What has changed the wedding world forever?

Glad you asked!  Here’s my idea (in no particular order):

1.) Going Green:  People have established that the earth is our responsibilty and should not be a faceless victim of our wanton and wasteful society. (Wow, sounds like it’s fresh out of Al Gore’s mouth)  Brides and Grooms are incorporating organic elements, environmentally friendly caterers and vendors as well as recycled products or are recycling items at their weddings.  Captain Planet would be proud.

 2.)  Bling:  All things being equal, people have got to shine, and what better day than your wedding day? It is no longer being limited to the ring fingers, but are jumping up to the neck, ears, dresses, bouquets, centerpieces, linens and more.  Can’t you hear Ella singing now? “Ain’t got that thing if you ain’t got that bling…shoo wop shoo wop shoo wop shoo wop shoo wow!”  Ok.That was embarassing.

 Moving on…

3.) The Wedding Planner… the movie: Thank you J. Lo!  As much as I hate being compared to you (especially when they aren’t saying we’re butt twins!), you gave our industry a huge boost.  It gave everyone a glimpse into how glamorous wedding planners are (rephrase, how glamorous HAVING one can be)– and made everyone one want them…as long as she didn’t run away with your man.

4.)  The Wedding TV Show: I can remember when WWIIA was the staple for all things wedding on TV.  Then several others emerged and what used to be a rare is now the norm.  Everything from brides behaving badly, to couples going to the extreme for the perfect wedding to people spending the entire income of every Wisconsin citizen on a wedding, we’ve got it all at the flick of the remote.  Lucky us.

 5.) The Favor Bars:  We’ve moved past the little ceramic swan wrapped in t*lle (word edited for the censors) with the soft dinner mints (Praise God).  Brides have expanded their favor selection to give their guests options and interactivity– coffee bars, candy bars, popcorn bars, martini bars (you keep the glass), etc.  You have to love it.

(Photo by Candy Favorites)

6.)  The Fake Cake:  To save money, we used to tell brides to have a small cake for picture taking purposes, while the caterer would cut sheet cakes in the back to feed the guests. You should see the look of wonder on the guests’ faces as they tried to fathom how that little cake could feed all of those people. It was like a modern day feeding of the multitudes.  Now, you can ditch the itsy bitsy wedding cake and  rent a huge fake cake which you can still cut for pictures.  My, have we come a long way.

7.) Coffee Table Books: Goodbye old albums with the slide in 4×6’s!  Now, photographers can show their creative genius by designing some of the most fabulous, wedding sexy photobooks. These are sure not ot go brittle on you as the hide in them attic. This book is sure to do what its name says it will: be a coffee table book.

8.)  The Internet:  Brides and their families no longer have to search through the antiquated yellow pages to get information on their wedding vendors. Now they can visit their 24/7 virtual brochure and learn everything they want at the click of a mouse, meet other brides or read this fabulous blog.  Thank you, Al Gore.

9.) One Word: Diana.

 10.)  The Destination Wedding:  Couples are traveling more frequently now to say “I do”, and not just to the sunny locales in the Caribbean. They escape to Paris a la Eva Longoria and Tony Parker or Italy a la TomKat.  Any place that isn’t yours is a destination wedding– so even if you are going back your honey’s birthplace, it’s a desty.  My best gal pal Precious is an expert in this area and my go to diva on everything *desty*.

 11.)  Guest Welcome Bags:  This has been a fun way to incorporate all of the guests as well as introduce them to the wedding, its location (if it’s a desty) or provide weekend information. 

12.)  Wedding Websites:  Pure genius.  It gives your web savvy guests a chance to get to know you better and find out what you have planned for your wedding weekend. An uber simple way for you to disseminate information to the masses without repeating 125 times.

13.) Honeymoon Registries: Couples who are already living together have absolutely no desire to get toasters and other things. They are, instead, opting to register with their resorts and airlines…you know the things they really want.

14.)  Wedding Industry Blogs: I know I already mentioned the internet, but WIBs deserve a spot of their own because you have so many varying topics by different vendors. The butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker all have blogs! This benefits the brides tremendously, because they get an opportunity to learn the work style and personality of potential vendors, as well as get ideas and learn information.  Some that have taken the world by storm, and have changed the how and whys of wedding blogging are Wedding Bee and Blue Orchid Designs.

 15.) Coordinating Separates for Bridesmaids:  Somewhere, someone in the world is on their knees thanking the wedding gods for this invention.  Now brides can pair their embellished tops with jeans for a sexy casual look or with another formal skirt for a different take on elegance. Not pigeonholing your bridesmaids into a dress that could earn you a sniper’s red dot on your forehead?  Priceless.

16.)  The iPod:  The iPod has revolutionized the world, so it is truly no wonder that it crossed into the wedding realm. Smaller weddings who don’t call for the use of a DJ, rent systems and use their iPods to get a party started. I can vouch for this first hand– at a larger wedding, the DJ did not have the song the bride wanted for her bouquet toss.  Luckily enough, I had it on my iPhone so we hooked it up (Saundra will tell you I’m a geek).  and no one was ever the wiser…except now you, so keep your mouth shut :) 

17.)  Photojournalism:  Seriously, I don’t know who woke up one morning and said, “I am so sick and tired of these weddings looking like they were shot in a Sears portrait studio” and decided to do something about it, but I HEART YOU.  Weddings are about love and emotion, and that should be captured…not the Ma and Pa Kettle pose.

18.)  The DIY Movement:  Crafty girls unite!  When brides couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for, they did it themselves!  With such fabulous sites (and now books!) by Khris Cochran of DIY Bride, even the most timid of do-it-yourself’ers can get in on the fun.

19.)  Cinematography:  Note, I didn’t say videography.  Before, brides were considering this a negotiable. Now with the high end concepts of cinematography have it the wedding scene and it is a must have.  It’s not Uncle Larry with his camcorder– this is mini-scaled movie production. Seeing the day as it happeend is wonderful to relive the moment– especially in HD :)  Just check out my friends at Turner Classic Weddings or Stellar Films.

 20.)  Two Words:  New Rules.  Eh, a girl can hope, right?

What’s on your list?