Here’s what local wedding experts say are seven hot trends for 2007:

GOWNS: Wedding dresses are not all about tradition: They come in many colors and lengths. Brides prefer a “nice twist” to their dresses, with colorful sashes; one bride opted for pink top with a lime green skirt and yellow ribbon around her waist, says Susan Thompson of Vermont Made Weddings.

Many use the color of the bride’s maids dresses for sashes. Hot colors include ivory, chocolate brown and sage. At a Vera Wang fashion show in New York City, the sashes were black, says Janet Dunnington of CEO Weddings and Events.

COLOR: The hot color in weddings, used for things like linens, flowers, decor and overall design, is orange. Burnt orange is the happening shade, says Dunnington.

ACCESSORIES: Tiaras are out; hair pins with small silk or cotton flowers are in, says Deb LaFromboise of Sewly Yours/Once Upon A Bride.

PLACE: People who come to Vermont for their weddings want to be married outdoors, by the lake or with mountain views. Many opt for inns and other settings where guests can enjoy a weekend worth of activities.

Refurbished horse barns are “in” for vows, says Thompson. Barns have been hot properties for a time, but not necessarily the rustic kind you’re imagining, says Dunnington. Think AC and heat, running water.

Many Dunnington-planned weddings take place on mom’s and dad’s second home, a private estate in rural Vermont.

“Metro brides want to get out of the city and get back to the beauty of nature,” said Dunnington, whose 20 weddings a year, May to October, are all for out-of-state couples. “Whenever I’m doing a tented event, one of the things we discuss is bringing the outdoors inside. That’s what they want.”

CAKES: The sky’s the limit; for summer weddings, whimsical, fun colors with fresh flowers, says Thompson.

Also, forget yellow cake with white icing; cakes run the gamut these days, with flavors including chocolate ganache, hazelnut and mocha, says Dunnington.

There’s a return to the traditional round tier, too, with cakes decorated in fresh flowers in colors that incorporate the color scheme of the event, Dunnington adds.

FLOWERS: Summer calls for lots of colors in the flower arrangement; blue hydrangeas and orchids are favorites, says Thompson.

MUSIC: Personal choice rules; couples typically hire DJs who can bring a variety of music, says Thompson.

Sources: Susan Thompson of Vermont Made Weddings, based in South Burlington and Grand Isle; Janet Dunnington, founder/owner CEO Weddings and Events in Manchester; Deb LaFromboise, owner and designer of Sewly Yours/Once Upon A Bride in Burlington.

via : www.burlingtonfreepress.com By Sally Pollak