If you got engaged on Christmas Day – and the research shows it’s the most popular day for marriage proposals – then 2025 will likely be a year of wedding planning for you and your loved ones.
While some nuptial traditions seem to remain stubbornly the same, the new year is also expected to bring new trends in the world of weddings, according to Zola’s 2025 First Look Report. The wedding planning site polled nearly 6,000 couples on what’s in and what’s out when it comes to proposals, ceremonies, and celebrations in the new year.
Notably, many couples are happy to let new technology take a starring role on their big days. The number of couples actively using artificial intelligence has jumped from 18% last year to 23% this year, while 90% of couples are considering using it to streamline their planning process.
For many couples, AI’s role will be limited to more rote activities like budgeting or managing schedules. But for some, AI will infiltrate even the most intimate aspects of their big day: nearly three quarters of couples are okay with using AI to write toasts – as long as the most intimate portions of the remarks still come from the person giving the speech. When it comes to writing vows, couples are split down the middle: 51% of couples are okay with using AI for crafting vows, while 49% are opposed.
While technology will play a big behind-the-scenes role in 2025 weddings, when it comes to the event itself, couples are increasingly opting for retro days. Film photography is back in a big way and the most popular wedding songs are throwbacks: Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and Elvis Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling in Love,” topped the wedding charts in 2024.
Many couples are also asking for their guests to put phones away during the ceremony and are doing away with the once common wedding hashtag. On the other hand, 21% of couples say that they’re capturing wedding content specifically for social media – with some even hiring professional wedding content creators, according to the Zola survey.
Other 2025 trends include changing outfits throughout the wedding day, taking first look photos with spouses and other loved ones, and getting extra-special nail art. Some couples are even breaking with tradition and exchanging their wedding vows in private – though there’s no indication of whether these are the same people using AI to write vows in the first place.
