Trends have a habit of changing…frequently. In the bridal world, there are some standards that will never go away, like wearing white and carrying a bouquet. Other bridal trends come and go, or surface and resurface every few years. As bridal professionals, we at Fan C like to stay on top of the current trends, as well as the trends to come. For however long they last, these are a few of the bridal trends that have made an impression on us.
Royal Wedding Fever
Come on, how many of us used to dream of marrying a prince and becoming royalty? Eventually, most of us grew up and realized that probably wasn’t what was in store for us, but we couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic in 2011 when we watched the wedding of Kate Middleton and the British Prince William. Then this year royal wedding fever struck again with the wedding of American actress Meghan Markle to William’s brother, Prince Harry. It’s nice to be able to live vicariously through moments like that, and of course, it’s a great source of inspiration. Brides all over the country are already taking cues from royal weddings.
Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle donned dresses with sleeves, so sleeves are becoming increasingly popular. Other brides prefer classic royalty looks like princess ballgowns or tiaras. After all, if you can’t be a princess for life, you should at least be able to be princess for a day.
Reception Dresses
Bridal professionals have noticed this year an uptick in brides buying a second, slightly less formal bridal dress. No, they’re not planning on getting married twice: the second dress is for the reception. While many brides love to have grand gowns with long trains or layered skirts, it can be difficult to cut loose and dance in dresses like that. Reception dresses aren’t necessarily casual, though mini dresses are a big part of this bridal trend. They are, however, a bit easier to move around in. In fact, some brides choose a different white dress for their reception and bridal shower, as well.
Minimalist Dress Styles
This was another style trend born from the royal wedding. Spectators seemed to be torn about Meghan Markle’s dress. There’s no question that it was beautiful, but what stood out was the lack of detailing. It was a plain white dress in an A-line cut with a clean texture — and it was beautiful. Since then, many brides have begun to rethink the style of their dress. For a laid back bride who wants something beautiful in its simplicity, this trend is sure to delight.
Flower Crowns
Flowers have long been part of the wedding aesthetic. Often when planning a wedding, a bride will choose her “flowers” to be worked into the decorations as well as her own attire. Flower bouquets are a standard, but lately brides have sought to take it a step further. Flower crowns as a bridal trend have popped up a few times throughout wedding history, and we’re thrilled to see them back again. Often used as a way to attach the veil, this a wild natural beauty as well as elegance to the bride’s overall look.
Dress Accents
If you’re looking for finishing touches to give your dress an added wow factor, 2018 might be the year for you. Oversized bows are making quite the statement in the world of bridal trends, as are long gloves to wear along with the dress. This trend is usually done best when the bow or gloves are a different color than that of the dress. While white dresses are a timeless classic, sometimes it’s fun to throw in accents of other colors for contrast. What color you use is up to you: consider your favorite color or the colors worked into your wedding theme.