British Wedding Trends for American Brides

If 2012’s weddings were anything to go by, American brides take a lot of influence from British wedding trends. However, while 2012 was a year of emulating Kate Middleton’s classic white lace style, 2013 and 2014 are going to be a shift away from it.

According to the Daily Mail, this year’s British weddings are influenced by My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. With big gowns, and over the top styles, British brides are also opting for purple as the go-to dress color. The color is also popular with celebrity brides, such as Dita Von Teese.

What’s more, this year’s British weddings are also seeing grooms pay a lot more attention to their appearance. Many are dieting before the big day, with a quarter also opting for botox to look their best. They are also investing in whiter teeth before their weddings, with as many as 90% of British grooms having a whitening process or veneers as part of their wedding preparation.

So can we expect the same trends to land on American shores over the next year? Quite possibly. More American brides are also opting away from the white dress and traditional styles influenced by the Royal Wedding for this year’s wedding season.

To find out more about all of the coming year's best wedding trends, come to one of our bridal shows!

What's Your Wedding Budget?

Setting a wedding budget is an important part of wedding planning. Knowing what you have to spend will help you decide which dress to wear, what venue to book, and what menu to serve. Sticking to your wedding budget can be a challenge, but one that every bride should take seriously.

According to the Real Weddings Study, published by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, the average wedding budget has gone up for the second year in a row. Southern California ranks in the most expensive places to get married, according to the survey of over 17,500 brides. While the national average is around $28,000, a Southern California wedding is $33,000 to $35,000, on average.

Knowing your budget can actually make wedding planning easier, and certainly save you from a few heartaches. For instance, if you know your dress budget is $1,211, the national average, you can steer clear of the gowns with a $5,000 price tag.

Of course, whatever your wedding budget, getting your planning done early can save you time and money. When you come to a Bridal Showplace wedding show, you can meet all the vendors you'll need. It's also a great day out, so get your tickets for the next show!

The World's Most Expensive Wedding Cake

This week, a British jeweler unveiled the world's most expensive wedding cake. With a price tag of $50 million, it more than doubled the past holder of the title.

The cake, which will be on display at the National Gay Wedding Show in Liverpool, England, includes over 2,000 diamonds.

While most brides think about how many carats their ring is, this cake sparkles with 2,046 carats. The creators, Russell and Case, are based in Liverpool. They worked with CAKE, a bakery in nearby Chester, to bring their vision to life.

With such a high price tag attached to the cake, it's not likely to be the centerpiece at many weddings this year. If you're looking for a more reasonably priced, though certainly still fantastic, wedding cake, check out the bakeries in our exhibitor directory.

Of course, if you want to have an even better way of meeting bakeries, come to one of our upcoming shows. There, you'll be able to taste cakes and get plenty of other wedding planning done in one day.