by Hanami Dream | 6, September, 2017 | blog, trends
The children are only just back to school today so I was surprised to see the news from Pantone® about Spring 2018 colours landing on my desk already – how exciting!
Their timing to announce the next season’s colours has been much earlier this time around and ahead of all the fashion weeks. In February, we were left waiting until after both New York and London Fashion week to announce their Fall 2017 fashion report. But the Spring Summer 2018 New York fashion week isn’t due to kick off until tomorrow so I wasn’t expecting Pantone® to announce their colour forecast just yet. It’s great to see their report is going back to being a forecast rather than a colour counting exercise from the catwalks though.
So not only is their timing unexpected but so are the colours – both in quantity and palette.
This season, instead of the usual 10 colours, we’ve been given an extra 2 to make 12 colours that Pantone® forecast to be the colours for Spring/Summer 2018. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also thrown in 4 bonus colours that act as neutrals and core basics.
I am so pleased to see yellow featuring high on their list – it’s such a comforting ray of sunshine. Does this mean that we’ll finally see a yellow as the colour of the year in 2018? I’ve been desperate for a yellow (or an orange colour) to get top billing for a couple of years and I cross everything for a bright colour like Meadowlark to take the top slot.
These Spring colours are certainly attention grabbing and there’s even a neon yellow amongst them. For me, I love that they are continuing the Spring 2017 trend away from pale pastels. This palette is right up my street! I love the blues (Little Boy Blue and Sailor Blue) and how these evolve in to my favourite colour of purple. With Pink Lavender, Ultra Violet, Almost Mauve and Spring Crocus.
The pastels that are used are barely-there colours and really work with the trend for gentle, ethereal and floaty materials and textures that are featuring in bridal attire at the moment.
I also like the food based colours that show a real culinary influence of Cherry Tomato and Coconut Milk, with a bit of added spice from Chili Oil.
Along with this is some wonderful floral inspiration for a beautiful spring meadow such as Blooming Dahlia, Spring Crocus, and Pink Lavender.
Plus the evolution of green continues in to this season. From the freshness of Greenery for Spring/Summer 2017 (and colour of the year in 2017), to the evergreen foliage of Shaded Spruce from Fall/Winter 2017, to a wonderful teal colour in Arcadia next Spring/Summer 2018 that mixes calming blue in to the green mix.
There’s also some unexpected earthy autumnal colours (like Chili Oil and the rich chocolatey brown of Emperador) that seem a little out of place from a traditional Spring palette but will act as great transitional colours to take us in and out of seasons.
The top twelve colours from NYFW for Spring 2018 are:
- Meadowlark 13-0646
- Cherry Tomato 17-1563
- Little Boy Blue 4132
- Chili Oil 18-1440
- Blooming Dahlia 15-1520
- Pink Lavender 14-3207
- Arcadia 16-5533
- Ultra Violet 18-2828
- Emperador 18-1028
- Almost Mauve 12- 2103
- Spring Crocus 17-3020
- Lime Punch 13-0550
Plus these from LFW (which are pretty similar to the ones from New York apart from the addition of another blue, a couple of wonderful dusky pinks, a warm burgundy and a fresh green):
- Cherry Tomato 17-1563
- Palace Blue 18-4043
- Ash Rose 17-1514
- Nile Green 14-0121
- Meadowlark 13-0646
- Blooming Dahlia 15-1520
- Ultra Violet 18-2828
- Spiced Apple 18-1325
- Pink Lavender 14-3207
- Almost Mauve 12- 2103
- Rapture Rose 17-1929
- Lime Punch 13-0550
Pantone® have also created a Spring 2018 Classic Colour Palette. These are a group of neutrals that are core basics in the form of navy, grey, beige and off white (of Sailor Blue, Harbor Mist, Warm Sand and Coconut Milk respectively).
The bonus classic neutral colours for Spring 2018 are:
- Sailor Blue 19-4034
- Harbor Mist 14-4202
- Warm Sand 15-1214
- Coconut Milk 11-0608
It’ll be great to see how couples incorporate these colours in to their weddings next year. I can see how the classic neutrals will play a big part in coupling up with some of the more vibrant choices.
