Today, we’re going to talk about where to find fresh wedding inspiration for 2026 (and beyond). If you’ve ever opened Instagram, scrolled through a few dozen tablescapes, and thought, “I’ve seen this before…” — you’re not alone. In fact, that feeling is exactly why so many of the most interesting ideas in our industry don’t originate in weddings at all.

They come from architecture. From hospitality. Fashion. Food.
From anywhere creativity is evolving faster than Pinterest can keep up.

As we look toward 2026 and beyond, the planners and designers creating the most compelling work are the ones looking outside the wedding bubble. Here’s where the most exciting inspiration is coming from — and how you can translate it into events that feel intentional, elevated, and truly original.

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In our last episode, we walked through the top wedding trends shaping 2026—multi-day weekends, bolder palettes, and yes, my prediction that chartreuse is going to have quite the year. But today we’re zooming out. If we only look within the wedding industry for inspiration, we’re going to keep seeing and creating the same things over and over again. This episode is about looking to other creative industries—architecture, interiors, hospitality, food, and fashion—to understand where taste is heading, what’s influencing it, and how we can bring those ideas into our work in ways that feel thoughtful and original.

I’m sharing this episode because I want to challenge how we view design and how we create it, and to show you that there are so many other places to look for inspiration. You can be empowered to create your own trends. That’s what we really want, right? Okay—let’s jump in.

1. Architecture & Interiors

The first industry we’re examining is architecture and interior design. One of the biggest themes showing up in magazines like Architectural Digest and Elle Decor, and across the design world in general, is something called warm minimalism.

Don’t worry—we’re not talking about stark, gallery-white minimalism. Warm minimalism is simplicity with intention: neutral but layered, edited but not empty. Designers like Athena Calderone and Rose Uniacke are leaning into natural materials, sculptural forms, and clean lines, but everything still feels inviting.

Here’s why this matters for planners: designers today aren’t adding more; they’re choosing better.

For weddings, warm minimalism can show up in simple and practical ways. Think about creating one strong floral installation instead of lots of small ones scattered everywhere. Let that one statement piece be the moment—let it speak for itself. Another example is choosing high-quality linens with beautiful texture instead of layering on multiple decorative elements. Or using a neutral palette but bringing in depth through materials instead of embellishment.

It’s not about doing less—it’s about being intentional. And yes, I know our industry uses that word constantly, but this truly is about considering each element and making sure it has a purpose. When you’re designing, ask yourself: Does this detail actually add something, or is it just filling space? Does it have meaning? Does it contribute to what we’re creating?

That’s at the heart of what we’re seeing in interiors, and it translates beautifully into event design.

2. Hospitality & Food

Next stop: hospitality and food. Here, a major theme is something publications like Food & Wine and Bon Appétit are calling slow luxury. While interior design is focused on editing and intention, hospitality is looking at pacing—creating experiences that give people space to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Think about the way great hotels operate. They are not rushing you through anything. Every touchpoint feels considered. Just sitting in the lobby at the Ritz makes you want to relax and stay a while. At Claridge’s in London, they still iron the morning newspaper. I love a good steam and iron, so the idea of an ironed newspaper would absolutely thrill me.

At the Aman in New York, the welcome experience begins with scent instead of signage. It is subtle and you feel it right away. It is nothing like walking past Abercrombie in the early 2000s, when the fragrance would hit you in the face from ten feet away. This kind of scent is soft and luxurious. It gently hugs the space and lingers without overpowering anything.

In restaurants, we are seeing a similar shift. There are more tasting-style mini servings and smaller, intentional portions. Interactive cocktails are becoming part of the experience. Again, it is about editing and creating moments where the experience becomes the entertainment.

Consider Your Event a Series of Small Discoveries

This reminds me of a night in Los Angeles this spring. I was in Beverly Hills at the L’Ermitage with my sister. We had just finished an event together and were finally relaxing. I ordered a drink that sounded amazing. Our server came over and admitted he had never made it before. He was so sweet — definitely an actor — and I told him not to worry because it was already ten o’clock.

He returned with a full bar cart and all the ingredients for the cocktail. I realized it was going to be a whole performance. It was so much fun. He mixed everything, added something that had liquid smoke, covered it with a cloche, and then lifted it to reveal the drink in this dramatic little cloud. Half the magic was the way it was presented. It turned into a moment, not just a beverage, and I swear it made the cocktail taste even better.

