The With Love From Brooklyn team attended the 9th annual Wedding Crashers, Brooklyn's best wedding fair, where we spoke to hundreds of soon-to-be-married couples about our gift boxes and the local flavor they give to wedding guests (particularly the out-of-towners when they check in to their rooms!)
We also learned of few wedding trends around the venues hosting the event, 501 Union and The Green Building. In no particular order, here are some of the things we're predicting for 2018 nuptials.
1. More Hudson Valley weddings!
Not only are more New York couples choosing to tie the knot upstate, we found that a number of NYC wedding vendors are either relocating to the Hudson Valley or servicing more upstate weddings. Longtime floral designer Rose Red and Lavender now operates out of Cold Spring and the team behind Roquette Catering has relocated to Hudson, an indication that even wedding pros are taking notice of the widening wedding market upstate.
2. Photobooths are getting more portable and customizable.
Sharingbox is a photobooth company that allows you to rent a small, easily transportable photobooth that can take GIFs, boomerangs and traditional photos. They've noticed that couples prefer photobooths that print on site, which their machines do. "The mini is the most popular machine of ours as it does both emailing and printing. People tend to enjoy having their prints out straight away!" Even the very old-school looking Rose & Dale Photo Co. photobooth at the wedding fair, which operates out of a vintage Airstream, has a print-on-demand booth inside, as well as custom backdrops that suit the occasion.
The brunch bites from Marcey Brownstein at Wedding Crashers Photo: Erin Glover
3. The food at weddings is getting more daring.
The range of food caterers were serving at the fair, from summer rolls to tuna crudo to sliders, doesn't really begin to touch upon the even more adventurous fare that is becoming the norm at weddings. Said Leslie Russell of Marcey Brownstein Catering, "One of the reasons we did a brunch display for Wedding Crashers is that we have had several clients this year decide to do a brunch wedding. It’s a cost saving measure because the venue, DJ, florist, and caterer usually charge a bit less, but you can also save by not having to host a brunch the day after the wedding - it IS the brunch! On top of that, you get to serve interesting and whimsical twists on classic brunch menu items. For instance, we do a take on eggs Benedict which is a mini deviled egg topped with crispy pancetta and hollandaise-infused English muffin bread crumbs. One bite but tons of flavor and lots of fun! Some people opt for the more classic omelet or crepe stations, but others prefer lots of boozy brunch cocktails, mini bites, and more of a cocktail party vibe.
4. The dessert table is getting more creative.
Erin Emmett of Sweet Pistachio, a patisserie that specializes in custom dessert experiences and occasions, can do traditional dessert tables as well as truly interactive treats, like made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream! "Generally," she said, "My clients are asking for fun, unique things that break all wedding traditions and expectations. Many clients don't care about serving ALL of their guests cake and are really moving away from the cake slices being dropped at the place setting-thing. Many are having a small, pretty 2-3 tier cake for the look and to cut, but then the slices get placed on small plates on a table with other desserts so that guests can choose whether or not they want cake. People want to give their guests options beyond just one cake flavor and they also are looking for a "wow" factor that doesn't necessarily involve a cake anymore.
5. Flower walls and backdrops: They're not just made of flowers anymore.
At last year's fair, a large wall of paper flowers took center stage at 501 Union. This year a floral arch designed with paper flowers, silk ribbons and ferns lured couples and guests for gorgeous selfies. Said one of the designers, Michael Moeller, of Sprig & Social, "We are definitely seeing an increase in non-floral type installs, paper flowers, different light installs, neon, balloons... I also think the photo backdrop is a fun place to add this bit of whimsy since it is so often a fun moment and not serious."