This Year's Biggest Wedding Trends

What will be the signature of your wedding? What will you and your guests remember?

The Theme

Have you decided on your wedding colors? How do you feel about bold patterns and striking colors?

Planners expect, and hope, to see couples gravitating toward colors other than the classic white and gold. Colors are a way to incorporate personality into your wedding. Blues, whether it's in a napkin or a groom's tie, are coming this year. By the way, Classic Blue is the Pantone color of the year.

How else can you use a spiced up color palette? What about patterns? Wallpaper as a backdrop for your vows or behind the bride's table is a memorable way to stand out, and weave in your playful side.

Attire

A wedding dress is always white and grooms wear tuxedos, right? Not so!

Why can't a bride wear a brightly colored dress? I recently saw a bride is a sequined dress, and she stole the show. Wear a dress that speaks to you, even if it isn't white. It's your day, and it should look like you, your personality at least.

Grooms can consider nontraditional colors as well. A deep green or navy blue suit can complement the natural colors of a garden wedding or a seaside ceremony. Here's a cool idea: a groom's jacket with a lining bearing his engagement photos.

Variation on a theme is always a solid choice. In a wedding with two grooms, one might wear a light gray jacket while the other puts on a moody charcoal suit.

Guest Experience

Think about how you'll welcome your guests and make them feel special.

Start the party early! Hold a happy hour before the ceremony begins. It will give your guests an opportunity to connect before the ceremony, and it's a great way to make sure everyone is there at the start time.

Think twice about favors. Everyone's been to a wedding with jordan almonds, and I love them as much as the next person, but just like a lot of other favors, they aren't guests' favorite. Consider putting your budget into guest arrival amenities.

A lost eyelash doesn't have to leave a guest dreading photos. Hire a makeup artist who can help guests with an aesthetic emergency at the reception.

Environment

Chances are you don't want your wedding to turn into a Superfund site! You can have a showstopping wedding while treading lightly on the environment.

Ditch fireworks. They are an environmental sledgehammer and can harm local wildlife. Plus, they aren't as unexpected as they first were, so their wow factor is eroding.