FOREVER & COMPANY

HOW TO MAKE 2022’S WEDDING TRENDS YOUR OWN

Wondering about the 2022 wedding trends that will be all the rage for the next few months?

Forever & Company had the pleasure of attending WeddingMBA, the largest conference for wedding professionals in the world. Among the wealth of knowledge brought back from this resource-packed event lies what every couple currently planning a wedding wants to know – the emerging 2022 wedding trends.

Many couples are getting creative with their ceremonies and receptions, often opting for refreshing modernity over the more traditional. We’re excited to see what this year holds, and we hope you are, too.

Goodbye to the Traditional

This growing flexibility has encouraged engaged couples to increasingly value meaning and individuality over everything else. This means intimate celebrations are here to stay, with many couples choosing to plan a small, meaningful elopement prior to a more elaborate sequel or “I Do, Again!” wedding at a later date. 

Over the course of the year, weddings are also expected to see a deviation from formality, whether that be reflected in cheeky photoshoots and signage or a break from traditional fashion choices. We anticipate many couples to wear unconventional sleeves, colors and prints on their big day.

Forecasted Styles and Colors

We’ll also see many couples choose to branch out with their design styles and color palettes. Some of the biggest style trends of the year are projected to be…

• Japandi
• Cottagecore
• Grandmillenial

As the name suggests, Japandi is a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian styles, blending the ancient Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi with the Danish concept of hygge. Japandi is minimalist yet welcoming, and it primarily uses neutral tones, lots of textures and natural materials. 

Cottagecore, which prizes rustic and understated beauty, is inspired by the dreamy ideal of living in a cottage in the countryside. If you’re interested in planning a Cottagecore wedding and are open to a printed gown, a faded floral pattern with romantic sleeves is a perfect choice.

Derived from the words ‘grandmother’ and ‘millennial,’ Grandmillenial style is an elevated, less rustic version of Cottagecore that is more popular with Gen Y than Gen Z. Fundamentally, “Granny Chic” is about uniqueness, styling so-called dated or stuffy pieces in new and original ways.

If you’re looking to focus your design plans around a single, bold color, consider putting your own unique spin on the 2022 Pantone Color of the Year: Very Peri. A fresh take on the shade of periwinkle, this is the perfect color to accompany any wedding theme that is creative, dynamic, and curiously optimistic. 

Multi-sensory Experiences

Multi-sensory events are also on the rise. Many couples pay greater attention to the sense of smell into their wedding plans, including scented stationery and different scents for each room of the venue. Playing with scent, sight and sound in innovative ways provides an immersive experience for your guests they will never forget.

Consider extending this multi-sensory concept to your food and drink choices as well by striving to not only make your wedding’s edible aspects taste and look good, but also feel exciting to the touch or sound different when eaten.

Keeping Loved Ones in Mind

The growing sober curious movement has led to an increase in couples serving non-alcoholic cocktails or “mocktails”. These exciting drinks are a great way to avoid any unwanted disruptions, and can also be seen as a sign of respect toward guests who don’t drink. However, if you’re only serving mocktails, consider notifying your guests this beforehand. 

Even amongst all of these newer trends, expressing your love to those closest to you both at your wedding and after your wedding is a timeless choice. Sentimental acts of gratitude are projected to be popular this year, along with couples investing in pieces which will become heirlooms to be passed down to their future generations. 

For more forward-thinking trends and other ways to create your dream wedding, explore Forever and Company’s vendors, or check out our Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

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FOREVER & COMPANY

DIAMOND AND DETAILS: EVERY DETAIL MATTERS ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

Forever and Company brought a beautiful wedding to life with a Diamonds and Details Styled Shoot featuring jewelry, formalwear and other essentials from their vendors. By focusing on every detail, the photos reveal how each unique element is pivotal in creating the picture perfect wedding. 

The Jewelry

No wedding look would be complete without the right jewelry. Anfesa’s Jewelers, a long-time vendor of Forever & Company, provided and styled all of the jewelry for the shoot. A local, family-owned jeweler, Anfesa’s has been serving the community of Garner and South Raleigh since 1994.

