Wedding culture is constantly changing. Wedding hashtags are not as common anymore, wedding parties are often mixed-gender, couples frequently exchange their vows privately instead of at the altar and the days of out-of-the-blue proposals are long gone.

As planning a wedding continues to grow more expensive, and couples seek out new ways to personalize their nuptials, we wanted to hear from experts about what guests could expect to see at weddings in 2025, and what couples should keep in mind while planning.

From decor and fashion to food and officiants, these responses offer a glimpse at what the year may hold.

Rise of the QR codes

In December 2023, Myka Meier went to a friend’s wedding near Boston. It was the first time Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, an etiquette consulting company in New York, saw a QR code at each table. The couple had set it up so guests could upload photos that they captured throughout the event.

Though the couple confessed to Meier afterward that nobody used the code, perhaps because it was so new that they didn’t know what it was, Meier noticed the following year that a few of her clients had also generated QR codes for their weddings.

If there is a QR code at a wedding, guests can expect to find it on the back of a printed menu card, place card or table card.

‘Micro-opulence’

Nicole Hernandez has been noticing couples express interest in a special culinary addition to their wedding menus.

“People have accessibility to see everything,” said Hernandez, vice president of sales at Constellation Culinary Group, a catering company that operates in Philadelphia, Miami and other cities. “They know what a Michelin experience is like. They want to bring that experience to their weddings, but it doesn’t have to be in everything.”

Loved ones as officiants

In an annual study conducted by wedding platform Zola, which surveyed about 6,000 couples getting married in the United States in 2025, 61% of respondents said a loved one would be the officiant at their ceremonies. This is a 9% increase since the same Zola survey in 2024.

Having a family member or close friend officiate is one of the most popular ways that couples can personalize their weddings, said Allison Cullman, vice president of brand marketing and strategy at Zola. “It’s an opportunity for them to weave in their unique story and relationship into the event because that person knows them so well,” she said.

Extra whimsy

“Many of my clients have begun celebrating the quirky parts of their relationship at their weddings and letting guests in on the fun,” said Elisabeth Kramer, a wedding coordinator and consultant in Portland, Oregon.

The average cost of a wedding ceremony and reception in 2025, based on answers from respondents of the Zola study, is projected to be $36,000. Since couples are spending so much money, Kramer said, they might as well have some fun.

“People are trying to use the space of a wedding or the celebration of a party to just indulge a bit on silly stuff that might not be formal, might not be elegant in a traditional sense, but means a lot to them,” said Kramer, who has been planning weddings since 2016. One of her couples this year, for instance, will have various game rooms at their wedding.

Dramatic draping

Aysha Jalal, founder of Yesmin Events, a wedding-planning company in New York, said she has noticed couples are opting for more elaborate draping.

“Weddings are becoming such a big production,” she added. “Draping brings a lot of texture, movement and dimension.”

Sculptural flowers, fruit

“I think weddings are becoming more like art installations,” said Jove Meyer, owner of Jove Meyer Events in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

In addition to dramatic draping, Jalal and Meyer, each of whom is engaged, have noticed a rise in sculptural floral structures. Though people typically think of pastel roses and hydrangeas for weddings, Jalal sees the rise of bolder colors and more distinctive flowers, like anthurium and fringed tulips.

“I’m seeing 2025 and 2026 couples wanting stacked, artistically shaped fruits and vegetables and very minimal floral,” Meyer said, noting that couples are thinking of new ways to move away from tradition.

Love for green

According to Zola’s survey, green is the most popular wedding color for 2025. Eleven percent of couples said their predominant wedding color was sage. Shades of green such as hunter, emerald, forest and olive are also popular.

“I think this speaks to green being such a neutral color that really picks up in these outdoor landscapes that we know are very popular with weddings,” Cullman said.

Live plants, trees and succulents are also in, according to Kramer. “I think it’s coming from a desire of wanting to create a lush space,” she said. By renting plants and trees, couples can also avoid spending loads of money on flowers that are discarded after the wedding day.