Favorite Wedding Trends of 2011

With the new year steadily approaching (5 days and counting!), I want to honor 2011 for all the wonderful and lovely trends and styles it contributed to the wedding world.

1: Tea Length Dresses

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Drawing inspiration from the tea length dresses found in AMC's Mad Men, bridal designers have increasingly been featuring tea length styles in their collections. Tea length dresses are perfect for the bride looking for something non-traditional, yet elegant and feminine. Not only are the shorter lengths charming and cute, but they're functional: tea length dresses easily let the bride dance the night away or help create a dainty and graceful feel to an outdoor garden wedding.

2: Delicate and Airy Fabrics
Many designers are beginning to rely on using light and airy fabrics such as organza and chiffon in their dresses. The delicate flow and airy appearance of these fabrics make them perfect in creating sheath dresses, such as those inspired by the Greek goddess of love- Aphrodite. These fabrics are great for brides who want a more delicate look for their wedding dress, or who are worried about getting too hot or feeling overwhelmed in a bigger dress with heavier fabrics.

3: Cake Pops

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So long cupcakes... hello cake pops! In 2011, many brides forewent the cupcake trend and instead featured a new take on cake: the cake pop. Cute, playful and easily customized and decorated, cake pops are a great way to add some beautiful details to your dessert table. And the best part...? Making these things from home are a piece of cake! Brides who are looking for a great DIY project for their wedding can easily turn to these delicate desserts.

4: Dessert Bars

While candy bars will always be whimsical and cute, brides in 2011 have decided to feature something with a more homey and relaxed feel: dessert bars. Often filled with decadent desserts such as brownies, pies, s'mores or more, dessert bars are a simple way to offer guests some sugary treats other than cakes. Similar to cake pops, dessert bars give the bride a chance to show her baking prowess, or to show off some of the couple's favorite treats from a local bakery. 

5: Food Trucks

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Brides wishing to provide their guests a new catering experience, or some delicious- yet cheap- late-night snacks have started to turn to food trucks. Food trucks, or carts (as pictured above), are often capable of providing food to many people in a short amount of time. Ranging from large trucks that serve burgers or dumplings to small carts that sell ice cream or donuts, food trucks can be found to suit any bride's need and fit any wedding environment.

6: Green Weddings
With the younger generation being raised in a more eco-friendly world, it is no surprise that many weddings in 2011 had some sort of focus on being green.  Whether it's by giving seeds as wedding favors, using invitations made from recycled paper or just focusing on introducing natural, eco-friendly products, couples have found some creative, and quite charming, ways to add a earth-loving attitude to their weddings.