Yesterday, Kendra Leaver-Rylah, editor and co founder of The Wedding Edition, hosted an intimate conversation with Pinterest to unpack the platform’s 2026 Wedding Trends Report. Set against a backdrop of industry tastemakers across fashion, beauty and luxury, the discussion centred on a simple but powerful idea. Weddings are no longer being planned. They are being imagined, curated and ultimately, rewritten.
This is her take on what that means now, and what it signals for the couples we speak to every day.
It still starts with a board
There is a universal truth that has only become more pronounced. Every wedding begins on Pinterest.
Not publicly, not performatively, but privately. A secret board created somewhere between falling in love and getting engaged. A collection of images that quietly form the blueprint for what comes next.
As Kendra noted during the talk, this is where aspiration becomes intention. Couples arrive at that board instinctively, pinning a feeling before they fully understand it. By the time the engagement happens, the vision is already forming.
What follows is a shift from inspiration to action. And that is where platforms like The Wedding Edition come in. Translating that saved aesthetic into something tangible, considered and entirely personal.
Personalisation has become the new luxury
If the report confirms anything, it is that personalisation is no longer a trend. It is the foundation.
What is striking is how this is being expressed. Not through excess, but through meaning. Handwritten notes placed at each setting. Bespoke poems written for the ceremony. Small, thoughtful details that feel human and lasting.
There is also a clear move away from overly polished, automated moments. In a world shaped by AI, couples are choosing analogue. They are leaning into texture, imperfection and authenticity.
At the same time, the visual element remains important. Flower bars, perfume stations, interactive guest experiences. These moments are designed to be seen and shared, but crucially, they are rooted in personality rather than performance.
Tradition itself continues to evolve. Couples are rewriting the structure of the day, walking each other down the aisle, getting ready together, creating ceremonies that reflect their relationship rather than convention.
Colour is driving the entire aesthetic
One of the most defining shifts highlighted in the report is the role of colour. It is no longer an afterthought. It is the starting point.
Two distinct directions are emerging. Rooted romance, with its plum, merlot and olive tones, and ethereal shimmer, where opalescent hues and iridescent finishes create something softer and more dreamlike.
What matters is not which palette is chosen, but how it is applied. The most compelling weddings now build everything around it. Fashion, florals, tablescaping, even the food.
Every element feels connected. Every detail intentional. Colour has become a tool for storytelling, shaping not just how a wedding looks, but how it feels.
Fashion is no longer about one look
The idea of a single defining bridal look is quietly disappearing.
As discussed during the conversation, the dress remains important, but it is no longer the whole story. It is the base layer. The expression comes through everything that surrounds it.
Accessories are leading that shift. Shoes in particular have become a defining moment. There is still something iconic about stepping into Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo, or that flash of Christian Louboutin, but the styling has evolved. Colour, texture and wearability beyond the wedding day now take precedence.
There is also a growing focus on longevity. Renting a Vivienne Westwood gown, investing in jewellery that will be worn again, building a wardrobe rather than a one day look.
At the same time, some of the most exciting fashion moments are happening beyond traditional bridal. Groom and groom weddings in particular are pushing boundaries, with tailoring, jewellery and styling treated with the same level of creativity and intention.
Men’s jewellery reflects this shift. Pinky rings, brooches, chain necklaces, with silver emerging as the dominant metal. It is no longer secondary. It is central to the overall aesthetic.
Beauty has entered the wedding era
Beauty now sits at the centre of the wedding journey.
It begins earlier than ever. Often immediately after the engagement, when routines shift and a sense of preparation takes hold. Skin, hair, wellness. It becomes part of how someone steps into this moment.
Pinterest plays a critical role here, offering a more inclusive and realistic lens. Brides are no longer referencing a single ideal. They are seeing themselves reflected, and shaping their look accordingly.
The aesthetic itself leans towards soft drama. Volume, movement, vintage references. 1920s inspired beauty, Hollywood glamour, hair woven with jewellery. Elevated, but not overworked.
Fragrance is also emerging as a defining detail. Not just worn, but experienced. Perfume bars, scented spaces, moments designed to be remembered through scent as much as sight.
The shift from digital to real
What came through most clearly from both the report and the conversation is the relationship between digital and analogue.
Pinterest remains the starting point. The place where ideas are formed, refined and saved. But increasingly, couples are looking to step away from the screen as the day approaches.
Analogue details are rising. Camcorders, video guestbooks, handwritten elements, tactile keepsakes. Moments that feel present, not mediated.
It is not about rejecting digital entirely. It is about balance. Using technology to imagine and plan, then stepping fully into the experience itself.
Weddings in 2026 are not about perfection. They are about presence.
And perhaps that is the most telling shift of all.
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