Grooms’ Trends For 2018

As a groom, you want to rock this upcoming wedding. In 2018, it’s not all about the bride’s style— grooms have plenty of opportunities to showcase their personal style as well. Check out some hot groom trends for outfits, accessories, and more. Whether you’re enjoying an outdoor garden wedding or a delightful indoor reception, you can look your best and enjoy your special day.  

A Shot of Color 

Gone are the days when a black tuxedo was your only option. Sure, it’s still a classy, elegant choice; but this year, you can shake things up when it comes to your formalwear. Weddings in late 2017 and early 2018 show grooms embracing a love of bold colors. Think burgundy, bright blue, shades of pink or hunter green, or vivid purple.  

Color Blocking 

Take the idea of a colored tuxedo a step further! Modern grooms are opting to color-block their tuxes and suits instead of sticking with the traditional monochromatic look. If you want to try this, we suggest a dark pant with a lighter colored jacket. Combinations like purple vests and gray pants, blue pants with an apricot jacket, or black pants with a burgundy jacket could work well, as long as they’re part of your existing wedding color palette.  

A Slim Cut 

The skinny pants trend continues, coming onto the bridal scene in the form of slim-cut suits and tuxes for grooms. No matter what your size or shape may be, it’s advisable to get your suit tailored. A well-fitting jacket, cut perfectly through the shoulders and chest, is timelessly sexy. Your tailor can also help you find the right size and fit for your tapered, skinny trousers. Just make sure that you’ve got enough flexibility and comfort to cut loose with your dance moves at the reception.  

Unique Boutonnieres 

The groom’s boutonniere is usually a tiny, edited version of the bride’s bouquet, pinned to his lapel. However, you can take some liberties with the traditional boutonniere by incorporating special elements that speak to your personality or accomplishments. Shells, corks, medals, ribbons, burlap, berries, succulents, herbs, and foliage are all options when it comes to 2018’s boutonniere designs.  

Textures 

Textures are a big deal for groom trends this year. Go all out with a brocade jacket, or keep it subtle with a velvet bow tie. If you’re not into brocade or velvet, try linen, seersucker, tweed, or corduroy. For a summer wedding, look for breathable or moisture-wicking fabrics. If it’s a fall or winter wedding, try something thicker and warmer, possibly with a lining.  

Accessories and Extra Touches 

Want to stand out from your lineup of groomsmen? Grooms in 2018 are letting their personalities show with a variety of accessories and style choices. Choose a unique tie in a bold print or pattern, wear a different colored suit from the rest of the wedding party, or tuck a brightly colored pocket square into your jacket. Add quirky socks, vintage cufflinks, high-end sneakers, or retro wingtips to your ensemble to help you stand out and express yourself on the big day! 

Remember, the wedding is a joint effort, so be sure to coordinate all your style choices with the help of your partner! If you need additional advice or suggestions for your wedding, feel free to consult with the experts at Nanina’s in the Park. Our experienced wedding staff and event coordinators will be happy to advise you about ways to stay up with groom trends and make your celebration special.  

The Benefits Of A Garden Wedding

Are you looking for a wedding space that allows you more flexibility, the chance to go all-out with decor, or an opportunity to save money? The answer to any or all of those needs could be a garden wedding! Discover multiple benefits of a garden wedding, especially one held on the gorgeous grounds of Nanina’s in the Park. An exquisite outdoor space like ours may be the ideal solution to your wedding wishes. 

Expand Your Guest List for the Garden Wedding 

An outdoor space naturally gives you more flexibility for accommodating your guests. If more people show up than you planned on, you can easily find room for them to enjoy the festivities; and with the open sky overhead, the space won’t feel crowded.  

Save Money on Flowers and Wedding Decor 

From a financial perspective, it makes sense to have a wedding ceremony outdoors in a garden, where the natural beauty needs little to no improvement. With gorgeous foliage, flowers, and plants all around, you won’t need to spend as much money on greenery, blooms, and decor— unless you want to! It’s a great option if you want to streamline the floral budget.  