Anfesa’s Jewelers’ offers all kinds of jewelry, including engagement rings, wedding bands, pendants, watches and more. The expansive ring selection includes luxury brands like Gregorio, Gabriel and Co. and Benchmark. 

If you’re looking for a diamond, the website’s diamond search feature allows you to select your desired shape, carat, cut, clarity and color, helping you narrow down your perfect ring to every detail.

The Dresses

The dresses picked for the shoot, complete with elegant beading and cascading lace flowers, are a custom design from Sinderellas Rockefellas, a bridal boutique and Inn in Southport, NC. Owner and lead designer Samantha Redferen highlights the entire design and fitting process for her clients over a weekend stay at her coastal accommodations.

Sinderellas Rockefellas’ first-class service provides engaged couples and their families with a private bridal appointment during their stay, giving them the opportunity to peruse a variety of uniquely designed gowns. You can also see their beautiful garments at Forever & Company’s upcoming wedding shows. 

The Menswear

The suits and tuxedos used in the shoot showcase the talent of Raleigh-based SF Tailors, which crafts bespoke suits and other menswear. The fabrics, styles, colors, patterns and fit used in each custom suit or tuxedo are chosen based on the wearer’s unique measurements and preferences, personalizing your garment down to every detail.

All suits and tuxedos by SF Tailor – which are available in European, Tailored or Classic Fit – have both two-piece and three-piece options. They’re made with the quality inner lining of choice for luxury suits, ensuring that the garment not only looks refined, but is also durable and comfortable. 

If you’re looking for a suit and not sure where to start, take the quizzes accompanying their e-stylist feature. They can help you choose between a suit or a tuxedo for the big day, and also show you which colors would best complement your complexion. 

The Catering

The charcuterie featured in the shoot is from Graze Charcuterie, which offers beautifully arranged charcuterie boards, cones, boxes, and grazing tables for any occasion. The owner, Alanah Raigen, started her business with a passion for helping others through delicious and masterfully crafted charcuterie spreads after moving to Raleigh in 2018.

Graze works closely with couples to create personalized boards featuring all of their favorite meat, cheese and produce, carefully curating it to suit their budget, event size, and preferred aesthetic. Whether it’s a board for your bridal party or a grazing table for your reception, Graze will ensure your board looks exquisite and tastes even better. 

For more resources you can use to plan your dream wedding, explore Forever & Company’s jewelry, dress, formalwear and catering vendors, or check out our Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

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RENT THE ROW

FIND THE SUIT THAT SUITS YOU WITH CHAPEL HILL’S RENT THE ROW

As a young lawyer, Erik Syverson realized having sharp dressing skills led to success in many different careers, including his own. Now, with Rent the Row, he’s introducing the community to his passion for accessible, high-quality menswear.

Rent the Row is a Chapel Hill-based clothing business that sells memberships to those seeking to rent men’s tailored garments. With a membership, Rent the Row allows its customers to swap out garments as needed, saving them from having to purchase a different luxury suit for every occasion.

“You can just come into the store anytime you want and swap out,” Syverson said. “If you have an interview at work and then a date that weekend, come back in and swap out for something more casual.” 

he business model for Rent the Row was inspired by Rent the Runway, a similar business. While both services help combat mass consumerism associated with fast fashion by offering more sustainable options, Rent the Runway does not include men’s clothing. 

Syverson wants Rent the Row to be a resource for students, faculty and members of Chapel Hill at large. He understands many students lack both the money for expensive garments and the closet space needed to build a traditional wardrobe.

“This will hopefully be like a clothing library for the community,” Syverson said. “You go to the library, check out a book, after you’re done reading it, bring it back, check out another book.” 

One possible aversion to renting clothing is the knowledge that others have worn the garments before. But Syverson says it’s easy to forget that new clothes aren’t truly new. 

