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When it comes to decorating an event space, always examine the venue from every angle. Every nook, cranny and surface is a design opportunity, and that includes the ceiling.

Decorating a ceiling may not be the first thing on your décor list, but it does present a unique blank canvas just waiting to be transformed. Just like the rest of your venue, the roof space of a ballroom, large hall or marquee can be customised to suit your wedding.

If your budget allows, suspending oversized floral displays overhead is about as good as it gets. Large wreaths of flowers and foliage, perhaps with hanging threads of single flowers draping down, will take your guests’ breath away.

Around the world we’re seeing lots of suspended floral décor, and there are lots of clever ways to use this technique. For starters, you don’t have to cover the entire ceiling with suspended flowers – this would be very expensive to do and most likely outside the average budget. That said, if you are hanging flowers in larger quantities, you will need very few flowers elsewhere in your venue. Instead of lavish floral centrepieces on your tables, keep things below simple.

By hanging a few flowers from existing chandeliers at your venue, you can create that extra touch of elegance and whimsy without breaking the bank. Working chandeliers will create additional ambiance; if there are no chandeliers, consider adding fairy lights or using candles.

When suspending flowers in place of centrepieces, you can dangle the flowers one-by-one or create a floral curtain. The flowers should end above guests’ eye level when seated, to avoid hindering conversation on each table. If the ceiling doesn’t soar, make sure you only suspend over tables, thus avoiding a few banged heads!

Hanging floral centrepieces add a layer of luxury and detail to any wedding ceremony or reception. The overall look is a visually interesting alternative to tall centrepieces. Be bold, and use some of the countless variations of this hanging flower trend. No matter whether your wedding is an ultraelegant occasion or rustically casual affair, they’re perfect for adding drama to your décor. Some indoor venues will be perfect for hanging decorations, boasting high ceilings with beams, without requiring even the slightest change. Some may require an extra touch of creativity, but your floral designer is bound to have a solution.

Don’t confine this idea to indoor weddings – consider it for decorating a gazebo or marquee, a porch or portico. Make the most of the natural canopies created by overhanging branches or trees!

Take the flowers off the table and into the air for a truly stunning and unique look!

Loose, free flowing wedding bouquets are a popular floral trend with an effortlessness feel.

A long trailing bouquet can look striking says celebrity event planner, Colin Cowie. “Arrangements are a bit looser, more organic and eclectic in feel. Brides are focused on giving their wedding a very personalised look, and bouquets – especially for summer weddings – have more of that ‘just picked, freshly cut from the garden’ flair.”

Think messy, wild and right off the vine. If you’re an avant-garde kind of girl, you’ll appreciate this fashion forward approach compared to the predictably tidy classic bouquet.

That said, rest assured that ‘vintage’ is not going anywhere in a hurry. Think antique colour palettes, handles wrapped in vintage lace and heirlooms, and loose flowing bouquets and posies reminiscent of family wedding images from generations-past. Trailing, vintage and free-flowing effects can be created for any themed wedding, whether you opt for a mix of English garden-like flowers or natives and wildflowers.

Brides used to walk down the aisle with a traditional trailing bouquet wired and glued into a holder. Although lovely, and still popular, it tends to look very structured and neat and, unless the right soft, flowing foliage is used, can look a tad stiff. Brides are increasingly requsting creations that are more natural – rustic bouquets, with that just-picked look. The trailing part often comes from the foliage, using varieties such as honeysuckle, jasmine, olive leaves, ferns, eucalyptus foliage and a range of natural grasses which have a soft, flowing natural effect. Everything about this style of bouquet is blousy and romantic, so it’s important to use flowers that have a trailing, flowing quality to them such as daisies, garden roses, lisianthus and many more.

Trailing or formal, go with what you love and what makes your heart sing!

Flower crowns have long been the domain of the flower girls. Now, however, in one of the fastest growing trends we’ve seen, brides, bridesmaids and flower girls are donning them for weddings.

Vintage, whimsical and bohemian inspired brides are all turning to the floral headdress, a flower wreath headband, or flower crown as a rustic and, in some instances, DIY alternative to the traditional veil or headpiece. What was once confined to the heads of a 1980’s bride, in all her frilly and puffy glory, is gracing the heads of many of the most chic and stylish brides.

