11 Wedding Decor Trends for 2024

Looking for the latest in wedding decor trends? Look no further. I am a professional stationery designer and wedding blogger so staying on top of and ahead of the trends is part of my job. I got into stationery design because I loved traditional paper-making techniques, creating unique and personal stationery, and the long lost art of sending love in the mail.

Here are the top wedding decor trends for 2024. Some are brand new and some trends are sticking around from last year:

The top 11 wedding decor trends for 2024 are bows and the cool girl wedding aesthetic, rustic botanical, retro nuptials, royal core, grand millennial, bold pops of color, the Pantone color of the year – Peach Fuzz, custom patterns, escort card walls, die cut shapes, and French seaside.

Let’s dive into what each of those trends look like for wedding decor this year.

1. Bows and The Cool Girl Wedding Aesthetic

Bows have been trending in bridal fashion for the last few years and have started to creep into other aspects of weddings like invitations and decor. This year’s newest way that bows have shown up in wedding decor is on champagne coups as pure decoration or as place cards with guests names written on them. I love this idea for a unique escort card table or at the head table as place cards.

This look is part of a larger “Cool Girl” aesthetic trend that takes cues from Vogue and the fashion world, documentary and editorial-style photography and a grittier city-chic. Also called the “anti-bride” aesthetic but to be honest, it’s so feminine I don’t see anything “anti” about it.

You can achieve the bow look with long, thin frayed silk ribbon or satin ribbon. In black is especially popular, and shows off the names best. But I also like the idea of switching it up with different colors to match your wedding color scheme.

Here’s what’s in for 2024 with bows and cool girl:

• long, thin ribbon
• solid colors or fun patterns (see #8)
• black and red are particularly stand out colors for this trend
• velvet, silk, or satin
• documentary-style or editorial-style photography
• opposite of light and airy, more of a grey-toned evening with candles look
• long tapered candles
• vintage cakes

And what’s out for the bow and cool girl trend? Anything too oversized or thick. Or anything too tiny and twee-looking. Absolutely don’t use burlap, lace, or wired ribbons if you want to keep this look on trend. Shorter or faux candles will not achieve cool girl vibes either.

I also think the motion blurred photography needs to be reined in a bit. It’s fine if it’s used correctly to depict motion and action in a scene. It doesn’t make any sense when it’s used on detail shots and flat lays. And it’s definitely become overused as a filter on Instagram. (I am a total culprit of this when I need to add something to an IG Story. So, I am also guilty!)

Feeling underprepared already to design your wedding aesthetic? Check out this checklist for day of items that will give you everything you need to check off your list.

2. Rustic Botanical

A shift from the rustic of 2017, when I got married, that was full of wood, mason jars, burlap and lace. Rustic botanical is a much more modern take on the rustic trend. Although it feels modern and is increasingly popular with couples this year, it’s actually inspired by vintage botanical prints and victorian english gardens. It’s a mix of sepia-toned-down colors, pressed flowers, an over abundance of baby’s breath and other white flowers, lots of greenery and some other vintage-inspired touches. It gives the vibe of a Jane Austen character getting married in a secret garden party.

Rustic botanical is typified with pressed flowers (real or printed), baby’s breath everywhere or mixed with eucalyptus, sage green and white color schemes, and lots of natural wood.

Here is what’s in for 2024:

• Pressed flowers in bright colors
• a ton of baby’s breath in big bunches and arrangements
• lots of greenery

And here is what is out – watercolor eucalyptus printed stationery or signage, fake wood printed items, burlap and mason jars. Barn weddings in general are also not on trend as much as they once were. (Folks, barns get hot in the summer without air conditioning. Don’t at me.) If it was on a Pinterest board in 2017, it’s out.

3. Retro Nuptials

Retro or “Groovy Nuptials” are Pinterest’s prediction for wedding trend of the year. According to Pinterest trend experts, “In 2024, 70s-inspired weddings will make a serious comeback. From disco décor to hippy hen-dos, Boomers and Millennials are behind this retro-inspired return to the dance floor. So, let down your feathered hairstyle and say, ‘I groove’.”

