The Curse of the Cadburys Purple

I've been a makeup artist for many, many years now and part of the wedding industry which I love every minute of. While I've been working as a MUA in the industry for around 18 years, my bridal business really kicked off around 2011. And since then, I've seen more trends come and go than I've had hot dinners....

Let's start with the one that had a real chokehold on weddings from 2011 to around 2014:

Cadbury's Purple

If you know, you know....

Every trial would start with the same question:

"So, what's your colour scheme?"

And nine times out of ten, the answer was:

"Cadbury's Purple."

It was everywhere. Dresses, sashes, centrepieces — even the chair bows weren't safe. Cadbury's Purple took no prisoners. And don't even get me started on chair covers — oh my days. I remember them well. I had chair covers at my own wedding, but in my defence, the hotel chairs were hideous and needed something. You'd walk into a venue and be hit with a sea of white covers tied with satin purple bows. Sprinkle in a few ostrich plume centrepieces and scatter crystals, and you had the full package.

What's funny now is telling a 2025 bride about it. They look at me like I've lost the plot.

"Cadbury's Purple?"

Yep. It was a thing. A big thing too...

But before we get too modern, let's skip forward to the Rose Gold and Pillow Talk era.

Rose Gold & Pillow Talk

Around 2016 to 2018, we moved into a shinier phase. Rose Gold crept in — in makeup, in décor, in everything. Brides would come in asking for Rose Gold eyeshadow, Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk lipstick, more Pillow Talk, and just in case I didn't catch it — more Pillow Talk.

To be fair, I still use Pillow Talk now. It's classic.

This was also the time of sparkle dresses in Rose Gold and Bronze. And I'll be honest — I liked this trend. If they'd been around when I got married, I would have had them. I love a bit of bling, and Rose Gold has that perfect glam-without-being-gaudy vibe. Makeup-wise, this era brought stronger eye looks, structured eyes, glitter packed into the centre of the lid, and bold brows that were definitely there to be seen. Even for brides who wanted "natural," it was the Instagram natural — more polished, more defined.

The Retro Revival

Before the sparkle took over and Pillow Talk reigned supreme, we had a full-on retro-vintage moment.

There was a brand I remember called Pretty Kitty Fashion where all bridesmaid dresses came from, and they were all about that classic 40s/50s aesthetic. I had quite a few brides come to me wanting that retro look — Victory Rolls, red lipstick, winged eyeliner, and their bridesmaids in sticky-out skirts and pin-up dresses. It was all very Hollywood Glamour, and I loved it. It was a strong look, but timeless in its own way.

You don't really see it anymore — now it's all about soft, dewy, minimal skin — but for a few years, that vintage look had a real grip on weddings, and it was a vibe I was 100% here for.

Pinterest Madness & Pampas Grass: A Cautionary Tale

We can't talk about trends without mentioning the Pinterest Era. Brides would come to me armed with mood boards full of hessian-wrapped jars, wooden log slices, and miles and miles of bunting. The rustic aesthetic was everywhere — charming, yes, but sometimes very copy-and-paste.

The one that truly made me laugh, though, was pampas grass.

Growing up in 1980s suburbia in Little Sutton, I remember pampas grass being a staple in many front gardens. When we moved into our house, we had a huge pampas bush. As a child, I thought it looked funky — but the first thing my Dad did was rip it out. I never understood why until years later.... when he finally explained that pampas grass was a secret swinger signal.

Yep. Swingers.

So you can imagine my absolute howling laughter when pampas grass made its bridal comeback around 2019 and 2021 ( we don't mention 2020) — on moongates, in vases, everywhere. Sometimes tied in with macramé for the full '70s retro vibe.

Every time I see it now, I have to chuckle. The connotations are just too good.

Looking Back, Laughing Forward

Now, I want to be clear — this isn't about mocking current trends.

Not at all.

The truth is, today's weddings are filled with more creativity, individuality, and style than ever before.

Thanks to Pinterest, social media, and just how much the wedding industry has grown, couples have so much more at their fingertips now compared to when I first started.

Back then, options were limited — a few bridal magazines, a couple of suppliers if you were lucky, and very little in the way of inspiration.

Now?

There's endless choice — in dresses, colour schemes, flowers, venues, styling, and makeup looks. You can completely tailor your day to your own style, and it's fantastic.

There are also far more trend-led suppliers out there now. When I first started, styled shoots weren't really a thing — I was probably one of the first in my area really pushing that kind of creative work as I always saw a styled shoot as a way to set the trends and to give my brides plenty of inspo. Things have changed massively, and in so many ways, it's really exciting to see.

So yes, while certain colours, styles, and themes might come and go, and while I do sometimes laugh at the trends we've all lived through, it's always done with love. I'm not here to poke fun — I'm just reminiscing.

Every wedding, every trend, every moment tells a story.

And at the end of the day, that's what weddings are about: your story, your style, your memories.

I'll just be here — makeup brushes in hand — smiling fondly at every last sequin, bunting flag, sparkly eye, and feather plume along the way.