The 5 hottest wedding trends for 2025

Planning a wedding in 2025? Here are the five hottest trends that will make your special day unforgettable. From eco-friendly designs to futuristic tech, weddings in 2025 are all about personalization and innovation.

1. Eco-Friendly Weddings

Sustainability is not just a buzzword—it’s becoming a wedding essential. In 2025, eco-conscious couples are opting for environmentally friendly décor, using locally sourced, seasonal flowers (which is also the most budget-friendly option!), sustainable materials like wood and bamboo, and minimizing waste. Another way to do that? Restrict the use of anything disposable – rent china, glassware and flatware instead (it looks much nicer, too!).  Expect more outdoor ceremonies where nature is the star of the show, adding a touch of elegance while remaining kind to the planet. Many of MY couples have been making this exact choice for years: look at these examples!

Megan Reeves Photography
Photo by ADLNO
Bre Thurston Photography

2. Romantic Pastel Palettes

If you’re dreaming of a fairytale wedding, pastel color schemes are here to stay. Soft hues of pink, lavender, and baby blue create a romantic, ethereal vibe. Floral arrangements and whimsical lighting add to the charm, turning your venue into a dreamy, almost magical setting. These colors pair beautifully with delicate decor, like sheer curtains and vintage table settings – AND with the trendy not-only-white wedding dresses like this dream dress by Savin of London.

Danny Dong Photography
Image generated by AI

3. Micro-Weddings with an Intimate Touch

Micro-weddings are continuing to rise in popularity, with couples focusing on quality over quantity. Fewer guests mean more intimacy and the chance to spoil your loved ones with personalized touches, such as handwritten notes, custom playlists, or bespoke meals. The cozy atmosphere of a small wedding also allows for more meaningful interactions with each guest – without guests whispering to each other, “And how are YOU connected to the couple?!” One example from this summer: a couple who invited their family and closest friends to a FIVE DAY wedding weekend at a remote resort, to spend quality time with the people they love. Another example: my smallest wedding ever – a mature couple and their grown children, 5 persons total.

Gavin Farrington Photography

4. Futuristic Tech-Inspired Weddings

For couples looking to add a modern twist, 2025 brings weddings infused with futuristic elements. Think metallic color palettes, LED lighting and dance floors, holographic decorations, and smart technology to create an immersive experience. From interactive dance floors to custom light shows (think drone shows!), tech weddings are both innovative and fun, ensuring your guests will never forget the night.  One of my couples – both mathematicians – even named their tables after their favorite algorithms!

Maria Hedengren Photography
Image generated by AI

5. Destination Weddings with a Boho Twist

Destination weddings continue to reign, especially on breathtaking beaches and exotic landscapes – among other things, because the guest count is mostly significantly lower than at a close-by wedding venue, again shifting the emphasis from quantity of guests to quality of experience. However, 2025 is bringing a boho-chic aesthetic to these getaways. Picture tropical flowers, soft textiles, and relaxed, rustic décor paired with the natural beauty of a sunset backdrop. The vibe is relaxed yet luxurious, making it perfect for adventurous couples seeking something unique. Examples? Here they are – from two of my couples of years ago. They were clearly ahead of their time!

Frank J. Lee Photography
Kevin Chin photography, bouquet by Green Petal Designs
Image generated by AI

Each of these trends brings its own special flair, so whichever direction you choose, your 2025 wedding will definitely be one-of-a-kind and “so YOU!”

Invitation Etiquette – Demystified!

One of the trickiest things in all of wedding planning: the correct wording on your invitations! Have you already thought about it?

Let’s start with who is actually HOSTING your event (aka who’s paying for it…). If that is your parents, THEY are officially inviting. So, here we go:

Wedding invitation wording starts with a host line. Traditionally the bride’s parents are hosting, and so their names come first. In any case, listing the names of both sets of parents is okay and a nice thing to do. If both you two AND your parents are contributing, you could say, “Together with their parents” or “Together with their families.”

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What if one or more of your parents are no longer with us? A common way to honor a deceased parent is to mention him/her with the couple’s names: “Lauren Martinez, daughter of Marta Martinez,” or “Lauren Martinez, daughter of Robert Martinez and the late Marta Martinez.”

Next comes the request line where you actually extend the invitation to attend your wedding – and the wording is different for a church wedding vs. a wedding outside a house of worship.

  1. Church: “The honor of your presence” is traditionally used to denote a religious service. Using the traditional British spelling “honour” is meant to evoke a more formal feel. (Note: If you are using “honour” on the invitation, you need to likewise spell “favour,” as in “favour of your reply,” on your RSVP card.)
  2. Outside of a house of worship: “The pleasure of your company” is used to denote a non-religious ceremony venue.

Here are more wording options: “request the honor of your presence” or “the pleasure of your company”; “invite you to celebrate with them.”

After that comes the action line, explaining what the event is about:

  1. “at the marriage of their daughter” (if the bride’s parents are hosting) or “of their children” (if both sets of parents are hosting)
  2. “at the celebration of their marriage” or “their union” (if the couple is hosting)

And finally, your names! Easy, right? But what about sequence, middle names Yes or No, last names? Here are the basics:

  1. For different-sex couples, the bride’s name typically goes first, then the groom’s name. If the bride’s parents’ names are listed at the top, it is sufficient to give just the bride’s first and middle name (without last name), and the groom’s name is either stated in full, or his first and middle names are listed followed by the line “Son of Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Wong.”
  2. For same-sex couples, names should be listed in alphabetical order by last name – or based on what looks best with the design of the invitation.
  3. In general: For a less formal feel, use first names only.

What else? Date and time! They should be spelled out in full, e.g. “Saturday, the fourteenth of September, two thousand twenty-four, at half after five in the afternoon.” (Day of the week and the Month capitalized, year in lowercase).

Do not forget to state the location of your wedding venue, with the name of the venue and city and state (spelled OUT!) in separate lines; no street address and ZIP code, unless it is a private residence.

State either “reception to follow” or “dinner and dancing to follow” (if at the same location as the ceremony) or, if the reception is elsewhere, state the reception venue in the next line or on a separate enclosure card. More examples of reception wording: “Cake, wine and merriment to follow” or “dinner, dancing and Happily Ever After to follow.” Especially if you are NOT offering a full dinner, here is your opportunity to let your guests know: “Please join us for small bites, cocktails and dancing after.”

You should mention the dress code, too, on the line below the reception location: “Black Tie” (aka tuxedos and floor-length dresses); “Formal attire” (suits and dresses); “Cocktail attire” (suits/dress shirt/necktie and short festive dresses) or “Casual” (basically anything…)

And that’s it for your invitation card!

Chances are, there is more information to convey, so use an enclosure card for that (directions to the venue, advice re local climate, uneven terrain, transportation – like, “Uber does not service this area”…), and you might also list your wedding website and/or a QR code for it on this card.

RSVPs could either be handled via an enclosed RSVP card with pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope or electronically via your website. Clearly state the RSVP deadline; ask for the names of those attending and for their meal choices. In terms of wording, be consist in your spelling: “the favour of your reply” matches “honour of your presence” – or simply say “kindly reply.”

Now you know all the basics and are ready to get started!!