Theme: Fairytale
Inspiration: Snow white in the forest
Trend: Dark and moody, coloured candles, naked tables with a textural runner instead of a tablecloth, velvet.
Colour: Apple red, forest green, gold
Venue: Woodsy outdoor venue
Dress: White or off-white ballgowns or more classic designs, but to be really on trend go for red! Corset tops, capes and elaborate bows also play well into the theme (and are on trend).
Groom: Classic black suit
Flowers: Red, dark green, with touches of white to lift the tables a bit. Gerberas, Tupis, ranunculus, anemones, dianthus, daisies (sprays), tinted succulents, calla lilies and amaryllis. Mix it up with greens. Our go-to foliage would be penny gum, silver dollar, ferns, succulents and grasses.
Decor: Minimal with emphasis placed on candles and greenery to create that moody wood effect
Cake: Simple yet elegant. Play with the red and green, especially in the flavours! Think matcha green tea buttercream icing, gold leave and spun sugar for the dramatic.
Favours: Something edible – take the theme all the way and give candied apples! You can also include the favours as part of the late night snack – guests who leave early can take theirs with, and guests who want to stay and party can nibble on theirs together with a few other bites.
Entertainment: A jazz or blues band to create the mood
The word “fairy tale” usually conjures up images of princesses, unicorns and fairy dust. But every fairy tale has a darker side. Not necessarily the villain, but the underlying feeling of anticipation, excitement, even fear. Of course, you definitely do not want negative feelings associated with your special day, but why ignore the moody beauty that these emotions can inspire? For a slightly different take on the fairy tale theme, take inspiration from Snow White. The forest, the apple, and the eventual golden crown.
The benefit of using these rich colours include getting away with minimal decor and flowers but maximising the visual impact. Adding candles (which you can hire in at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones) will increase your wow-factor exponentially without breaking the bank. For your flowers, roses are beautiful but don’t get stuck – there are countless other red flowers that are just as beautiful, and most probably less expensive. For the greens, go for leaves and stems that have volume. This way, you use less. A bag of dehydrated moss takes you very far and can be used to bulk up arrangements, fill out foliage runners or cover oasis for more structured centrepieces.
You can go all out with the theme, incorporating it into your cake design, favours, decor pieces, etc. or merely use it as inspiration for the feel of the day – rich, moody, emotional, with touches of wonder.