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
See some of my trend predictions for weddings in 2017 and look out for my report when the 2018 colour of the year is released later in the year.
by Hanami Dream | 23, February, 2017 | blog, trends
I’m not going to lie, I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve when I’m waiting with baited breath for the Pantone® announcements. For three times a year, I feel like a proper journalist waiting for the news to break about the next season’s top colours. (And I’m nearly beside myself waiting for the colour of the year announcement in December!)
Yes, I get excited! So when the fashion week season kicks off (this month is New York, London, Milan and then Paris) I’m on stand by waiting for Pantone® to make their declaration.
And it was quite a delay this time, as Pantone® waited until not only after New York Fashion Week to finish, but London as well. Whilst the fashion crowd have now moved on to Milan, I was beginning to think that Pantone® weren’t going to reveal a colour report at all this time. And if I may moan about Pantone® for one minute, I must say that I’m disappointed that it is less about their predictions now and more just about counting colours that designers have used. Don’t get me wrong, their report is comprehensive and incredibly impressive (blimey, there were around 180 shows at NYFW alone!) but I guess I feel it’s less about foresight in advance now.
However, it is good that their analysis is taking more of an international view for the first time and this report is a great overview of fashion designers’ use of colour in their Autumn/Winter 2017/2018 collections.
Plus I’ve already fallen deeply in love with the collection of colours that will trend this Autumn. Don’t get too excited. There’s no huge surprises. In fact, I probably could’ve written this article without even seeing the colours as they’re fairly typical and what you’d expect.
But they are a beautiful, rich collection of classic autumnal colours.
Looking at them makes me want to run, jump, kick and roll in a pile of crunchy fallen leaves all in the vibrant hues of Grenadine, Autumn Maple, Golden Lime and Butterum.
Even the distinctive, pale pink Ballet Slipper sits well with the cooler, wintry colours of Marina, Navy Peony and Neutral Gray.
For me, the stand out colour is Shaded Spruce, a rich warm dark teal colour, which is a wonderful evolution of the Greenery colour of the year. It will take us from the freshness of spring/summer to the evergreen foliage of the winter.
Pantone® Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman was right when she said that, “Cocooning colors are something you just want to wrap around yourself and feel comforted.”
New York and London fashion weeks were full of tactile fabrics such as fur, velvet, quilting and tweed with a bit of Hollywood glam. These Fall/Winter 2017/2018 colours are Hygge at its best – comforting and cosy. How warming would that glorious and rich Tawny Port be to sup apres ski!
I also love the combination of the grey and yellow (maybe next year we’ll finally have a yellow as the colour of the year!) as it feels like such a comforting ray of sunshine.
The top ten colours from NYFW for Fall 2017 are:
- PANTONE 19-4524 TCX Shaded Spruce
- PANTONE 17-1558-TPX Grenadine
- PANTONE 17-1145-TCX Autumn Maple
- PANTONE 13-2808 TCX Ballet Slipper
- PANTONE 16-0543 TPG Golden Lime
- PANTONE 17-4041 TPX Marina
- PANTONE 19-4029 TCX Navy Peony
- PANTONE 17-4402-TPX Neutral Gray
- PANTONE 16-1341 TCX Butterum
- PANTONE 19-1725 TCX Tawny Port
Plus these from LFW (which are pretty similar to the ones from New York apart from a very welcome addition of a purple, a dark neutral brown and a fabulous yellow in the mix):
- PANTONE 18-1662 TCX Flame Scarlet
- PANTONE 12-2904 TPG Primrose Pink
- PANTONE 16-1331 TCX Toast
- PANTONE 14-4121 TPX Blue Bell
- PANTONE 18-3531 TPX Royal Lilac
- PANTONE 18-1018 TCX Otter
- PANTONE 18-4028 TCX Navy Peony
- PANTONE 16-1338 TPX Copper Tan
- PANTONE 15-0751 TPG Lemon Curry
- PANTONE 16-0639 TPX Golden Olive
It’ll be great to see how couples incorporate these colours in to their weddings later this year (and whether the luxurious fabrics and sheer tops will influence wedding dress designs).
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
See some of my other trend predictions for weddings in 2017.
by Hanami Dream | 21, December, 2016 | blog, trends
Weddings are a wonderful celebration of love and marriage. They can blend together families, traditions, cultures, creativity and lots of personal touches. Whether a religious, civil or humanist ceremony, a traditional or themed reception, these special days are about what is important to each individual couple.
