The 12 Must-Have Wedding Trends For 2025

You’re going to see a lot of earth tones this year. From bridesmaids’ dresses to groomsmens’ suits, florals to tableware, brown is the color of the season. All shades are chic, including chocolate, mocha and everything in between. It’s warm, elegant and soft, the trendy choice for 2025.

A quickie city hall ceremony is not a new thing — even Carrie Bradshaw was a fan — but Gen Z is embracing it with gusto. Cost effective, intimate and quick, couples are into the trend, with searches for “city hall wedding outfits” on the rise. There’s always the option to follow up the small ceremony with a later, larger reception, but there’s also the choice of leaving it at that.

Flowers in the hair, no-makeup makeup and natural nails are just some of the ways brides are showing off their inner-goddess. The forecast for glam is ethereal Earth mama, which a bit of polish and class, and we can’t help but stan.

With the prices of everything rising, it’s unsurprising that couples are opting for affordable second-hand rings. But not only that, they’re turning to vintage-inspired looks with a range of gems, colors, metals and cuts, also cheaper than a regular diamond setting. This trend not only saves money, but lets couples show more of their personal aesthetic.

White roses had their moment, but 2025’s bouquets and table arrangement have big, beautiful dahlias, elegant calla lilies and even fruits and vegetables. Paper flowers are another way to go, but just keep it bold, colorful and a little surreal.

Just like 1990s fashion is making a comeback, so are the wedding dresses of the era. From vintage Vera Wangs to mantilla veils, shopping online and consignment shops are good avenues to go to hunt the goods. Money-saving and fashionable, the '90s are back, baby.

The Caribbean is played; Europe is so last year. For honeymoons in 2025, couples are heading to coastal Africa for their getaways. Top spots include Cape Town, Seychelles and Zanzibar. The beaches are pristine, the setting is unique and it makes an unforgettable trip.

Destination weddings continue to trend and the top spots are now Costa Rica, Brazil and Bali. Get married in a rain forest, on a beach cliff or next to a volcano. Keep it casual and let the stunning setting do all the talking.

Weddings have gone from vast to super small. Not just for destination weddings anymore, couples are keeping guest lists bare-bones, even when at home. This helps keep the ceremony intimate, keep costs down and helps keep the affair eco-friendly, too.

Many of these wedding trends have an eco-friendly edge, like vintage dresses and rings, but couples are doing all they can for low-energy footprint gatherings. Using wildflowers, natural lighting, reusable décor and sustainable foods, there are so many ways weddings can go green. The whole reception can be a statement to show your guests ways to be ecologically mindful every day.

The days of the camcorder wedding video are gone, replaced by cinematic films of the big day. Instead of cheeky Polaroids, reception photos are high art, with blurry compositions taking the lead. It’s a very sophisticated way to document your wedding when everyone has a high-quality digital camera in their pocket already.

Couples are surprising their guests in unexpected ways. There are late-night, post-dinner fast food trucks, mid-wedding hair lops for brides and unexpected entertainment options (tattoos anyone?). Then, there’s the surprise wedding, where the guests don’t even know why they’re there. Mix it up and keep them guessing, because all the rules are out the window in 2025.