As you might have guessed, I love weddings. Love them, love them, love them! Love everything about them, and today I had the opportunity to listen to an industry expert discuss my favorite topic at length. Tara Guerard, of Soiree by Tara Guerard, in Charleston, South Carolina, spoke at a luncheon hosted jointly by the Professional Wedding Guild and the National Association of Catering Executives.
I’ll get straight to the point: Tara Guerard ROCKS. This woman has vision, and she knows how to party. She is widely regarded as one of the premier event planners in the states, and she shared with us her take on the upcoming wedding trends for 2010.
Chocolate has been ousted from it’s thrown, and Grey will reign as king. Lavender, pink, gold and campaign will also sit on high.
Candy stations, and thank goodness for this, are still on the “to do” list. Whether you kick it old school or stock up with your current favorites, tie them to the main theme through color or custom wrappers.
Teeny, tiny food is tops. Tara recommends keeping your mini-sized appetizers and desserts to single-bite selections. Apparently, two bites is too much.
Custom monograms continue to be a favorite and are being stitched, painted, projected, printed, etched, and frosted on just about anything that will hold still long enough.
Something Old is going to kick Something Blue to the curb because vintage is in and blue is out. Sorry, Blue.
Signature drinks get a big, fat YAY from Tara not only because they personalize your wedding but also because they help minimize lines at the bar.
Details that are worth the effort: “going away” signs on the back of your get-away vehicle, embroidered ribbons, wax seals, menu cards, etched glasses in lieu of place cards, rose petals, and painted foliage. Of her party favor suggestions, my personal favorite is providing flip-flops at the reception for guests wanting to escape their painfully cute shoes.
These last few trends aren’t the most budget-friendly, but they certainly sounded glamorous. Tara is a huge fan of separate spaces for cocktails, dinner, dancing, and lounging and recommends partitioning off areas with draping if multiple rooms aren’t available. And when the dancing is over and the cake’s been eaten, Tara says it’s time to change into a different dress, move into a new room, and start the eating and drinking process all over again. I told you this girl knows how to party.
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