1 500.
* A high tea for two at Oyster Box valued at R440.
All finalists stand a chance to win The Bride of the Year title with amazing prizes on offer.