personality is the anti-trend

I just got off the phone with a writer for Northwest Meetings and Events magazine.  She was interviewing me for a piece on “wedding trends” for 2008.  I had to chuckle a little bit as she asked me questions like, “I’ve heard that square and unusually-shaped cakes are a new trend, have you seen this?” (I saw my first square cake the year I started coordinating, in 1997), and “What new colors are you seeing for weddings in 2008?” (Somebody invented new colors?)

The problem with “trends” in weddings is that,

weddings are such personal, private events that most brides and grooms don’t think of themselves as making a choice based on what’s popular or on what’s already been done.  In fact, there’s a lot of resistance to having a design idea in one’s wedding that has been “done before” — think of how many people agree with the statement “I don’t want a cookie-cutter wedding”.  (Of course, the imp in me wants to do a “Cookie Cutter” wedding using cookies everywhere and giving cookie cutters as favors, just to be contrary.  I’m sure someone has already done it!)

At the same time, not many people are willing to deviate completely from the canonical idea of a wedding: ceremony/food/party — and ideas have to come from somewhere, so where to begin?  I’m not saying one can’t pick up a magazine or a design book to get good ideas, but very rarely do my clients come back with a picture and say “I want exactly this tabletop/bouquet/invitation” etc.  The magazines, blogs, and websites are starting points, but when we delve down into the bride and groom’s story, their hobbies and interests, where they live, what they collect — that’s where we find the most creative ideas for their Very First Party Together.

So what’s bubbling up in your creative stew?  Comment here with design and reception ideas you’ve used, or maybe even ideas you considered but tossed aside!