Create a Luxurious Garden Wedding Experience 

Of course, a garden wedding is just as wonderful when you’re designing an over-the-top wedding experience. The outdoor venue already provides much of the beauty you’re looking for, so it’s that much easier to be extravagant with gorgeous floral arches, big centerpieces, overflowing bouquets, and extra arrangements to create the romantic luxury you want.  

Find the Perfect Photo Opportunity 

A garden wedding often lends itself to especially beautiful photo opportunities. The natural light, the interplay of sun and shade, the fresh green of trees and grass— it can all come together to yield some incredible photos. Plus, many gardens include water elements and special features, like the lovely bridge in the gardens at Nanina’s in the Park.  

Enjoy the Same Venue for Ceremony and Reception 

No need to arrange for everyone to leave the ceremony venue and drive over to a different reception venue! With an outdoor wedding venue such as a garden, you typically have the convenience of holding the ceremony and reception at the same location. Depending on how you decide to use the venue grounds, the guests may have a short walk to the ceremony— but it will be a delight, as they’ll get to examine the gorgeous setting more closely and take their own photos.  

Plan a Memorable Getaway 

The garden setting and beautiful grounds of your venue are the perfect backdrop as you make your getaway to a new life together! Add twinkle lights or lanterns along the walkway for a romantic and magical atmosphere; or have your guests pull out sparklers to light your path to the car. Colorful streamers or bubbles also fit in well as getaway accents for a garden-themed wedding.  

Sure, the weather can be a worry, but with the help of experienced planners at Nanina’s in the Park, you can arrange a Plan B in case of rain. Contact Nanina’s in the Park to find out how you can plan your own garden wedding.  

Wedding Cake Alternatives

Modern weddings are all about giving old traditions a new twist— making them more fun, more personal, or more elegant. If the idea of a standard wedding cake doesn’t appeal to you, there’s no reason to stick with it! Check out these wedding cake alternatives and find inspiration for your own celebratory wedding dessert.  

Petit Fours 

Petit fours are bite-sized perfection, so why not substitute them for the traditional cake at your wedding? Ask your baker or confectionary vendor what types of petit fours they can create, and choose some that complement the color palette and decor style of your wedding. Petit fours topped with miniature edible flowers are especially charming.  

Cheese and Fruit 

In Europe, a cheese plate is sometimes served in lieu of dessert. You can incorporate the same idea at your wedding reception; at an elegant venue like Nanina’s in the Park, this Continental touch feels very à propos. Serve large wheels of cheese or samples of specialty varieties like Stilton, Brillat Savarin, aged cheddar, Gouda, Pecorino Folgie di Nocci, Comté, or Roquefort. Toasted almonds or walnuts, grapes, marmalade, figs, rose confit jelly, or pears often pair well with dessert cheeses.  

Visit https://www.naninasinthepark.com/2018/04/10/wedding-cake-alternatives/ for more information.

How Early Should You Pack For Your Honeymoon?

One of the fun parts of getting married is the vacation that follows the big day! Maybe you want to begin packing for your honeymoon right away; or perhaps you’re more of a last-minute traveler who will be stuffing the last items into your suitcase as you drive away from the wedding venue. How early should you pack for your honeymoon? Find out which items need to be prepped months in advance and which ones can wait until right before your wedding day.  

For more information visit:

https://www.naninasinthepark.com/2018/04/03/how-early-should-you-pack-for-your-honeymoon/

Creative Table Accents For Your Wedding

When it comes to reception table decor at your wedding venue, you probably think of the centerpieces as the primary element— but there’s more to table decor than your flower arrangements! The accents you include with the centerpieces can take your decor up a few notches, from just “nice” to “amazing!” Discover some add-on options to give the tables at your reception venue that picturesque look.  

