☰
Choosing a wedding theme or style is one of the best ways to personalize your big day. A defined aesthetic will help you make important wedding planning decisions, like what color palette to follow, how you decorate your ceremony and reception, and what the overall vibe of your day feels like. But, with so many wedding theme ideas, narrowing down your favorite might feel nearly impossible. Whether you’ve been curating your wedding inspiration board for years or you’re not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. We tapped industry experts to share everything you need to know about picking a wedding theme or style, along with attainable ways to make it feel unique to you and your partner.
Here, we define the most popular wedding styles, from rustic to whimsical and everything in between, that are absolutely timeless. You’ll also find thematic keywords that’ll help you communicate your vision with your team of vendors, along with budget tips and wedding venue ideas. Bookmark this page to keep as your all-encompassing guide to the most popular wedding aesthetics of all time. Then, once you’ve brushed up on wedding style and theme vocab, take The Knot’s Style & Vision Quiz to get personalized inspiration and practical ideas that’ll help make your dream wedding a reality.
Reminiscent of the Roaring ’20s, an Art Deco wedding theme is all about glitz, glamour and partying. Energetic jazz music should be a main focus, so we highly recommend finding a live band to get your guests on their feet (bonus points if anyone can dance the Fox Trot or the Charleston). Geometric details are another major component of Art Deco wedding style, mimicking the architectural designs of the Chrysler and Empire State buildings constructed in the late 1920s. If this avant-garde aesthetic speaks to you, you might consider hosting a Great Gatsby-themed wedding or getting married on New Year’s Eve.
Dreaming of a seaside celebration? A beach wedding theme is the way to go. If you want a laid-back, chill day that is reminiscent of a beach vacay, hit the sand for your nuptials.
Bohemian wedding decor is trendy and bold, with an emphasis on achieving an inviting, cool vibe—in other words, don’t get caught up in trying too hard. To create that down-to-earth feel, there’s just one place to look: Mother Earth. Tap into natural details for a cool and comfortable experience.
Obsessed with your Zodiac sign? We stan a well-designed celestial wedding theme. Your perfect day will be a sparkle-filled collection of midnight blue and black, just like a star-speckled night sky.
A classic wedding is one of the most popular aesthetics, and it’s not hard to understand why. “A classic wedding is one that is timeless,” Stephens explains. “It’s usually defined as a more formal wedding with clean lines, white florals and a traditional overall look and feel.” In addition to focusing on the ambiance, it’s just as important to think about the emotion you want your classic wedding to evoke. “Classic romance weddings have the ability to create an emotional setting, not just for the couple but also for guests,” Tutera explains.
A mix of rustic, vintage and Southern styles, a country wedding theme is full of charm and overflowing with thoughtful, personal details. The main goal of this wedding theme is to design an event that’s chic but not stuffy—imagine your guests are coming over for a summer backyard party (albeit one that takes a little more planning in this instance). Elements like wooden cross-back chairs, wildflower-style arrangements, gingham prints and homemade pies are the vibe to emulate. Don’t feel too confined to the kitschy elements of traditional rustic style (like burlap or tree stump accents). Instead, you can achieve a refined country wedding theme by looking for details that are inviting and welcoming If you’re feeling stuck, consider an Americana-themed wedding or draw inspiration from the cottagecore wedding trend, which is reminiscent of English country style.
A dark wedding theme, also sometimes referred to as Dark Academia, brings in goth, moody elements, but doesn’t stop there. It also leans into the quirky and eclectic in a way that feels creative, rather than sinister. A dark wedding theme is a great option for bibliophiles who want to plan a literary wedding.
And they lived happily ever after. Whether you’re a Disney fan, a Bridgerton fan or just love classic love stories, a fairytale wedding theme is an absolute classic. It’s a bit more whimsical and giddy than a romantic wedding—like the blend between a romantic, garden and glam wedding theme.
Do you feel like you could’ve been a woodland creature in another lifetime? A forest wedding theme is just what you need. An earthy color palette of emerald green and chocolate brown can set the tone for this whimsical, woodsy fete.
Flowers are a big part of almost every type of wedding, but with a garden wedding theme, flowers are the moment. A garden wedding works especially during for spring nuptials, especially if you’ve chosen a pastel color palette.
Do you have an affinity for the finer things in life? For the lavish and the luxe? A glam wedding is the way to go. It’s all about creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your loved ones through top-notch service and attention to detail. “A glam wedding is a shiny wedding,” says Tutera. “It can be in any color scheme, with white as a predominant base color. It should be rich with sparkled details, candles and luxurious textures.”