Despite some couples’ originality, there are always trends that appear and popular themes that epitomise a particular era (think puff ball sleeves from the eighties). Sometimes fashion, films, television programmes, interior design, celebrity weddings and even current affairs influence these trends. Of course, there are some timeless and classic themes that never seem to go out of favour like a ‘romantic’ theme and personalisation is still key at the moment.
So what does 2017 hold for us?
Clothing
Bridal wear is really seeing a big shift in trends to provide new, innovative and unusual styles to make sure the bride makes a statement and is different to any other on her big day. Fashion trends that are appearing on the catwalks (that will surely influence weddings next year) include:
- Tailored separates including trousers or culottes, as well as shirts
- Athletic looking clothing but in evening wear material
- Alternative necklines to strapless such as halters, plunging and embellished necklines
- Varying lengths, cuts and material to provide short, sheer or cutouts
- Covering up the shoulders with long sleeves, boleros, lace or capes
- Plain veils
- Unusual accessories like ribbon hair bands, feather handbags and flat shoes
- Adornments on dresses such as bows, peplums, ruffles and 3D flowers
- Coloured & floral patterned dresses including various pastel shades and even black
Culture
The world of films and tv always influences trends and 2017 looks set to be a year of blockbusters to choose from such as:
- Comic book inspiration courtesy of Logan, Transformers, Lego Batman, Kong: Skull Island, Spider-Man and Wonder Woman
- Romantic fairy tales with Beauty & the Beast
- Futurist and space trends with releases of Blade runner 2049 and Star Wars 8
- Medieval individuality along with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
- Beach and nautical themes thanks to Baywatch (plus Pamela Anderson’s 50th birthday) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Car racing, petrol head and Route 66 inspiration with Fast 8 and Cars 3
- 1920s Kazbar glamour with Murder on the Orient Express
- Fun themes spinning off from the Emoji Movie
And film and video will become more prevalent at weddings with more couples choosing 360 videos, virtual reality experiences and drones to capture their big day.
Celebrities
As well as the wonders of Pinterest, couples are inspired by seeing others doing something first. The affect of the royal wedding in 2011 is still apparent now as couples are choosing to have trees inside at their weddings. So it’s no surprise that details from celebrity weddings will influence wedding trends. Here are some famous engaged couples that could make it up the aisle in 2017 and their special days will be ones to watch:
- Pippa Middleton & James Matthews – I can’t wait to see how she tops her infamous bridesmaid dress and will Kate repay the favour?
- Tom Daly & Dustin Lance Black – will it be a swimwear only wedding like Tom has joked?
- Liv Tyler & Dave Gardner for a sports, fashion or rock and roll theme
- Emma Bunton & Jade Jones – though Baby Spice may need some help to start organising it as they’ve been engaged since 2010!
- Prince Harry & Meghan Markle – okay they’re not actually engaged yet but I can’t wait to see this that wedding day!
- Not exactly a celebrity (but to me she is a real star!) and that’s my mad Nan (self titled!) It’s so wonderful to see her so happy again and courting a lovely young man. Whilst we obviously miss Grampy, it would be lovely to see my Nan get hitched again. (Plus my little ones would make such cute attendants too!) There’s definitely a trend to seeing grandmothers as bridesmaids but I’d like to see mine as a bride next year.
Colour and styling
So much influences our daily lives which in turn spills over to the world of weddings including decorative elements from different arenas such as interior design, architecture, graphic design, lighting, furniture and textiles.
One part that overarches these elements is the importance of colour.
- The Pantone® Colour of the Year always plays a big part in influencing popular colours and I don’t think next year will be any exception. In 2017, the colour of the year is a yellowy green called Greenery. Pantone are citing it as ‘nature’s neutral’ [take a look at my report about the colour of the year] and I’m already a little bit in love with this colour! It will work well teamed with vibrant colours or partnered with pure white for a classic look. Here’s my take on the other colours to look out for in spring/summer 2017.
- Foliage – the colour of the year will also sit nicely alongside trends for more foliage and ‘bringing the garden inside’.
- Flowers – if you do go for flowers then they will need to make a statement and ‘go big or go home’ with paper florals emerging as an ecological and lasting alternative, new ways to wear flowers such as corsages, floral rings, anklets and chockers, as well as larger and looser bouquets
- Textures – be prepared for macramé in boho Coachella inspired themes, plus crushed velvet and total-coverage sequins for more luxurious styles
- Metallic – I’m so pleased that the metallic trend seems to be still going strong and isn’t showing any signs of tiring just yet. Rose, bronze, copper and gold – on their own, mixed together or used alongside white.