Flower crowns are now topping the list of must-have accessories for women. Whether you’re planning a marriage ceremony, prom, graduation day or birthday party, hair accessories will glam up every event. If you haven’t yet used hair accessories, then it’s time to look at the variety available – from clips and pins to bows and ribbons. Headbands are yet a great way to show off your own personality and style.

Adding a flower hair accessory to your headband is an inexpensive way to create a whole new look for your wardrobe. You could wear the flowers on the back of your head instead of the top – that way, they don’t totally dominate your entire outfit.

Many floral designers use ivory ribbon tied on each end of the flower crown, so that you can tie it around your head or under your hair and adjust the fit easily, making it more of a headband or a halo crown, depending on your preference.

Whether your flowers are extravagant or simple, following a colour theme will make your wedding come together visually.

Your wedding theme colours should be used in every element of your day, from your flowers to the table settings and décor.

Yellow is such a happy colour and it can seem the perfect choice, especially for a wedding taking place during the cooler months.

Depending on what part of the country you live in, you can take advantage of Mother Nature’s fall colour scheme … deep red, cappuccino, copper, yellow, gold, brown and orange are all beautiful colours for an autumn or winter wedding.

Yellow in particular shines with optimism, enlightenment and happiness. Shades of golden yellow carry the promise of a positive future.

There are so many stunning options when you’ve selected yellow as your signature wedding colour, from bright and bold to soft and sophisticated. Yellow is a fun way to add a pop of colour, mixing creams with rich yellows and frosted greens for a springtime look.

Yellow flower choices abound – roses, sunflowers, gerberas, cymbidium orchids, lilies, dahlia, tulips, daisies and many more.

Using any of these yellow blooms with classic navy is a great combination. Yellow also pairs well with slate grey or charcoal for a modern palette with just enough punch. Grey is still a popular colour at weddings and, as an added bonus, it goes down well with the grooms as it’s not too frilly. Paired with yellow, it’s a fresh, modern, simple yet elegant wedding colour combination.

For many, the excitement of putting your wedding dreams into play is rapidly curbed when faced with budgets. Unless you have a very talented baker and icer in your circle of friends, chances are you’ll turn to a professional for your cake. After all, it needs to look fantastic, taste incredible and be of a size that will cater for all your guests.

I was often faced with a look of dismay when I gave couples a price for the elaborate cake they’djust described. “Really? That much? It’s just a cake!” They fail to take into account that to feed 120 people, the cake needs to be of a certain size – and most cake designers will work out a cost based on a per-slice basis – depending on how you choose to serve your cake. You will need larger serves if your cake is going to be the dessert, and smaller serves if the cake is served later with coffee.

Substituting the wedding cake for a dessert may sound like it should save you the cost of catered desserts; however, because you will need larger serves you will need more cake. These serves are often accompanied by a crème fraiche and a berry coulis, which your caterer may charge for. Some venues will also charge a plating fee, similar to a corkage fee for BYO wines.

The couples also often fail to recognise the man-hours involved in creating those handcrafted sugar flowers they’d like, or just how long the designer will spend detailing those piped lacey trims and the intricate design work they’ve envisaged. It might be time to create something less detailed, yet equally as gorgeous, to stay within your budget.

Your wedding cake will be a focal point at your reception, and the cutting of your cake will be the first task you will undertake as a newly married couple.

For many couples, the size of the wedding cake is a balance of what you need and what you want, and somewhere in between will be your budget!

So how do you decide on the size of your designer wedding cake? On a practical front, the size of your cake should match the number of guests attending your reception, plus any additional tier(s) that you want kept for a future event.

The first decision to make is how you plan to serve your wedding cake. Will it be served with coffee, as an addition to other desserts, or as a plated dessert?

How does this relate to your wedding cake? Let’s look at an average three-tiered round cake measuring 15cm, 20cm and 25cm. Depending on how it is cut, the same cake can be served in different ways: 200 finger serves, 150 small coffee serves, 100 standard coffee or small dessert serves, or 50 full size dessert serves.

