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Wedding trends
forecasted for 2012
Economic woes continue to play a part in today's weddings.
Couples are opting for smaller weddings and choosing to
spend their money more wisely. According to a recent study
from
TheWeddingReport.com, brides and grooms are paying for
more of the wedding bill themselves (to the tune of $10,000
- $20,000), and they're having more fun with it.
"We are seeing couples move away from formal and traditional type weddings to fun, romantic, simple, casual, and unique weddings with a touch of formal and tradition," the report reads.
Here are more trends forecasted for 2012, as couples scale back, simplify and reflect their personalities.
1. It's a small world.
Couples are keeping a tight rein on guest numbers (under
150), as the overall cost of the wedding is directly
affected by how many heads are in attendance.
2. Autumn leads.
While June is the reigning month for marriages, September is
a close second, and other months including August and
October are on the rise.
3. Rustic and vintage themes.
Rustic themes and vintage touches continue to trend. Kellie
Hanley of Orlando, Fla., is planning a "rustic, country
chic" wedding this June at the Mead Gardens Amphitheater in
Winter Park, and a reception at the local Farmer's Market
"to tie in that 'barn' feel we wanted," she says. To pull
off the theme, she's opting to do most of the decorating
herself.
4. DIY reigns.
"You can do things for so much cheaper yourself!" says
Hanley, who relies on sites like
Pinterest.com for ideas. She's not alone. Megan Knight,
from Coppell, Texas, is taking on most of the wedding day
tasks. "Flowers, invitations, website, so far, perhaps even
the cake," she says. "We haven't decided if we're going to
take on that yet."
5. Tech love.
Today's brides (96% of them according to
Weddingwire.com)
are planning, shopping and registering online and even
incorporating technology into the wedding day itself. Online
blogs are providing the inspiration brides are looking for
to piece together their day. Hanley's other favorites
include Sparkle &
Hay, RuffledBlog.com
and TheKnot.com.
6. Sweet endings.
Dessert buffets continue to take a bite out of receptions,
with nontraditional choices like: square mini-cakes and
cupcake tiers or pies, macaroons, Whoopie Pies, cake pops,
color-coordinated candy and even ice cream sundae stations
or a cookies and milk bar. The dessert choices reflect the
whimsical, fun nature of today's weddings.
7. Color me vibrant.
Knight, who describes her upcoming Texas wedding as "laid
back" and "casual," is using a formal royal blue theme, and
softening it with yellow and white accents. Some of the
biggest colors this year are purples and green as well as
jewel tones, according to
TheWeddingReport.com.
8. Casually groomed.
Much to the relief of grooms everywhere, tuxedo rentals are
out and suits and casual wear are in. TheWeddingReport.com
states demand for tuxedo rental is down 11% over 2010
numbers (61% to 54% in 2011).
9. Candid cameras.
Formal photos are out and candid shots are in that fit with
the look and feel of the wedding day. Demand for photo
booths continues to rise as a fun way to capture memories.
10. Non-traditional gifts.
Non-traditional gift registries like
CardAvenue.com are
popping up, allowing couples to register for gift cards
according to their tastes and needs, as research shows that
couples are waiting longer to get married (brides are 27 on
average, grooms 29).
11. Close to home.
TheWeddingReport.com predicts destination weddings will
decline or remain flat in 2012 as couples are sticking close
to home for the wedding day. They're also choosing more
outdoor and/or all-inclusive locations to simplify their
weddings and save money.
12.
Staying put.
Not only are couples staying close to home, they're opting
to host the ceremony and reception in the same location -
again, to save money and simplify. Cindy Vega, who describes
her upcoming wedding as "a little nontraditional" and
"simple" has chosen Ashton Gardens in her hometown of
Houston, Texas, because the on-site chapel and reception
hall will allow them to keep the festivities in one
location. "It was voted 4 years in a row as the top venue in
Houston," she adds.
Weddings expert Cara Davis is the author of
Cheap Ways to Tie
the Knot and blogs from her home in Orlando, FL, about
cheap ways to spend and save at
CheapWaysTo.com.
Wedding Season: Pop the Champagne!
High season for weddings begins this month in the United States. The Champagne Bureau toasts this season’s newlyweds with the top ten wedding facts.
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2,162,000 weddings were celebrated in the United States[1]
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California was the top state for weddings with 246,802, followed by Texas with 179,451 and Florida with 147,941.[2]
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When proposing, 59 percent made sure to have a favorite bottle of Champagne or wine ready to celebrate their engagement.[3]
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Despite the economic climate, the average cost of an engagement ring was $6,348 – 43 percent higher than in 2006.[4]
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148 guests attended the average wedding.[5]
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Receptions (including the venue, food and drinks) usually account for about 50 percent of the entire wedding budget.[6]
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The average wedding costs $29,334.[7]
-
The average cake cost $352.[8]
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Hawaii is the top honeymoon destination.[9]
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Favorite wedding moment: Champagne toast
A Real Champagne Toast
When getting ready to choose the perfect Champagne for your wedding, make sure you aren’t being fooled by misleading wine labels. There are many quality sparkling wines, but the Champagne name can only be used on a label if the grapes and the wine are produced, under strict controls, in the French region of Champagne. Just 90 miles northeast of Paris, the region’s climate, chalky soil, rules, and long history of winemaking combine to create a unique wine: Champagne.