Table Runners for the Reception 

Never underestimate the power of a gorgeous pattern or a luxurious solid-colored textile. Choose material in a quirky print, a pretty pattern, or a rich solid hue and use that fabric as table runners, cloth napkins, placemats, or the surface for your centerpieces.  

You may even choose to go all out with fabric in multiple textures and coordinating colors. Just remember, if you’re having a spring or summer wedding, keep the fabric lighter in weight or in color, so you don’t end up with the “cozy” look that’s more appropriate for a cold-weather wedding.  

Try lace table runners for a romantic wedding or sequined cloth to jazz up the look. If you’re not a fabric fan, paper table runners could work instead. Opt for a bold, of-the-moment pattern— for instance, thick black and white stripes are hot right now. 

Learn more at https://www.naninasinthepark.com/2018/03/15/creative-table-accents-wedding/

Creative Spring And Summer Bouquets

After the long, cold days of winter, it’s so refreshing to see green leaves and green grass again! If you’re planning a spring or summer wedding, communicate that sense of relief, joy, and growth through the bouquets you design for your big day. Explore some ideas for creative spring and summer bouquets for your upcoming warm-weather wedding.  

Free-Form Wedding Bouquets 

Instead of neatly formed, perfectly shaped bouquets, brides in 2018 are breaking out of the box. Free-form bouquets have been trending for a couple of years, and the trend will only grow stronger this spring and summer. Bouquets with an artful disarray or careless charm are much in demand, so talk to your florist about selecting a lush bouquet with plenty of overflowing flowers and foliage.  

Learn more at https://www.naninasinthepark.com/2018/03/08/creative-spring-summer-bouquets/

How To Customize Wedding Traditions

While it’s comforting to have some traditions in place on your wedding day, the event should reflect you and your special someone— so it’s okay to shake things up a bit. It’s 2018, after all— time to freshen up those wedding traditions and make them personal! Get some inspiration and glean some ideas for customizing wedding traditions on your special day.  

Changing Your Entrance 

For the bride, the traditional entrance involves a slow walk down the aisle on the arm of her father. However, there are other ways to make a memorable entrance at your wedding! You can dance down the aisle, come into the room from an unexpected direction, or walk down with both of your parents or with another significant family member. For the royal wedding, Meghan Markle will be walking down the aisle with her mother as well as her father. To make the entrance even more personal, choose an unusual piece of music that’s special to you, rather than the traditional wedding march or Pachelbel’s Canon in D.  

Shaking Up the Seating Arrangements 

Usually, the bride’s family and guests sit on one side of the space and the groom’s family and guests sit on the other. Instead of separating the two, you could allow everyone to mingle and sit wherever they like. Instead of a center aisle, consider having multiple aisles or arranging the seats in a unique way— perhaps in a spiral or in small groups. Your wedding coordinator at Nanina’s in the Park may have some ideas about how to create a practical yet personalized layout for the ceremony space.  

Customizing the Ceremony 

Instead of reciting the traditional wedding vows, you can write your own vows to each other. It’s a more heartfelt way to express your love and commitment before your guests. You could also write up a portion of your love story and have the officiant read it during the ceremony. Keep it short and sweet, telling the tale of your first meeting, your engagement, or some other significant part of your relationship.  

Selecting a Different Kind of Officiant 

The officiant doesn’t have to be someone you hired for the occasion. You can use a minister or religious leader if you like, but you could just as easily recruit a friend or relative to do the honors. Choose someone with a close relationship to both of you— maybe the friend who introduced you, one of your parents, or someone else who was influential in your lives. 

Telling a Story in the Program 

In the program for the ceremony, include personal passages, such as a poem, a bit of your story, or the lyrics of a song that is meaningful to both of you. You could include some facts or trivia as well, such as how many days you’ve been together, how many trips you’ve taken, or the date that you first expressed your love or got engaged.  

Check website for more information: https://www.naninasinthepark.com/2018/03/01/customize-wedding-traditions/