2027 wedding trends, before it happens
The ideas shaping next year’s weddings, from The Knot’s 2027 forecast, and how they look when we photograph them across Southern California.
The forecasts for 2027 are in. Here is what they look like through a camera.
The Knot published its 2027 Wedding Trends Report at the end of September 2026: twenty trends drawn from the behavior of 1.7 million couples and a council of working wedding professionals. Where Zola’s most recent research points the same way, we have included it too.
We picked the ten that change what a wedding looks like, and paired each with photographs from weddings we have shot, the numbers behind it, and a short note on how we would approach it if it is part of your day.
The wedding keeps stretching
The Knot calls it wedding “maxxing.” Between the revival of the courthouse ceremony and a sudden appetite for welcome parties, couples are turning one day into several, and planning every one of them as carefully as the main event.
The focus is turning outward too. A wedding weekend is less about the couple on display and more about the time their guests get to spend with them.
The stories we love most rarely fit into one day. A haldi at nine, a baraat at four, and a toast that only makes sense because of the dinner the night before.
Color grows up: merlot, plum and moss
“Color is back, and she's matured.” The Knot's 2027 palettes trade bright pastels for regal merlot, jammy plums, powdery French blues and moss or wasabi greens, with blush and champagne playing supporting roles. For the brave, a punctuated palette pairs two showpiece shades, like red with fuchsia or orange.
Deep color asks for good light. Merlot velvet and moss green look richest in soft, directional window light, so we plan portraits around where that light falls.
The beach club, Amalfi at home
The biggest jump in The Knot's 2027 data. Couples are bringing the Italian coast home: spritz bars at cocktail hour, cabana stripes on the patio furniture, lemons on the tables and stationery, and a palette of marigold and Mediterranean blue.
The Knot's venue editors list beach clubs as the top venue trend for 2027, often as the poolside or oceanfront part of a longer wedding weekend.
Southern California does not have to borrow the Amalfi Coast. A tiled pool in Malibu and a sunset over the canyon do most of the work; we plan the portraits around golden hour and let the stripes and spritzes be the backdrop.
Antique lace, off the gown and onto everything
Lace is no longer just for the dress and veil. In 2027 it moves onto stationery, tablescapes and décor, part of a wider Victorian revival. One vendor on The Knot's trend council described a bride who made her veil from her grandmother's lace tablecloth.
Lace is a photographer’s favorite texture. Backlit, it throws pattern across a face; on a flat lay, it carries the whole story of where an heirloom came from.
Swans, ribbons and a little ballet
Swans mate for life, which may be why couples are dreaming in Swan Lake. Balletcore brings swan motifs, ribbons, loose bows, textured draping and crystal into the wedding, and the 2027 runways agree: micro bows down the back of a gown, soft draping across necklines, and a jeweled bridal midi for the reception.
Tulle and ribbon are made for movement. Ask for a few frames with a turn or a breeze through the room; that is where balletcore comes alive.
2027, by the figures
rise in searches for coastal Italian beach club weddings.
The Knot 2027 reportweddings now span three days or more.
The Knot 2027 reportof couples find it important to bring their culture into the wedding.
The Knot 2027 reportregister for some form of cash gift.
The Knot 2027 report
The arts as inspiration
Monet, Klimt and stained glass are turning up in engagement shoots, welcome signs and design direction. Couples are booking art museums and libraries, and borrowing from photography, painting, music and sculpture for the look of the day.
The Knot's venue editors expect museums to grow too: only a small share of couples chose one last year, which leaves plenty of room.
Los Angeles is made for this. LACMA’s Urban Light at blue hour, the courtyards of the Skirball, and the stained glass hiding in older venues across the city.
2027 is less about what is in style, and more about what is yours.Lulan Studio
Weddings that feel like home
An Editors’ Choice trend for 2027. Couples want guests to feel at home, so receptions are being styled like living rooms: table lamps on the dinner tables, tassels on the menus, velvet lounges and a guest book set out on a coffee table.
Source: The Knot 2027 Wedding Trends ReportIt is hospitality first. The lounge corner becomes the place people actually sit and talk, which is exactly where the candid photographs happen.
Velvet, lamplight and a good sofa photograph beautifully. They give couples somewhere to sit for portraits that feel like home rather than a backdrop.
Main character energy, Wes Anderson framing
“Couples clearly want to feel like the main character,” The Knot writes, “treating their photography as though they're starring in a Wes Anderson movie.” The requests are for images that feel emotional, dreamy and artsy, with creative composition in place of the standard posed lineup.
Source: The Knot 2027 Wedding Trends ReportSymmetry, color and a little wit. Some Southern California rooms are already film sets: a turquoise arcade at Beverly Hills City Hall, an Oval Office replica at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda.
Editorial does not mean stiff. It means we scout the light, direct for two minutes, then let you get back to your evening.