Even when you buy new clothing, unless you’ve had it custom made for you, it’s really not unused because people try it on or return it,” Syverson said.

Suits from Rent the Row are already broken-in due to others having previously worn them. With many rented suits, the fabric doesn’t have life to it, which can cause the suits to be stiff. 

“What I dislike about Men’s Warehouse and similar rental places is it looks like you’re wearing a rented suit,” Syverson said. “My ideal is to make you look like you’re wearing a suit you inherited from your grandfather.” 

Syverson’s garments come from three different countries – England, Italy and the United States – which is how he organizes them in the store. They’re divided like this because each country has its own signature style when it comes to classic suits.

Some of Rent the Row’s brands include Caraceni and Anderson & Sheppard, among others. 

Rent the Row offers three kinds of membership. The first is an annual membership that costs $500, or about $40 a month, that’s collected all at once. For those who don’t want to commit to the $500 payment, there’s also a monthly membership starting at a minimum of three months, as well as a one-time option that charges on a per-rental basis. 

Syverson first experienced wearing tailored clothes as a young lawyer. He quickly realized, in his field, the better he dressed, the better he performed. 

“One of the things about the law profession is that the older you are the more desirable you are,” Syverson said. “One way I could appear to be older than my years, generate business and gain clients was to dress like the older guys.”

Swing by Rent the Row to learn more about their flexible membership options at 400 W. Rosemary St. Rent the Row is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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THE TAR HEEL BOOK

CALLING ALL CAROLINA BASKETBALL FANS. JUST RELEASED: THE TAR HEELS, A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF UNC BASKETBALL

When Ron Smith was in fourth grade, he got Dean Smith’s autograph at a UNC basketball game. His dad, without missing a beat, captured the moment perfectly with his camera, complete with flash and color film.  

“We sent Coach Smith a copy, and he sent a thank you note with a signed team picture,” Smith said. “As a nine-to-ten-year-old, that got me started collecting stuff – programs, ticket stubs, photos, anything.”

After more than 30 years of research, Smith finished authoring a comprehensive book detailing the history of the Carolina Basketball program entitled “The Tar Heels: A History of UNC Basketball, Volume One,” otherwise known as The Tar Heel Book. 

The Tar Heel Book is the first of a three-part trilogy. Volume One covers every season from 1911 to 1961, Volume Two will cover 1962 to 1997 (the Dean Smith years) and Volume Three will  cover 1998 to 2021 (the Roy Williams years).

Not only does The Tar Heel Book trilogy include facts about key figures in UNC basketball like Frank McGuire, Dean Smith, Roy Williams and Michael Jordan, but it also goes beyond the surface to include information about their formative years and the people who contributed to their success.

Smith has sought countless libraries and photographers across the country in pursuit of information and photos for the book. He’s studied every boxscore, identified every player in every team picture, and even put together correct statistics and team rosters for every season. 

“We’ve looked all around, and we believe there’s nothing like this book that’s ever been published for any sports team,” Smith said.

The high-quality, chronological images set the book apart, many of which have never been published and would have otherwise been lost. Many early players, who had previously been unidentified in team pictures, will also be highlighted, along with their stories. 

I graduated from UNC in ‘79, so going back to those games when I was in school, I love those memories,” Smith said. “I’ve done a bio for one or two players for every season, so it’s not just about games, it’s also about people.”

Whenever Smith would research a particular season, he would also review the corresponding articles written by The Daily Tar Heel, which are archived online. This revealed many interesting anecdotes, which serve as information-rich segues throughout the book that are weaved together by Smith in vivid detail.

The foreword was written by Larry Brown, a former UNC basketball player and the only coach in basketball history to win an NBA championship and an NCAA title. The book discusses his foundations, explaining why a boy from Brooklyn decided to move south and play for UNC.

“I’m very happy to be a part of The Tar Heel Book by Ron Smith,” Brown said in a testimonial. “I’m pleased to be a part of the Carolina family, and The Tar Heel Book is the best way I know to see how it all happened.”

Order your copy now.