- Gem stones – this is a stunning and really striking trend using rocks lined with crystals (agate or hollow geodes) for a contemporary feel. As well as seeing marble coming back into the limelight.
- Transparent – strip it back by pairing nude and neutral colours alongside Perspex chairs, tables, menus and signage for a modern style
- Mix and match – pretty much anything goes and don’t be afraid to mix up all elements of the decor such as the colours, textures, metals and furniture. Not sure which colour to pick – well put them all together.
Catering
Family style serving is still a great way to share the wedding reception which works so well on long, large banquet tables lining the room.
Other food and drink highlights to support emerging tends include:
- Cakes – marbling icing, amazing geode cut out and crystal detailing and even wedding cakes with image projections on them
- Unusual catering vans, dessert tables and interactive stations st the reception – think oyster shuck trucks, gin bars and make your own pudding
- Food for favours – give you guests something they can take away and enjoy at home and remember the day like coffee beans, loose leaf tea or alcohol miniatures for favours
- Food walls – hang donuts (for example) to make edible decor which could even double as escort cards too! Delicious!
- Personalised cocktails – have your own cocktails created and served as the ‘house’ aperitif instead of Pimms or Buck’s Fizz when guests arrive. Or how about two different personal cocktails to represent the different tastes of the couple.
Current affairs
You may be living and breathing your wedding and everything else in the world is taking a back seat. However, things are still going on around you and some national, local and annual events may have an impact on your guests involvement, availability and enjoyment. Here’s some events that could influence your choice of dates.
In addition, around the world, some momentous celebrations could also influence wedding trends.
- Europe – We will mark 15 years since the launch of the Euro in January. Could thoughts of Brexit mean we embrace all things European whilst we are still part of Europe? Potential costs of some products could go up if/when we do exit Europe such as flowers that are imported so couples may be looking for cheaper alternatives.
- Then in April, it will be the 40th anniversary since the fall of Saigon. I love the tea ceremonies from this region as part of their weddings celebrations along with the opulent red and gold colours.
- In August, it will be 40 years since Elvis died. Will this give us another 1970s revival? – think rhinestone jumpsuits!
- Later in the year, it is the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution in November. Perhaps this will herald Russian traditions becoming more popular such as week long weddings, a tour of the city to have photographs taken at historical places and wearing wedding crowns in the ceremony. As well as the Russian tradition of seeing which of the newlyweds can grab the biggest handful of bread at the wedding breakfast to see who will be the head of the household.
These are a few of my predictions for wedding trends in 2017. I’d love to hear what you think are going to be popular wedding trends next year. Email me at info@www.hanamidream.co.uk with your predictions. See more of my curation and inspiration on Pinterest.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
Are you getting married in 2017? Is your wedding going to be following one of these trends? Let me know if you’d like to share the detail shots of your day on my blog to inspire other couples who are wedding planning. If you (and your photographer) are happy, then take a look how to submit your wedding.
by Hanami Dream | 8, December, 2016 | blog, trends
We are going green next year as the Pantone® Color of the Year 2017 is Greenery.
What a wonderful, fresh and vibrant colour that I can’t wait to see couples incorporating into their wedding colour schemes next year.
Greenery will look stunning alongside pure white as well as partnering perfectly with other colours. Plus it sits nicely with trends for more foliage and bringing the garden inside.
I love that the colour of the year is not subtle and withdrawn – its out with pastel and in with a vibrant splash of citrus colour! It makes me think of long cool glasses of mojitos brimming with fresh mint with a slice of lime on the top! I can hear the ice chinking as I write!
And it’s that sense of relaxing and getting away from the stresses of the world that Pantone® emphasis this colour will embody in 2017.
Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute describes it as: “the color of hopefulness, and of our connection to nature. It speaks to what we call the ‘re’ words: regenerate, refresh, revitalize, renew. Every spring we enter a new cycle and new shoots come from the ground. It is something life affirming to look forward to.”
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
I’ve been desperate for a yellow or an orange colour to get top billing for a couple of years and my guess for the Color of the Year 2017 was for Primrose Yellow (see my Spring 2017 report). So I’m so pleased to see a vibrant, bright colour leading the way in 2017.