The silver age
Gold isn't going anywhere, but its cooler cousin is back. Silver is showing up in accessories, stationery, dinnerware and flatware: vintage silver trays, mirrors etched with a monogram, even silver floral arrangements. Platinum jewelry and cool-toned décor are rising with it.
Silver has always been part of photography: black and white film is, quite literally, made of it. We shoot monochrome on Leica, including the M Monochrom, a camera that only sees in black and white.
Culture at the table
Heritage is moving from the ceremony onto the menu. The Knot describes couples serving an Indian station for one partner, a Maryland station for the other and a New York station for the two of them, or a full Chinese banquet alongside challah baked by the mother of the bride.
The rituals around the food matter as much as the food: tea poured for elders, a lion dance that ends at the banquet tables.
Food is where families show up. A tea ceremony, a lion dance at the banquet, a grandmother’s recipe on the menu; we photograph them as main events, not side notes.
Ten more ideas from the 2027 forecast
The Knot named twenty trends in all. These are the other ten, with their year-over-year change where The Knot published one.
Monofloral installations
Whole installations of hydrangea, moss or wisteria. Antique hydrangea is having a comeback.
Whimsical florals
Poppies and other rumpled, playful blooms, a dose of dopamine in the bouquet.
The wedding brand
Custom crests, monograms and illustrations that run from the save-the-date to the last napkin.
Experiential stationery
Hand lettering, illustrations, pop-up menus and ceremony program fans.
Playing with food
Roaming caviar service, martini sidecars, even a secret pickle bar.
The pop-up, plus
Fragrance stations, bouquet bars and espresso martini carts as the new favors.
Unconventional venues
Beach clubs, members clubs, townhomes, spas and the occasional sports arena.
Prop surrealism
Unexpected textures and playful props built for photo moments.
Analog registries
Record players, cocktail glassware and throwback camcorders. See our Super 8 film.
Hush-hush honeymoons
Private villas and hard-to-reach islands, where privacy is the luxury.
The 2027 venue trends, in Southern California
The Knot's 2027 venue forecast, matched to places we photograph.
Beach clubs
Poolside and oceanfront, with sunsets and cabana stripes. The top venue trend for 2027.
Courthouses
Short, beautiful civil ceremonies, often shot in an editorial or documentary style.
Museums
Built-in architecture and art. Still rare, which is part of the appeal.
Historic venues
Exposed stone, grand staircases and real history.
Grand ballrooms
Hotels with everything in one place, from catering to the rooms upstairs.
Natural beauty
Mountains, canyons, desert and coast. 41% of newlyweds called a scenic setting the most important factor.
2027 wedding trends, answered
What are the biggest wedding trends for 2027?
The Knot's 2027 Wedding Trends Report names twenty. The biggest movers are Italian beach club weddings (searches up 315%), antique lace and Victorian details (up 280%), fine-art inspiration (up 195%), the return of silver (up 133%) and sophisticated color (up 127%). Longer wedding weekends, culture-led menus and editorial, cinematic photography round out the list.
What are the wedding colors for 2027?
Deeper, more grown-up shades: merlot and burgundy, jammy plum, powder or French blue, and moss or wasabi green, with blush pink and champagne as supporting tones. Bold couples are pairing two showpiece colors, like red with fuchsia. See our guide to colored wedding dresses.
What wedding venues are trending in 2027?
Beach clubs top The Knot's 2027 venue list, followed by mini chapels, courthouses, venues that host both ceremony and reception, historic buildings, hotels with grand ballrooms, scenic natural settings, amphitheaters, museums, restaurants and tented venues. In Southern California that might mean the Bel-Air Bay Club, LACMA or a Los Angeles courthouse.
What wedding photography style is trending for 2027?
Editorial and cinematic. The Knot says couples want to feel like the main character, with creative, emotional, Wes Anderson style compositions rather than standard posed photos. Fine-art references and black and white also fit the year. Lulan Studio shoots editorial wedding photography and film across Southern California.
What wedding dress trends are coming in 2027?
The Knot's 2027 dress report highlights a reinvented strapless neckline, draped and drop waists, muted color such as butter yellow, dusty rose and light blue, micro bows, asymmetry, exposed corsetry, 1990s minimalism, mantilla veils and the bridal midi for the reception. Read more in our bridal fashion guide.
- The Knot, 2027 Wedding Trends Report (September 2026)
- The Knot Worldwide, 2027 Wedding Trends Report press release (September 2026)
- The Knot, 2027 wedding color trends (September 2026)
- The Knot, 2027 wedding dress trends (September 2026)
- The Knot, 2027 wedding venue trends (September 2026)
- Zola × Poshmark, 2026 Wedding Style Report (April 2026)
Zola has not yet published its 2027 First Look Report; Zola figures above are from its most recent research.
Planning a 2027 wedding? Let’s talk it through.
Tell us which of these trends feel like you, and which ones do not. We will help you plan a day, and a set of photographs, that will still feel right long after the trends have moved on.