You’ve asked and we’ve answered! Welcome to your weekly column ‘Planning Your Happily Ever After’ with wedding consultant Shikima Hinds.

In honour of the Jamaica Observer’s Design Week, I’m highlighting one of the unexpected places where you’ll find wedding inspiration.

More and more couples take inspiration from interior and architectural designs to curate the look of their wedding. But, several factors influence modern shifts in the wedding industry.

Wedding styling and décor have come a long way in the last few years, with far more sophistication and professionalism present than ever before. Just like your fashion, taking a look into your preferred interior design likes and dislikes can give you a more in-depth perspective into your personal style and provide a lot of wedding inspiration. Focus on your own home or home goals and note the types of furniture, lighting, and décor you’ve selected.

Whether you’re a modern minimalist, a wood lover, an eco-friendly enthusiast, or anywhere in between, you can use those design cues to guide the decision on your venue, rentals, tablespaces, and more.

Trends generally tend to go from fashion to home to events. I always see a direct connection between international interior decorating forecasts and events.

Using a combination of colours, shapes, patterns and furniture that you would traditionally see in an interior decorating magazine or online, event designers are now creating stylish yet comfortable environments where guests can feel at home.

‘The living room effect’ is the popular term used for the look that borrows techniques from the comforts of home.

The first step is finding a look, a photo, an atmosphere, or a meaningful memory that you love and using it to inspire the design and mood of your wedding day. I’m a firm believer that inspiration can come from anywhere. The world of design is always changing and can influence the furniture you use, fabric textures, colours and flora for your special day.

Designs often go beyond interior but the architectural design of a building can set the theme of your event. You naturally wouldn’t put a vintage décor theme in a modern minimalistic space.

For example, creating a wedding cake is surprisingly much like constructing a building. The cake’s form is determined by the function it has to fulfil.

A lot of magazines have started to take note of the translation of the trends, even if it’s not their editorial category.

• Harper’s Bazaar now publishes a list of the top wedding annually.

• Town & Country Magazine has a wedding publication.

• Elle Décor, one of the ultimate guides to decorating and design, will sometimes spotlight how interior designs can be incorporated into your event.

Trends take shape through stages, starting in fashion on the runway, flowing through home décor, and eventually to events and weddings.