Countdown to 2012: Forecasting Wedding Trends
"This... stuff? Oh... ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don't know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise, it's not lapis, it's actually cerulean. You're also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St. Laurent, wasn't it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff." ~Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)
I love this quote because wedding trends are a lot like fashion trends. As 2011 approaches the end, there has been a heated debate in the wedding industry over the "End of the Vintage Wedding Trend". What we ("industry people") sometimes forget is that we are the trendsetters and the "fashion designers" in the wedding industry and just because the industry is tired of the vintage wedding, doesn't mean that brides planning their 2012 weddings need to steer clear of a flea market typewriter, old tin cans, spools of yarn and old suitcases.
Weddings, just like fashion, are personal. I know I don't go out and buy a designer runway outfit just because it was in NYC's Fashion Week! I have my own preppy CA beach girl style and I make modifications based on what I like or think is new and fun. Now, of course if you shop at a J.Crew, Bloomies or Nordstrom, you're bound to buy something "trendy" because that's what the buyers selected for you, but nonetheless, how you put an outfit together is a personal choice, just like weddings!
So whether you love the vintage trend or can't wait to never see another mason jar again, just remember that wedding blogs, magazines and TV shows are only trying to give you new ideas & perspectives on how to make your wedding unique and more personal. Who wants to see fashion magazines showing the same trends and outfits each year? BORING! It is our job to introduce new ideas or re-finish and revive old traditions and styles, but in the end a wedding (unlike fashion) is about love, commitment and starting a life together... that is a trend that will never die!With all the over the top weddings of 2011, such as the Royal Wedding, the Kardashians (short-lived), and Twilight's Breaking Dawn, what trends and styles will emerge in the real weddings of 2012? In the month of December I am going to start revealing my predictions for the Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2012, so stay tuned!!!