Fun and Creativity: The Heart of 2025 Weddings

January is the perfect time to look ahead and explore the exciting trends shaping weddings and private events. At Carroll Hall, we take pride in helping our guests craft unforgettable experiences that reflect their unique vision. This year, the spotlight is on fun and creativity. Instead of elaborate decor, many couples are opting for charming, unexpected touches that delight their guests.

To get a clearer picture of what’s trending in 2025, we reached out to our team and trusted vendor partners. Here’s what they had to share!

Jalisa Miller
Events Manager
Carroll Hall

The top 3 trends I see at Carroll Hall are:

Curated post-reception bites. These are usually special to the couples likes and usually more of a hit then the reception food itself. One client hired a Mister Softee truck for dessert while another served instant ramen noodle bowls and egg tarts.

Creative Cocktails. Beverages have become part of the experience and storytelling of a couples’ special day. Couples are going with less traditional cocktials, like Manhattans and margaritas, instead opting for speciality cocktails with a unique flair like egg wash, teas and specialty liqueurs.

Less has been more! This past year, couples have ditched the detailed and elaborate decor. Table settings have been minimal along with simple floral decor. With our botanical garden and the inherent design elements incorporated in our indoor space, our guests have gone with a “less is more” attitude when it comes to bringing in external decor.

Less is More!

At Carroll Hall, this couple used the brick wall and abundant vines in our botanical garden as their backdrop, choosing a simple wooden wedding arch accented with vibrant summer florals for a pop of color.

Tanya Breland
CEO and Lead Wedding Planner
Happy Planning Events

“The trends that I saw in 2024 that I believe will be going into 2025 is that brides are starting to shy away from white dresses and going for more ivory colored or pink hued dresses.

Couples are focusing on having more time of uninterrupted dancing and looking for more fun on the dance floor than interrupting it with endless activities. Couples are wanting more fun than traditional aspects of the wedding.”

Caroline Shadood
Floral Design
Soursop Flower Farm

“Sculptural, mounded arrangements are certainly growing in popularity. Couples want things to feel natural and overgrown, winding and spilling out. These shapes feel organic in the way moss envelops old sidewalks and buildings: kinda brutalist, kinda last-of-us-chic.”

Photographer: Victoria Jane

Taylor Couture
Director of Product Strategy
Patina Rentals

"Event trends for 2025 are just beginning to take shape, and we’re seeing some exciting directions. Planners are embracing warm neutrals like camel and chocolate brown, incorporating them into upholstery and accents to create grounded, inviting spaces. At the same time, there’s a focus on layering—mixing patterns and introducing vibrant, upbeat hues. This year, visual storytelling takes center stage, with designs that feel curated, cohesive, and brimming with personality."

Tina Mamkegh
Event Designer 
Quest Events

This year, we will see artistry in the events industry like never before. Expect heavily designed, custom installations; with a focus on natural movement.

Drapery Design + Installation:
Tina Mamkegh x Quest Events

Emily Louick
Emily Louick Photography

”As we head into to 2025, I’m seeing couples with a greater desire to have two parts to their marriage celebration. First, a intimate elopement at City Hall or in Central Park, where they can really focus on each other, soak in the day and have some time for themselves to revel in the experience of getting married with less pressure. Then, a larger but not so formal party with their extended communities that is focused on creating an experience that is fun, relaxed and overall invites their guests to experience their story - such as dinner at their favorite date night restaurant, dessert from their favorite bakery or a performance by one of their favorite local artists.”

I am seeing the trend of “the photo focus much less on group portraits and largely on fun, candid, intimate moments both between the couple and amongst their guests. Their desire is to be able to look back and relive their favorite moments (and some they may not have seen firsthand!) as well as feel like threw a party that felt like them where everyone enjoyed themselves.”

©Emily Louick Photography