The Champagne Bureau is available to answer wedding or Champagne questions. For more information, please contact Shira Levy at 202-777-3516 or slevy@clsdc.com.
About Champagne Bureau - The Champagne Bureau is the official U.S. representative of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), a trade association which represents the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France. The Bureau works to educate U.S. consumers about the uniqueness of the wines of Champagne and expand their understanding of the need to protect the Champagne name. For more information, visit us online at www.champagne.us. Follow us on Twitter at ChampagneBureau
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Rose Water Cookies
Large, custom-decorated sugar cookies make lovely favors for weddings and showers. Fancy bakeries and mail order companies offer cookies that look like little works of art—and cost about as much. You can save money and add a personal touch if you make them yourself. Baking the cookies ahead of time and freezing them, well wrapped in plastic, then in zipper-lock bags, will save you some last minute preparation time. And if you want an impressive look without an exorbitant amount of effort, consider using chocolate transfer sheets. These are sheets of plastic that have been imprinted with a design made of colored cocoa powder. To use them, you melt  chocolate
and spread it thinly over the
design; when the plastic is
peeled away the design appears
on the surface of the chocolate.
You can wrap long strips of
chocolate around a layer cake
or, before the plastic has been
peeled off, you can cut the
chocolate into decorative shapes
with a
cookie cutter or a knife.
The chocolate shapes can then be
used to decorate cakes,
cupcakes, or cookies. Chocolate
transfer sheets are generally
about 12 by 18 inches; they come
in dozens of color combinations
and designs and cost between
three dollars and eight dollars
per sheet. The technique for
using them is fairly simple and
quite fun—especially when you
see the results.To decorate wedding cake cookies using chocolate transfer sheets:
1. Bake and
cool the cookies (recipe below). Ann
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Au Ciel Design Studio
For more information about Minoo Hersini and Au Ciel Design Studio and if you would like to have Minoo as your design expert for your upcoming event please visit their website. www.Au-Ciel.com
Event planner, interior designer and fashion designer MINOO HERSINI is the founder of Au Ciel Design Studio - an event and design studio that offers customized event planning on any scale. Ms. Hersini has created some of the most high profile events for corporations, celebrities and dignitaries. For more information please visit: www.Au-Ciel.com
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Weddings on a Budget: Cupcakes take the Cake Sprinkles Cupcakes Offers Affordable Alternative to Traditional Wedding Cakes (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – As wedding season approaches brides from across the Valley will seek new ways to cut costs while still hosting an event to remember. With that in mind Sprinkles Cupcakes offers a variety of unique ideas for blushing brides to utilize on their big day. From individually wrapped cupcakes in pint-sized favor boxes to elegant cupcake displays, Sprinkles is the perfect solution for brides on a budget. With a variety of decorative toppings ranging from rings and hearts to Sprinkles trademark dot (available in an assortment of colors to match any theme) Sprinkles’ cupcakes can be tailored for any wedding. Couples can also use the letter decorations to create monogrammed cupcakes to add a personal touch for their wedding dessert. While cakes initially seem to be the more conservative spending choice, hidden fees including added cost for multiple flavors and custom decorations as well as cutting fees can increase cake costs significantly. With this, the average price for a wedding cake is between $7 and $11 per slice. At $3.25 each and $5 for individually wrapped favor boxes, Sprinkles Cupcakes are the perfect replacement for traditional cakes. With cupcakes, the sky is the limit and extra flavors do not cost extra. With 22 flavors ranging from the traditional vanilla, dark chocolate, red velvet and milk chocolate to more exotic flavors such as chocolate marshmallow, chai latte and peanut butter chip it is easy to please every wedding guest. “The great thing about cupcakes is that they are like a personal cake for each guest, and couples can choose a variety of flavors” says Sprinkles Co-Founder and Executive Pastry Chef, Candace Nelson. “There are so many difficult choices to make when considering your wedding day. At Sprinkles, there’s no need to choose!” Sprinkles offers advance orders online, by phone or in person, making ordering easy for any bride. Sprinkles also offers deliveries with a minimal pass-through cost for the courier that depends on delivery distance. For additional details or to place an order, visit www.sprinkles.com or call (480) 970-4321. Sprinkles is located at 4501 N. Scottsdale Road on the northeast corner of Scottsdale and Camelback roads, across from Scottsdale Fashion Square.
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Don't
forget your candles in between. Use a variety of
fall colors in different sizes and shapes to
keep it original.
