Trends Show Use of a Wide Array of Designs and Colors

VENLO, THE NETHERLANDS–(Marketwire – April 6, 2011) – Vistaprint N.V. (NASDAQ: VPRT), a leading online provider of professional marketing products and services to micro businesses and the home, today released its top wedding trends for Spring 2011. Based on the company’s research, a few themes — including showcasing how environmentally conscious the couple is as well as incorporating vintage inspirations — are going to be very popular for weddings in 2011. Other growing trends include traditional elegance with a modern twist, utilizing bright, bold color choices and black as a dominating color pattern.

“According to the Bridal Association of America, 55 percent of weddings are considered ‘traditional.’ Now that is clearly changing as couples move toward having less conventional wedding themes,” said Mary Ellen Campisi, associate art director at Vistaprint. “While conducting our research for the upcoming season we were not surprised to see people taking advantage of a wide variety of different wedding trends. Eco-friendly concepts are growing in popularity, which can lend itself to an array of styles from the elegant to the more casual backyard affair. This speaks to how environmental trends continue to take hold and crop up in what might be considered unlikely places.”

Vistaprint identified these trends by looking at a series of variables, including theme and color trend research in Europe and North America, the company’s top selling save-the-date and invitation products, as well as market research. As a result, Vistaprint’s top spring wedding trends include:

• Green (Eco-Friendly) Weddings – Eco-friendly weddings are emerging. Everything from sustainable wedding dresses to plantable favors and recycled invitations will be commonplace. The setting will likely be an outdoor venue or tent, with decor consisting of LED lights and locally produced flowers. Green, brown and rust are common color choices.
• Outdoors – Outdoor weddings are becoming increasingly popular, with nature being a strong theme. Wooden benches, woolen blankets and hay bails all come into play when planning an outdoor wedding, whilst tipi wedding events are a must if the weather is unpredictable. Inspiration comes from barn-style weddings, but with more mud and fields, so no high heels allowed!

  Orchards are a great place to hold an outdoor wedding, offering blossom in the spring, fruit in the summer, and falling leaves in the autumn, which means much of the atmosphere is provided by Mother Nature. You can further decorate the area with string and fairy lights, rent artificial pillars and arches to place alongside the wedding aisle, and decorate it with hanging flowers. To implement such décor ideas, you may need a rolling ladder and adjustable platform, which you can get from a company similar to Platforms and Ladders that can provide you with various choices at an affordable range.

  Furthermore, winter wedding might get a bit chilly though; so make sure you have plenty of fire pits and blankets if you want to hold your wedding during the colder, festive months.

• Vintage Inspirations – Vintage inspired weddings are one of the biggest trends for 2011. Brides can be glamorous and chic without breaking the bank. Common themes include beaded or feathered hairpieces, and natural and outdoor settings. These weddings could include lots of lace and do-it-yourself touches such as homemade favors and hand-tied ribbons around the invitations. Softer, muted colors help add a touch of romance to the occasion.
• Traditional Elegance with a Modern Twist – This bride embraces the traditional wedding but wants to add her own personal flair. This may include an unexpected pop of bold and bright colors with her clutch or shoes, a unique hair piece, bold necklace or modern invitations and stationary. Colors are primarily white, silver and ivory with a minimally used accent color like red or chartreuse.
• Bright and Bold Color Choices – Expect to see lots of color in 2011, from the Pantone ® Color of the Year – Honeysuckle Pink to Turquoise, Coral and the ever popular Apple Green. Bold colors are hip, attention grabbing and the perfect way to add lots of personality to your special day.
• Black – Like the little black dress, Black is always in fashion. Although it is traditionally associated with more formal black-tie events, today it lends itself to a variety of styles from contemporary and elegant weddings, to the romantic and baroque. It also pairs well with almost any accent color. Many of Vistaprint’s top-selling content incorporates Black as the dominant color.

Additionally, you may want to consider hiring a professional photographer near your location. You can search for one online by using a search term like wedding photographer Cleveland (or elsewhere) to find yourself a few options to choose from, depending on your requirements. You can also do a pre-wedding photoshoot to make your wedding memorable.

Vistaprint offers a multitude of products and services for any type of wedding. Products include printed options such as wedding invitations, save the date cards and place cards; promotional apparel like hats and T-shirts; and even wedding websites.