We’ve seen this trend start to pop up before in 2023 with pampas grass mixed with disco balls. I think it will continue in that style with statement discoball decor and centerpieces, lots of browns, oranges, and yellows in the flowers and color schemes, and some retro groovy fonts. Where retro gets interesting for me is when it’s elevated and modernized. You don’t want “That ’70s Show” basement vibe, you want “Anti Hero” T-Swift-style aesthetics instead.

Here’s what I am loving for 2024:

• brown, orange, green color palette
• modernized groovy fonts that are thin with some funk
• statement discoballs

And here is what is not on-trend for 2024: thick, wavy fonts. They just look cheap to me. They belong with Comic Sans in the NO pile. And singular disco balls. They should be part of a larger arrangement. One single discoball in the center of the dance floor, ’70’s – ’80’s style, doesn’t really do it for modern wedding decor. It has to be a maximalist statement piece to really work.

4. Royal Core

Royal Core has been around for a few years and continues to be popular. Ever since Bridgerton captured the hearts and minds of audiences, there’s been a resurgence in this style. It can take on a few different decor forms from 18th-century inspired corsets, bows, and toile patterns, to princess-style, cinderella vibes. There’s a lot of old English and French influences. The color schemes are usually a dusty blue, grey and white, with pops of blush and sage green.

Royal Core works particularly well for certain venues like castles, manors, gardens, and even tents or catering halls to elevate the decor.

Here’s what I’m loving for 2024 in Royal Core:

• custom toile patterns that are inspired by personal stories
• dusty blue and grey
• wild, whimsical floral arrangements
• handmade paper, calligraphy, and vintage stamps

Something I’d like to see go away is scroll place cards and big fluffy bows with wax seals stamped into them. I think they’re too stuffy and the key to keeping Royal Core modern is to make feel it light and airy.

5. Grand Millennial

Grand Millennial is another trend that carries over from 2023. It’s typified by granny-inspired patterns and colors like light pink, blue and green, and lots of cozy elements. Grand Millennial can be sprinkled in as pops of patterns or blown out to a maximalist look with lots of overlapping patterns and colors. Lately I’ve seen people also calling this the “messy wedding aesthetic” on TikTok and Instagram. It’s generally less fussy and more fun.

Here are some things I’m loving about Grand Millennial style in 2024:

• Custom mix and match patterns (see #8!)
• Light greens and pinks
• Whimsical florals
• Watercolor wedding crests
• Watercolor everything from stationery to favors

One thing I’m not loving for Grand Millennial is when the branding elements like crests or monograms are too one-dimensional. For example, having the same crest printed on the save the dates, invitations, wedding welcome sign, cocktail napkins, frosted cups, cupcakes and thank you cards. It’s just overkill. Creating a wedding brand should include your crest or monogram but there should be variations and other elements and patterns worked into the overall theme of the day for a more multi-dimensional branding.

6. Bold Color

Pops of bold color were also popular last year as some couples eschewed the soft pastels and opted for bright blues, reds, and yellows instead. Poppies were a particularly popular choice for florals to exemplify this trend with bold, whimsical arrangements that look more “plucked from the hillside” than “fastidiously manicured.”

Things I love for bright and bold for 2024:

• Primary colors, red, yellow, blue
• Poppies and whimsical floral arrangements
• White and other neutrals as the base with colors sprinkled throughout
• A mix of colors for bridesmaids dresses and linens instead of matching all one-color options

Things I wish would go away in 2024? Honestly, nothing. I love this trend and I hope it never dies.

7. Peach Fuzz

Peach Fuzz is Pantone’s 2024 color of the year, so we’re bound to see this color embraced by couples this year for wedding decor. The color is a shift from the very popular blush to a more yellow-toned pink. It’s still very light in color and will be a great choice for romantics for flowers, bridesmaid dresses, linens, and bridal accessories.

When I first hard the color “Peach Fuzz” I thought it would be very blah. But looking at the inspiration on Pinterest in this color palette, I actually love it. It must be the Milennial Pink lover in me because I feel like this is a fresher take on that subdued pink and I love how it works with oranges, yellows, and darker pinks.

Love for 2024:

• Peach mixed with dark pink, yellow, and orange
• Tall tapered candles in peach
• Peach cocktails!
• Peach-colored Rose (an actual summer staple of mine)

Things I don’t like for 2024, candy pink. We’re leaving bubble gum shades behind and embracing this yellowish, neutral shade of peach.

