Top Wedding Trends for 2013

Flowers

What’s In: The English Garden. With brides still in love with vintage but moving away from what Sayles Livingston of Sayles Livingston Design in Newport, Rhode Island calls the “weedy” informal floral decor of the last few years, they’re craving flowers that feel opulent but still natural. The look currently causing hearts to flutter evokes the feeling of flowers fresh-picked from the garden of a great estate. Alyssa agrees. “For one wedding, we’re using old brass vessels with a gold look, and the flowers are hydrangea, garden roses, and ranunculus. The look is lush arrangements.”

What’s Out: “Little bud vases lined up down the table,” says Alyssa.

What’s In: Peonies. Drumroll for the flower of the year—the peony. Soft, lush, romantic, the peony is the most requested wedding flower for two years running now, according to both Tara and Sayles. But with the bloom available for only two months out of the year, brides need a backup. Sayles recommends the garden rose, which has the same delicate petal feeling but is much more readily available.

Photo Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy; courtesy Alison Events
Flowers by Brown Paper Design

What’s Out: Super-tall centerpieces placed in the center of every table. “It’s been overdone,” Sayles says.

What’s In: Garlands. 2013’s brides swoon for garlands—garlands with ribbon, garlands with paper, garlands hung from chandeliers. “We just did a wedding with one long center table and a garland of peonies and hydrangea running the full length of the table. It was 48 feet of full flower,” Sayles says.

What’s Out: The orchid. “The bloom doesn’t have that of-the-moment, freshly picked look,” says Sayles.

What’s In: Cascades. A vintage bouquet silhouette will make a big return, Sayles predicts. Expect to see cascades coming down aisles everywhere this year. The look is long and slender, with lush full flowers such as (no surprise!) peonies, tea roses and a few sweet tendrils of vine.

What’s Out: According to Sayles, bouquets heavy on the greens will be a no-go in 2013.

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