The Major Wedding-Planning Trends Set to Take Over
Whether you've had a curated Pinterest board since middle school or you're newly engaged, there's no question that the task of planning a wedding is a daunting one, to say the least. With so many decisions to be made, both big and small, and no shortage of inspiration across the internet, it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to even begin. As such, we're taking the opportunity to report on the biggest trends happening in the wedding and event planning space right now, naturally filtered through our fashion-person perspective.
We've already reported on the biggest bridal fashion trends to know for 2026 brides, but now we're taking it further and diving into everything beyond the dress. From the trending font that's featured on the coolest invitations to the floral arrangements that are art pieces in and of themselves, these are all the elements of a wedding weekend that are taking over right now. And while the big day remains at the heart of it all, multiday celebrations don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In fact, wedding and event planner Beth Helmstetter shared that she sees couples continuing to host weekend-long celebrations but focusing on regions and experiences that highlight who they are and what they love as a couple. 'Many couples are leaning into more casual and less produced celebrations that encourage guests to have more fun and lean into intimacy over formality,' she explained.
Destination or not, it's all about the unexpected and unique when it comes to venues. Mindy Weiss, who planned both Demi Lovato's and Hailee Steinfeld's respective nuptials this year, shared that several clients want to find a location where their event can spread out for several days from Thursday through Sunday. 'This offers a guest experience that they're hoping their loved ones have never had before. It could include golf tournaments, spa experiences, game days, pool parties, cooking classes, and cocktail parties. We're not just planning a wedding anymore,' she insisted. Weddings in 2026 are set to become 360-degree experiences beginning from the arrival of the custom invitations to the gifts guests part with and every detail in between.
There's no question that destination weddings are growing more popular every year, but in 2026, couples looking to tie the knot abroad are putting renewed emphasis on locales that are rich in authentic and local charm and venues that are striking and cinematic. Venues that are immersed in nature with dramatic backdrops and striking architecture are quickly becoming the must-haves, whether that be the limestone quarry in Menorca that's hosted weddings and fashion brand events alike or historic fincas like Sa Pedrissa in Mallorca with its unspoiled views of the coastline.
For exact locations, traditional Italian destinations like Tuscany will always be that girl, but Fora adviser Katherine Flynn noted that Mallorca, Puglia, and Todos Santos are quickly rising as top wedding destinations, too, which she says is thanks to their natural beauty, authentic charm, and boutique feel. 'These places fit perfectly with the trend of turning weddings into multiday getaways for friends and family,' she continued. 'Guests want sunset dinners, local wine, and unique experiences. In Puglia, Masseria San Domenico is a perfect example of the region's rustic elegance with historic farmhouses surrounded by olive groves and incredible local cuisine.' The five-star hotel hosted an exclusive trip for J.Crew earlier this summer, which highlights how close the fashion and wedding event worlds are tied.
While venues are striking and dramatic on the one hand, they're also rustic and familiar on the other. The next big wedding venue trend? Ranches. 'Remote and rugged is the new romantic,' insisted Sunna Yassin and Mollie Jones Hennes, principals of Bash Please. The pair are the planners behind Alex Cooper's highly buzzed-about wedding last year and shared that they're seeing a strong draw toward private ranches, wineries, and architectural compounds that feel completely off-grid. Weiss echoed this sentiment, sharing that she's seeing mountainous regions like Big Sky, Montana, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, gaining more and more popularity. Hosting multiday celebrations in these places means couples can plan a number of guest excursions, including horseback riding and custom cowboy hat bars.
With couples putting intimate and meaningful celebrations ahead of all-out productions, it makes sense that we'd see a resurgence of at-home weddings. Though, we're not necessarily talking simply backyard affairs. 'Whether it's a ranch tucked into the foothills of Jackson Hole or a private villa in the South of France, hosting at 'home' has never felt more relevant,' shared Jesse Tombs, owner and creative director of Jesse Tombs. 'Home settings carry stories, and there's an unmatched intimacy in celebrating surrounded by the landscapes that have meaning. There's a richness in that kind of authenticity, where every view has history and heart for all of your loved ones in attendance.'