See more about my winning Greenery mood board from the UK Academy of Wedding and Event Planning’s SS17 Pantone® mood board competition from earlier this year.
#COY2017
by Hanami Dream | 19, September, 2016 | blog, trends
It’s almost ironic that as soon as the weather is taking a more autumnal direction that I should start to think about next year’s springtime! Yes, the leaves might be changing colour, there may be conkers on the ground and I have even spotted mince pies in the shops today! But this is the exciting time of year when those lovely folks at Pantone® compile their top ten colours for the following spring.
We are in the throes of London Fashion Week at the moment in the UK, which is hot on the heels of New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The experts at Pantone® watched the colour trends as they happened at NYFW, with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and compiled their top 10 colour fashion report as a result of what they saw on the catwalks. There were about 119 different shows to watch at NYFW so it’s no mean feat for them to record how many people are using variants of colours. Interestingly there were a number of collections that grouped lots of colours together and gave some amazing combinations.
So, after I was left quite disappointed with the Fall 2016 report, I needed something to regain my faith and the Spring 2017 colours have done this in abundance!
Don’t get me wrong they haven’t reinvented the wheel – its a happy evolution from the 2016 Spring colour palette. What is really striking though is the dominance and prevalence of one colour in particular. Blue appears in varying shades, such as Niagara (a denim blue), Lapis Blue (a great navy colour named after a stunning semi precious gemstone) and Island Paradise (a cooling turquoise). These take the 1st, 3rd and 5th spots respectfully on the list and are beautifully relaxing, calming and proving that, according to Pantone®, these colours ‘offer options that are not just typical of seasons’ but a great transition between the seasons.
Plus it’s great to see that the supporting, accent colours are not subtle and withdrawn – its out with pastel and in with party pops of vibrant citrus colours in the form of Primrose Yellow, Flame, Greenery and Pink Yarrow. You’d be forgiven to picture slices of lemon, orange, lime or watermelon adorning glasses of long, cool summer cocktails, enjoyed whilst laying in a hammock on a tropical island paradise.
This palette of ten fresh and vibrant colours brings bright, light and sunny colours to help us get through the next few darker months! The names of the colours also add to the vision of spring flowers popping up with primroses, yarrow, dogtooth and luscious foliage (in the form of Kale). Teamed up nicely with a lovely neutral (Hazelnut) for a real flavour of nature.
There’s still some influence of the 2016 colours of the year and Pale Dogtooth is certainly reminiscent of Rose Quartz.
The top ten colours for Spring 2017 are:
- PANTONE 17-4123 Niagara
- PANTONE 13-0755 Primrose Yellow
- PANTONE 19-4045 Lapis Blue
- PANTONE 17-1462 Flame
- PANTONE 14-4620A Island Paradise
- PANTONE 13-1404 Pale Dogwood
- PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery
- PANTONE 17-2034 Pink Yarrow
- PANTONE 18-0107 Kale
- PANTONE 14-1315 Hazelnut
It’ll be great to see how couples incorporate these colours in to their weddings next spring. If some of the unusual colour combinations from NYFW are anything to go by then we are in for some vibrant and tropical colour partnerships plus perhaps some beautiful blue gemstone décor.
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
I’ve been desperate for a yellow or an orange colour to get top billing for a couple of years and I cross everything that Primrose Yellow (or even Flame) could even be the Colour of the Year in 2017 (or will it be two colours again?!) I can’t wait for the release of the news in December to find out!
by Hanami Dream | 11, February, 2016 | blog, trends
We’ve had a gloriously sunny (albeit a bit chilly) day today. What a welcome change after all the recent wet and windy weather in the UK. Whilst it might still officially be winter, the blossom on the trees and the daffodils certainly think it’s Spring already here! Plus, every day we are gaining 6 more minutes of daylight and it’s not long until the clocks change and then we’re in the home straight to summer! Not that we’re wishing the year away but our thoughts have been drawn to the autumnal months already with the exciting announcement from Pantone® today.
Released to coincide with New York Fashion Week, Pantone® have announced their colour report for Fall 2016 with some more soothing colours following the trend of their predictions for Spring/Summer 2016.
