As the summer winds down and we settle into the cold season, December 2017 couples are beginning to gather themselves in preparations for their upcoming weddings. At NJ’s events, we specialize in wedding planning and design for the Cameroonian destination couple. As such, we are currently in the initial stages of planning with our 2017 clients. The Cameroonian events’ industry has evolved from the days of bathroom tissue decorations and is gradually catching up with the rest of the world in wedding trends. While we have come a long way, there is still so much more that we can do or add to make our special day even much more glamorous or elegant. This feature will highlight the top five trends we are recommending to our 2017 clients, some new trends we would like to see take off on the Cameroon wedding scene.
Acrylic and laser cut wedding invitations.
The tradition of sending out wedding invitations dates as far back as the middle ages. We have seen wedding invitation formats change over time from the use of a mere town crier who announced the wedding at the town square to present day use of fine personalized stationary. The latest trends in personalized stationary are laser cut invitations or engraving on clear or colored acrylic slabs. This happens to be one of the most elegant forms of invitations there ever was. Do remember that your invitation sets the tone for the rest of your event, choose wisely – maybe choose laser cut or acrylic. (images from pinterest)
This is a gold engraving on acrylic slab
The main information is on a gold laser cut invitation with the rest of the invitation suite following the design of the laser cut.
To the left, the invitation is silver engraving on acrylic slab while to the right the invitation is a gold laser cut invitation
Gold engraving on an acrylic slab with a turquoise design.
Textured Linen.
In December 2015, while setting up an event in Bamenda with chemical lace overlay, someone asked one of our staff why we were “wasting good lace that could be used to sew a good outfit”. That may cause a chuckle, but textured linen whether used as a table runner, an overlay or a table cloth adds more glamour and versatility to your event. In 2017, we hope to see more brides experiment with this option in their reception table design. (images from bbjlinen.com)
Lounge Areas
We once designed a 60th wedding anniversary reception that started at 2pm and ended with the last guest leaving at 5am in the morning. Thankfully the event was done in the comfort of the hosts’ home and as time progressed that day, some of their guests had the option of moving into their home for comfort. We have also seen instances where reception guests retreat to hotel lobbies for better comfort. Where the comfort of a family home or hotel lobby is not available, one should consider creating a lounge area within the reception space itself. Remember that your guests can only seat on a straight backed chair for so long and a lounge area brings an enjoyable, colorful and comfortable vibe to your event. (images from google search)
Custom Snapchat Geofilters
We have all come to terms with the fact that social media reigns and it reigns supreme. In order to keep up with certain events or stories, one only needs to search the hashtag on social media. With “instagram story”, “facebook live”, snapchat, there are all sorts of ways of getting everyone in on the ongoing action. Understanding that social media is not going anywhere and will likely be part of your event, we encourage you to consider creating custom geofilters for your guests to add to their social media story of your day. This is also a fun way to reflect you and your spouse’s personality as well or even the theme of your event. (Images used taken from snapchat video on filter me forever’s page – they create custom geofilters).
Bridal Cuff (sometimes called a “wrist bouquet”)
Originally crafted by Diane Valentine, a world renowned event planner and designer, as an alternative to the traditional bridal bouquet and formal corsage, this “wrist bouquet” is quickly becoming brides’ favorite around the world. We have seen it used across the US and Europe, with a Cameroonian Bride using is last year at her 2015 wedding in Houston, TX. Wouldn’t it be fun to see an actual bride in Cameroon use it? One thing is sure, with this cuff, your bouquet never leaves your hand or gets lost.
(Images above from Diane Valentine’s Website)
Petra, pictured above, transitioned from the traditional bouquet during her ceremony to a bridal cuff during her reception.
While these are our top five trends, there is no ignoring the many other trends that exists or are about to grow. There are many different facets that make up a wedding and within each facet, several different new and old trends. It can be very confusing and unfamiliar territory for any new bride. That is why it is very important that you consider using a professional planner as early in the process as possible. It has sometimes been our experience that Cameroon destination weddings are not as easy as some think them to be and people on the ground may not be able to accurately execute your vision due to other constraints. NJ’s Events is here if you need us and will be pleased to be of service to you. Check out some of our previous work on our FB page http://bit.ly/2dC5dhN
Thank you I Rep Camer for letting us take over your space. We hope your readers enjoyed the feature. Be sure to leave a comment and tell us what you think…Share your wedding fav wedding trends..The count down to this year’s wedding season is on.
J.J.
IRepCamer
