These are the wedding trends that I see coming up on 2011.

Food

Charcuterie, Olives and Antipasto Table ~ Forget about that old cheese display. Go for a gourmet and upscale salumi and antipasto table during the Cocktail Hour. If you must have cheese (I love cheese too), incorporate an artisinal cheese course during the seated meal. Ask you caterer to pair the cheese with the wine.

Whoopie Pies ~ What’s old is new, and this one is an old classic. Think red velvet whoopie pies, pumpkin whoopie pies or chocolate whoopie pies. Yum! You can create a dessert station or pass them later on in the evening.

Sweet Table Displays a la Amy Atlas ~ Dont be fooled by many (and there are many out there) who say they “created” these beautiful displays. Amy Atlas is the authority behind beautifully displayed sweet tables. Go to her website for lots of eye candy and inspiration.

Old Style Cocktails ~ I’m actually quite happy about this one.  Appletinis are out! Bring on the Old Fashioned, Tom Collins, Harvey Wallbanger and a Manhattan.

Jewelry

Gemstone Engagement Rings ~ This wil be a big trend this year after Kate Middleton and Prince William Engagement. Although I love a good gemstone, I’m a traditional girl at heart and still think Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, plus they go with everything.

Brooches for the Bridal Bouquet ~ Adorn your bridal bouquet with a beautiful brooch which can become a family heirloom after the wedding, or better yet ask your Mom to lend you one for the occasion.

Vintage Inspired Jewelry ~ Seeing more and more vintage inspired jewelry designs for the bride.

Floral  & Decor

Dahlias, Garden Roses, Anemones, Dusty Miller, Silver Leaf and Brunia ~ Dahlias have been pretty hot for a few years now and will continue to be along with garden roses and anemones. Seeing a lot of accents of dusty miller, silver leaf and even brunia on a lot of bouquets and centerpieces.

Colors Combinations of Aqua &  Red  or   Pewter & Mustard Yellow ~ I know that Pantone said their new color for 2011 is Honeysuckle but I’m not a pepto bismol pink kinda girl. I actually look elsewhere for my color inspiration. For me aqua and red or mustard and yellow will continue to be popular colors this coming year.

Vintage Milk Bowls, Mercury Glass Containers, Votive  Cups & Candle Holders and of course, Colored Glass ~ Enough said!

What 2010 trends are you hoping will vanish forever? For me, it’s those side buns. Leave it for the rehearsal dinner, for your wedding day go with classic and elegant. It never goes out of style.

What hot new wedding trends do you expect to see in 2011?

I saw a twitter post a few weeks back about this new blog called Plumage. I loved the concept of it, especially because I can relate to the rest of the big chicks out there that have a little extra curves here and there. Plumage is a blog dedicated to fashion and beauty for the plus sized bride. Woo Hoo… Finally!

The blog seems somewhat fairly new. However, there is a section for Real Brides (aka. Real Weddings with real people), a bride and bridesmaid gown directory listing all the designers along with the sizes they carry for plus-size brides. This is extremely helpful when you have bridesmaids of all sizes and of course, finding a designer that designs not only for the regular sized bride but also the plus size ladies that want to look their best on their wedding day.  They also have a forum were you can share experiences and great finds.

I wanted to add… if you are looking for a great bridal designer in Chicago for a plus sized (or a regular sized chick!) please do try Alice Padrul. Her gowns are absolutely beautiful and better yet she is located in Chicago.

Today, I’m going to talk about destination weddings and what questions you should ask during a site walk thru at a resort. I have planned lots and lots of weddings in Chicago but when I go somewhere outside the US, I ask the client to take me with them on a two day site scouting trip or I send my clients with a really good list of questions to ask so we can talk about their findings upon their return.  And of course, I ask them to bring their camera and use it.

Things to ask the resort/hotel/venue as you scout a location for a ceremony /reception ….

1. Ask to see the ceremony location. Is there more than one option? Make sure you take pictures and look at the overall flowers, things that are around this area. And make a note of it.
2. Is it windy were the ceremony will take place? I know this one is crazy, but you want to be prepared in case you need to re-think the veil altogether or be ready for the attack of the veil (on you!) during the ceremony.
3. Are there any other weddings happening at the hotel on the same day?
4. Is a microphone provided for the ceremony? If you are outdoors in an open area, you will need one.
5. How will guests know where the ceremony is taking place? Are there directional signs provided by the hotel or is someone letting guests know where to go?
6. Are chairs provided? What type of chairs? Ask them to show these to you, are they acceptable. Take a picture of them.
7. Is there a platform provided for the ceremony as an altar? If so, take a picture of it.
8. What kind of flowers (if any)  are included in the wedding package?
9. How early do they start to set up for the ceremony?
10. Make sure that the amount of guests coming will fit in the ceremony area. Therefore, ask what is the maximum amount of guests that can be seated in the ceremony area comfortably.
11. What is the back-up plan in case of rain? When does a decision have to be made if plan B has to be put in place  due to inclement weather?
12. What are the areas for the cocktail hour? Who ushers the guests to these areas?
13. What are the tables and chairs provided for the reception? Round or Rectangular? How many guests can fit per table? What are the sizes of the tables? You need to know this in the event you rent linens.
14. What are the linens provided for the tables? Floor Length or Dinner Length (Half way to the floor)?
15. What does the silverware, napkins, dishes and glassware look like? Ensure sure these are in good condition…. No chips or cracks.
16. Can we have a choice of entree?
17. How long does dinner usually take once guests are seated?
18. What is more cost effective? Full Bar or Drinks on Consumption ( Believe it or not, it varies )?
19. What kind of wedding cake flavors are offered? Which one is the most popular? Can they make a wedding cake? Ask to speak with the pastry chef. Not every pastry chef knows how to make a tiered wedding cake!
20. Since we are having guests stay at the hotel…. Can the hotel put welcome baskets in the guests rooms prior to the guests arrival to their room (Preferred) or do they hand it over to the guests upon check-in? Is there a cost for this? If so, what is the cost?
21. Can we do a food tasting at a later time if the hotel/resort is selected?  If so, make sure you take pictures of every plate before you eat it. If they say no, make sure you take a trip to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Order a few items off the menu and sample the food. Does it look appealing (is it hot, flavorful, is there enough food)?  This is important, bad food is just that… bad food. Guests remember good food.
22. Are there any vendors that are not allowed to work on site? If so, who are these vendors. Some hotels control what vendors are allowed on site, so make sure you ask.
23. Do any vendors have to go thru (be paid by) the hotel or can the couple hire the vendors directly. Also, it’s a very important question. Most often than not a few properties like to markup the vendor costs so it’s important to ask if the vendor can be hired directly.
24. Ask for a tour of the hotel….. check out the guestrooms, spa, workout facilities, restaurants, etc.
25. Ask yourself, do I get the warm and fuzzy feeling about this place? If the answer is no…. keep looking.

Make absolutely no assumptions, ask questions and don’t apologize for asking them.

Does anyone have any questions?!

Tomorrow…. hiring destination wedding vendors and what to expect.

We came back from The Special Events Show and we will be featuring some fun ideas we brought back. We loved this idea of the Champagne Girls. What a great way to greet your guests at during cocktails getting a glass of champagne served from the Champagne Angel.

Champagne Angels