I recently found a box in my attic that contained all of my wedding planning mementos and thought it would be fun to share this box with Stephanie as she’s currently planning her own wedding.  It was so much fun to go through the items that I had saved and to remember the excitement of planning and being engaged.

     When I look back to when I got married in 1994, it’s easy to see how many things in the wedding industry have changed, but also surprisingly there are many traditions that have stayed the same. Looking back through my 1993 copy of Elegant Bride Magazine gave me the idea for this post; Trends vs. Traditions. When planning your wedding you should consider the trends and traditions and what you want to include in your special day.

     Lets start with trends. Now trends are things that come and go. Some of them may turn into traditions but typically they are here for a little while and then go out of style. When I got married, two of the huge trends were big hair and puffy sleeves (I secretly miss my big hair and fortunately missed out on the puffy sleeves!). These things were here in the 80’s and 90’s but were eventually replaced by new trends. Today’s most popular trends are consisting of long tables or farm tables and wooden chairs. Many brides are starting to keep arrangements low or opt for long runners instead of towering arrangements. These trends are constantly changing and it is our job to forecast the next up-and-coming trend before everyone is doing it.

     As for traditions, these are the things that have stuck around and stood the test of time. Some traditions from my wedding that are still around today, and were even around before I got married, include long sleeve gowns, lace, and carrying a gift bow bouquet at the ceremony rehearsal. Flowers in a bride’s hair is a classic tradition that has stuck around for quite some time as well. A classic and timeless up-do with a simple veil is a tradition that will never go out of style.

     Here are two of the biggest changes since I was married:

• For all the ladies that were married “way back when”, I think we can all agree that we’re super jealous of the photography and videography options that brides have today.  For engagement photos back in 1993 we just made an appointment at Sears or another big store’s studio.  Check out Stephanie and Blake’s gorgeous outdoor picnic engagement shoot (Jealous, you bet!).
• Not to date myself too much, as I promise I’m still pretty hip, but there was no internet or Google. If I wanted to see something I had to order a physical sample.  Can you imagine?! While modern brides may struggle to comprehend how I got things done, I can tell you that it was simple and so much less stressful.  Pinterest and the internet are both a blessing and a curse as the pressure for brides to have a perfect day is so unbelievably high.

     Trends and traditions are something that a bride should be aware of when making decisions for her wedding. Whether she wants a timeless traditional wedding, a trendy wedding, or a combination of the two, they can all be done in style!

     Remember the one thing that we all share that’s timeless, and that is love.  Being engaged is all about the love so enjoy the process as you’ll look back one day too.  You’ll want to remember this time of planning fondly, which I do.