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Updated Mar 06, 2025A Data-Driven Breakdown of What Defines Weddings Today
Plus, the three-letter word couples say captures their day.
Design: Tiana Crispino,Photos: Lauren Mihae Photography, Cloud Craft Studios, Josh & Dana Fernandez, Colette's Catering & Events Photographed by The Justin Jay, Stetten Wilson, Michelle Angeli Photography,Ashley Goodwin Photography
We say it loud and proud every day: There's no one right way to wed. More and more, we see couples choose elements and experiences because they resonate with their love stories, not because they align with tradition. Weddings today prioritize personalization and uniqueness, but that's not to say patterns don't arise that indicate some seismic shifts in the hallmarks of modern nuptials. Each year, we track the trends that emerge with every new crop of to-be-weds. And each year, we come across surprises that hint at what's to come for weddings in the future.
The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study backs up many of the 2025 wedding trends we've started to see twinkles of this year, but also brings new themes to the surface. The nearly 17,000 US-based couples in this year's survey had strong thoughts on everything from the economy's influence on the planning process, to how they want loved ones to experience their relationship, to thoughts on how meaningful the milestone of a wedding really is in the grand scheme of things. Here are some of the most surprising findings we came across, backed by data and expert intel.
Couples today: Prioritize Guests | Include First Looks | Love Their Vendors | Feel Economic Impact | Endure Budgetary Challenges | Use Registries | Make Nontraditional Wedding Attendant Choices | Crave Fun | Are Excited to Say "I Do"
Guest Experience Remains Important
This emphasis on hospitality could take shape in a variety of ways. Think: a robust weekend itinerary for destination nuptials; high-quality catering; avoiding wedding trends guests dislike (looking at you, long speeches); specialized entertainment like tarot card readers, magicians or live painters; a jaw-dropping welcome party or simply using top-tier vendors who know their stuff. (Find expert pros, including the aforementioned niche ones, in a variety of locations and price points on The Knot Vendor Marketplace.) And don't think you'll get lost in the shuffle if you're attending a big bash: This percentage climbed to 77% for couples whose weddings were over 100 guests.
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"Most couples want to go above and beyond to make their guests' experiences as seamless as possible," says Sneh Diwan of Diwan By Design. "As destination planners, in terms of creating ease of travel and stay, we've seen an uptick in couples offering to cover guest airport transfers and booking a hospitality suite for the duration of their guests' stay, providing them with a space to gather when there are no events happening." The pro also notes that it's not always about shelling out cash: a handwritten note placed at each seat is one of the wedding elements guests love most.
More Couples Choose First Looks
Over half of the The Knot annual wedding survey respondents had a first look with their partner ahead of the ceremony, but we anticipate this number could continue to climb in the future—it's already up 12% from a decade ago.
"Most of our couples over the years have opted to do a first look over seeing each other first at the altar," says Diwan. "There's something so raw about the anticipation of turning around and seeing your person for the first time, without the pressure of all of your friends and family watching."
More and more, couples seek to carve out special time with just each other during the wedding day. Lin mentions that finding a moment to pause and breathe is a top priority for couples, given the whirlwind-like nature of a wedding, and a first look is one potent way that this takes shape.
"There's something incredibly special about having that private, emotional exchange before standing in front of a crowd," she says. "Couples today want deeper, more meaningful moments—and the first look gives them that in a way that feels intimate and personal."
Along with easing nerves, first look wedding photos are some of the most heartfelt, and you can find a photographer on The Knot Vendor Marketplace (filter by photography style, price and more) that'll nail these special shots. And on a practical note as you weigh your first look pros and cons, getting portraits done during this time leaves couples free to celebrate with loved ones sooner.
Soonlyweds Understand a Vendor's Importance
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Whether their vibe is more Mary Fiore in The Wedding Planner or Franck from Father of the Bride, couples understand that passionate pros are the key to pulling off a successful celebration. In line with previous years, we found that couples are hiring an average of 14 vendors, with a robust 17(!) vendors on average for international destination weddings.
We found that couples of course want to assemble a vendor team that can seamlessly execute every wedding logistic thrown their way, from orchestrating the day-of schedules, to creating beautiful floral compositions, to facilitating clever introductions for your in-laws. But they also hope to hire vendors they can truly bond with. After price and responsiveness, personality was cited as the most important deciding factor for couples when choosing a wedding planner to contact (50% of couples contacted planners based on their personality).
The Economy Is Influencing Weddings
A wedding? In this economy? 63% of couples said that the current economic climate has affected their wedding planning. And while wedding cost inflation has cooled slightly over the past year, couples feel the squeeze of the perceived wedding tax and are adjusting their strategies accordingly. Mostly, couples are handling the economic influence by simply going with the wedding economy flow and upping their budgets if they're able to (57%). 53% are opting for fewer upgrades and 40% are cutting their guest lists down.