There's one buzzword in wedding décor right now, and it's draping. 'Drapery is huge for 2026,' Weiss insisted. 'So many of my clients want dripping, scrunched, and unkempt elegance when it comes to draping.' As for how we can see it being used as a décor choice, Yassin and Jones explained that they expect to see sheer drapery used in unexpected ways: 'Framing nature instead of hiding it, adding height without weight. Clients want spaces that feel cinematic but still breathable.'
This is one trend that feels in step with the 1950s nostalgia that we're seeing play out in bridal fashion right now, too. Drapery is an element that brings a sense of luxury and a timelessness that's still fluid and unfussy and, according to Helmstetter, has evolved into a design feature in its own right. 'We're seeing it installed in unexpected places, ceiling treatments that dip low over dining tables and become part of the tablescape, and even bars or cake tables layered in luxurious fabric to create a moment that feels just as intentional as what they're displaying. It's no longer just functional—it's a focal point.'
Personality-first elements are winning when it comes to 2026 weddings, and couples want every décor detail to be intentional and deeply personal. For Tombs, that means that 'every detail should feel like it was always meant to be there. Think elegant minimalism, wabi-sabi, and a sense of purpose behind every fork and fabric selection.' One way to inject some personality is through intentional mismatching—flatware, dishware, and even mismatched chairs all bring a sense of uniqueness to a wedding that can't be replicated.
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There are myriad ways in which couples are creating conversation and connection through the design and décor of their wedding, and opting for handcrafted details and artisanal accents is one way to do so. It's all about vintage or vintage-inspired pieces that tell a story and perhaps carry personal or cultural significance. Retro wrought iron chairs, especially for venues with an outdoor terrace or garden area, are a niche but impactful design choice that can instantly bring a warmth and familiarity to the event. Helmstetter says she's prioritizing these handcrafted details over overly produced moments. 'The goal is to create a space that feels lived-in and a dining table that encourages conversation, connection, and comfort.'
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Wedding food is no longer only about the food but has become a part of the larger design and aesthetic direction of the event itself. 'The runway is setting the table now, and this trend will be seen in weddings and events around the world,' Tombs said. Abundant tablescapes, color coordination, and hyperlocal produce are all components of the storytelling that wedding catering is doing now. 'Culinary creatives are stepping into the spotlight like never before, often working alongside wedding planners, designers, and art directors to shape the look and feel of events. They're co-curating design, tabletop, food displays, and styling. Think of it as food with a fashion-campaign treatment, styled, storied, and saturated in mood and story. This is also driving new kinds of culinary collabs: Loewe x Laila Gohar [and] Jacquemus x Oursin.'
Another design-planning element that mirrors the timelessness and elegance happening in the bridal fashion space is the employment of antiques in the overall décor and, specifically, in the food and beverage offering. Coupe glasses holding everything from champagne to hand-scooped tiramisu, antique trays overflowing with hors d'oeuvres, sterling silver flatware—these are just a few of the accents that bring a sense of nostalgia for a golden age to wedding design.
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One detail that is carrying on from our 2024 wedding planning reporting is the trend of the large-format cake. No longer is the default wedding cake design one with multiple tiers that tower ever higher. Now, we're seeing a wave of oversize wedding tarts covered in fresh berries that are becoming the new go-to dessert choice to both cut as a couple and serve to guests. The oversize format feels much more familial and is an especially popular choice for intimate gatherings.
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More is not always more when it comes to wedding-day florals. Instead, planners want to hit on a much more minimal and directional tone. 'The vibe is more fashion showroom than bridal Pinterest board,' shared Tombs. 'Instead of overworked frilly arrangements, we're loving simplified compositions with one to two floral varieties that act like color blocks in the overall event color palette. Monochrome clusters create visual ease and allow the flowers to function as part of the architecture of the space. It feels modern, elevated, and most importantly, more like a chic party and less like a wedding.'
