Wedding pulse: What’s trending and best budget strategies

Weddings are shedding the script. Couples are trading cookie‑cutter traditions for celebrations that actually feel like them, from luminous makeup and film photography to bold typography and deeply personal rings. The result? Events that look less like a template and more like a point of view.

Wedding trend quick take

When authenticity is trending, anything goes. Your event should reflect your personality, not the will of the masses. Even so, seeing the direction some couples are taking may inspire the choices that feel right.

Here are six wedding trends unfolding this year.

• Natural beauty shines. The Knot’s 2026 wedding makeup trend roundup confirmed that fresh-faced looks are more popular than heavily contoured, matte foundations. Brides are increasingly opting for light, luminous coverage that shows off natural, radiant skin.
• Film photography is back. Industry reporting and photography trend guides note that couples are increasingly requesting medium‑format film or hybrid film/digital coverage.
• Content creators are on staff. Sara Cooper, founder and creative director at onelove photography, noted that more couples are hiring iPhone content creators, tasked with capturing “behind-the-scenes, vertical iPhone video throughout the day,” Cooper explained.
• Rings are getting more personal. 2025 was the year of the oval shaped diamond ring. In 2026, brides-to-be are favoring more eclectic stones and setting styles, according to Vogue.
• Typography favors simplicity. Bold, modern typefaces are replacing ornate, traditional lettering. Industry trend reports indicate that couples want clean, contemporary sans-serif fonts on invitations and wedding signage.
• Weekend weddings moderate. The three-day weekend wedding extravaganza, as covered by The Knot in 2023, may be losing steam. India Bottomley, co-founder of Best Events Co, is seeing some of her high-end customers shift to two-day events instead. According to New York wedding planner Claire Ady, micro-weddings with tidy guest lists are also becoming more popular.

Incorporating authenticity on a budget

Zola reported that the average wedding cost is $36,000, but your celebration doesn’t have to carry that price tag. You can curate a wedding that reflects your tastes and personality without overspending. Focus on the details that are most meaningful to you, and use these expert-inspired tips to curate an event that’s intentional rather than expensive.

Read next: The best money-saving wedding tips, according to experts

DIY your makeup

You may not need a professional to perfect your natural, radiant look. Use our natural makeup tutorial as a starting point and start experimenting with lightweight foundations and sheer color palettes now.

Recruit guests as photographers

Cooper noted that “couples are intentionally incorporating vintage 90s point-and-shoot film cameras with direct flash instead of refined digital photography.” Why not recruit your guests to do some of this work for you? Arm them with disposable film cameras and let them capture the genuine, unedited moments of your special day.

You can use this strategy to supplement traditional photography or to free up funds for a social media content creator. A content creator can shoot and edit multiple short films for sharing in the days following your big event. Relative to a dense, multi-day itinerary and massive guest list, this is a more cost-efficient way to extend the celebration.  

Read next: 15 small and simple ways to save money after your wedding

Shop non-traditional rings

Non-traditional engagement rings can be a budget move as well as a personal style statement. Opting for a sapphire or emerald instead of a diamond can lower your cost significantly, especially if you want a larger stone. You can also shop vintage rings secondhand or tap family members for meaningful heirloom pieces.

Skip the brunch

Weekend weddings in recent years have spanned three days to include a welcome event, the ceremony itself, and a post-wedding brunch. Know that this itinerary isn’t mandatory for weekend weddings.

You can still host a lovely, high-end wedding without a welcome party or next-day brunch. In truth, your guests may appreciate a less intense timeline of events.

Opt for a micro-wedding

A smaller guest list reduces your wedding costs substantially if you’re serving food. It can also open up more interesting venue choices.

Even better, you wouldn’t be off-trend in opting for an intimate ceremony. Ady said many of her couples are limiting celebrations to 15 or 25 guests. She’s also working with eloping couples who plan to throw a party for family and friends when they return.

Intention is trending

Intention is today’s biggest wedding trend — and you can implement that with or without $36,000, film cameras, or a sapphire ring. Whether you opt for 300 guests or 20, you can keep spending in check by setting priorities and skipping what doesn’t matter. To capture true authenticity, you have to think in terms of setting trends, not following them.