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BellaNaija Weddings presents 13 Fabulous Wedding Trends for 2013
Yipee, we have started BN Weddings off with a bang this year and we fully intend to keep up the pace. I have created our list of 13 Fabulous Wedding Trends for 2013.
BellaNaija Weddings presents 13 Fabulous Wedding Trends for 2013
Enjoy!
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Extraordinary Bouquets
A huge part of a bride’s look is her bouquet! For 2013, we anticipate unique bouquets being chosen by brides all over Africa. Brides will choose unique flowers such as Peonies, Calla Lilies and more. We also envision brides experimenting with unique presentations and shapes. Tolu Ijogun‘s arm sheaf bouquet was so beautiful while Funke Kuku‘s pearl adorned pomander bouquet was a showstopper and Bukki David-Onamusi‘s Victorian-inspired yellow rose fan bouquet was an elegant bridal statement. We also expect more brides to incorporate jewels and brooches into their bouquets, this is a great idea as brooch bouquets are great keepsakes that you can hold on to for a lifetime.
Funke Kuku’s pearl adorned pomander bouquet (by Ali Bakhtiar Designs)
Tolu Ijogun’s arm sheaf bouquet (by Newton & David)
Bukki David-Onamusi’s Victorian-inspired Fan Bouquet (by BDO Dreams)
White for the Groom
When done right, a groom in white defines sophistication (think Roger Moore as James Bond!). In 2013, we will see more and more grooms opt for the white tuxedo jacket. Please note that this is a trend that can easily go WRONG. Stay clear of bright white – off-white/ivory works much better, a white jacket is more than enough – no need for an all-white look. Faith and Kenny‘s wedding was really a stunning affair. The bride looked gorgeous and groom in luxe white was truly dapper.
DIY! Yes, YOU Can Do-It-Yourself
The internet has so many amazing resources for brides and grooms. You will be surprised by the amazing wedding favours, centrepieces and much more that you can create yourself. Beautiful bride Molade got married in Chicago last year. For her wedding, she made her stunning mantilla veil, aisle runner for church, escort cards for guests and reception centrepieces as well. I was a bridesmaid and I can assure you that it was fabulous.
Popular wedding websites StyleMePretty and WeddingBee are amazing resources for DIY brides and grooms.
You can check out a preview of Molade’s wedding via the Alakija Photography Blog.
Two Sides of the Beauty Coin | Au Naturel & Popping in Red
One of my guilty pleasures is looking through bridal makeover photos. You know those photos that show the amazing before and after transformations of brides? Yup!
For 2013, we will see a rise in the 2 sides of the beauty coin for brides. What do I mean? Our leading makeup artist friends tell us that many brides are requesting for the fresh au naturel look. That look that defines effortless beauty while on the other side, brides are getting bolder and want the va va voom effect on their wedding day with bold red lips as well.
Check out inspiration below!
Seun Adepoju’s Makeup by Banke Meshida-Lawal | Nicole Chikwe’s Makeup by Bimpe Onakoya
Dami Sosan’s gorgeous red wedding look by Dainty Affairs
Details! Logos and much more
Yes o! It’s all about the details in 2013. Couples will be “branding” their weddings like never before and will also be paying specific attention to all the special details on their big day.
The internet comes into play once again as it provides you with easy access to many templates for logos. Your wedding logo can be used for your decor, invitation, gifts, favours etc…Some couples even create a special wedding brand such as the popular #KO2012 for Kunbi & Olamide‘s Orlando Wedding with its supercute illustration of the couple {Click}. Also see recent BN couple Aisha and Ibrahim‘s use of their wedding logo for wedding decor including their seating area and dance floor. {Click for More}
#KO2012
Aisha & Ibrahim
The Bride in Couture
It’s no surprise that “Say Yes to the Dress” is one of the most popular shows on TLC Network in Africa. For many brides, it is all about the dress! In 2013, we anticipate more brides rocking bridal couture – Elie Saab, Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Marchesa and more. Taking inspiration from the mainstream runways and Hollywood red carpet to create that glam bridal look.
See inspiration from Folake Aluko‘s wedding, her Monique Lhuillier dress was uber glam and mirrored the dress which got Mandy Moore on various Oscar best dressed lists!
By Invitation Only – Smaller…More Intimate Weddings
This is definitely a trend that I’m excited about. As you know, in Nigeria and many parts of Africa, your wedding is “NOT just about you and your boo“, it is a family affair! You know what that means…a VERY long guest list!
A huge wedding raises quite a number of issues from cost to organization and the loss of that intimate ambience. A “small” wedding is not an easy feat to pull off but a good approach is to allow your parents and in-laws have the traditional wedding/engagement their way and then a by-invitation-only white wedding. You can also crunch the numbers and show your parents (if they are paying) how much they will be saving as well.
For inspiration, check out Ori & Nafisa’s super glam intimate wedding in Lagos via Dotun’s blog.
Also see photos below from Tamilore Kuboye and Joseph Jatto‘s rustic chic lawn wedding. Photos by DuduGuy.
