While I was researching for inspiration for my wedding, I kept coming across the same things when it came to getting married.

In 2016, brides want to be more involved with their wedding. They would like to design and make their wedding decorations. Brides are more budget conscious and want to spend their money on the things that matter the most to them.

Below is a list of some of some of the wedding trends I used for my wedding day last week, some of these trends you can find in my Pinterest Wedding Board that I used for inspiration.

1.Half crowns

Hair crowns are classy, but what is even classier is a half crown. Half crowns are perfect for those wearing a half updo hairstyle. They are minimalist and add an extra touch of elegance to a half updo style.

Below are photos of the half-crown I wore decorated with crystals and beads:

2. A naked wedding cake

I love the look of a naked cake; they add charm and character to a wedding. They suit couples who prefer something different and enjoy seeing their cake. I also feel a naked cake is a bit healthier as it’s not blanketed with a thick layer of sugary white icing.

Emma from Sweet’Ems Cakes & Catering worked with me to design my cake. She made it with a light coloured red velvet base and sweetened it with a delicious berry buttercream. The cake was moist and not too sweet, and everyone loved it. We ate the rest of it for breakfast the following day!!!

3.Alternative reception food

Feasting platters are a great option if you want to offer something different. The dishes allow people to interact and enjoy more food. Our feasting platters were great because they made the tables come alive. Guests were interacting and mingling with each other while reaching over to stack their plates up with food.

4. Different tones of gold

Introducing different tones of metallic colours add warmth and style to a wedding. I saw a lot of old and antique gold, copper and rose gold used in the wedding decorations I found on Pinterest. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your metallic tones. But be careful not to overdo it or your wedding could look too metallic and outdated.

I painted over 100 glass bottles in gold, copper, rose gold and white before filling each bottle with fresh flowers. Fairy lights were then added to finish the look.

Below are photos of the bottles used to decorate different areas of Campbell Point House:

5.DIY

Everyone wants to ‘do it yourself’ or DIY. The tip is to ensure you know where to get your materials from and not to over spend. Give yourself plenty of lead-time in case things don’t go as planned. You always want time to fixed things if you need to re-do them.

I made the decorations, bought flowers from a wholesale florist, designed all the graphics as well as beaded my dress.

6. Mixing old with new

Most of my decorations were purchased from eBay, Gumtree and even from my second-hand wedding classifieds site Capriess.

Don’t feel embarrassed to mix and match the new with the old. I plan to resell many of the items I made including the 120 bottles I painted.

7. Paperless wedding invitations

I wrote a blog post about the program I used to design and send out the Save the Dates, Invites and Thank You messages.

This online program that I used called Greenvelope was a brilliant way to manage the guest’s list. It also saved us a lot of money and time.

8. Non-matching wedding rings

My partner and I have different tastes, so the idea of wearing matching rings wouldn’t work for us. He chose a rose gold Canturi ring and I picked a palladium custom made the band match my engagement ring.

We both love our ring designs and will be happy to wear them every day.

9. Asking Friends and family for help instead of paying a wedding organiser/planner

I am fortunate to have friends that I have worked with in the past, so I know what they are capable of doing. If you also have a great group of friends, don’t be shy to ask them for help. They will love to help out on the day.

My amazing friends did my entire set up and clean up. Everyone complimented on how much they helped out. The day wouldn’t have been as perfect as it was if it wasn’t for my friends. Each one of them was assigned a particular task, and the whole event went smoothly, and everyone had a big smile on their face. They were fantastic, and I have no words to thank them for their participation (I love you girls for life!!!).