Thinking about getting married on Halloween? Keep things spooky with a gothic wedding theme. A mostly black color palette, with hints of dark purple and antique gold is the ticket here. We’re all for a fall wedding in a library with black taper candles and purple signature cocktails—you could ever RSVP with regrets to such an event?
Less is more. A minimalist wedding theme leans into a pared-down aesthetic to ensure each and every element shines in a sleek and refined manner.
A modern wedding is all about exquisite simplicity—embracing a minimalist mindset to make maximum impact. Meticulous attention to detail is the cornerstone of this less-is-more approach. City dwellers, urbanites and design lovers often gravitate toward this wedding style, which embraces a minimalist mindset with a few carefully curated details to make maximum impact. “Lean into interesting surfaces and textures, like marble and rich, matted metallics,” Tutera says.
This wedding theme is focused on—you guessed it—nature-inspired elements like fresh flowers, animals, trees and other botanical components. The color palette is also inspired by nature, with a base of white or ivory contrasting with deep green, brown or blue tones. We like to compare the concept of this theme to the forests of the Pacific Northwest: equal parts moody and magical.
A celebration by the sea (or a destination wedding on the coast of New England) calls for some serious Cape Cod and Nantucket inspiration. Anchors and sailboats aren’t the only seafaring details for this wedding theme. Breezy linen fabrics, lighthouse motifs, Breton stripes, oyster shell escort cards and blue watercolor stationery help to form this coastal, relaxed style. Treat guests to a seafood bar featuring local catches, like lobster rolls or fresh shrimp cocktails, to give them a true nautical experience. While you don’t need to plan a beach wedding to utilize this style, a waterfront view will really bring together this maritime-inspired theme.
Mad Men meets Grease in this drive-in, sock hop, American Bandstand–era celebration. Even if your retro-themed wedding guests can’t jive like the Bandstand dancers could back in the day, that’s what the vibe should feel like at a retro wedding. Pull retro wedding theme ideas from the ’50s and ’60s, a time when bold colors like teal, cherry red, neon pink and canary yellow brought new energy to home decor and fashion. A few throwback details, like Coke served in its signature glass bottles, are just right to round out the experience—just be sure to use any themed details in moderation to avoid becoming too garish.
Romantic weddings are all about creating a dreamlike setting. Think in layers as you approach planning. A warm color palette, lush flowers and soft fabrics work in harmony, all enveloped in the glow of candlelight. We’re going for warm fuzzies—bring the feelings you have for your S.O. to life.
A rustic wedding theme is all about connecting your celebration to nature. This concept can take many forms, from a farm-to-table garden dinner to a ceremony in a wildflower field or even an intimate vow exchange in a rugged mountain chalet. A focus on warmth and hospitality guides this casual aesthetic. “When I think rustic, I see a color palette of neutral and soft tones with natural elements like organic fabrics, wooden elements, lace, foliage and burlap,” says Stephens. And although rustic weddings are closely associated with barns and farms, it’s not the only place you can host your nuptials. “The juxtaposition of being in a modern space with a rustic environment inside is a cool way to plan the theme as well,” Tutera suggests.
Listen up: A travel wedding theme isn’t the same as a destination wedding. A destination wedding doesn’t have to have a travel theme just like a travel-themed wedding can be local. It’s all about embracing the idea of travel as a concept to inspire the decor and wedding aesthetic, whether or not travel actually takes place.
If you love spending hours meandering through antique markets, you have a whole collection of trinkets from eras past or you constantly turn to previous decades for style inspo, a vintage-themed wedding might be for you. This popular wedding theme is sometimes thought of as being interchangeable with romantic and retro wedding themes, but there are a few key differences. For a vintage wedding, you’ll want to focus heavily on the Gilded Age and Victorian design—for starters, think candelabras, cloche jars, filigree photo frames and upholstered velvet furniture.
Tap into your youthful side with a whimsical wedding day. Perfect for hopeless romantics and kids at heart, this wedding aesthetic is all about having fun and creating an uplifting atmosphere. “A whimsical wedding is playful and colorful,” Tutera explains. “Think of it as though you’re elevating a child’s Alice in Wonderland-themed party and translating it into an adult wedding.” Think of the whimsical theme as a garden wedding mixed with your favorite fairytale. Your wedding invitations are the best place to introduce any wedding theme, but especially a whimsical one—a quirky motif or wordplay can allude to the fun without giving the whole idea away. Day-of details like mismatched bridal party dresses, thrifted china, creative wedding table numbers and interactive entertainment (like a photo booth or live painter) will make everything feel unique.
We love protecting the environment as much as we love planning weddings. you can strive to make ethical
and eco-conscious choices and you might just inspire other couples to do the same!
1. CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION WISELY
It’s no secret that airplane and automobile emissions are among the top contributors to
environmental damage, so it’s a good idea to think about how you and your guests will be
travelling to the wedding venue. A destination wedding means lots of air travel, and a venue in a
remote location means lots of car travel. We’re the first to say that you should get married
wherever you want, but if you’re torn between a few options, take a second look at the guest
list and figure out which requires the fewest plane and car journeys.
2. ASK YOUR FLORIST TO SHOP LOCAL
Environmentally-minded folk often suggest you forgo cut flowers on your wedding day in favour of
potted herbs and plants but if you’re as obsessed with flowers as we are, you won’t want
to ditch them entirely. Depending on the time of year, your florist may be able to source
locally-grown flowers, suggest some seasonal alternatives or provide living plants. It’s also
worth having a chat with them about what happens to the arrangements after the wedding – they may
be able to arrange for them to be donated to a local hospital or hospice.
3. MAKE YOUR MENU ECO-FRIENDLY
Whether your venue is providing the wedding meal, or you’re hiring a separate team, you
should be able to find a catering company with a sustainable ethos, who source organic, local,
Fair trade and ethically-produced ingredients where possible. A vegan or vegetarian menu would
also reduce the environmental impact of the wedding meal, but if that’s too drastic for you,
aim for a menu that’s 50% vegetarian at least.
4. DRESS YOUR CEREMONY AND RECEPTION SPACES WITH REUSABLE DECOR
When it comes to wedding decor, some trends have a larger impact than others. As much as we love
them, balloons and sky lanterns can be quite harmful to the environment, and to local wildlife,
depending on how you dispose of them. For an eco-friendlier wedding, you should try to focus on
recyclable or reusable items like glassware, bunting, macramé, ribbons, books and vintage
candlesticks, some of which you can hire.
5. GIVE YOUR BEAUTY DRAWER AN ETHICAL MAKEOVER
If you haven’t already, try adding some cruelty-free, zero-waste or locally-produced
products to your pre-wedding skincare routine. You can also ask your hairstylist and makeup artist
if there are any cruelty-free substitutes that they’re happy to use on the day.
6. USE GIFTS TO GIVE BACK
We love the idea of charity wedding favours and we’ve seen lots of couples asking for
charitable donations instead of gifts, too. There are lots of environmental charities who could
use your support. You could also encourage your guests to plant a tree with seed wedding favours.
For an eco-friendly wedding, look for plantable favours like potted saplings, herbs or succulents.
If a lot of your guests are traveling, keep in mind that they probably won’t want to
pack a pot of soil into their suitcase, so consider biodegradable seed packets if you’re
committed to the plant route. Or, go edible. Look to local businesses like coffee houses for a bag
of their signature beans, candy shops for chocolate bars (easy on the paper wrapping) or jams in
reusable glass jars from an orchard. Another idea? Send your guests home with your wedding
flowers—have an attendant ready to arrange your florals into individual bouquets for friends and
family to enjoy for a few more days in their homes.
7. SMART STATIONERY
Millions of trees are toppled every year to make paper products, and the process of producing
these items pollutes the environment. Now more and more couples are trying to help by making
eco-conscious invite choices. We do recommend old school mail for the wedding invitations, but for
save-the-dates, going paperless and digital is becoming more and more common. You can also reduce
the inserts in your invitations by directing people to your wedding website for
any extra details. For your invitation, keep an eye out for stationers who offer recycled paper
products and vegetable-based inks. Some paper products are even plantable—yes, plantable! Paper
from certain companies are embedded with seeds, so guests can plant them in their backyards and
the paper turns into flowers, plants or herbs instead of ending up in a landfill.
8. FARM TO TABLE
Food is the centre of any celebration, and going green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice
taste! The farm-to-table movement is in full swing, meaning it’s more accessible than ever to
source healthy, earth-friendly food. When you’re budgeting, keep in mind that organic foods
may cost more, but asking your caterer to source from in-season, locally-grown products will help
keep the cost down and guarantee the freshest finds. And since the food is coming from a shorter
distance, less fuel is needed to transport it. Really want to impress your guests? Supplement your
table decor with herb plants in terracotta pots, like basil or cilantro, that guests can add
straight to their dishes.
9. DONATE LEFTOVERS
Many food banks across the country will pick up chilled leftovers of unserved food from your
wedding celebrations. Speak with your caterers in advance so they can make the necessary
arrangements. If they have done this before, they may know just who to call. Most hotel chains
today have a leftover disposal plan in place but it’s always good to check.
10. USE AVAILABLE DÉCOR
Consider using naturally available structures at the venue and try incorporating them in your
decor.
If your venue has a gorgeous tree, use it as a mandap backdrop
Potted plants can easily be used as centrepieces too (guests can take them home too at the end
of the evening, as wedding favours!)
