Old Tappan, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/07/2011 -- Between the classic white backdrop and the potentially lower cost, winter weddings continue to rise in popularity this year. As the winter of 2012 approaches, brides are frantically entering the final phases of their winter wedding planning. What are some of the trends this upcoming season? According to Sharyn Sheldon, President of Just Weddings:

"We've seen the do-it-yourself trend increasing even more than last year, presumably due to tighter budgets in these tough economic times.

Brides want to put their personal touch on their wedding while saving a few dollars. Since they are not willing to sacrifice quality, they are looking to economize in other ways as well, such as cutting down the number of guests or favors."

Having DIY wedding favors, such as s'mores kits and homemade cookies, are nothing new. However, brides are also looking to create more and more elements of their wedding decorations as well. For a winter wedding, these include silver-sprayed branches, pine cone scented ornaments, and white on white bunting.

For winter bridal fashion, the classic style of Princess Kate's gown has had the expected influence on gown designs. Long sleeves, lace details, and even ruffles are all evident. Of course, the vintage look never seems to go out of style. At the same time, the timeless white gown is being challenged by more daring colors. Vera Wang's latest wedding gown collection includes colors such as taupe, pale green, and charcoal gray.

While white is the traditional color of any wedding, particularly in the winter, rich bold colors are increasingly popular. Peacock blues and greens, deep ruby red and ivory, and classic black and white with splashes of red are among some of the trending combinations.

Finally, 2012 weddings seem to be continuing the use of themes to express the personality of the couple. "The most popular themes among our customers this year are country western, music, vintage, golf, and Irish theme weddings", says Ms. Sheldon. "Destination weddings are a popular theme also, even if the couple isn't actually traveling anywhere. The idea is to bring the feel of an exotic destination to the reception, no matter whether you are on the beach or in downtown Manhattan." Couples may not be able to afford the trip abroad for a tropical or other destination wedding, but they can still create that feeling near home. If nothing else, tighter purse strings have resulted in greater creativity among both couples and wedding planners.

Just Weddings is an online retailer of quality wedding supplies, including favors, decorations, cake toppers, gifts and invitations. Their mission is to help couples escape from wedding insanity and find the little details they need without the usual stress.