Before you read any further, I want to get across how much of a huge fan of Pantone® I am. Maybe this is why I’m so disappointed and how I feel a bit short changed from this latest report. After the shock of getting two colours of the year in 2016, I was full of anticipation to see what the next big twist would be and what excitement was in store. But I’ve been left a little flat. It seems that half of the ten colours for Fall 2016 are duplicates from the Spring/Summer 2016 predictions. I feel like I’ve seen this before.
Forgive me, but to me the first 5 colours (of Riverside, Airy Blue, Sharkskin, Aurora Red and Warm Taupe) could easily be mistaken for Snorkel Blue, Serenity, Lilac Grey, Fiesta and Iced Coffee announced in the Spring 2016 report.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like these 5 colours, which (with the exception of Aurora Red) are beautifully delicate and calming – perfect for a wedding palette at any time of the year.
In addition, the other five colours are earthy, rich and grounding. They remind me of a fantastic laid back holiday in the autumn sunshine of Marrakech. Exploring the souks, relaxing on the terrace of a riad and looking out at the Atlas Mountains on the horizon as the sun sets. They take in all the varied beauty of Morocco including its coast, the lush valleys, stunning mountains and all the way to the desert. Isn’t it amazing how colour evokes so much feeling and memories as well as a sense of escapism!
The top ten colours for Fall 2016 are:
- Riverside (PANTONE 17-4028)
- Airy Blue (PANTONE 14-4122)
- Sharkskin (PANTONE 17-3914)
- Aurora Red (PANTONE 18-1550)
- Warm Taupe (PANTONE 16-318)
- Dusty Cedar (PANTONE 18-1630)
- Lush Meadow (PANTONE 18-5845)
- Potter’s Clay (PANTONE 18-1340)
- Spicy Mustard (PANTONE 14-0952)
- Bodacious (PANTONE 17-3240)
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
I can’t wait to see these autumnal colours featuring in couples’ colour schemes and personally love the combination of Potter’s Clay, Spicy Mustard and Bodacious for being a bit different.
It’s always great to see fresh new colours and combinations, so this time I guess I’ve been left wanting (and maybe expecting) just a little bit more.
See some of our trend predictions for weddings in 2016.
by Hanami Dream | 16, December, 2015 | blog, trends
Weddings are a wonderful celebration of love and marriage. They can blend together families, traditions, cultures, creativity and lots of personal touches. Whether a religious, civil or humanist ceremony, a traditional or themed reception, these special days are about what is important to each individual couple.
Despite some couples’ originality, there are always trends that appear and popular themes that epitomise a particular era (think puff ball sleeves from the eighties). Sometimes fashion, films, television programmes, interior design, celebrity weddings and even current affairs influence these trends. Of course, there are some timeless and classic themes that never seem to go out of favour, and with the latest film in the Bridget Jones series set for release next year we’re sure the romantic theme will continue to be strong.
So what does 2016 hold for us? Well for one thing, it is a leap year. So will it bring about lots of proposals from women on the 29th February and encourage some excited wedding planning as a result?
It will be a time of revelry as a nation again as the Queen will be celebrating her 90th birthday on 12th June. This could prompt some street party themes using inspiration from the Union Jack colours. Red, white and blue could also be at the forefront of people’s minds with the culmination of the American elections as well.
Plus, let’s hope we’re also able to mark the achievements of our British footballers in the UEFA Euro 2016 finals in France and Spain, as well as our athletes in the Olympics next year. Maybe some sporting themes could become prevalent as a result of these events or perhaps weddings will be inspired by the Rio party atmosphere of the Brazilian venue of the Olympics.
2016 also marks 350 years since the Great Fire of London, 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare, 950 years since the Battle of Hastings and 50 years since England win the football World Cup.
Take a look at our curation of predictions for wedding trends to look out for in 2016 (and see more of our inspiration at pinterest.com/HanamiDream/):
Venue / themes
- Jungle themes could see an increase next year with the CGI live action release of the Jungle Book film. Think subtle animal prints and loads of greenery. Marry this with the excitement of the Rio Olympics and you’ll be transported to the stunning, relaxing and lush green rainforests of Brazil, surrounded by colourful and vibrant décor in greens, blues and gold. A carnival full of samba dancers, exuberant feathers, magnificent masks and energetic music will get everyone joining in!
- Or perhaps a more civilised tea party could be more up your street, inspired by the release of the film, Alice Through The Looking Glass. This is going to be Tim Burton at his best again so think quirky and extravagant details. Afternoon tea with a twist.
