2018 has certainly been the year of celebrity weddings. Royalty, film stars, pop stars, supermodels, reality TV and social media stars – we’ve seen them all tying the knot this past year. And while some of them surprised us with secret, intimate weddings (think Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth or Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk) that only allowed us a little sneak peak of their special day, many of them opted for the grand, luxurious celebration that we have come to expect (and love!) in a celebrity wedding.

Although we find intimate, low-key ceremonies super personal and incredibly romantic, we can’t help but feel incredibly inspired by the stunning, swoon-worthy, elaborate and grandiose weddings we have seen some of our favourite celebrities throw this year. So here it is – our list of the most inspiring celebrity weddings of 2018:

5. Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor

Made in Chelsea stars Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor officially got married at Chelsea Old Town Hall in June 2018, just three days before throwing an awe-inspiring religious blessing ceremony and marquee reception at a private family estate in Whithurst Park that looked like something out of a fantasy. Thanks to Hello Magazine, who got an exclusive on the details of their special day, we were able to admire their inspiring décor, including one of the most spectacular ceremony arches we had ever seen – a huge floral installation created of countless delphiniums, roses, hydrangeas, stocks, wisteria and mini bubble balloons by florist Early Hours London.

The reception setup was equally impressive. The couple opted for a clear roof Joseph Benjamin marquee draped in lush florals and greenery and filled with trendy naked wooden tables adorned with bowls of lush pink and red peonies, and gorgeous vintage glassware and tableware with golden accents. For the ceremony the bride wore a bespoke Halfpenny London dress. Overall the couple was thrilled with their wedding day, stating that “the whole day was an out of body experience” and “it’s been everything we had ever dreamed of times a thousand”. We simply love the style and sophistication of this wedding, which is why we think this couple’s nuptials deserve a place among the top celebrity weddings this year.

4. Chanel Iman and Sterling Shepard

Victoria’s Secret Angel Chanel Iman and New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard’s wedding in March 2018 was a truly glorious affair, earning them the fourth place on our list. Just three months after their engagement the couple married at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, inviting their closest family and friends. Despite the short time frame, and with the help of American wedding planner Mindy Weiss, the couple pulled off an utterly glamorous, timeless celebration. The couple was wed at a romantic white flower garden ceremony with a lavish floral installation as the central piece of their ceremony décor. The bride walked down the fragrant rose-lined aisle in a stunning sleeveless Zahair Murad gown with a silk tulle bolero embroidered with shimmering 3D floral appliqués.

The glamorous, ritzy theme was continued at the couple’s reception, which was showered in sumptuous blooms and romantically lit with candles and fairy lights. The tables were styled with the super trendy rose gold infinity chairs, satin ivory linens and lush white, cream and blush floral centrepieces. The couple’s lovely five-tiered wedding cake was adorned with pearls and overflowing with roses in shades of blush, champagne and lilac pink. The bride dazzled the guests again at the reception by changing into another Zahair Murad gown from the Fall 2018 collection made of blush pink tulle and covered in petal appliqué. Chanel admitted she wanted the wedding to have a classic style she would not regret looking back on years down the line, a goal that she certainly achieved by creating a wedding that fully encapsulates timeless elegance.

3. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ wedding is probably the most extravagant celebrity wedding of 2018. The week-long festivities began with a dinner party in Mumbai, followed by a puja (prayer) ceremony hosted by the bride’s mother, to which the entire wedding party wore traditional Indian dress. The mehendi (an Indian ritual of applying henna before the wedding), where the couple held a Team Bride and Team Groom cricket match, took place at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, followed shortly by the sangeet, a traditional pre-wedding celebration which includes song and dance performances by relatives and friends of the bride and groom. Both events evoked plenty of laughs from the guests and the couple who proudly posted pictures of each event on their social media.

The Christian wedding took place in front of the Umaid Bhawan Palace and was officiated by Nick’s father, Paul. The couple said “I do” under the palace’s grand outdoor structure which was decorated with hundreds of white and pink flowers. The bride wore a 75 foot long tulle veil and a custom Ralph Lauren gown designed by Ralph himself, covered in mother of pearl paillettes, crystal seed beading and Swarovski crystal embellishment. Underneath she wore a strapless gown made of over 2 million mother of pearl sequins. The groom himself was also wearing Ralph Lauren, as were the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

For the Hindu ceremony, Priyanka wore a stunning red Sabyasachi Mukherji lehenga styled with a western style red veil, a Chopard 16-carat diamond headpiece and an elaborate necklace comprising 84.50 carats of pear-shaped diamonds set in 18k white gold. The Umaid Bhawan Palace gardens were transformed by countless red and pink flowers for the occasion and ambient lighting. The couple threw an additional glamourous Hollywood style reception in Mumbai, before they headed out for their honeymoon in Oman. All the events within the couple’s wedding week were personalised with their bespoke golden monogram “NP”, which was a recurring element on all the guest welcome packs and favours. Overall the wedding was an incredibly luxurious, extravagant affair that certainly deserves a high place in our ranking.

