Pinterest in Practice
The 2026 Pinterest wedding trends report was released...here are my thoughts...
Pinterest dropped their 2026 Wedding Trends Report this week and I have been getting questions about it from everyone. Every version of the same thing: should I be doing this? Is this too trendy? Is everyone going to have the same wedding?
To answer my clients and readers’ questions: yes, do the trends…if you love them.
This year’s report is showing me an expansion. More directions. More room. People are getting weirder and more whimsical. Let me walk you through what trends I’m paying attention to.
Before you say “I do”…
One of the biggest trend categories in this report is what Pinterest is calling “Before I Do.” Engagement shoots, proposal moments, pre-wedding content. And the shift happening here is one I’ve been watching play out in real time with my own clients.
Couples are ditching the staged, formal shoot in a field wearing coordinating outfits they don’t own... and leaning into their actual life. Café dates. Pool halls. Their favorite restaurant. The place they had their first date or their thousandth Sunday morning. Places that actually mean something to them.
This isn’t just an aesthetic shift. It’s a shift in what is being valued. Gen-z want to capture authenticity and it’s making an impact in the wedding industry.
If you’re in the early stages of planning, this is your permission slip to shoot somewhere that actually means something to you...
The Venue Shift I’ve Been Waiting For
This is the trend I’m most excited about. Pinterest says people are choosing venues with more character built into them. And I’m seeing that with my own clients. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen sneak peaks of the venues coming up for this season.
Couples are moving away from the neutral ballroom that requires a million florals just to feel like something and choosing spaces that already have atmosphere built in. Spaces that already have a story…
Not only will your photos be incredible. But your guests are going to remember the experience because it feels like somewhere, not anywhere.
Start your venue search thinking about atmosphere first instead of capacity and catering minimums. If you have questions on how to evaluate venues in this way drop a question in the comments.
The Color Palette Split
Pinterest lists two different color palettes that are taking over the site: Rooted Romance and Ethereal Shimmer…
Rooted Romance is exactly what you’d imagine it to be. Plums, merlots, figs, dusty olives, raspberry, muted terracotta. Deep, moody, organic. Rich and dramatic. Ethereal Shimmer covers the opalescent finishes, chrome accents, midnight teal, iridescent everything. The kind of palette that photographs like a dream.
They’re both beautiful…but you are not limited to what is trending. Do what feels right for you as a couple.
This goes back to the conversation that came up everywhere about having a noticeably “2026” wedding. If you want to know more of my thoughts on color palettes check out this newsletter:
Messy Coquette Decor: What It Actually Looks Like in Practice
The report is calling the decor trend “Messy Coquette” which sounds alarming. I promise it’s not.
What it means…romantic maximalism with a tactile edge. Draped fabrics. Stained glass arches. Lace napkins. Moody floral installations that feel lush and slightly undone. Velvet. Layered textures that feel lived-in instead of corporate-event sterile.
I have been incorporating elements like this into events for the past couple years and the feedback is always the same: guests talk about it. They remember it. The elements that stand out, that make your wedding feel personal and retains luxury.
What I’ll say every time
Here’s what I need you to take away from all of this. This is your wedding. Not Pinterest’s. Not the algorithms. Not mine.
Pinterest tracks searches. Billions of them. When something is up 500% or 2,710% that means a lot of people got curious about it. It does not mean a lot of people are doing it. And it absolutely does not mean you have to. You are not obligated to be ahead of the curve, on the curve, or anywhere near it.
This report is showing an expansion of what’s considered beautiful and intentional at a wedding. More color directions. More venue types. More ways to approach accessories, bouquets, cakes, decor. That expansion is good news for every couple who has ever felt like their taste didn’t fit the template.
But the question to always ask isn’t “is this trending?” The question is “does this feel like us?”
If you see the burgundy and chartreuse palette and your stomach does a little flip... that’s information. Listen to it. If you look at the jazz club venue category and think “that is actually exactly where we would want to be on our wedding day”... trust that. If you look at the entire report and think none of this is us... it means you probably already know what you want.
You don’t owe the internet an original wedding. You just owe yourself a real one.
XO, Nicole