Whisked Away! Destination Weddings
There was a huge rise in the number of Nigerians opting for the destination wedding option in 2012 and we expect even bigger spikes in 2013! A destination wedding has a certain exotic appeal. The thought of getting married in an idyllic or historic location is certainly dreamy. It is also a way of ensuring that guest numbers are minimized as well. Superstar musician 2Face Idibia and his wife Annie are set to celebrate their nuptials abroad this year and many others are opting for this choice.
When many people hear the words “destination wedding”, they instantly think EXPENSIVE. That isn’t always the case. There are destination weddings for every budget. Keeping guest numbers small will go a long way in ensuring that your destination wedding stays on track with your budget. Seyi Olusanya of Once Upon a Destination, a company which specializes in dream destination weddings tells BN Weddings that “creating an amazing destination wedding experience involves careful planning and meticulous attention to detail, start planning early, be clear about your budget and speak to a destination wedding planner to advise on where best to allocate your money to achieve the most memorable experience for you and your guests.“
For inspiration, check out Stephanie & Linus’ Paris wedding and Amaka & Yomi’s luxe London wedding at the Four Seasons Mayfair.
Stunning in Paris
Luxe in London
Next Level Wedding Photography & Cinematography
2013 is the year that we say GOODBYE to bad wedding photography and take the trend of amazing wedding photography to the next level. There are so many great photographers for every single price range. Please browse through BN Weddings, select your preferred style of photography and contact the photographer. We also anticipate couples experimenting a bit more for their pre-wedding shoots, brides trying boudoir (translation – sexy for your hubby) photography, day-after photography sessions and more.
As you know, we introduced “BN Weddings – Video” in 2012 and we expect to feature more amazing wedding videos in 2013. Brides and grooms will go beyond getting anyone with a camera to shoot their wedding instead there will be a focus on creativity and quality of the wedding films. Here is one of our favorite wedding films of all time! It’s an international wedding but something everyone can appreciate.
Unexpected Hues & Textures for Traditional Weddings/Engagement
2013 is the year to experiment with colours especially for traditional wedding/engagement ceremonies. We saw a lot of brides and grooms play it safe with champagne, gold and silver in 2012 but we anticipate a re-emergence of bright and beautiful colours in 2013. Expect unusual colour combinations for aso ebi and even more complex colour descriptions a la midday sunshine yellow, deepsea green, Louis Vuitton brown and GTBank Orange 🙂
Let’s not forget unique textures such as velvet and sequins.
Check out inspiration from Funke Adepoju’s traditional engagement below.
Something Different for the 2nd Look for the Bride & the Groom
Yay, BN Weddings predicted the rise of the “2nd Dress” and in 2012, a huge chunk of brides bought into this trend. What we noticed was that brides were wearing 2 (traditional) wedding dresses. For 2013, we anticipate that brides will be a little bit more playful with their 2nd look by using different colours instead of traditional white and playing around with shorter lengths as well.
The men do not want to be left out and grooms will be getting in on the action as well. I recently saw a photo of a groom who changed into a Michael Jackson inspired look…so anything is possible!
Check out Samira’s red sequined look {Click} and Uduak’s jewelled look {Click} for inspiration.
Samira & Musty’s Wedding Dinner
Uduak & Tope’s Wedding
Glamorous Bridesmaids & Groomsmen
2013 is not the year from you to not dull your friends! They have bought aso ebi, paid for your bridal shower/bachelor’s party, perhaps even travelled from their home base for your wedding and then paid for their outfit – brides and grooms in 2013 will ensure that their bridal train looks fabulous.
Check out inspiration from Makashe Ibru and Kayode Awogboro‘s wedding {click}
The Element of Surprise
Now for the final wedding trend of 2013, “the element of surprise“! Yes, you are getting married, it’s your special day. Everything is ready and set to go. Forget cookie cutter and don’t forget to incorporate something special that is so unapologetically YOU! No I am not talking about getting Beyonce to perform at your wedding (though that would be totally AWESOME!), what I mean is a pleasant surprise for your guests that represents you. Maybe a duet by you and your spouse, maybe a dance performance by you and your friends. The element of surprise could also be doing something fresh and special for your guests. Check out what Lola and Wale did at their wedding! Flipflops for their friends so they could dance the night away.
Photography by Dotun Ayodeji, see more via Lola & Wale’s Blog
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So which trend will you be trying out for your big day? Let us know what you love!
Remember, a wedding is an event and marriage is for a lifetime!
Besos, Uche
Photo Credit: Atunbi Photography | BellaNaija | Photonimi | BMPro | NotesonaWedding | David Pullam | DuduGuy | Dotun Photography | Peter Rear for Filmotography | Dimeji | Shollots Studio | Seyi Charles George | Wale Ariztos | Jide Alakija Photography | Instagram | Getty Images | Ian Holmes Photography
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Get in touch! weddings (at) bellanaija.com
Will also be happy to answer any wedding related questions (especially related to the trends discussed in this post) in the comments section
