What’s in and What’s out for 2014 Weddings

Eileen Benson, owner of Bridal Consulting by Eileen, says today’s couples are celebrating their wedding in their own way.

Gone are the days of huge guest lists, she says, with most couples keeping their numbers under 200. And rather than hauling out tons of bridal magazines for the couples to peruse, Benson says many of her clients have brought her ideas they found on Pinterest, and she’s adapted them to suit their needs and their budget.

Benson says brides- and grooms-to-be are now focusing on the comfort of their guests and creating lounge areas for guests to enjoy during the reception. Rather than purchasing costly favors and ice sculptures, they’re hiring lighting experts to spotlight centerpieces, project the couple’s new monogram on the dance floor or use gobo templates to create light patterns on the venue’s walls or ceiling.

Overhead photographs and videos of the ceremony and reception can now be captured using an aerial drone camera, and tech-savvy couples are creating wedding websites that include every detail, from a schedule and who’s who bio of each person in the wedding party, to hotel directions and their gift registry. [Editor’s Note: How about a link to Akron Life’s Agenda calendar of events or Good Eats restaurant guide for out-of-town guests?]

Guests who can’t dance or are “still single” won’t have to suffer through the obligatory bridal party dance and the garter/bouquet toss. Now, couples are choosing a simple mother/son dance or father/daughter dance — or, if the bridal party has plenty of rhythm (and a lack of inhibitions), they’re surprising their guests with a rehearsed flash mob dance.

Rather than asking attendees to sign a guest book, several of Benson’s clients have purchased postcards featuring places meaningful to the couple: the college town where they met or a city they visited together. During the reception, guests fill out the cards, and when the couple returns from their honeymoon, their parents mail out the postcards five or 10 at a time so the newlyweds continue to get well-wishes from their family and friends.

And, of course, the growing popularity of food trucks has made its way into the wedding arena. Benson says many couples hire a food truck to stop by the reception and provide late-night snacks for guests who have been dancing and enjoying the open bar.

/ Managing editor Abby Cymerman can vouch for Eileen Benson’s expertise and know-how. Eileen helped plan her wedding 11 years ago.