1. Planning For No Longer Than a Year
Wedding planners love seeing the return of the 12-month or less planning timeline. “Covid created such a backlog for planning that timelines easily stretched to 18 months to two years,” she explains. “A year or less of planning is perfect for decision-making and sets up a happy and productive planning experience.” Event planner, Emily Sherrillson agrees, saying, “Similar to the desire to move away from classic wedding traditions, I think couples are also wanting to deviate from the lengthy planning process that takes over their lives for 1.5-2 years. In their view, they would rather spend a defined, focused amount of time planning their wedding and then move forward from there!”
2. “Back Pocket” Venues Stateside
For couples who want to stay in the United States, wedding planers insists there are still captivating and convenient venues to be found. Sometimes it takes a little digging to pull out a secret, underrated destination from their “back pocket” to make a couple’s dream come true. The Laundry Event Hall fits that bill, and weddings planned in small town destinations are on the rise. The couple can still have a destination wedding while allowing the guests to not have to fly to an expensive out of county location to celebrate.
3. Lounge Style Seating Areas
Another 2025 wedding trend- For couples looking for something other than a traditional wedding venue comprised of a white barn, a non- traditional event venue is the way to go. Moody lighting and intimate lounge areas give your party the relaxed, fun vibe that your guests will love. Not having assigned seating allows for people to circulate the party and sit in whatever area they like.
4. Wardrobe Styling & Detailed Dress Codes
Outfit changes are becoming staples of wedding weekends, so why not take off some of the stress of curating looks and at least speak with a wedding or bridal stylist? “Multiple fashion moments on the wedding day are still at the forefront and mapping out smart transitions to prompt a fashion change in the party timeline is an important topic,” Planner Sherrillson states.
And why stop there? If you have a vision for your guests’ fashion, give them a detailed dress code for each event paired with helpful moodboards. This levels the playing field and ensures that everyone shows up looking like they are attending the same party.
It also helps the photos!
5. Intimate or No Wedding Party
We get it—you have friends, but do you want them all included in such a formal construct as a wedding party? Planners like Sherrillson are in favor of paring down the bridal suite to your nearest and dearest. Clients are forgoing the entire parties altogether, as it’s too traditional for them.
We are also seeing a bride or groom sans group or just a few family members. The elopement ceremony with a photographer and an intimate ceremony saves money and stress. Many couples are choosing to then have a celebration down the road celebrating their 1st anniversary.
6. Thoughtful or No Gifting Over Wasteful Welcome Bags
There’s nothing more wasteful than a plastic branded water bottle in a welcome bag that no one will look at again—apologies for the bluntness. “Think more about a luxurious and fabulous item that your guests can truly enjoy during their stay or easily carry home,” Sherrilson says. But if you are looking to cut costs, skipping the guest gifts is perfectly fine too- it’s also better for the environment and your pocketbook. Couples and planners are embracing climate consciousness and doing fewer welcome bags and plastics and being more intentional.
7. Mocktails on The Menu
Times are changing for the better. Mocktails deserve to be on the cocktail menus beyond dry January. Taking care of your guests who opt out of alcohol is increasingly important. Festive zero-proof alternatives are a must have moving forward!
8. Decadent Desserts
Plated desserts are a thing of the past. “Instead, we see a focus on dessert experiences guests can enjoy after dinner, during the party and dancing portion of the evening—think gelato carts, cake stations with a multitude of smaller cakes to choose from, and decadent dessert stations and displays,” Sherrillson says. We seeing her clients include fun dessert buffets of snow cones and waffles. The Laundry provides an optional s'mores table for cooler weather.
Some couples are going so far as getting rid of their wedding cake in favor of a sweet treat experience. “We have loved seeing donut towers, macarons, extravagant pastry displays, and other fun experiences like Aperol carts, live jalebi stations, ice cream trucks, or cotton candy stations,” venue owner Adrienne Schwartz said.
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