Seventeen years ago, PoconoWeddings.com debuted as the only wedding Web magazine and planning source geared solely towards couples getting married in the Poconos and surrounding regions. The changes in the wedding industry during those years have been unparalleled. The internet has been a game-changer for the wedding industry, and we are proud to have been part of this revolution from the beginning.
There are countless themes, ideas and trends — and they are only a click away on blogs, Websites or Pinterest.
The biggest trend is “anything goes”! That’s right. Couples not only feel it is OK to have their wedding their way, they have embraced it wholeheartedly. And why not? This is a celebration of you, the couple.
Being mindful of family members and guests is also a characteristic of weddings, now more than ever. Traditions involving family members are showcased. Gift bags for weekend guests and events to entertain during the stay are common. Comfort items, such as parasols, Pashminas and flip flops are made available during weddings and receptions.
In some areas of the industry, we are seeing brand new options, while in others, old is new again. During our fifteen year run, we have seen wedding cakes go from white-on-white buttercream icing to elaborate fondant creations to the simplicity of cupcake towers. The most recent trend is naked cakes. These cakes are the anti- fondant. They are made of layers of cake with icing or fruit between layers, but no icing around the outside. This exposes the inner workings of the cake to a beautiful effect. Another new trends are beautiful hand painted cakes.
In the late 1990’s bow ties and cumberbunds had run their course for mens’ fashion. The current look was a tie or ascot with a vest. Well, the bowtie is back with a vengeance. Whether it was Matt Smith’s Doctor Who, Bill Nye or the Mad Men influence, bowties showing up on the red carpet a few years ago. What started as a retro wedding look has evolved into a staple for the bridal party.
DJ’s have had their challenges over the past 17 years. Entertainment can make or break a reception. It is the DJ’s responsibility to create the mood and keep the party atmosphere going. Bands have this responsibility also. The introduction of the i-pod gave couples an inexpensive alternative to the DJ, resulting in an economic rough patch for these wedding professionals. This trend did not last long, as couples realized there was no substitute for a ringleader to get the crowd going. In the meantime, many DJ’s expanded their repertoire of services. From mood lighting to photo booths, they offer additional ideas to accentuate your theme.
When PoconoWeddings.com debuted, photographers still used film! OK, technically digital cameras existed, but were not widely used. Within a few years, that changed. Today’s couples are fortunate to have digital photos available to them. As recently as 10 years ago, wedding photographer packages were much more limited than they are today. The bride and groom received a predetermined number of hard-copy proofs. From those, you chose which photos you wanted to buy or include in an album. The quantity, quality and variety of digital shots photographers are able to supply couples is a vast improvement.
Lastly, and nearest and dearest to my heart, is the flow of floral trends. As we approached the new millennium, cascades were still popular, leftover from their 80’s hey day. At the same time Martha Stewart had made the hand tied bouquet the newest trend. Generally these bouquets were pretty compact and full of blooms. Martha’s magazines and other similar publications educated the bride on flower types, “in season” flowers and styles. As the Web became more accessible and sites more prolific , couple had access to more and more pictures, culminating in the universe we have today that includes Pinterest.
As more information became available, my brides went from needing a lot of guidance to arriving at consultations with or e-mailing me picture of their desired bouquets. Couples have become very knowledgeable and flower-savvy. This has given them the confidence to , as I mentioned earlier, do it their way. While most brides still want hand-tied designs, they are now often looser, with a gardeny look. Some brides are going back to a cascade; some long and flowing; some with mild cascades.
In 2015, I started seeing a backlash to the rigid choices of flowers and styles that brides had been favoring. More recently, couples have seemed to relax control. They bring pictures to give me an idea of their style, but then tell me to “do something with the same feel” or “do something in the same color scheme”. This hands-off approach, is not for all couples. In all facets of wedding planning, know your options, pick your style and then make it your own. A wedding in the Poconos is the perfect place to do it!