2. Chiara Ferragni and Fedez

The wedding of Italian fashion blogger and influencer Chiara Ferragni and rapper and songwriter Fedez completely took over social media in September 2018. The spectacular wedding weekend extravaganza, which was extensively shared by the couple and their guests online under the hashtag #theFerragnez (the combination of Ferragni and Fedez), was probably the most “Instagrammable” event of the year. The couple tied the knot on 1 September 2018 at Dimora delle Balze, just outside of Noto, Sicily in a visually breath-taking outdoor non-religious ceremony planned by Alessandra Grillo and stunningly decorated with decadent white florals by Vincenzo Dascanio. The backdrop of the ceremony was truly awe-inspiring, with strings of white and powder pink roses hanging romantically off fully-grown trees. During the ceremony the bride wore a beautiful haute couture Dior dress designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri. The gown featured a crochet bodice with long sleeves and a high neck and a full-bodied tulle skirt.

The reception dinner took place in a cave lit up by twinkling fairy lights and the bride changed into another custom designed Dior pale pink tulle and silk organza gown, embroidered with motifs that evoking Chiara and Fedez’s love history. After the dinner reception the guests were invited to a Coachella themed afterparty, with a funfair, Ferris wheel, fireworks and a stage with live acts and karaoke, where the bride replaced the long skirt of her second gown with a shorter ballerina skirt. The entire event featured lots of creative personal touches such as real-life animated versions of the Bride and Groom greeting the guests at the airport in Sicily and at the afterparty. The wedding was certainly one of the most inspiring events of this year, which is why we think it deserves the runner up spot in our ranking.

1. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

And the ultimate wedding of the 2018 goes to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, of course! Although the royal wedding was less extravagant then perhaps the wedding of Chopra and Jonas or “The Ferragnez”, the impact this event made on the world was a spectacular phenomenon in itself. The story of a regular American, mixed-race girl falling in love with a real prince from one of the oldest royal families in the world is a fairy tale that we all wanted to be a part of. When Meghan Markle walked down the aisle of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in her fabulous Givenchy gown, with the heavenly soprano of Elin Manahan Thomas sounding in the background, we all stopped and starred in silence, enchanted by the game changing union we were about to witness.

The fact that we were all invited to participate in this incredible historical event, where so many traditions were turned on their heads (such as the inclusion of African-American culture through the Kingdom Choir or the bride being walked down the aisle by her future father in law) generated incredible excitement and buzz not just within the media, but also in everyday conversations. Everywhere you went in May 2018, there was talk about the royal wedding and the enigma that is Meghan Markle. The wedding ceremony décor was truly beautiful, with the gorgeous flowers designed by London florist Philippa Craddock. The bride’s bouquet featured flowers chosen by Prince Harry, including Princess Diana’s favourite flowers, “Forget-Me-Nots”. For the reception, which was held in Frogmore House, we saw the bride in a high-neck modern white silk gown by Stella McCartney, although images of the after-party were not released to the public.

We crown (no pun intended) Meghan and Prince Harry as the winners of our Top Celebrity Wedding of 2018 ranking as we believe the event was a significant moment in history that captured the progression of the highly traditional institution of monarchy to a more modern and flexible version of the establishment – one that movers forward towards the future along with the society that it represents.

Top international authority on colour trend forecasting Pantone have recently announced what we, designers in the wedding industry, await every year in great anticipation – the colour of the year! While we are still totally in love with the 2017 colour of the year Greenery, which is the ideal shade for the natural, minimalist, organic wedding we have witnessed a lot this past year, we can’t help but swoon over the mysterious and electrifying 2018 colour of year Ultra Violet. Pantone describe the colour as “a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade” that “communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future”.

To us, the colour is the perfect colour for the modern couple – sophisticated, progressive, passionate and intriguing, with both feminine and masculine qualities. Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate Ultra Violet into your wedding. We can’t wait to see how many of our clients this year opt to include this super sexy purple shade into their wedding colour scheme!

