Hello all of you fabulous readers! Our wedding season is officially in full swing, so we wanted to give you some insight into the trends you will be seeing this year, and hopefully inspire you for any future planning. We have come up with 15 of our favorite 2017 trends and we hope when you read this, each one speaks to you, and in your head you're thinking, “Yess!”

1. Embracing au naturel

Whether it’s having your wedding outdoors or bringing the outside in, you can expect to see a lot of natural elements this wedding season. Our favorite way to express this trend is by using items you would find in nature to create a unique ambiance at your wedding. This wall of vines not only brings elements of the outside in, but it helps transport your guest from a typical venue with pretty lounge furniture, to a chic lounge in the middle of an enchanted forest.

Image Source: Wedding Party By WedPics — Image Source: Wedding Party By WedPics

2. Unique food presentations

The HOH ladies consider ourselves to be genuine foodies! The taste of your food is of utmost importance, but the presentation is also an exciting feature. This year, couples are truly embracing this trend. From miniature butler-passed hors d'oeuvres, to clear acrylic displays, there are a multitude of ways to make your wedding day meal into a work of art. One of our favorite food presentation trends is incorporating food trucks. A food truck is a fun way for your guests to interact with one another while experiencing something untraditional and unique. What better way to liven up a reception than with something out of the ordinary to really wow your guests?

3. Dangling decor

Speaking of untraditional, who says your florals have to be on the table? This year’s wedding trend is dangling décor! This trend genuinely speaks to us; so much so, that we had the very talented Jonathan Davis with Carolina Luxury Florals create our very own ceiling installation for a styled shoot we recently coordinated.

4. Intimate getaways

This year, more and more couples are deciding to have intimate, destination weddings. With this trend, you can have a smaller guest count, which leaves more wiggle room, financially. This allows you to allocate your budget towards what is most important to you and splurging on other details - maybe even on some of these trends. The other plus to having a destination wedding is the gorgeous shots your photographer can capture! And did we mention that we love to travel?

5. An encore appearance of metallics

Can we please call this general group of 'metallics' our favorite color? Metallics just seem to speak to us wherever we go. And when it comes to weddings, we just cannot get enough of them! This year, expect to see a lot of weddings incorporating metallic in bold and new ways. Love gold and silver? Incorporate both! We suggest having one metallic as your main color and the other to be used on accent pieces. Or do you want something out of the ordinary? Try throwing in some metals that aren’t typically used in weddings. Copper is one metal that can be incorporated, whether the vibe is vintage or modern, and if done correctly, it can make a huge impact. For those of you who don’t like too much color, copper is also a great way to add a more subtle pop of color and it goes with almost anything!

6. Color comeback

For those of you who love color, you are in luck, because color is back! And Pantone has done it again because greenery is a refreshing and neutral tone that pairs perfectly with any other pops of color. Whether it’s winter or spring or whether you lean towards an outdoor garden wedding or uptown, chic, you can incorporate greenery with bold colors in all kinds of fabulous ways. Be daring and reap the rewards!

7. Unique invitations

An invitation is one detail of a wedding that says, “You are important to me,” and “I would like you to be a part of a special moment in my life.” An invitation also gives your guests a glimpse into the experience they will be having at your wedding. For a detail that serves as an introduction, don’t you think it should be unique and impactful? We certainly do, and many of our engaged couples this year seem to think so too! We are seeing a plethora of ways people are creating their invitations - from a variety of layouts using unexpected materials, to incorporating florals, or adding calligraphy that will be seen throughout your wedding - this year, we can expect to see it all!

8. New photo booth options

A photo booth is always an entertaining addition to any wedding, but now they have become even better! This wedding season expect to see the new and improved photo booth content taking over social media. Now your guests can have their own video content, animated GIFs and picture flip-books sent directly to their phones, making sharing on social media even easier. I mean, you didn’t make your wedding hashtag up for no reason, right?

9. Pairing it up

As you already know, we love our food! And we especially love pairing it with other foods and beverages in a way that will be sure to enhance your guests' experience while having a little fun. We have an upcoming couple who love vacationing in Mexico so they are serving miniature tacos and margaritas during their cocktail hour. What a great way to express your personalities and excite your guests! Pairing can be used through your hors d'oeuvres, the main course, or even a late-night snack, such as the popular food truck trend.

10. “Black is back”

The title says it all for this 2017 wedding season. Black is back and we are beyond excited for it! Some people say black is for funerals. We say black is for couture. Black is for modern. Black is for drama. Black is for chic and classic. And now, black is for weddings! Check out this très chic, très romantic and très dramatic wedding cake. Doesn’t it just make you want to find a place to incorporate black into your wedding?

11. Lounge vibes

We love this trend and want to see it happen on an even bigger scale. If it is within budget, we suggest flanking your dance floor with several lounge areas. Why, you ask? Well, for starters, lounge areas can be a very pretty décor feature that can elevate the space and take it to a whole new level. If configured properly, it can also allow you to take more advantage of your space. Many of our couples are wanting to go somewhere for an after-party, but with lounge areas you can create your very own after-party. Turn down the lights, turn on the strobes, turn up the music and your lounge area just became the VIP area of the club!

12. Doubly gorgeous gowns

All the brides we have ever met have truly been beautiful, multi-faceted woman. We strongly believe that all women are. And this year, brides are embracing this belief! Detachable dresses are a hot trend this season so the bride can essentially have the best of both worlds. She can walk down the aisle in a more traditional bridal gown and then switch up her look later in the evening to showcase her more sexy side for the dancing portion or cake cutting. Versatility meets comfort as couture dresses continue to evolve into new ways of making brides feel glamorous!

13. Candid captures

Portraits are often requests from the couples' parents, or sometimes requested out of fear that you may miss out on them one day (which could very well be the case). But they can sometimes feel stiff and unnatural. This is why so many couples this season are asking for as many candid shots as possible and why most photographers try to capture authentic moments in an editorial way. Like this gorgeous candid captured by Indigo Photography. Such a genuine and fun moment caught on camera and presented in a way that is still elegant and timeless.

14. Bridesmaids in white

This season, you can expect to see more brides being daring enough to put their bridesmaids in white. We love this trend! To achieve this look and showcase your bridesmaids while making sure you are still the center of attention, we recommend having one major contrasting feature in your bridal gown. We have one upcoming bride wearing a rose gold gown in contrast to the all white dresses of her bridesmaids. Or like our bride below, who selected this gorgeous dress with the nude underlay that popped under the white lace - stunning!

15. Instagram video edits

This is a luxury item that we wish for everyone getting married! While it does not replace a professional videographer, it is essentially like a 60-second movie trailer that captures all the best moments of your wedding day. It is the newest trend this 2017 wedding season and with Instagram making waves, how could it not be?

Head Over Heels NC is so excited for the 2017 wedding season and we cannot wait to see what it brings! All of these trends are to die for, so it will be fun to see how couples make them their own.

Which ones do you like? Let us know your favorite wedding trends in the comments below. We love to learn what our readers are into! Until next week...

The Hottest Wedding Trends of 2017