January 7, 2014

What Does the 2014 Wedding Look Like? TheKnot.com Envisions the Hottest Wedding Trends for Brides and Grooms Across America

Number One Wedding Website Predicts Trends for 2014 Weddings, Including All-Nighter Weddings, Phone Charging Stations and Bejeweled Necklines
NEW YORK (January 7, 2014) – TheKnot.com, the number one wedding planning destination, today released its annual predictions for the hottest wedding trends on the horizon for 2014. From the influences of technology for super-charged guests who share every detail socially and the reverse effect of unplugged weddings, where couples ask guests to check their phones at the door, to the inspiration of over-the-top flowers and the bright pops of color, the trends for 2014 are in for a totally unique twist.
“Weddings continue to take cues from celebrities, as well as inspiration from the fashion runways,” says Rebecca Dolgin, editor in chief of TheKnot.com. “This year, weddings are even bigger and more blown out with everything from an all-out, all-nighter wedding party to slo-mo photo booths and temporary tattoo favors. Brides and grooms will continue to weave a personal thread through their weddings, making their style true to who they are, be that rustic and natural with a woodland wedding or totally techy with a phone charging station.”
Here’s a look at the top trends for 2014:
Woodland Weddings
The big wedding theme this year looks rustic and natural with sophisticated, glam accents, like the weddings of Sean Parker and Kate Bosworth. The centerpieces are branchy and green with lots of lush flowers and a pop of sparkle. For fashion, brides will don long wedding veils and dresses with ethereal lace and floral embellishments. A fun animal motif printed on everything from the invites to the ceremony programs, escort cards and more pulls the look together.
Please Don’t Instagram My Wedding
Many couples don’t like the idea of guests attached to their phones throughout the ceremony and reception and are opting for unplugged weddings, a la Michael Jordan’s recent wedding in Palm Beach, Florida. From providing a phone check at the door to adding a note in their wedding websites or ceremony programs asking guests to refrain from taking photos or video, couples are stepping away from social media at their weddings.
#SuperCharged Guests
This is literally the opposite of the unplugged wedding. If brides want their guests capturing the entire wedding day via a custom hashtag, they’ll ensure their phones stay charged all night with charging stations at the reception. These chic charging stations don’t have to look like an airport kiosk; brides are dressing up tall cocktail tables with pretty linens and having florists create small flatbeds of roses or wheatgrass with little flowers and cords popping up.
All-Nighter Weddings 
Couples these days like to party more than ever, and want their weddings to last as long as possible. Enter the all-nighter wedding. Once the reception ends, the party continues. Couples keep the fun going by changing up the style and vibe and moving the party into another room or even an alternate venue. The after-party even has a completely different décor look with couture late-night comfort food bites and custom drink pairings. One big important to-do for those taking this route: arrange for transportation home or back to the hotel so that none of the guests drive home afterwards.
Jeweled Necklines
The bridal fashion runways were full of simple, classic wedding dresses with added sparkle along the neckline — from sheer illusion necklines with small beading to larger embroidered rhinestones and crystals. Picture the gorgeous looks of Lake Bell and Christina Ricci’s wedding dresses. And since most wedding photos are taken from the waist up, sparkly or unique details are best captured on the neckline or around the waist of the wedding dress.
Trash-the-Dress Backlash
There’s a counter-revolution going on in wedding photography and videography. Instead of trash-the-dress sessions (where brides spend a day with their photographer taking fun shots “trashing” their gown in the mud or a nearby lake), formal portraiture is back in style. The Southern bridal portrait tradition is going mainstream, as are formal bridal party portraits and family shots too – sometimes even sans smile!
Brights Are Back 
Gone are the days of all-white weddings. This year, big pops of bright hues are back for wedding color palettes. We’re not talking about a rainbow of color here. The idea is to take a neutral, muted palette, like whites, ivories and metallic gold, and to add a bold color like poppy red, tangerine or indigo blue. Brides will infuse color into those big details that everyone will see, from a pop of color in all of your florals and incredible colorful sugar flowers to bright nail polish to match.
The Year of the Flower
While flowers tend to show up in 99 percent of weddings, this year, floral arrangements are getting a serious upgrade. Think oversized cascade bridal bouquets and elaborate flower installations that hang over the dance floor. Flowers are being woven into the décor more than ever by draping elaborate displays over tables, having fresh flower ceremony arches, decking out cake canopies with flowers and displaying escort cards and seating arrangements on a fresh flower wall. Don’t be surprised if you even see a confetti cannon shooting rose petals during the couple’s grand exit.
Long Live the Photo Booth
Photo booths are nothing new for weddings. We’ve seen them evolve from vintage photo booths with monogrammed photo strips as favors to point-and-shoot booths that project guests’ photos in real time over the dance floor. Enter the slow-motion video booth. Using a special infrared camera, a videographer creates an amazing keepsake.
The Dream of the ’90s Is Alive
The ’90s are back in a big way – from the ready-to-wear fashion runways to home design trends and even Billboard’s “The Hot 100” music list. Plus, the ’90s were the party decade, so it may not be surprising to hear that ’90s-inspired details are on trend for weddings this year. We’re talking temporary tattoo wedding favors, hip hop music groups or even break dancers to entertain guests while the band or DJ takes a break, and crop-top wedding dresses.
About TheKnot.com
The Knot is the nation’s leading wedding resource, reaching nearly every bride in America through the #1 wedding website, TheKnot.com; The Knot national and local wedding magazines; The Knot book series; and syndicated columns in newspapers nationwide. The Knot is the flagship brand of XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; http://www.theknotworldwide.com), a global media and technology leader devoted to weddings, pregnancy and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Follow The Knot on Twitter @theknot.

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