The Wedding Trends you Need to Know for 2016 – Part 1

Décor & Flowers, Fashion & Jewellery, Planning & Advice

Oversized bouquets, board games, fine food and the end of the unplugged wedding – it’s our top wedding trends for 2016!

Focus on Food

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It’s safe to say that in the last few years we Irish have become a nation of hardcore foodies. We know our prosciutto from our serrano, our quinoa from our cous cous and our definition of success is a rich and varied spice rack. Truth is, nobody is getting away with a mediocre wedding dinner anymore – gone are the days of the below average meat and two veg, this is the dawning of the age of the gourmet wedding breakfast. Venues know this too thankfully and are creating some of the most exciting menus to impress guests who are expecting fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a plate with pizazz. Of course it’s not just the wedding meal itself, a huge amount of couples will be opting to have speciality food throughout the wedding celebration whether it’s crepes or ice cream after the ceremony, pizza or chipper in the evening, or a well-catered day after buffet with rotisserie chicken or a pig spit. It all sounds good to us anyway!

Photos clockwise from top left: PigOut Pig Spit, Andrew Holmes Catering, photo by Michelle Prunty Photography, Smith’s Ice CreamCrepes & CraicWedding Wood-fired Pizza

Huge Blooms

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Oversized bouquets started filtering in to weddings in 2014 as brides began to notice that blooms are better when they’re bigger! We think this trend is only going to get more popular this year as brides try to bring a huge pop of colour to their look with a big statement bouquet. Oversized bouquets work particularly well with the understated boho style gowns that are so popular for 2016, and give them great balance and energy. Whether it’s wildflowers, a mix of peonies and roses or a cool cascade of greens, anything goes with this trend.

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First-Look Photos

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Unlike our American counterparts, we might not be ready just yet for the pre-ceremony first look photo, but that’s not to say we can’t have our own versions! One of the photos at the top of the list lately for photographers is capturing that moment when the father and/or mother of the bride first see her in her finery. For those lucky enough to have their parents around for their Big Day it will be a memory to treasure forever – so make sure your pro photog is around to snap it!

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Bringing out your Inner Nerd

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Nowadays the nerd is king and everywhere you look people are embracing their inner ‘geek’. Of course with Star Wars making a rather stellar comeback over the Christmas, huge fans of the franchise are finding it easier to get their hands on cool items to add to their wedding getup. But it’s not just about Sci-fi and movies, mostly it’s about sharing what you love. Whether you’re a film buff, a plane spotter, a stamp collector or a jigsaw enthusiast, this is the year to include the other loves of your life in your Big Day and to get creative in inviting your guests to experience them too.

Board Games at the Table, Lawn Games Outdoors

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Another trend wedding guests will be welcoming with open arms and a competitive spirit is the addition of awesome board games to the table! This year we think guests will be spending the post-ceremony, pre-drinks reception hour mingling with each other over a game of giant Jenga or Connect 4, and when they’re not on the dance floor, indulging in a bit of nostalgia with a game of Guess Who. What’s not to love?!

Photos, Photos Everywhere

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Photos are a great way to give guests an insight into your life and personality and this year couples will be using them in all sorts of ways to share their memories and loves. Photos of friends and family dotted around the venue, slideshows during the meal, photo booths in the evening, it’s fair to say weddings will be photo heavy for 2016. Polaroids in particular have made a huge impact over the last few years and couples are looking everywhere to add this retro look to their decor – and if they can’t get their hands on a camera/film, are opting for the Instax alternative.

Social Media Embrace

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You can’t fight city hall, and short of prying them out of white knuckles and hiding them in a bowl (a la Mike’s wedding in VEEP), you can’t fight your wedding guests’ urges to take and post phone pics. So instead of the passive aggressive ‘this is an unplugged wedding’ signs, it seems this year couples are coming to embrace all things social media. But hold your horses, that doesn’t mean a mass Facebook upload of wedding vow vids before the couple has even settled their nerves, it means finding out the personalised hashtag and making sure you’re posting to their preferred site, of course. Couples are also looking to specialised apps to get the most from their Big Day with the help of guests like with a ‘social wedding movie’ compiled by guests from all different aspects – if this sounds like fun to you make sure to check out the awesome movie app ShotClip.

SEE PART 2 OF OUR TOP WEDDDING TRENDS FOR 2016 HERE!

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