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Updated Oct 14, 202416 Gen Z Wedding Trends Every Generation Will See in 2025
The youngsters are making their mark.
Photo: CLOUD CRAFT STUDIOS, Larisa Shorina Photography, JEFF BRUMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY | Design: Natalie Romine
There are 2025 wedding trends, and there are Gen Z wedding trends. Young couples are modernizing traditions without hesitation, and rewriting the rules for dating and proposals is a part of the journey. That means the pairing of Generation Z and weddings will usher in a new era of crazes. Curious about what these couples are planning for 2025? Then check out expert predictions for the top Gen Z trends that will be all the rage. Regardless of what generation you claim, we bet you'll find at least one new-age trend you'll want to incorporate into your future affair. (Psst: Don't forget to talk to your vendors, some of which might be Zoomers themselves, about how you can include in the ideas below.)
2025 Gen Z Wedding Trends
You won't find cheugy wedding trends below. As a proud Gen Z-er, you can trust that the ideas I've compiled are preapproved and worth considering for your celebration.
- Unconventional Ceremony Songs
- Wedding Content Creators
- Delayed Engagement Posts
- Dietary Restriction-Friendly Food Options
- Minimal or No Wedding Party Members
- Causal Bach Parties
- Small Guest Lists
- No Cake Smashing
- Activity-Packed Wedding Weekends
- Untraditional Photo Backdrops and Decor
- Getting Ready Together
- Documentary-Style Photography and Videography
- The Rise of Weekday Weddings
- "Real Engaged" Influencers
- Out-of-the-Box Wedding Vendors
- Creative Wedding Dress Codes
1. Unconventional Ceremony Songs
Photo: Ellie McKinney Photography
,Musician: Calvin Lockett Music
Gone are the days of couples walking down the aisle to "Canon in D." Instead, Gen Z wedding songs are contemporary tunes transformed into beautiful instrumental melodies. Amy Lynn, who's on the cusp of being a part of the Gen Z crew and owns Poppy + Lynn, says these songs don't have to be "deep" or romantic. "I think Gen Z couples are very unserious and have a great sense of humor, so I feel like we'll see a lot of elevated takes on things that maybe aren't so formal. [For example] having classical covers of very 'unserious' songs in their ceremony. I had a couple last year play a classic cover of 'Hotline Bling' [by Drake] while their wedding party walked down the aisle."
All things considered, don't be afraid that the song you really want to play at your ceremony isn't appropriate, just hire a live band to do a rendition (sans lyrics, if necessary) to personalize your wedding. Want to see how an unconventional song can be used at a wedding ceremony? Check out this Gen Z wedding that played "Good Days" by SZA during the bride's processional.
2. Wedding Content Creators
Lisa Gaskarth, founder of Lisa Gaskarth Design and a wedding planner with over a decade of experience, isn't part of Generation Z, but says wedding content creators are one of her favorite rising Gen Z wedding trends. "I have to admit I love wedding content creators. I was resistant because social media can be so cringey sometimes, but the content they create is just so much fun. As long as your vendor team communicates their process and how they'll work around each other beforehand, I think it's a great way to get some (nearly) instant content from your wedding within hours of tying the knot. Also, I find that the content creators are sometimes capturing behind the scenes moments that you wouldn't normally see from the couple or guests, like setup and how it all comes together. Bonus: Your vendors will love to be able to repost content like this."
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
Lauren Ladouceur, founder of Plan With Laur and a fellow Zoomer, is a wedding content creator and keeps it real about this topic. "I won't hesitate to say wedding content creators [will be a trend in 2025], which have now become an essential part of a wedding day. I also see my couples getting more creative with the content created at their wedding. My couples love a segment we call 'roaming reporter' where we interview their guests during cocktail hour. Here's an example!"
3. Delayed Engagement Posts
Photo: Stocksy
Kerre Jo Lattanzio, Gen Z queen and The Knot's social media senior associate, has noticed to-be-weds are taking their time telling everyone about their engagement. "I know this isn't a 'wedding trend,' but it needs to be said—bask in your engagement before anyone else. Sit in the thrill of it with just you and your partner. The congratulations and opinions that come with posting can definitely wait." I agree and think you can transition this mindset to your wedding too. So instead of announcing your wedding on social media the week of, enjoy your marital bliss with the loved ones present at the affair first.