"The economy is playing a major role in wedding planning decisions—some couples are adjusting their budgets upward to account for rising costs, while others are scaling back their guest lists to keep things intimate," says Lin. "What I've really noticed is that couples are prioritizing where their money goes—they're willing to invest in what truly matters to them." Keep in mind: Your wedding is also an investment. Your memories from the wedding day are the tangible takeaway–ones you and your partner will cherish for decades to come.
Budgeting Is the Biggest Challenge
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Couples say working within and staying on a budget is the most challenging aspect of their planning experience, even though 67% noted that the cost of a wedding was one of the most important factors to consider.
Budget advice from Diwan: Trust your vendors to help. "Finding vendors that can lend their expertise in providing you with cost-effective alternatives is key, and you have to have faith that they ultimately have your best interest at heart," says the wedding planner. "We'd recommend all couples, regardless of budget, to keep an open mind for creative solutions from industry veterans."
From our surveyed couples, 53% went over the original number by roughly one third. When creating your wedding budget, you can also lean on The Knot Budget Advisor, which provides a data set specialized to your wedding location so you can truly see and understand how to allocate accordingly. And if you don't want to join the club of couples who go over budget, choose your investment areas wisely and get creative.
"Budgeting is one of the toughest aspects of wedding planning because it forces couples to balance their vision with financial reality," says Lin, who mentions the wedding of one of her couples that intentionally swapped a seated dinner for food trucks and interactive buffet stations. "This decision not only freed up funds to design an incredible environment that reflected their vision, but it also completely transformed the energy of the night…It's a perfect example of how smart budgeting isn't about cutting corners—it's about knowing where to invest to create the best experience."
Registries Have Staying Power
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So many wedding traditions have fallen by the wayside in favor of more personalized details that better represent the couple (and we're here for it). But the oh-so classic wedding registry has some serious staying power: 80% of couples are setting up a wedding registry, with Gen Zers topping the charts at the 90% mark. While it seems like this trendsetting generation might be averse to traditional trappings like wedding registry items, this stat isn't all that surprising to experts.
Diwan mentions that Gen Z shops secondhand more than their older counterparts (and were likely given homewares from their Gen X or baby boomer parents), so it makes sense that they would use this milestone to upgrade certain items. Lin says that it's the evolution of registries into universal wedding registries as well as shifting to include honeymoon funds, house funds and charity donations that's calling to Gen Z (all of which you can add when you create a The Knot Wedding Registry, by the way).
"I think Gen Z, in particular, values both practicality and meaningful experiences, and the modern registry allows them to blend the two," says Lin. "There's also a return to tradition in the sense that people love the ritual of receiving gifts and marking this new chapter in a tangible way, but they're redefining it to fit their own lifestyles."
There's Flexibility for Wedding Attendants
Katherine Heigl's eclectic slate of bridesmaid gowns stuffed into her closet in 27 Dresses is an image we all know and love—and in weddings today, it wouldn't be far-fetched to see a wedding party decked out in all of those frocks at once. Matching bridesmaid gowns are on a steep decline, 36% in the last decade to be exact. Whether it's simply letting 'maids select their own necklines or silhouettes from the same color and fabric or encouraging everyone to go for a gown they love, individuality within wedding parties is in.
Likewise in the vein of mixing and matching, wedding parties that are divided by gender are down 12% from 10 years ago. We love the fluidity here looking toward the future, because gender doesn't (and shouldn't) define who your favorite people are and who should stand up at the altar beside you.
Fun Is Front and Center
When asked what word they would use to best describe their wedding celebrations, one prevailed above them all: fun. The largest number of couples who wed in 2024 said their weddings were fun, beating out terms like classic, creative, elegant and modern. Basically, couples are ready and willing to party, adding elements like extra entertainment, fun wedding games and more to focus on how to make weddings fun.
"It's really hard to get together with your friends these days, so when you finally have a moment where everyone is together, you want everyone to have the time of their life," says Diwan.
Lin adds: "Fun is a top priority, and it's showing up in so many ways, from immersive entertainment to unconventional food and drink experiences. I've seen couples bring in everything from live bands that turn into dance parties to surprise performances and even themed late-night bites. It's a blend of both guest experience and celebration—people want their guests to walk away saying, 'That was the best wedding I've ever been to,' and that comes from creating an atmosphere that feels lively, personal and engaging."
Couples Can't Wait to Wed
Last but not least, our most heartwarming finding: 84% of engaged couples getting married in 2025 said they looked forward to their wedding more than anything else during the year (us too). Pairs pack so much personality into their celebrations, and that won't change. They view vendors as creative collaborators instead of just professionals and their nuptials as a culmination of every moment and milestone that brought them together—including the people that supported them along the way.
"In this modern age everyone is always so busy you have to schedule time weeks, sometimes months in advance to just see your closest friends," says Diwan. "Hosting a wedding and being able to see all of your loved ones together at once, is a blessing not everyone gets to have."
Lin adds: "Weddings symbolize more than just the union of two people—they're about connection, legacy and creating a space where all the most important people in your life come together, maybe for the only time. It's a rare and cherished moment of pure joy, and couples are leaning into that more than ever."