- Perhaps a wild west theme complete with cowboys appeals to you – wanted posters, panning for gold and arriving on horseback just like the Magnificent Seven in the 2016 film remake.
- Comic book inspiration comes in the form of new films of Batman v Superman, X-men: Apocalypse, Angry Birds, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Captain America: Civil War. Your inner child can go to town and have colourful, playful fun with this theme or perhaps you want to use more of a hint of the gothic style comic books. Alternative bouquets made of comic pages, mini action figures instead of button holes, secret identity t-shirts under the groomsmen’s shirts, superhero capes for the guests or cartoon invites can bring this theme together.
- Or perhaps, an outdoors medieval banquet would suit your big day in the same vein as the Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur film directed by Guy Ritchie. With floral crowns, moss, wicker and naked cakes in a beautiful castle setting or in a stunning forest or garden.
Décor
- We are so pleased that the metallic trend seems to be still going strong and not showing any signs of tiring just yet. Sequins are a welcome addition to this trend or pair metallics with cool agate for a contemporary feel.
- By contrast, there’s also a uprising of tribal prints with the influence of Moroccan and Indonesian accents. Dark woods, earthy colours and block prints.
- Romantic themes are still using ruffles and the use of ombré colouring on anything you can and for a cute factor there’s good old polka dots.
- Video booths are seeing a surge in popularity as technology continues to move forward and couples are looking for more unique and original ways to capture and remember their big day. However, some are also using their weddings as a chance to have a break from technology and encouraging their guests not to use their phones during the day.
- This old vs new trend continues as some chose to use classic styled furniture brought up to date such as beautifully designed chalk boards whilst others choose modern styling with Perspex chairs and tables.
- Backdrops were the big news of 2015, but next year is all about aisle runners – whether these are printed, a covering of petals or use clever lighting.
- On top of this suspended décor is all the rage – for an industrial chic style with Edison lighting or floral chandeliers in a rustic theme.
Flowers
- Flowers are a big focus in 2016 not only in the décor but with hair accessories and headwear. Plus a new trend of ring corsages is emerging and the use of wild flowers like daisies.
- It doesn’t all have to be about the flowers as foliage will be as important or instead of flowers in displays.
- Alternatives to traditional flowers are seeing the use of succulents in bouquets, on tables and given away as favours.
- Plus instead of the usual confetti, there is now a herb toss as another option which gives such lovely aromas to this part of the day.
Clothing
- Bridal wear is really seeing a big shift in trends to provide new, innovative and unusual styles to make sure the bride makes a statement and is different to any other on her big day. Trends that appearing on the catwalks (that will surely influence trends next year) include: mix & match separates, crop tops, high necklines, off the shoulder, asymmetric hems, backless dresses and plunging v necks on the back.
- For the more daring and alternative bride perhaps try fringing, jumpsuits, palazzo pants, peakaboo skirt or even a cape.
- Rather than a plain dress, some brides are opting for a floral one or even camo print (which is starting to be really popular in the US – not necessarily in classic hunting camo but how about a pink or snow camo, or try accessorising the traditional camo with orange accents).
- Not ready for this kind of statement just yet, then perhaps you can go the extra mile with your footwear. Perhaps using your shoes to highlight the colour of the day or to write your feelings on the soles so everyone can see when you kneel at the alter!
- For the men, it’s all about smartening up next year – go the whole hog with a tuxedo.
Colours
- The Pantone® Color of the Year 2016 will certainly play a big part in influencing colours next year. And next year we get two colours for the price of one in the form of Rose Quartz and Serenity. It’s the first time Pantone® have ever announced two colours and a long time since a pastel colour has hit the top spot. They are a nice calm change to the recent bold jewel colours of the last ten years. We can already see these colours featuring singly in couples’ colour schemes and look forward to seeing people using them in tandem too. There certainly won’t be a shortage of choices for your ‘something blue’!
- So pastels will be big next year and play a big part in the use of non-traditional colours for the wedding dress becoming more popular.
- We predict that there will be more mix and match styling with the bridesmaids – either with different styles in one colour or bridesmaids’ dresses using different colours that all tone in together.
- We look forward to seeing more dark blues, silver, mocha and terracotta.
