Your East Anglian Wedding - Feb/Mar 2020 (Issue 41)

Local experts on 2020 weddings HOT TOPIC YOUR DAY, YOUR WAY We’ve just started planning our wedding and the range of options for everything from the ceremony to the finishing touches is pretty overwhelming. We’ve no idea what the current trends are, where do we start? Sarah says: For couples saying ‘I do’ it certainly seems to be a case of ‘I’ for ‘individuality’ these days. There’s a greater lean towards original and contemporary celebrations, creating an ambience or a mood, as opposed to being led by popular ideas, colours and themes. Couples are increasingly embracing the flexibility to create their special day from a blank canvas, hand-selecting the suppliers who are best-placed to bring their vision to life. The world of weddings has seen many changes over the last 15 years, from the introduction of civil partnerships in 2005 to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014, and most recently the ability for opposite-sex couples to enter into a civil partnership. It’s an ever-changing and diversifying environment, which enables couples to express their personalities and preferences in every detail of their day. Trends for the year ahead, include: ❤ Couples choosing their rings together – both the engagement ring and wedding bands, sometimes even creating them from scratch. It’s much more common now for both parties to be involved. ❤ Increased concern over sustainability and ethical considerations to reduce the environmental impact of the big day, such as choosing wedding stationery made from recycled card or using caterers who endorse locally sourced produce. Charitable donations are also now a popular choice, as an alternative to the traditional department-store wedding gift list. ❤ For the ceremony itself, more and more couples are opting to use a celebrant to create a bespoke script written just for them. It’s not just about the vows either, the whole ceremony should reflect their personalities and personal love story. It’s such an important part of the day and couples want it to be memorable for all the right reasons. Sarah Baker | Celebrant | norfolkbluebellscelebrant.co.uk BLOOMS IN BLUE We’d like to include a nod to the 2020 Pantone Colour of the Year Classic Blue in our wedding flowers. What seasonal options would you suggest? Rebekah says: Although true blue flowers are relatively uncommon, each season provides a selection, many of which are grown here in Britain; a plus for the eco-conscious bride. You could even include some in your bouquet as your something blue . Spring gives us delicate muscari (grape hyacinth), and later the delicate nigella; commonly known as love- in-a-mist. Summer sees the arrival of cornflowers and statuesque delphiniums, while for autumn weddings you can include beautiful heavy hydrangea heads. Blue thistles are great for winter and add texture too. Rebekah Ellis | Florist | roseandrhubarb.com 106