The Biggest Wedding Trends We’re Seeing in New York Right Now
We see lots of wedding trends come and go over the years and decades, having been in the business since 1954. This year, there’s some data to back up the trends we’ve been seeing at Villa Russo. Zola’s 2026 First Look Report surveyed over 11,500 engaged couples. For the first time, Gen Z makes up the majority of engaged couples in the survey, which has brought about a generational change over in trends.
The Camera Follows the Couple
Wedding photography has shifted strongly over to a more natural, documentary-style as opposed to stilted & posed portraits. About 67% of couples now choose this more natural photo option. TikTok has now become a top planning resource, accounting for 25% of couples using it as a resource to help them plan their wedding.
With these trends, many couples are looking at venues for more candid and magical moments, rather than staged, well-lit areas made specifically for photos and videos. They might check whether there’s outdoor lighting, the ability to change lighting moods in different areas, and how the decor can be placed throughout.
Vintage and Traditional are Back
There was a previous trend of more modern, unique, and themed weddings that was big for a while. Now, we’re getting a reversal of that trend, with more desire for the classic traditions and vintage wedding look-and-feel. The bouquet toss, multi-tiered cakes, and other traditional wedding moments are trending up again.
For a family-owned hall that has specialized in this kind of authentic wedding aesthetic for over 70 years, it makes us smile to see couples returning to its rightful place. The classic, old-world ballroom with charm & elegance has never left Queens, it just took some time for people to appreciate it again.
Food Brings in the Couple’s Personality
With traditional trending again, we’re seeing a lot of personalization in the selection of food. Personalized catering has risen as a new trend in the 2026 report, with authentic cuisine, curated cocktail and mocktail menus being particularly popular, as are specialty desserts made to the couples’ taste.
At Villa Russo, the kitchen is in the building and the menu isn’t fixed, so we are able to accommodate and work with a variety of cuisines. Queens being the nation’s most diverse borough, we’re able to deliver quality food to a variety of cultures & ethnicities served to our highest standards. This is then brought to the modern day and personalized with the more subtle details - personalization of the menus and invitations, small trinkets and decor that represent the couples’ personalities more subtly, and a touch of artisanal flair such as an artist friend doing a couples’ painting, or a cultural or family tradition being brought it.
If you want to see how these trends come to life in an actual banquet room setting,Villa Russo’s team runs tours year-round. Bringing photos or videos that inspire you to see what we can offer & arrange and whether we’d be a good fit to make your dreams of that special day a reality.