1. The Linens

One of the most effective ways of adding a bit of pizazz to your wedding reception is to invest in some good quality, glamorous linens.  Sequins are still very much on trend in 2018, and who doesn’t just love a bit of sparkle? Why not use an Ultra Violet sequin table cloth to accentuate that delicious cake or guest book display table you’re having? Another way of injecting Ultra Violet into your wedding is to style your tables with napkins in that gorgeous purple shade. Speak to your local linen hire company and ask if they have any suggestions for your chosen colour palette.

Purple Sequin Tablecloth | Buy: Etsy

2. The Lighting

Have you already planned and designed most of your wedding but still don’t want to miss out on the new hot Ultra Violet trend? Or maybe you can’t find the perfect shade of purple tablecloth or napkin? Ask your lighting provider or venue if it’s possible to fill the reception space with some ambient Ultra Violet purple lighting. Many couples underestimate the importance of lighting, cutting it to the minimum within their budget or forgoing it entirely. As strange as it may appear to some, however, lighting can make the biggest difference and have the greatest impact in the overall look of your venue. It can completely transform a simple, unexciting space into a romantic, atmospheric locale. With a few skillful lighting techniques, your standard banquet hall can instead become a trendy club or intimate hang out spot.

Photo Credit: Unknown | Source:  WeddCeremony

Photo Credit: Harriette Rose Katz  | Source: Bridal Guide

3. The Flowers

Our favourite part of all weddings! We absolutely adore Ultra Violet in a floral arrangement. Combined with shades of blush pink, magenta or fuchsia with touches of powder blue and lilac, it creates an incredibly dramatic and breathtakingly romantic effect. Consider using purple/violet shades of hydrangeas, tulips, sweet pea, anemone, parrot tulips, calla lilies or peonies to look for that Ultra Violet shade.

Photo Credit: Unknown | Source: I take you

Photo Credit: Unknown | Source: Wedding Guide US

4. The Drinks

Tired of the same boring fizz at every wedding? Try adding a little bit of raspberry syrup into you sparkling wine to turn it into that sexy Ultra Violet colour. Alternatively, pop a stick of purple rock candy into each glass of Prosecco and add a bit of Viniq Shimmery Liqueur into the mix to add some shimmer. Guaranteed to get your guests talking!

Photo Credit: Unknown | Source: Sandals Wedding Blog

5. The Bridesmaids’ Dresses

What better way to make a fashion statement with your bridesmaid’s outfits than to go for the colour of the year? Ultraviolet is one of those colours that looks great on any body type, skin or hair colour! It suits both a formal and casual setting and goes perfectly with both silver and gold jewellery.  What’s not to love?!

Photo Credit: The Youngrens | Source: MOD Wedding

6. The Shoes

Looking to accessorise with Ultra Violet? Always start with the shoes! We’re currently lusting after these fabulous Gucci Caspar satin and leather courts. For a more minimalist option, check out these Cassedy suede courts by Aldo.

Caspar satin and leather courts by Gucci  | Buy: Selfridges

Cassedy suede court by Aldo | Buy: Selfridges

7. The Stationery

Light gray, sky blue, turquoise and Ultra Violet – what a great colour scheme! We think these invitations look pretty dreamy and are ideal for a whimsical, ethereal fantasy themed wedding. We recommend using some silk ribbon to give your stationery that extra luxe feel.

Blue & Purple Watercolour Invitations by FoxesonBoxes | Buy: Etsy

Deep purple silk ribbon by NettleTextiles | Buy: Etsy

8. The Cake

Who wants cake?! No guest would be able to say no to this stunning purple, lilac and silver cake. We can imagine this cake being served at a Winter Magical Wonderland themed wedding. For a more formal affair we’d go for the option below – Ultra Violet and gold paired with beautiful and feminine fuchsia roses. It practically screams luxury and elegance and has that oriental feel that we just love.

Photo Credit: Shazdeh Cakes | Source: Instagram

Photo Credit: Arosi Decor| Source: Instagram

9. The Jewellery

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend… but so are amethysts! If you’re looking for alternative to diamond jewellery, we think amethysts are an incredibly classy choice. This 18 karat yellow gold Dior Oui Ring is the pinnacle of luxury minimalism. If you’re throwing an Ultra Violet wedding, why not complete your bridal look with these stunning Tiffany & Co Yard Earrings? They also make a wonderful thank you gift for your mum, mother-in-law or bridesmaids.

Oui Ring 18K yellow gold and amethyst by Dior  | Buy: Dior

Color by the Yard Earrings by Tiffany & Co. | Buy: Tiffany & Co.

10. The Favours

The biggest 2018 trend when it comes to dessert tables? Donuts! We believe that food makes some of the best favours and these super cute violet iced donuts are pleasing to the eye as well as your taste buds.

Photo Credit: Mélanie Aubin | Source: Instagram

xoxo Marika

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