Wedding Day Trends For 2014

Collection 26 have a meticulous eye for detail, combined with an extensive knowledge of technical production and logistical planning, making them one of the country’s most successful wedding planners..

Here they share with us what they think will be big in 2014, and things to think about when planning your wedding.  Joe Blackman, founding director and CEO of Collection 26 shares with us what he thinks will be big in 2014 and things to think about when planning your wedding.

Back To Black

Our brides are always looking to do something different, and original on their wedding day, and next year we predict lots of drama. With Vera Wang sending models down the runway in over the elbow black leather gloves, and make-up extraordinaire MAC releasing a make-up line to go with the release of the wicked new Disney film ‘Maleficent’, 2014 is set to have a touch of darkness.

Wedding trends

This doesn’t of course mean you need to wear a black wedding gown and heavy make-up to keep in with the trends. We recently draped a marquee with black linings and full length mirrors, with multi-level flooring and a flat ceiling to create a completely contemporary dining room with dramatic effect.

This completely transformed the marquee and created the huge impact that our clients come to us for. A Black Tie dress code is also making a comeback, saying good bye to the vintage styling of previous years, and welcoming back a more refined finish.

Mr. Pink

If the idea of a dark and mysterious wedding is a bit too drastic, and you’re looking to add some colour into your day then pink looks to be a hot colour next year. Be it an antiqued blush, striking fuchsia or a deep rose, think about applying your chosen shade in an original way.

Pink Weddings

 Flowers are an obvious choice, especially when there are so many pink shades from floral origins, so break convention and choose fresh white flowers to stand out in front of a silk ‘petal’ pink dress. Or if you want to go bold with a bright magenta, mix it with zesty green flowers to keep it fresh and vibrant.

Fine Dining

As more concept restaurants are opening and a rise in popularity of celebrity chefs, couples are inspired to move away from the typical beef or chicken main, in favour of something a little more adventurous.

One of our couples recently had a Pan Asian inspired menu, which included a thinly sliced fillet of beef Carpaccio with sautéed ginger mushrooms, and a sea bass sashimi with pickled daikon, which was a refreshing change from the usual wedding breakfast.

Presentation also has a big impact, so spend a bit of time with your caterer to talk about the look of every course, and find innovative ways of presenting each dish, such as using carved ice plinths to display a sea food starter.

Mixology

Cocktail bars have long been popular at weddings and events, but gone are the days of serving a standard mojito or generic cosmopolitan. With concept cocktail bars becoming increasingly popular across London and New York, carry this theme through to your wedding by offering custom created cocktails with interesting glassware and boutique spirits.

Also think about changing the conventional layout of the bar, by creating an inside out bar – where mixologists stand in front of a counter top bar, and create cocktails in front of your guests.

Craft beers and IPA’s are also having a huge revival at the moment with boutique breweries producing local beers with a focus on great taste and interesting flavours, which would be ideal for a craft beer bar at an evening reception. For a New York loft vibe, fill tin baths with ice and bottled craft beers for guests to help themselves – perfect for adding a contemporary edge to a country wedding.

The Midas Touch

Gold accents started to make an appearance the year, with the release of the iconic Great Gatsby film, and it’s looking to become even more popular in 2014. Either carrying on the Art Deco style, or choosing a more modern aesthetic, gold is fast replacing the distressed silver that’s been popular for a while, and is well worth considering for your 2014 styling.

Pink Wedding Bouquet

Small touches such as gold candle holders, beaded charger plates and foiled stationery will add subtle touches that will help lift the room, or if you want big impact look at golden table displays, a tower of Ferrero Roche or even edible gold leaf incorporated in to the desserts or canapés. Gold also perfectly complements the black or pink colour trends for next year, bringing a contemporary warmth to your styling.

Close To Home

With a growing interest in farmers markets, organic stock and home grown produce, more brides and grooms are wanting to use local companies who have a real passion in the quality of their ingredients, and provenance of the produce.

We predict that keeping everything close to home will be a big trend in 2014, as not only does it help to grow smaller business, but it’s also very eco-friendly! We always try to use local, independent companies wherever possible, and encourage the use of locally sourced supplies.

Come Fly With Me

Due to the ever unpredictable weather in the UK, last year saw a big increase in destination weddings, and with the temptation to throw a weekend long celebration, weddings abroad are still going to be a popular choice for 2014.

Weddings In Italy

Italy has always been a popular choice with its warm climate, beautiful scenery and mouth-watering food, or try somewhere completely different, with equally breath taking views and head to the snow topped mountains of Chamonix, and ski down the aisle for real white wedding, or go wild on a safari wedding in South Africa.