6 of the biggest wedding trends you should know about for 2020

If you’re getting married next year and the ever looming mountain of wedding admin has left you cold — or maybe you’re not sure where to even begin planning — then fear not. From the cut of the diamond to the end of identical bridesmaid line-ups, this is guide to the biggest wedding trends for 2020, straight from those that know. 

The most in-demand wedding experts in the industry — recruited by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Zoë Kravitz — reveal what an on-message 2020 wedding will look like.

The wedding ring  
If you’re reading this wearing an engagement ring that you your partner both chose, then you’re already ahead of the curve. One of the most gamechanging 2020 wedding trends is couples choosing their rings together, both the engagement and wedding bands. 

“There’s been a huge increase from when I started my business four years ago, when requests were primarily from men,” says Mia Moross, founder of The One I Love NYC, the New York jewellery label where actor Karl Glusman picked up his now-wife Zoë Kravitz’s antique engagement ring (above) after she’d spotted it on Instagram. “I hope it continues,” she says. “It’s important that it’s a ring that both of you love, so it symbolises the taste of the person giving it as well as receiving it.” 

Moross also notes a spike in popularity for cushion-cut, hand-mined diamonds (a square cut with rounded corners, like Jessica Biel’s engagement ring) and predicts a rise in yellow-gold rather than platinum bands, alongside Art Deco pieces. “Couples want rings that tell a story,” adds Moross. “They don’t want to buy something off the rack. They want a piece that has depth, soul and lineage.”

The wedding dress 
This is the big one. Except it’s no longer just dress; brides are now shopping for ‘The Dress’, plus accessories, an evening gown and other looks to see them through the rehearsal dinner, the reception and beyond. 

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The ceremony dress is still the main event and for next year, there’s a move towards pared-back gowns. “Since the UK’s royal wedding [Meghan and Harry in 2018], we’ve noticed brides leaning towards simple and elegant lines, paired with dramatic veils that have beaded or lace edging to add wow-factor,” says Kate Johnson, buyer at Browns Brides, the London boutique stocking designers favoured by Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé. “Unlike Meghan [Duchess of Sussex], our brides are increasingly opting for off-the-shoulder silhouettes that flatter the bust-line and add a modern touch.”

Katherine Holmgren, co-founder of bridal and eveningwear label Galvan, recently designed one of the three dresses that model Heidi Klum wore over her wedding weekend in August. “There’s definitely a shift away from volume,” agrees Holmgren. “People are starting to go for sleek and less ‘princess’.”

Some couples might want to shake-up tradition, shunning the bridal dress entirely. Actor Sophie Turner wore a jumpsuit at her Las Vegas wedding to pop star Joe Jonas this year, while singer Solange bucked tradition in 2014 wearing a cream, all-in-one trouser suit with an attached cape. “For an after party or a civil ceremony, people are leaning towards suiting, jumpsuits or cropped-length dresses,” says Holmgren. “Separates are going to become more popular, too. Head-to-toe bridal white, but with the idea that you can wear certain pieces again.”

The bridesmaids’ dresses 
The days of bridesmaids wearing identical gowns are fading away, but that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. In 2020, the bride will likely still choose the bridesmaid dresses ensuring they match her aesthetic, but she’ll take individual body shapes and skin tones into consideration, making sure that everyone is feeling great on the big day. 

“We’re seeing brides pre-selecting a palette and silhouettes they like, then asking bridesmaids to choose from that narrowed-down range,” says Holmgren. Next year’s bride will allow her bridesmaids to select from three or four different shapes in select colours that complement her own dress.

The wedding day
The 2020 wedding is set to be about individuality, so make your wedding day personal to you and your future spouse — which means considering where your wedding . What does the location say about you both? If it’s a destination wedding, why did you choose there? Translate that sentiment into everything from the food and decor to entertainment, ensuring consistency and authenticity. 

“People are looking for authentic, local ways to incorporate their location into the day,” says Sarah Haywood, who organises high-profile weddings around the world including model Hannah Quinlivan’s wedding to pop superstar Jay Chou. 

“Last year for a wedding in Italy, the Save The Date was a tile made in an original Tuscan factory. Each tile was hand painted with the couple’s initials and the coordinates of where the wedding would take place. For the welcome party, we created a street fiesta with a Murano glassblower making cocktail swizzles and a ceramicist crafting Sicilian pots. It’s about incorporating local touches.”

Next year’s take on wedding tradition is just as bespoke. “The mindset of modern couples is to be more creative about rituals and customs, rather than blindly following tradition,” says Tina Tharwani, co-founder of Shaadi Squad, the wedding planners behind Bollywood star Anushka Sharma and cricketer Virat Kohli’s wedding. “It’s about finding balance: taking what’s traditional and reframing it into new, fun elements of a wedding.” For interfaith couples preparing for multicultural weddings, take a cue from actor Priyanka Chopra and pop star Nick Jonas (above), who interweaved rituals from their Hindu and Christian faiths into their ceremonies in 2018.

The wedding flowers and decor 
Thoughtful detail rather than over-the-top extravagance will be key for a 2020 wedding, such as discreetly including your initials on everything from glassware to napkins. “[We’re moving towards] weddings with simple tables but with one statement installation piece, such as a cloud of gypsophila over the dancefloor, a floral arch at the entrance to the church, or something to frame the couple when they’re married,” says Nikki Tibbles (above), Wild At Heart’s founding florist, favoured by Tom Ford and regularly recruited to dress high-profile weddings.

Table and bouquet flowers are set to take on a more relaxed and natural feel, too. “There’s a move away from more cultivated flowers such as roses, towards wild flowers and grasses,” says Tibbles. “It’s still elegant, just not quite so ostentatious. I don’t feel a ‘bigger is better’ mood right now.” 

For 2020, Tibbles recommends dried flowers, pampas grass and potted greenery, while Tharwani notes that non-perishable origami flowers are a budding trend thanks to their potential to be kept and reused.

Sustainability matters
No matter what kind of wedding you’re planning, sustainability is set to be high on the 2020 agenda. Tharwani predicts couples will swap physical invitations for digital, or print them on seed paper, which can be planted after use. Requesting a vegan meal will soon no longer fall into ‘special dietary requirements’ either, as 2020 is set to see the rise of an eco-conscious, all-vegan wedding menu. 

Wedding planner Colleen Kennedy Cohen, responsible for Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk’s nuptials in 2018, concurs: “Look at reducing your carbon footprint and seriously consider travel; not only for you and your guests, but for your vendors. Make sure they’re using local products sourced sustainably,” she says. “And look at your dinner menu: reduce excessive portion sizes, composting whatever’s left over.” 

That message extends to after the big event, too. Tibbles encourages clients to consider the next life of their flowers once the wedding is over, whether that’s donating them to a local hospice or encouraging guests take them home to enjoy. Meanwhile, Tharwani works with charities to swiftly distribute any leftover food to those in need.