Among the more adventurous and vibrant wedding trends this year is a departure from simple, solid color textiles and fabrics to a wild-side fascination with big floral prints, lush foliage and fun accents. Whether they are celebrating at home, or planning an ever-popular destination affair, today’s couples have fallen in love with tropical themed weddings.
This love of all things tropical didn’t come as a surprise to our experts this year—it has been on the horizon for some time. According to Emma Hla of CoCo Wedding Venues, “The botanical and tropical trend was serious for 2016,” she says, and adds, “we’ll continue to see this in 2017, but possibly softer and with a more fine-art edge.” Tropical prints lend themselves beautifully to being captured in watercolor, for example, an art form also enjoying a resurgence of popularity that can be seen on everything from bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses to linens, menus and print products.
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“This affection for green, most often seen in the form of tropical foliage, echoes another of this year’s hottest trends: the desire by couples to go back to nature, bringing what they love most about the outdoors in.”
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This year’s palette, “will take inspiration from the bold, rich brights that have been increasingly seen over the past 12 months,” says Louise Beukes of B.Loved Blog. Couples are really letting loose with the theme, allowing designers to take the reins and fully embrace the motifs, colors, and textures associated with it. “Tropical-inspired prints inspire weddings filled with palm leaves, brightly colored blooms, and fun touches (think flamingos and cacti), and perhaps even a newfound love of green shades,” adds Beukes.
This affection for green, most often seen in the form of tropical foliage, echoes another of this year’s hottest trends: the desire by couples to go back to nature, bringing what they love most about the outdoors in. This is “fuelled by Pantone’s colour of the year—Greenery,” according to Pamella Dunn of Pamella Dunn Luxury Weddings. “Dramatic tropical designs are led by bold leaf prints,” for example, “and masses of glossy foliage,” says Dunn.
Long and sultry warm summer nights are the terrific opportunities for showcasing the tropical theme. No matter what type of venue a couple chooses, as long as there is moonlight, generous amounts of jungle-like greenery, and colorful bold prints in abundance, guests will feel transported to an equatorial paradise they’ll never want to leave.
Kylie Carlson is the owner of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning. With six locations globally, the academy boasts an internationally recognized accreditation program that brings professional training to wedding planners, designers and stylists.
