QR codes, whimsy and ‘micro-opulence’ are in for weddings in 2025

UNITED STATES – Wedding culture is constantly changing. Wedding hashtags are not as common any more, 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 new ways to personalise their nuptials, here is what experts say guests can expect to see at weddings in 2025, and what couples should keep in mind while planning.

Rise of QR codes

In December 2023, Ms Myka Meier went to a friend’s wedding near Boston. It was the first time Ms 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 later confessed to Ms Meier that nobody used the code – perhaps because it was so new that guests did not know what it was – she noticed the following year that a few of her clients had also generated QR codes for their weddings.

Ms Meier said she believed this trend would take off in 2025 – whether guests use it or not – because of its convenience. Guests who take photos and videos of the first dance, speeches and candid moments can upload them onto an album, and couples can easily view them all in one place.

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

‘Micro-opulence’

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

“People have accessibility to see everything,” said the 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.”

Couples are willing to splurge on one standout item, she said. “That’s why I call it ‘micro-opulence’ – getting that Michelin experience in that micro way.”

This might include a one-bite treat such as caviar or a plant-forward small plate. The item – a food, drink or dessert – could be passed around by servers during a seated dinner, or it could be a separate station.

More loved ones as officiants

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

Having a family member or close friend officiate is one of the most popular ways that couples can personalise their weddings, said Ms 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.”

Thirty-two per cent of couples are planning secular ceremonies in 2025, she added, “so this is an opportunity for couples to still make the ceremony feel special without introducing religion”.

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 Ms 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 US$36,000 (S$48,700). Since couples are spending so much money, Ms 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 Ms Kramer, who has been planning weddings since 2016. One of her couples in 2025, for instance, is passionate about games and will have game rooms at their wedding.

Dramatic draping

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

Though draping has long been used at weddings, whether on stages or to enclose a room, dramatic draping is on the rise, she said. That might include draping in an entrance area so it becomes a tunnel, or ceiling draping at a tent wedding.

“It’s going to be taller; it’s going to be a little more dramatic; it’s going to have more movement to it,” she added.

Sculptural flowers and fruit

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

Besides dramatic draping, Ms Jalal and Mr Meyer have noticed a rise in sculptural floral structures. Though people typically think of pastel roses and hydrangeas for weddings, Ms Jalal sees a rise of bolder colours and more distinctive flowers, like anthuriums and fringed tulips.

“I’m seeing 2025 and 2026 couples wanting stacked, artistically shaped fruit and vegetables and very minimal florals,” said Mr Meyer, 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 colour for 2025. Eleven per cent of couples said their predominant wedding colour 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 colour that really picks up in these outdoor landscapes that we know are very popular with weddings,” Ms Cullman said.

Live plants, trees and succulents are also in, Ms Kramer noted. “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. NYTIMES