Florals are going minimal, but they're also going maximal—'sometimes in the same weekend,' according to Yassin and Jones. 'Sparse, sculptural arrangements using bold single blooms are gaining traction,' they noted, like the minimalist arrangements described above, 'while others are going for volume and chaos in the best way: overflowing blooms that look like they sprouted overnight. Wild, abundant installs tap into something romantic and uncontained—perfect for nature-forward settings.' In fact, wild and overflowing are two keywords that experts seemed to echo over the course of my conversations. Weiss insisted that this aesthetic is one that will only continue to gain momentum. 'Think actual greens growing up the walls and chandeliers made out of calla lilies. Very art-forward designs,' she added.
Timeless glamour is the mood that's leading the direction for cool wedding stationery. 'Our current mood board includes vintage social invitations from the golden era and fashion show invites with sharp, pared-back yet graphic typography,' shared Tombs. 'There's something luxurious about going back to the basics. I'm talking about thick, creamy-buttery paper, deep letterpress printing that leaves a gorgeous impression, spot calligraphy that feels like it came straight from an artist's atelier.' Classic ivory tones and the occasional rich oxblood hue mark the color palette, while bespoke details like wax seals and thick-cut heavyweight letterpress leave an impact on guests from the very beginning.
Timeless elegance is going strong in one direction, and joyful, whimsical designs are rearing their heads in another. Traditionally, stationery tends to be low in the hierarchy of design-forward choices, but experts say that wedding invites are just another avenue for couples to inject some personality into their guests' experience. 'Playful, handwritten typography and color-forward palettes are having a moment,' Yassin and Jones confirmed, 'especially when paired with tactile elements like letterpress or hand-dyed paper. The more it feels like a piece of art or a collector's object, the better.' Instead of following one format, the trend is all about personalization. 'Custom fonts, oversize letters, saturated color are all elements of our invitations in 2026,' Weiss added.
Personalization continues to be the defining feature of 2025 and 2026 weddings. 'There's a real appetite for design-forward branding,' Yassin and Jones shared. 'Clients want transportive settings, highly curated design moments, and brand-level storytelling—from the first invite to the final farewell.' That could look like anything from bespoke matchbooks to personalized menus to embroidered napkins, but for couples looking to go the extra mile, it goes beyond menus and itineraries. 'We just monogrammed robes for each guest in their hotel rooms,' Weiss shared of one recent couple. In essence, customization is at an all-time high.
There will always be a place for traditional guest gifts, but more couples are placing emphasis on experience-driven gifting. 'We're seeing things like custom cowboy hat bars, adventure kits with matching branded gear, personal photos in guest rooms, and bespoke turndown treats that feel deeply personal,' shared Tombs. 'It's less about quantity, more about curation and customization.' This is especially true of weddings where the couple has a personal bond with the destination or surroundings. Experiences and excursions are a way to share that connection with their guests in the hopes of creating memories that last long after the last dance.
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'Wedding 'merch' is officially a thing—but only if it feels thoughtful, wearable, and a little unexpected,' Yassin and Jones insisted. For Cooper's wedding, the planners curated an assortment of sweats, hats, and bags that looked more like concert drops than party favors. 'Guests want keepsakes they'll actually use—and post about—long after the weekend ends.' Gifting is another way to create a through line from the aesthetic of the invites all the way to the final tone of these take-home items. Instead of individual gift bags, Weiss noted that some of her couples are taking things up a notch and hosting 'welcome stores,' where guests can choose from several items and make their own gift bags.
