I wrote a blog post last year discussing the wedding trends to look forward to in 2025, and now I want to explore the 2026 wedding trends I am loving! These are so fun, I had a great time scouring the internet getting inspired. As Houston’s best wedding photographers, and an avid TikTok fan, I get a first-hand look at all the upcoming trends. These 2026 wedding trends have me so excited and I am jazzed to see some of these trends already popping up at the weddings I am at! So, if you are planning your wedding and looking for the best inspo, you’re in the right place.
2026 Wedding Trends I am Loving
While trends are cool, I want to remind all my couples that your wedding should be all about YOU. If something doesn’t fit your style, vibe, or aesthetic, just move past the trend. Trends do have the habit of dating weddings, so strategically picking the ones that fit you best is what I talk about with my couples. Seriously, your wedding is about marrying the person you love, these trends should only serve as inspiration. Nothing else!!
Patterned Dinner Plates
These have just started popping up at weddings I am attending and I am a little obsessed. These are not your granny’s plates, these are ones with modern designs playfully created to evoke a sense of nostalgia. The tones in these plates are meant to bring together the colors of the table and they are beautiful. They don’t feel too busy, they feel like just enough. And as a wedding photographer, I love how they look in an image! I only know a few rental places that carry plates like these and I hope to see more as we move into 2026.
Photo Backdrop
We aren’t talking about some standard backdrop. No ma’am. This backdrop can be draping or a beautiful fabric setup for couples’ portraits or as a station for guests to get a bougie portrait of themselves. I love that there is an option other than a cross or a floral arch for the ceremony. While this trend will absolutely date your wedding, I think it is beautiful enough to embrace. As a side note, I have invested in a backdrop and offer a photo booth for guests during cocktail hour and a few hours into the reception. It’s pretty badass!
Dress Codes for Guests
This trend has been around for a bit, but it is getting more serious. As couples lean into making their wedding hyper-personalized, having a dress code for their guests is a way to add to this. Not only is it visually stunning to see guests in similar color tones, it makes the personalized wedding cohesive. And as with the patterned dinner plates, it looks so good in camera! I know it is a larger ask (did anyone see the woman struggling to find something to wear to an elegant Western-themed wedding earlier this year??) but the payoff is so cool.
Bold Stripes
I saw this earlier this year at the Hybrid Co Conference and it reminded me of the 90’s when Martha Stewart was decorating with these stripes. It is nostalgic with an updated twist. The stripes look great on a seating chart, napkins, invitations or linens. I like that it isn’t a busy pattern, but instead is something that feels coastal yet inviting. I especially love it in shades of blue or yellow, which happen to be very popular wedding colors at the moment.
The Colors Chartreuse as well as Orange
These two colors have been popping up more and more in design boards I have been seeing from planners and I think they are going to be even bigger in 2026. The color green has been big in 2025, with those long draping floral moments, to olive green linens and dark green draping. Chartreuse is the perfect pop of a lighter green shade that brightens up the design and space. It can be an anchor color, a gorgeous bridesmaids gown shade and the perfect napkin color.
Now for orange, let’s discuss Taylor Swift’s new album announcement. That shade of orange has already been sneaking into floral arrangements, but I predict we will be seeing it show up more frequently. Taylor is one of the most influential people in the world and whatever she does, you can feel ripple into all industries. So that bright orange shade? Get used to seeing it. Bridesmaid dresses, linens, invitation suites, florals, seating charts, you name it. It also pairs well with that disaster of color of the year shade, mocha mousse. And as sad as I am about seeing brown at weddings, I do like the pop of orange potentially being brought into the mix.
What 2026 Wedding Trends Are You Looking Forward To?
No matter what you decide, do something that makes YOU and your partner happy. My FAVORITE 2026 wedding trend is the one you LOVE the most. The best trend is the one that tells your love story with your person. Everything else is just noise. I am so excited about the coming months and cannot wait to see how couples incorporate 2026 wedding trends into their wedding!
Want me to Capture your Wedding?
Love my work? Want me to capture you and yours? Let’s talk!! It’s easy, my email address is Christine@swishnclick.com. Let’s have a heart-to-heart about your wedding and come up with a plan that is uniquely you! I want to hear from you!