4. Dietary Restriction-Friendly Food Options
Don't punish your guests with food allergies or restrictions by only serving foods you and your partner can eat. According to The Knot 2023 Real Wedding Study, 52% of Gen Z couples accommodate guests with restrictive diets. Follow Gen Z's wedding planning playbook and have options for everyone. "Gen Z couples are taking the initiative to ensure their guests feel welcome and supported at their weddings by offering gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and more options on their wedding menus to accommodate every guest's eating preference," Lattanzio says. "Plus, some couples may need a gluten-free or vegan option themselves. Cheers to celebrating the newlyweds with a satisfied stomach."
5. Minimal or No Wedding Party Members
"Minimal wedding parties or ones that sit during the ceremony [are becoming a trend]," says Lynn. "I've been seeing this a lot with my couples for a few reasons. One, it draws your focus to the couple more and really makes it about them. Two, your friends probably don't love standing for 30 minutes and being on 'display' for everyone. Three, your wedding party actually gets to watch your ceremony." So if you're considering keeping your wedding party small or avoiding the tradition all together, don't feel like an outcast. Do what makes you happy. Plus, if you choose this route, you can save on wedding party costs or afford to do nice gestures, like pay for the small group's attire.
6. Casual Bach Parties
I love an over-the-top bachelorette party theme or bachelor party idea as much as the next person, but that's not always the best option for everyone. And our Gen Z experts agree: "Of course, unique party themes are always fun with family and friends and will continue into 2025," Lattanzio says. "And what's not to like? The cost. To make these bach moments more affordable, brides, grooms and friend groups are opting to host at home or in a more local hotel or Airbnb."
7. Small Guest Lists
Wondering how Gen Z is shaking up millennial wedding conventions? Say hello to small guest lists. Intimate weddings with a dozen or so guests (possibly paired with a party later with more people) are starting to make an appearance. Not only does a tiny event help cut costs, but it brings people closer together and decreases the chance of the couple missing out on quality time with each guest. Gaskarth adds: "I also think we'll continue to see an influx of intimate, luxury destination weddings. No complaints here! I'm all for bucking tradition and spending money on the wedding experience as opposed to the traditional cookie-cutter affair." Ashley Powell, lead consultant at Frost & Co. and pioneer in the wedding and social media industry, says micro-weddings are opportunities to have a macro influence online. "I've seen a rise in smaller weddings that carry a big impact, with every element of the day meticulously curated and shared through social channels, on podcasts and featured on brand's accounts. This trend of intimate weddings with a high level of online engagement is definitely here to stay."
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8. No Cake Smashing
Wedding cake smashing isn't our favorite tradition. Lots of cake-smashing videos have gone viral this year and are hard to watch, to say the least. "I hope this behavior doesn't find couples in 2025," Lattanzio says. Heated discussions about these videos have ultimately deemed this act a 'red flag.' With couples now aware of this, many are incentivized to mutually agree before the event to not smash cake in each other's faces. I like cake communication, along with more gentle approaches during the dessert portion of the wedding reception, like feeding a small piece of dessert to each other."
9. Activity-Packed Wedding Weekends
Sydney "Squid" Westra—a bridal, wedding and lifestyle influencer, and only short by two years from being a part of Gen Z—says Zoomers are making wedding weekends more eventful. "You've already gathered everyone you love in one place, so why not have a few more events? As a guest, I've loved getting to meet family members and friends before the wedding, it makes the event that much more intimate. And this doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune. I've been to multiple weddings where there are casual meetups for breakfast or drinks that aren't hosted by the couple, but are optional events for the guests to get face time in with the couple and other guests. We even played [a game of] capture the flag in the park once."
10. Untraditional Photo Backdrops and Decor
"We're going to be seeing a lot of sophisticated and chic personal style thoughtfully included in wedding decor through drapery, dried blooms and scenic and dramatic outdoor wedding spaces," Lattanzio says. If you want to see examples of these styles, someone who's perfectly achieving this untraditional decor look is Gown Eyed Girl, Lattazio notes. Don't be surprised if you see these creative ideas as Pinterest wedding trends in 2025.
