Last night I had the pleasure of attending a N.A.C.E. (National Association of Catering Executives) event last night.  It was great to see a lot of our friends who also work in the wedding industry.  One of my favorite people, Rachel Cytacki, owner of All Things Creative, was also there and she volunteered to guest blog about what we learned last night about colors, decorations and upcoming trends in the wedding world:

Planning your wedding or any special event can be a huge undertaking for anyone, but if you’re doing it for the first time, just knowing where to start can be a daunting task. I want to share not the trends with you but tips on how to pull your entire event together and great ways to get you started.

The first thing you should do when planning any event is have a theme or color scheme in mind so that when you are visiting venues you will know what works and what won’t. I assisted with a wedding and the bride chose yellow as her main color which was such a brilliant choice because her facility décor was gold and yellow. I’ve also seen an event where the decor of the room was red and gold and the bride chose hot pink and lime green for her wedding colors, it didn’t flow as well. The look and feel of the room will dictate the look and feel of the event. A popular trend right now is choosing a historic site. Typically these facilities have so much character you can cut down on décor, which will in turn save you money.

Most everyone wants their event to feel special and personal. While a monogram is a great way to personalize your event, it has been popular for the past few years. Come up with a new way to personalize your event without getting too carried away. Some great ideas are using a favorite quote, poem, line from a movie or song, and printing them on your invitations, place cards, and table numbers. Another way to add a personal touch would be incorporating family photos through out the room. I saw a wedding, where the bride took a framed picture of every family member cutting their wedding cake, and placed them on her cake table. It was cool to see all of the different wedding styles.

On to the trends… Colors for this season and next are going to be bold, lots of turquoise, all shades of purple, pinks, and metallics. Black and white is classic, adding a pop of color will make the look fresh and trendy.

Another big trend for this season and next is offering a soft seating area. Creating a lounge space in your reception room near the bar will allow your guests to mingle and enjoy the wedding. You can frame the space with a fabric drapery and add some couches with pillows and end tables; you can decorate the space with pictures, flowers, and candles. Most rental company in your area should be able to accommodate your request for a soft seating area.

I hope this has been helpful for you. Remember that you can always call on the experts at Mike Staff Productions or me, Rachel, for help planning your special event. Good luck and happy planning!

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About the Author

Rachel Cytacki has been in the wedding industry for over 12 years. With that time comes a wealth of knowledge and relationships making her and All Things Creative a leading choice for wedding and event planning throughout Michigan. Rachel’s goal is to assist you in planning your event so you can enjoy the day with your family and friends.