8. Custom Patterns

We don’t mean China patterns here. Custom fabric for place card ribbon, napkins, table linens, bridesmaid gifts, and other decor is the newest way to brand your wedding. Wedding branding has gained particular popularity for luxury weddings and creating a custom print or pattern for your day is a great way to execute it. That pattern can then be used beyond the wedding day for home decor or fashion accessories. Think of it as an extension to the signature scent. A signature pattern can be the calling card of your union and remind you of your wedding day for years to come.

Here’s what’s in for 2024:

• Love Shack Fancy or Grand Millennial-inspired table linens
• Watercolor collages that tell a personal story on scarves as a wedding party gift
• Floral motifs inspired by the day of florals that are repeated on everything from the invitations to the menus to the signage

What’s out? Solid color everything in 1-2 colors. Wedding palettes and branding have gotten a lot more sophisticated in the days of Instagram and TikTok so any decor without complimentary texture or pattern is going to look too plain.

9. Escort Card Walls

Escort Card walls have been gaining in popularity for a few years now. Everything from champagne walls to unique structures can be custom-built or rented. I love this over-the-top take on seating charts or favor tables. It really makes a statement at the wedding, adding to the guest experience, and it’s truly Instagram-worthy for photo ops.

The structures can be small and relatively portable, like this Champagne Wall from Seven Wonders Events in Westchester, NY. Or they can be massive, statement-making pieces that are custom built for the occasion.

If you’re looking to achieve this look but don’t know where to start, reach out to me to inquire about your day of stationery needs.

Things that are in for 2024:

• Cocktail or signature drink walls tied as a ribbon around the stem
• Walls with personality-driven clever sayings and interestingly-shaped escort cards
• Escort cards that double as wedding favors like your favorite local honey bottle and personalized for each guest

Something I’d love to see go away – Champagne flute walls with circle escort cards on the rim. It looks a little dated to me and I think coupe glasses with bows will replace this trend.

10. Die Cut Shapes

This stationery trend has taken the wedding world by storm and continues to be a popular trend for 2024 weddings. It started with circular-cut menus and escort cards, moved into arch and wavy shaped-pieces for everything from menus to bar menus to signage, and in 2024 I think we will see a lot more interesting and variety of shapes.

Lemons and oranges, dog silhouettes, fruits, bows, seashells, victorian crests, anything you can think of can be inspiration for your day of stationery and decor. Here are some that I think will be especially interesting for 2024 and beyond:

• Escort cards in the shape of your pet
• Menus in location-inspired shapes like oysters or flowers
• Bar signage with printed, die-cut bow framing
• Seating charts and other large signage in wavy-cut or angled shapes

What I’d love to see go by the wayside? Arch-shaped table numbers. They look like gravestones and I’d love to see that trend fade away.

11. French Seaside

Ah one of my favorite recent trends in wedding decor. I’m obsessed with the hand-painted calligraphy-style fonts, wavy shapes, simplistic almost doodle-like drawings and watercolors. Navy or cobalt blue and white or pink and white are popular color themes. Lots of coastal looking stripes and motifs typify the French Seaside style.

French Seaside is popular for both waterfront, coastal weddings, provincial affairs, and event sophisticated, evening events.

Things I love for 2024 French seaside:

• Handwritten, sloppy calligraphy and doodles
• Blue or pink nautical stripes
• Umbrellas with fringe
• Seaside or country views
• Pennants and Banners

Things to leave behind – menus painted with chickens, fish heads, lobsters and other anthropomorphized animals on them. It’s kitschy. It’s giving me ’90’s Rooster Kitchen vibes. I’d much rather see a venue illustration, doodles that represent the non-mooing and clucking items on the menu, bows, or other elements that are personalized to the couple or destination.

What are your favorite wedding decor trends for 2024? Like these ideas for your wedding and want help executing them? Check out our day of packages and inquire about creating something spectacular for your event that goes beyond the basics of seating charts and favors.

Are you a wedding planner? Let me help you execute your vision. Here’s a dedicated page with wedding planner resources and answers to frequently asked questions.