I had a great question from a bride last night at The Wedding Party's "Fully Engaged" event - "How do you keep up with all the new trends?"  And my answer was simple: a lot of the same ways you do!

• Magazines: In fact, I have the latest issue of Weddings Unveiled sitting next to my computer as I'm typing this.  Hopefully I'll get to read through it one of these days!  In addition to bridal magazines, I also read lots of industry publications regarding special events, catering, etc.
• Blogs: I have over 200 blog subscriptions in Google Reader right now.  Does that mean I read every one, every day?  No.  But I love reading the headlines, scanning the photos, and if something really catches my eye I'll read it in more detail.  Not all of them are wedding-related either; some are about interior design, some are about fashion, some are about running a business.  You never know where inspiration will strike!
• Conferences and Trade Shows: This one is more unique to industry pros, although you may find ideas at your local bridal show.  Personally, I attend at least two conferences a year, where I can see over-the-top decor ideas, learn about new products, and talk to other event planners from around the country.

But the real answer to the question is this:  We don't keep up with the trends, we create them.

Most wedding magazines are published only two to four times a year.  That means that the weddings in the current issues may be over a year old already.  Which means the details that went into that wedding were planned for at least a year before that.

I keep hearing about trends like "feathers" and "monograms" and all sorts of other wonderful ideas - but we have been using those ideas for several years now.  As an example, check my post about Kimberly and Victor's March 2008 wedding using these "trends."

Re-creating something in a magazine is great, but ask your event designer, florist or planner about creating a look that is uniquely "you!"