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Anyone Who's Skipping Out On Ironheart For Certain 'Reasons' Is Missing Out
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While there are plenty of upcoming Marvel movies that I'm sure we're all looking forward to, like the long-awaited Fantastic Four reboot or the next Avengers movies, it feels as if the MCU TV shows haven't been as popular lately. I mean, sure, Daredevil: Born Again was a big hit, but I think that's also mainly because it showcased actors reprising characters from a past series. It was a show that everyone was eagerly anticipating. Other than that, when was the last time there was a significant amount of hype for an MCU TV show? I really can't remember. I think that's because most have been hit or miss. You can have a runaway hit like WandaVision or Hawkeye, but then you could also have bombs like Secret Invasion, She-Hulk (even though I enjoyed the series), and Echo. There are all moments of fun in those series, but in comparison to some of the others, they're not nearly as good. 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'Some of the guys never wanted to do that song. ‘This is crap!'': The '70s hit that reinvented a legendary band
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I also have loved that older characters have gotten more chances to shine. I'm the biggest supporter of Wanda having her time in the sun and all of those kick-butt Scarlet Witch instances. But when it comes to recasting those old heroes – the ones that we've grown so used to – it doesn't feel great, I'll tell you that. Recasting The Old Heroes Within This MCU Feels Like A Huge Step Back As I said in the section above, I'm not opposed to recasting overall. I don't mind it if it's done with intention, and it isn't just an excuse to make more money off of a new character. We've had three different recasts of Spider-Man at this point, and everyone still debates who the best Spider-Man is. This is essentially how Hollywood works. However, the issue I have with this kind of recasting is that it creates a singular universe. Sure, we have been made aware that there are millions of variants of the same character. We saw that at length, when it came to Loki. But at the same time, it feels like a stab in the back to recast a character when their stories have already come to an end. This feels worse than bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. It feels like it somehow tarnishes the legacy of Tony Stark. The story of his character was complete, and honestly, we don't need to see his character recast again in this same universe for us to love him still. He is, and will always be, Tony Stark. So, the idea of recasting him – even if it is a long time away – feels like a slap in the face to those who not only love his interpretation of the character but also the story of him as a whole, with the movies we've watched. The same goes for Steve, Natasha, Thor – everyone. How Are We Going to Explore New Characters and Stories If We're Revisiting the Same Ones? This is something else that worries me. Do you know how many heroes are in the Marvel line-up? There are a ridiculous number. Hundreds, if not thousands. How are we going to explore new heroes if we keep looking at the ones everyone knows? How are we going to build new fan bases if we continue to focus on the characters that Marvel insists we do? Let me tell you – I knew next to nothing about Ironheart, otherwise known as Riri Williams. I didn't know who she was or what she stood for. But you want to know what turned me onto her? The Ironheart TV show was great. Now, I have a new favorite character. Would I have been able to experience that if the show had been featured around Tony? No, because it would have been the same character that we all already know. Recasting characters takes away the chance to introduce new ones to the world. And in the world of Marvel, there are so many we could get into. Another character I ended up loving more this time around was Yelena, played by Florence Pugh. She's become one of my favorites, but she didn't appear until after Avengers: Endgame. If she had been around the same time as Natasha, she probably would have been overshadowed. I want these characters to survive on their own, not to become just sidekicks to recast characters that we all already know. What Does This Mean For The Multiverse? Is It Just Going To Forever Expand? And this is the biggest thing – if we're recasting characters within this MCU, what does that mean for the Marvel Multiverse as a whole? Are we recasting them as if they were variants from another planet, and that's how they're infused back into the story? Or are we just not bothering with that anymore and just throwing them right back into the ringer in order to take on the next big baddie? I don't know. To me, it sounds like this universe really is just never going to stop expanding, and now Marvel Studios might just be using this as an excuse to bring back these characters. That's where this really suffers. The only way to truly make this work is if they completely redo the entire universe. Start from the very beginning because then, there will be that exact distinction of who plays who and what universe we are in. If not, all of this sounds like a confusing mess. Things like this really make me wonder what Marvel will do in the future. I've been an avid Marvel supporter over the last few years, particularly with some of their releases, from a personal favorite of mine, Agatha: All Along, to their latest release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But recasting these characters might be where I draw the line. Only time will tell. I'm sure we'll see more in the next Avengers film. Until then, I'll enjoy my MCU movie marathons and live in the good old days of simple movies and fewer multiverses. Solve the daily Crossword