Your wedding cake specialist will be able to guide you to the most suitable size for your reception. There are many options available when catering for larger weddings, including having kitchen cutting cakes that are iced but not decorated and that are not displayed. This lowers the cost overall.

The grooms often think that these serving suggestions are much too small! Do remember that your wedding cake will be served after a full wedding meal, often including several courses, and your guests will likely be very well fed! Unless you are happy to have cake left over, there is no need to over-cater when it comes to your wedding cake.

For small weddings, a single tiered wedding cake placed on a cake stand is just as beautiful.

Every yin has its yang. For all of the whimsical, dreamy, pastel cakes we’ve seen, it’s time for cakes with a more solid source of inspiration. Designs inspired by all things rocky – marble, agates, geode and metallic – are some of the biggest trends in luxury wedding cakes.

This is another trend that started in one design world and then made its way onto cakes. Geodes and marble can be spotted in trendy jewellery and home décor designs. From a geode-studded sash to a terrarium centerpiece covered in crystalised rocks and white rock candy cocktail stirrers, rock and crystal-inspired weddings are trending.

If you want a statement cake, look no further. Whether your wedding tone is subtle or strong, this trend will make your centerpiece a masterpiece. Pair blush tones with rose gold or, if you really want to stand out, bring in gold and jewel-tones. This trend is major, and there are options to do a little or a lot!

Up the wow-factor at your wedding and replace edible flowers on your cakes with edible rocks and crystals. As one of the newer trends in wedding cakes, it is predicted to kick off big-time, and it isn’t hard to see why when you lay your eyes on the unique and eye catching final products.

Geode cakes are all the rage. Your guests won’t be gawking at your engagement ring bling once they see your cake. Colourful, complex and mesmerising, they take hours of planning and work, but they are show-stoppingly gorgeous. Made of crystallised coloured sugar, these beauties are sure to steal the show at any wedding and ensure loads of editorial-worthy photography. Choose a “stone” that represents the two of you — the birthstone of the month you’re getting married, perhaps?

A marbleised cake looks statuesque. With its swirled patterns, these cakes will have your guests wondering if you’re really going to cut into such a gorgeous work of art. Go classic with soft grey and white colours to really bring home the stone pattern, or use your wedding colours for a more modern and festive confection. Soften things up by adding fresh flowers in bold colours or structural greenery.

Metallics are here to stay. Warm tones shine loud and proud all on their own, or can be paired with virtually any colour. Copper and Rose Gold have been the most popular, but silver works equally well with both soft or bold colour palettes. Adding just a touch of sparkle, scattered edible gold and silver leaf helps achieve an imperfect textured look. Perfect for adding a little glam!

If a Groom were to smash a piece of cake over his Bride’s head now, I doubt that it would be well received – all the more so after she’s spent so long on the hairdo and make up. It used to represent his power over her, but we’re supposed to be equal these days….. (that’s fodder for another article altogether).

All jest aside, the cake cutting tradition in modern times still carries a lot of weight, and no small amount of emotion. The ritual symbolises the couple’s commitment to provide for one another, and to nurture each other, and the beginning of a new life together.

And let’s face it, the sharing of food with friends we care for, and who care about us, is as old as time, and something that doesn’t go out of fashion.

So, while we may ask “Why have a wedding cake? ” … it seems the humble (or not so humble, depending on your budget) wedding cake is here to stay for a wee while yet.

SEASONAL CAKE

You may decide you want to reflect the seasonal timing of your wedding in your cake, and carry the seasonal theme through the rest of your celebration in relation to the venue, decor and settings, what you wear and what you eat.

Summer is the most popular time of year to marry, for obvious reasons it’s “easier”, warmer, you can wear less, waft about on dry grass, paddle barefoot in the sea, enjoy a garden ceremony, dance in a marquee …. It simply allows for more options and, as far as any cake goes, the same thing applies. Lush flowers, lots of colour, abundance, shells, beach themes … almost anything goes. Bright painted floral designs work well.

Pretty much the same applies to Springtime, although it is perhaps a more delicate time of year … softer colours, a lighter touch; birds, bees and butterflies and gentle florals. Citrus flavour cakes are more popular at this time of year, and in the Summer months, too.