Cakes & catering
- There’s nothing we like more than cake but next year will see a few alternatives coming to the fire front. Firstly some couples will be using their cake as the pudding so it might not take a tradition guise instead it might be a cheesecake or pancake stack.
- Also making an appearance with be the cake fake – all the style and presence but not actually a cake. Welcome the pork pie stack, cheese ‘cakes’, or three tiers of quiche.
- If it is a real cake then look out for mixed shapes tiers and more ‘free from‘ varieties making an appearance.
- Above everything food will be theatrical in 2016 and take centre stage – we can’t wait for more champagne towers to join the revival!
These are a few of our predictions for wedding trends in 2016. See more of our curation and inspiration at pinterest.com/HanamiDream/
May we take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
by Hanami Dream | 3, December, 2015 | blog, trends
The Pantone® Color of the Year 2016 is Rose Quartz AND Serenity. Yes, we get two colours for the price of one next year. It’s the first time Pantone® have ever announced two colours and a long time since a pastel colour has hit the top spot. They are a nice calm change to the recent bold jewel colours of the last ten years. We can already see these colours featuring singly in couples’ colour schemes and look forward to seeing people using them in tandem too.
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
Our guess for the Color of the Year 2016 was for Peach Echo, Buttercup or a great neutral colour like Iced Coffee. However we we didn’t see two colours coming! Nor a pastel colour. What we have got is something more relaxing and more choice.
by Hanami Dream | 29, September, 2015 | blog, trends
At this time of year Spring seems a long way off – we’ve just entered the Autumn Equinox, the leaves are changing colour, nights are drawing in and the mornings are bitterly cold (thankfully we’ve had some lovely sunny days though!).
However those lovely folks at Pantone® have just announced their colour report for Spring 2016, released to coincide with New York Fashion Week. And this palette of ten fresh and vibrant colours gives us hope for the Spring time when everything will come back to life again.
The colours seem full of sunshine and are really vibrant rather than just subtle pastels. There seems a real cohesion and they blend together in harmony. There’s not a colour that jars amongst them and we can already imagine some nifty colour partnerships amongst them.
We love the combination of the navy Snorkel Blue, yellow Buttercup and aqua Limpet Shell which transports us right to a tropical beach in the summer time – representing the sky, sand and sea respectively. Which is just the desired outcome by the Pantone Color Institute™ who say that ‘Colors this season transport us to a happier, sunnier place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves.’
These colours are intended to be calming, soothing, relaxing and have a sense of escapism. This is a chilled out vacation in Cuba with days spent relaxing by the sea and nights full of fiestas.
The top ten colours for Spring 2016 are:
- PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz
- PANTONE 16-1548 Peach Echo
- PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity
- PANTONE 19-4049 Snorkel Blue
- PANTONE 12-0752 Buttercup
- PANTONE 13-4810 Limpet Shell
- PANTONE 16-3905 Lilac Gray
- PANTONE 17-1564 Fiesta
- PANTONE 15-1040 Iced Coffee
- PANTONE 15-0146 Green Flash
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
We wait with baited breath for the release of the 2016 news. Could it be the turn of an orange colour to be the Color of the Year such as Peach Echo? Or perhaps a strong neutral like Iced Coffee that will blend with Spring as well as Fall colours? Or our particular favourite is Buttercup. Let’s wait for December to find out!
by Hanami Dream | 13, February, 2015 | blog, trends
Released to coincide with New York Fashion Week, Pantone® have announced their colour report for Fall 2015. Titled ‘Evolving Color Landscape’, this autumn’s colours are a nice mix of earthy neutrals with some statement pops of colour.
- Dried Herb
- Desert Sage
- Stormy Weather
- Oak Buff
- Marsala
- Biscay Bay
- Reflecting Pond
- Cadmium Orange
- Cashmere Rose
- Amethyst Orchid
Pantone® is the world-renowned authority on colour and the Pantone® Color of the Year is always really influential in any popular colour themes in fashion, interior design and weddings.
For us, Marsala (the Pantone® Color of the Year 2015) sits much better with these earthy tones than the pastels of Spring 2015. It looks like Marsala is totally at home with these natural colours, complimenting but standing out proudly.
We also love the rich teal colour of Biscay Bay and can’t wait to see it and these autumnal colours featuring in couples’ colour schemes.
See some of our trend predictions for weddings in 2015.
