Planning a wedding in 2026? Here is what’s trending for the year ahead
SOURCE:Sydney Morning Herald|BY:Ivy Manners
As couples seek to create personalised events, some of the older traditions such as matching bridesmaids’ dresses are on the way out. But that still leaves plenty of room for over-the-top experiences.
Weddings in 2025 brought fresh concepts such as year-long festivities and multi-day wedding “vacations”. We saw couples incorporate modern technology into old norms, such as using artificial intelligence to help them plan their special day, choosing a civil ceremony at City Hall over a traditional one, and reviving film photography and camcorders to document the event.
Fashion-forward details such as draped decor, all-white colour palettes and statement wedding guest attire were also big in 2025.
Planning a wedding this year? Here are some of the trends to look out for.Credit: iStock
As nuptials evolve in the coming year, what will remain constant is couples wanting to create connection. According to the Knot Worldwide 2025 Future of Celebrations Report, 97 per cent of the US-based surveyed users believe that moments of gathering, such as weddings, provide not just joy, but real benefits for wellbeing.
Here’s a look at what to expect for ceremonies and receptions in 2026.
Private Vows
Craig Peterman, a photographer and videographer in Phoenix, has seen a rise in couples setting aside time for private vow readings before the ceremony, and he anticipates this trend will continue.
“It protects a meaningful moment and gives the wedding film something to anchor to,” Peterman says. “So it will be recommended by photo and video teams frequently.”
Shane McMurray, chief executive of the Wedding Report, a wedding industry research company, noted, too, that couples want wedding day experiences that feel like them.
“Weddings are no longer scripted ceremonies with predictable beats,” he says.
Unconventional Venues
Loni Peterson, the owner of LP Creative Events in Denver, says wedding venues will continue to be more surprising with spaces such as historic ruins, caves and airport hangars.
“Couples want their special day to stand out among the noise and one way they can do that is by hosting their guests at a ‘non wedding’ venue,” she says.
“We are also having couples holding their events in open fields, fairgrounds and ski and snowboard trails.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon were among those who married at non wedding venues in 2025 when they tied the knot at The Lodge. They also wrote their own vows.Credit: Mike Bowers
Multiple Celebrations
Xin Huang, a wedding planner and the owner of Le Petite Privé in New York, says she is seeing many couples host celebrations spread out over months – whether with a cultural ceremony or a reception months before or after the legal marriage, or separate receptions months apart.
Couples are also celebrating across cities or countries that have meaning to them or where their loved ones live. “This is a beautiful way to parade your love and share what is important to you in the different settings and cultures that speak to you,” Huang says.
Projected Videos
“With draping and white colour schemes being two huge decor trends in 2025, there has been a natural progression with the use of projection,” says Jessica Ralph, the owner and executive planner of Parties A La Carte in Tampa Bay, Florida.
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“Draped, sheer white overlay creates an effective backdrop for projection and an elevated, romantic setting.” (Videos can be displayed on a blank wall, with rear projection used to ensure a seamless set-up.)
Some couples are also using a mix of photos from their relationship, while others are focusing on engagement session images, says Masha Sakhno, the founder of Masha Sakhno Photo in Honolulu. In addition to sharing their love story, couples are also displaying images of family members. “It’s a great way to add sentiment and nostalgia to the celebration,” she says.
Memorable Entertainment
Wedding attendees can expect to be entertained more. Couples are welcoming guests with musicians and dancers, blending DJs with live bands (or saxophones), and introducing unexpected performances during cocktail hour. Many are also adding activities that engage other senses, such as coffee stations, gelato carts or custom fragrance bars.
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“Couples are seeking those surprise-and-delight moments that make guests feel part of something personal and alive,” says Fallon Carter, an event planner and the founder of Fallon Carter Events in Washington, DC.
Love Notes
Pinterest’s 2026 trends predictions anticipate a resurgence in personalised notes and letters. Peterson says more of her clients were incorporating notes to their guests in their reception decor. “I’m seeing them find unique ways to connect with each guest,” she says, “whether thanking them for travelling to celebrate their marriage, including an inside joke or introducing them to the person sitting next to them at their table.”
Heidi Moore, a stationer and the owner of Idieh Design, based in Phoenix, has also noticed that many of her clients are choosing to leave individualised notes.
“Some craft one message per couple, while others write a unique note for each person,” she says. Sometimes handwriting is replaced with handwritten-style fonts to save time.
Dessert Cocktails
Couples will be incorporating signature dessert cocktails during the cake cutting to elevate the moment, says Koby Morris, the owner of Southern Standard, an events bar services company based in New Braunfels, Texas. Decadent, fruity mocktails and espresso martinis are favourites that will be also trending in 2026.
Curated Food
There is an increasing focus on food as part of the overall design, rather than simply sustenance, says Alice Wilkes, a wedding planner and the founder of Alice Wilkes Design in London.
“Planners are seeing a growing interest in the presentation of food itself, with beautifully styled dishes, canapes and drinks becoming an extension of the event’s aesthetic and storytelling,” she says.
“Couples are embracing elevated dessert rooms, tasting stations and interactive chef-led moments.”
It’s no longer a case of chicken or beef at weddings with more emphasis on presentation and curated menus.
Deborah Miller, the founder of Deborah Miller Catering & Events in New York, is seeing more couples opt for cocktail-style wedding receptions, with food stations, passed canapes and small plates over more traditional plated dinners. “This allows for a lot more culinary creativity,” Miller says.
Bold Colours and Stripes
Pinterest’s 2026 trends report also predicts that vivid colours and stripes will inspire decor choices, which event planners forecast will influence weddings. “We’re seeing couples choosing to make a statement with saturated colours,” says Dawn Crothers, the president and creative director of Something Vintage Rentals, based in Temple Hills, Maryland. “Hues like red, teal, burgundy and deep green will be strong for 2026.”
“Full-colour tablescapes, mixed-hue glassware, layered colourful florals and vivid linens will be popular for creating immersive, theatrical environments,” says Sarah Farsh, an owner and the creative director of Olympic Valley Stables, an event venue in Olympic Valley, California, and an owner of Tahoe Engaged, a wedding vendor directory.
Bridal Party Outfit Changes
Second looks are no longer just for the bride and groom. Patricia Voto, a New York-based designer and the founder of One Of, recently created three looks for a mother of the bride, who changed from ceremony to reception to after-party.
Bridal stylists such as Anny Choi, based in New York, are seeing a rise in mothers of the bride and groom and other family members doing an outfit change. “It can become a great little break,” she says, “a moment for family and friends to freshen up together before the party begins.”
