Love notes, private vows, bold colors are part of 2026’s wedding trends

Weddings in 2025 brought fresh concepts like yearlong festivities and multiday wedding “vacations.” Fashion-forward details like draped décor, all-white color palettes and statement wedding guest attire were also big.

As nuptials evolve in the coming year, what will remain constant is couples wanting to create connection. Here’s a look at what to expect for ceremonies and receptions this year.

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 said. “So it will be recommended by photo and video teams frequently.”

Shane McMurray, the CEO of the Wedding Report, a wedding industry research company, said couples want wedding day experiences that feel like them. “Weddings are no longer scripted ceremonies with predictable beats,” he said.

Loni Peterson, the owner of LP Creative Events in Denver, says wedding venues will continue to be more surprising with spaces like 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 ‘nonwedding’ venue,” she said. “We are also having couples holding their events in open fields, fairgrounds and ski and snowboard trails.”

Xin Huang, a wedding planner and the owner of Le Petite Privé in New York, said 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 said.

Some couples are also using a mix of photos from their relationship, while others are focusing on engagement session images, said 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.

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, like coffee stations, gelato carts or custom fragrance bars.

“Couples are seeking those surprise-and-delight moments that make guests feel part of something personal and alive,” said Fallon Carter, an event planner and the founder of Fallon Carter Events in Washington, D.C.

Pinterest’s 2026 trends predictions anticipate a resurgence in personalized notes and letters. Peterson said more of her clients are incorporating notes to their guests in their reception décor. “I’m seeing them find unique ways to connect with each guest,” she said, “whether thanking them for traveling 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 in Phoenix, has also noticed that many of her clients are choosing to leave individualized notes. “Some craft one message per couple, while others write a unique note for each person,” she said. Sometimes handwriting is replaced with handwritten-style fonts to save time.

There is an increasing focus on food as part of the overall design, rather than simply sustenance, said Alice Wilkes, a wedding planner and the founder of Alice Wilkes Design in London. “Couples are embracing elevated dessert rooms, tasting stations and interactive chef-led moments,” she said.

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 canapés and small plates over more traditional plated dinners. “This allows for a lot more culinary creativity,” Miller said.

Pinterest’s 2026 trends report also predicts that vivid colors and stripes will inspire décor choices. “We’re seeing couples choosing to make a statement with saturated colors,” said Dawn Crothers, the president and creative director of Something Vintage Rentals, based in Temple Hills, Md. “Hues like red, teal, burgundy and deep green will be strong for 2026.”