Weddings are always known as a couple’s big day as they enter matrimony and are filled with celebration. Weddings are known to cost a lot of money and take time to plan for. However, Gen Z is ditching mass-spectacle weddings and opting for more intimate celebrations.
Is Gen Z letting wedding culture die, or are they redefining it?
The rising costs
According to Zola, the average wedding costs around 36,000 USD, but can be higher depending on location and time. A wedding with 150 guests would cost around $85,000 in San Francisco, Calif., but $43,000 in Milwaukee, Wis.
The wedding’s money goes toward the venue, catering, photography, flowers, and other included services. Service charges for gratuities, overtime fees, and weather contingencies can also increase the original quoted price.
Keeping things low-key
Gen Z were the first to grow up in the age of social media, but millennials had the first taste of it. Back then, millennials would share an album of wedding photographs on Facebook, but Gen Z prefers to give hints.
This all ties back to Gen-Z being more private on social media. Lauren Ladouceur, a New York-based content creator for brides, states that as soon as millennials receive their wedding photos, they post them immediately, followed by multiple posts. However, her Gen-Z clients may make one post and another weeks later.
“I tend to find that my Gen Z clients are—and this is going to sound contradictory—a little more private online,” Lauren Ladouceur said.
As seen in this TikTok video, millennials post more pics than Gen-Zers do, with more subtle, singular photos.
(TikTok/forlifewithloveangie)
Wedding planning among Gen-Z
For younger couples, having a good time celebrating matrimony is more important than how it will look on social media. They value simplicity and being stress-free over being stressed out on their important day.
43% plan to spend under 20,000 USD for their weddings, which is below the average of 36,000 USD. Gen Zers opt to spend the money they saved for a future vacation or a home. Along with modest spending, couples are holding vows in private to have some alone time instead of a big send-off.
68% of couples getting married in 2026 decide when they want to get engaged, rather than a “surprise” proposal. 10% of those couples check venues out before the yes.
Wedding traditions with a modern twist
Couples are opting for smaller weddings with 100 to 150 guests rather than 200+ guests. Elopements and micro weddings are becoming more popular. Much of this stems from COVID-19 restrictions, which minimized weddings. Youth saw that fewer guests did not detract from the true importance of the wedding day.
According to KJ and CO, smaller weddings give vendors more creative freedom for creative details. When there is intentional spending, there is a more defined budget. Gen Z wants someone to be a partner in creating the day, not just a client.
Instead of traditional wedding halls, Gen-Z are embracing the use of historic places and churches, or personalized places such as family backyards.
“Gen-Z is making a return and embracing tradition while still giving it a personalized tasteful look.” Phoenixconstantino said in a TikTok video.
(TikTok/constantinophotos)
38% of Millennials had religious traditions on their wedding day, but for Gen-Z, it is 79%. This invokes tradition along with modernity. These couples have personal and traditional vows in private, as opposed to many people being there. They value heritage and tradition, but pair it with choice as well.
Bouquet tosses are coming back, with 40% of Gen-Z couples doing this as opposed to 29% of millennials. Newer trends are also mixed with old traditions to reflect personal style. The type of food catered may reflect personal taste as opposed to traditional wedding meals. Wedding cakes are slowly drifting away from the scene, with alternatives such as cookies, gelato, and chocolate fondue.
According to Your Tango, Half of Gen-Z avoid alcohol altogether and opt for drink limits or mocktails to be served. For 25-year-old bride, Jess, she took a shot with her friends before the wedding and calmed her nerves. Then she remembered her dad telling her that he drank too much at his wedding. After that, she ordered her brother to get her a latte so she would not ‘crash’.
But is bigger always better, though?
The answer is no. For Gen-Z, the celebration of marriage revolves around what the couple wants and how they want to celebrate that day. For them, showcasing their love does not have to be a big show, but rather something where they can have fun.
Gen-Z couples value wedding traditions but add their own twist based on who they are as people. This generation is not killing tradition but making weddings logistics go smoother, smarter planning, and more emotional depth.
