10 Hot Trends for Spring Weddings

A well-shaped brow can totally transform your best features, so don’t be tempted to over-tweeze! Instead, blend over-plucked or sparse areas with a brow pencil in a matching shade (try to stick with a hue that’s one to two shades from your natural hair color). Pair with a pale pink lip for a stunning, natural bridal look. And while you’re at it, add just a little intensity to that mani. Bridal nails are getting a subtle wash of color thanks to some pastel-hued polishes in shades of soft peach and light lavender. It’s enough color to be noticed while still being refined.

Spring is all about pastels (think: soft yellow, blush pink and light lavender). Layer with shiny metallics like copper and rose gold for a luxe look, or pair with neutrals like gray and taupe to keep the palette from feeling too “Easter.” And don’t be afraid to mix more than two colors. Try dressing your bridesmaids in various shades or create pairings for individual elements of your wedding, like lavender and mint for the ceremony, champagne and yellow for the cocktail hour, and gray and pale blue for the reception. Also hot, Pantone’s Color of the Year, marsala. Because this wine-like hue has rich undertones, pair it with ice blue to soften the look.

We know how hard it can be to pick just one wedding dress, but thanks to designers like Monique Lhuillier, Dennis Basso and Romona Keveza, you can get two dresses in one. These gorgeous silhouettes with removable skirts stole the show at Bridal Fashion Week and have become a must-have for fashion-forward brides everywhere. Now you can look glamorous for your strut down the aisle and also be ready to boogie come reception time.

Dress, Dennis Basso, KleinfeldBridal.com

Wedding cakes are on the rise—in tiers, that is. We’re talking five and six layers, plus the return of columns to give the confections even more height. These sugar masterpieces are as elegant as ever with bold sugar flowers, detailed patterns and pretty piping. A wedding cake is like the exclamation point to your day, so why not go big and tall?

From artisan spirits to interactive food stations, spring receptions are all about the eats and specialty sips. If you’re opposed to a sit-down dinner, consider this new twist on food stations: Serve a whole meal in small plates passed by servers. Your caterer can create a menu that moves from light cocktail bites to heavier hors d’oeuvres and finishes with something sweet. Your guests will be free to chat and move about the party (no bad table assignments here!) and still get fed. Consider sourcing locally produced spirits or having a bar stocked with a single liquor (whiskey is pretty popular), bitters and colorful glassware so guests can help themselves.

Add a pop of color with a pretty floral pattern. Pastel, floral-print bridal gowns were big on the spring runways. Want to stick with white? Dress your bridesmaids in a happy print instead. You could even opt for printed floral pocket squares for the guys to tie the whole bridal party look together.

Dress, ElizabethFillmoreBridal.com

Embrace this blooming season in full force. Green garlands of ivy, lemon leaves or seeded eucalyptus will add a fresh look to long feasting tables or aisles. Or opt for flowering branches, like cherry blossoms or forsythia—they’ll add height to your reception tables and make for easy conversation. Take advantage of spring flowers like sweet peas, lilacs, hyacinths, tulips and peonies (everyone’s favorite wedding flower). Choosing in-season stems gives you the freshest flowers and the most bang for your buck.

One-of-a-kind engagement rings are trending. Brides and grooms are not only embracing warm tone metals like yellow and rose gold, they’re seeking out unique estate pieces as well. Want a brand-new ring, but love the vintage-heirloom look? Designers like Catbird, Anna Sheffield, and Trumpet and Horn are creating vintage-inspired designs that give you the best of both worlds.

Engagement ring, $11,250, TrumpetAndHorn.com

Gold foil reigns! The foil trend—gold, rose gold, sliver and copper—is here to stay. From light dustings to full-on gold rushes, this luxe printing technique can add a fancy touch to an otherwise casual invitation, or can really dress up black-tie correspondence. Bold pops of color are also trending (think: your envelope, a vibrant belly band or a colorful patterned invite backing).

If you’re not the veil-wearing type, you’re in luck. This spring is all about the hair accessory. From ethereal tiaras to flowering vines and bridal hats, there’s something for every bridal look. Choose a piece that complements the style of your dress, like a gold-leaf tiara paired with a long-sleeve gown. If you want to modify your look between the ceremony and reception without changing your dress, switch up your hair accessory to something more playful.

Dress, InbalDror.com