Today’s Outdoor Lounges Make Sense

Image from Jasmine Star via Style Me Pretty

A few years ago, the lounge trend epitomized the increasing extravagance of weddings before the economy tanked in 2008. Personally, I was glad to see it go. As couples and their families tightened their belts in a faltering economy, they shed the excess trappings of an over-the-top wedding: after parties, mini milk shakes and cheeseburger sliders served on the dance floor, and the ubiquitous lounge–which, for outdoor weddings, required shipping and moving area carpets, tables, and over sized furniture into a field or backyard somewhere. It was like a neo-Gilded Age. (not a compliment)

Image from Annabella Charles via Postcards and Pretties

  The outdoor lounge trend all but disappeared for a few  years. It was replaced by an explosion of rustic, artful, and handmade trends. The relationship between a handmade aesthetic and a shaky economy is not lost on me. I see the two as tightly intertwined.

Image from Hillary Maybery via Elizabeth Anne Designs

  So perhaps its a signal of a recovering economy that we’re seeing a resurgence of the outdoor lounge trend. But this time it’s a bit more down-to-earth, a bit more sober. Instead of the swank leather sofas with clean modern lines, we’re seeing dressed up outdoorsy furniture. instead of trucking in sofas and chairs, brides are dressing up what is available with festive pillows, throws, and rugs. Practical but still pretty and stylish. LOVE!