Once you enter "The Wedding Years" in your late twenties and early thirties you can feel like your always at a Wedding. How many have you been to with a traditional three course meal. Was it pate or soup to start, chicken for the main course and then dessert? Probably as that's what hotels and venues offer and you end up going for something safe to please the masses.

However, it doesn't have to be this way. It's time to think fun and original and best of all, doing something different could actually save you money. Here's some different ideas.

• Burritos
• Moroccan Tagine
• Afternoon Tea
• Fish and Chips
• Tapas
• Hog Roast
• Barbecue

                                        
                                        


Another way to make your food and drink more fun is to hire a van, There are many available locally serving ice cream or drinks. How about A Couple Of Mugs, who have a vintage tea van that can be hired as part of your Wedding celebrations. Park him (he's called Cedric) outside the church or at your reception venue and use it to serve pretty much anything from tea and cakes to sweets, cocktails or G&Ts.


                               

Photo Credits: Fish and Chip Catering A Couple Of Mugs

Today we take a look at some key Wedding trends, so if you are getting married in 2011 or 2012 don't miss out on these great ideas to make your Wedding fun and different from the rest.

1. Fun with Props in Photo Booths

These are everywhere at the moment and guaranteed to bring loads of fun for to your reception. You can hire a complete photobooth with attendant for around £600 or go DIY with a backdrop and a box of props. You need hats, glasses, moustaches, picture frames and tiaras to inspire your guests to get involved. We recommend Groovy Booth or for a booth that can also capture video, try Capture Booths.

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2. Yummy and Nostalgic Candy Buffets

This trend is huge in America at the moment and is becoming more and more popular here. Also know as sweetie buffets or candy bars these are huge displays of sweets for your guests to nibble. Provide scoops, bags and tongs for an old school sweet shop feel. Going DIY is possible but may cost as much as paying a company to set everything up for you. We recommend Bristol Candy Buffet for pretty vintage inspired sweeties and jars. Check out this picture by Marie Man for inspiration.


                                

3. A Little Bit of  Vintage

The love of all things vintage is still huge in the world of Weddings. Many trends get rolled together under the banner of vintage such as shabby chic, country fair and 1950s but real vintage means using original props and decor from a previous period such as vintage tea cups, type writers, grammaphones or original champagne saucers.

You can hire props such as these from Auntie's Vintage, Bristol Vintage or the Little Wedding Helper or you can scour antique shops, charity shops or car boot sales to find your own vintage treasures. These suitcases as shown on Stylemepretty.com make a great addition to vintage theme.


                                                         


4. Embracing the Great Outdoors
In America you can marry on a beach or under the stars but in the UK you are more limited. However a new trend for outdoor weddings is emerging and as long as you say I do officially in a Register Office you can use a calebrant or have a humanist ceremony anywhere you want. Just consider the British weather if you have your heart set on an outdoor ceremony and have an indoor location or some very large brollies to hand just in case. If this beautiful photo by Victor Sizemore doesn't inspire you to tie the knot outdoors, then nothing can.



                                                    



5. Think Differently about Food and Drink

In the past if you went to a Wedding you would always have a three course meal and it normally always consisted of soup or pate to start then chicken for the main course, followed by a fruit based dessert. However for 2012, the more interesting the better.

Think afternoon teas, hog roasts, barbecues, fish and chips, ice cream vans, tapas, pie and mash and Cornish pasties. Anything goes as long as it's delicious and different and believe me your guests will thank you for being original and fun and this ice cream cart definitely ticks both boxes.


                                           

No matter what inspires you for your Wedding, try to keep things original and fun and you and your guests will have an amazing day.

Words by Stephanie Allison