Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Style and trends for 2011 wedding receptions

The 2010 wedding season has pretty much come to an end and all the hot new (and some continued) trends are beginning for 2011. 

For a lot of couples planning their weddings, less is more this upcoming year. Many of my clients are having a lower guest count and a more intimate feel. Venues such as an art gallery, tented outdoor locations, beaches, farms, historical sites and other hipper locations are replacing the huge banquet halls of the past.
Today, receptions have many add-ons that were unheard of twenty years ago. Decked-out photo booths give a whole new element to what the photographer captures. This is a chance to have a photo of every single wedding guest, and have them take home a memory immediately with them.  Though a costly investment, for those DYI couples, and alternative would be to set-up an area in the reception with a backdrop and some fun props and have the photographers assistant tae the photos, rather then a full setup of a photo-booth which could run into the thousands for all the prints.

Comfy couches and intimate seating areas dotted throughout the venue provide the guests with a living-room feel that allows for conversation areas that are private, while also providing the photographer with casual and relaxed picture opportunities.

Cocktail hour commences with a wide array of finger foods that feels like a red carpet gala. Why not make this time a more sociable atmosphere by installing some lounges and sofas and increase the number of hors d’oeuvres, which will ultimately allow you to decrease the number of services during the main course.
For those that prefer the “traditional’ 4- 5 course meal, opt for a family-style service- think big platters loaded with chicken, beef and pastas, help spark conversation with guests who don’t know one another and provide a celebratory touch. Light-hearted dishes and a relaxed atmosphere will put a relaxing spin on the evening.  Also, very current are gourmet food stations with hors d’oeuvres and perhaps a brushetta bar is a big new trend. Buffet service is also in!




When going with a more intimate of rather less “traditional” wedding, many couples are choosing to offer an extraordinary dessert tables rather then the 4-6 tier wedding cake.  These eye candy tables are decorated with the theme of the wedding and so many delicious items for the guest to indulge in. An array of color is displayed on these tables and to name a few hot items which are pleasing to any guest are Macaroons, chocolate covered candy and pretzels, unique selection of shortbread or butter cookies, and of course the famous cupcakes (and minis) all dyed to match the colour of the wedding theme.




Be sure to check out our resources for more information on what’s hot in the upcoming 2011 wedding season,

J