11. Getting Ready Together
If there's one thing we know about Gen Z-ers, it's that they're willing to change wedding traditions no matter how long they've been around. One of the most common traditions is that it's bad luck to see your spouse before your ceremony, thus inspiring many couples to spend their mornings apart. But let's be honest: Your wedding day is about you and your partner, so why would you want to spend half the day avoiding them? I've seen plenty of couples opt to spend their preceremony time together, and I'm all about it. Getting ready together is a great way to settle your nerves and allows you to set intentions for the day and enjoy the calm before the storm as a team. What could be better than that?
12. Documentary-Style Photography and Videography
Photo: Ashley Taylor Photography
2022 welcomed the rise of direct-flash and film wedding photography. Now (and continuing into 2025) it's all about documentary-style wedding photos and videos. Each aesthetic has special nuances, which is partially why they've become major Gen Z wedding trends. Film photography, for example, feels nostalgic and homey, while direct flash gives off a cool and candid paparazzi vibe. As for one of the newest wedding photography trends, artistic photojournalistic or documentary-style wedding photos bring authenticity to the forefront. This wedding photo style focuses on candid, unposed and spontaneous moments, which makes it perfect for people who feel awkward standing in front of the camera. "The rise of documentary style wedding photography is something I truly love. You see so many of those small moments from the day when your photographer is acting as a fly on the wall," Lynn says. Westra agrees and adds: "With the preference for documentary style photography on the rise, I think we'll see a similar trend with videography. I think Gen Z will start to veer from the popular music video-esque recaps of the wedding day and begin to opt for more home footage-feeling moments."
13. The Rise of Weekday Weddings
Photo: Stocksy
You might think this trend is based solely on Gen Z couples' unconventional ways, but there's more to it than that. Lattanzio provides more insight: "Gen Z weddings were some of many affected by the COVID-19 shutdown. [To save money and have more wedding date options] the rise of weekday weddings grew, and it hasn't stopped. If a certain date is special to a Gen Z couple outside of the weekend, they think about convenience, cost benefits and sentimental value, and then lock it in. Weekday nuptials open more wedding date opportunities for couples, and also allow Gen Z couples more room to play when working with availability offered for their dream wedding venues," Lattanzio explains.
14. "Real Engaged" Influencers
From showing TikTok wedding hacks to giving a detailed explanation of how they organized their wedding planner book, Powell says you'll see more engaged influencers authentically connecting with their followers through their wedding planning process. "They're sharing genuine moments, like planning details and dress shopping, allowing the audience to feel like part of the process and further strengthening their digital footprint and personal brand," Powell says. Powell believes Gen Z couples will "approach their weddings as chapters in their story, capturing meaningful, in-the-moment content that doesn't just document, but brings their followers along on the journey."
15. Out-of-the-Box Wedding Vendors
With so many weddings expected to happen next year, personalizing one's wedding is the number-one way to stand out. We've noticed young couples shift towards incorporating their favorite hobbies and shared interests into their receptions, which means hiring special vendors to make their dreams a reality. "I see couples focusing on intentional, custom day-of details…and experience-based wedding favors like a tattoo artist or aura reader, instead of your typical Jordan almonds or heart-shaped chocolates," Gaskarth says. Live wedding painters, cigar rollers, aerialists or custom cowboy hat fitters (yes, that's a thing) are just a few other pros you can book for your celebration. Sound like your type of party? Sit down with your partner and discuss what represents you both as individuals and as a couple, and include those elements in your wedding.
16. Creative Wedding Dress Codes
Gen Z wedding dress codes are all about expressing oneself to the fullest and incorporating fun looks into their theme. "Dress codes are always a hot topic. And while they're not new by any means, Gen Z is bringing a resurgence," Ladouceur says. "We see couples asking their guests to adhere to a specific color scheme or a specific dress code (e.g. all black, black tie) to fit the overall vibe and aesthetic of the wedding day.". Want to see how this looks on real guests? Check out this wedding Ladouceur helped with.
