The return to romance ushers in a new love for the formality of days gone by. Think white-gloved waiters and big band dancing, crystal candlesticks and gold-rimmed china. One major bridal inspiration for the return to tradition comes from Hollywood. "It’s the look of ‘The Great Gatsby,’" says Beth Helmsetter of Beth Helmsetter Events in Los Angeles. Her brides are still falling hard for the bubbly, approachable elegance of the Roaring Twenties.
Lush, soft, Exquisitely romantic — the flower of the year is the many-petaled tree peony, says New York’s Ariella Chezar, whose work has been seen at the White House. Amber Gustafson of Los Angeles’s Amber Events picks a similar bloom — the sweet-smelling garden rose. Want to know what flowers are in season for your wedding?
Pattern is making a new play, but throw out the hard-edged looks. “Chevron was big last year,” says Tara, “but now I’m seeing trellis-patterns, bold stripes and florals.”
Adorable little freehand illustrations will adorn invitations everywhere this year. Melinda Morris of Lion In the Sun, a paperie boutique in Brooklyn, New York, tells us that these invites are completely custom, so if you can dream it, an artist can help you bring your vision to life. And in the sweetest trend of all, invitations this year are getting small. The most requested look is for an invitation smaller than the standard 5x7 — something little, dainty and infinitely precious.