So what does this mean for us as planners? Think of your event as a series of small discoveries. Not one big reveal, but multiple touchpoints that guide guests through the experience. This does not contradict the idea of editing or having one major wow moment. It is about weaving in moments of discovery that create delight and keep guests engaged. You are telling a story and bringing people on a journey.

This can show up in a signature scent at check-in. I like placing scented candles in the bathrooms. Yes, it keeps the space smelling lovely, but it is also part of the overall experience and becomes something guests remember. You can offer a small thoughtful bite during cocktail hour, a late-night espresso martini cart, or a surprise dessert moment. These little touches create what my designer once called a “parade of delights.” It is a rhythm of moments that unfold naturally and feel enjoyable rather than overwhelming.

By using the principles of slow luxury, you give guests the gift of time. Time to savor, to connect, and to enjoy being at your event instead of feeling rushed from one moment to another. Your timeline becomes spacious and allows each micro moment to shine.

Next, we are going to talk about fashion and art direction, because this is often where cultural shifts show up first. If you want to understand where taste and style are headed, the runways usually point the way long before those ideas make their way into interiors.

3. Fashion & Art

Brands like The Row, Loewe, and Chanel have all leaned into a quieter kind of luxury this year. Last year was very maximalist, and now things are pulling back. We are seeing clean silhouettes, draped fabrics, natural textures, and pieces that feel elevated without being loud. Draping especially has been everywhere, even though it has been around forever. It is having a real moment.

This aesthetic is showing up directly in events. There are more monochromatic palettes with tone-on-tone styling and a focus on materiality instead of ornamentation. The question becomes: what are the elements themselves made of, rather than what can be added or embellished? It is a more restrained approach that relies on quality. Florals are styled rather than staged.

And I still laugh because while overall design has become more edited, I personally still love a fuller table. Not over-the-top, but certainly not sparse. I love flowers. What I do not love is when there is so much decor that guests can barely eat, like walking into a Pottery Barn display where the table looks gorgeous but completely unusable. That feels staged. What we want is styled and intentional.

We are also seeing simple shapes with thoughtful detail. Embossing, blind press, subtle texture. Understated moments that reward a closer look.

If you want to use fashion as inspiration without feeling overwhelmed, here are some suggestions.

First, follow creative directors, not just the brands. The creative directors are the ones shaping the vision, the story, and the mood that guide everything else. Their work is often more inspiring than the product alone.

Next, study fashion campaigns for composition ideas. Fashion imagery is a masterclass in framing. They use negative space, proportion, and clean layouts. In the luxury space especially, everything feels very edited. There is room for the eye to rest. These principles translate beautifully into ceremony aisles, head tables, flat lay photos, and even your website.

On your website, let your text breathe. If you want to feel more refined and high-end, you cannot cram your entire story and every keyword into one long paragraph. Give your words space. Edit ruthlessly. I have been thinking about this a lot with my own portfolio. When I look at my galleries, I ask whether each photo has a purpose that is different from the next. If I have two similar table shots, I choose one. Let it speak on its own.

Building a Narrative

Another thing to learn from fashion is the narrative. Fashion houses build each collection around a mood or a story. You can do the same with events. Think about the emotional arc. Where are we taking the guests? What are we building toward? Usually that moment happens at the ceremony or the end of it.

Even with ceremony music, there is room for a more cinematic approach. We traditionally hit play on the recessional when the couple turns around, but that often feels anticlimactic. I like to listen to the song first. If it starts slowly, I cue the musicians earlier so the music begins building before the kiss. Then the crescendo aligns with that big emotional moment. It becomes a soundtrack rather than background noise.

I once worked with a symphony quartet, and I told them exactly when I wanted the music to start. The lead musician questioned it and said, “But the ceremony isn’t over yet.” I told him to trust me. They began playing at the cue, the couple kissed, and the timing landed perfectly. Afterward he said, “That was really good.” And it is the same idea as scoring a film. Music is almost always present, supporting the scene and shaping the emotion.

I think I’m going to end with this, which is how to bring all the inspiration and ideas from other industries back into your own work.

3 Things To Consider As You Try To Find Fresh Wedding Inspiration for 2026

Now that we’ve talked about these different fields and what they’re doing, how do you continue to stay inspired as things keep evolving into 2025 and 2026?

Stay Curious

First, stay curious. Make it a habit to read Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Bon Appétit, and Vogue Runway. Don’t copy what you see, but pay attention to what other creatives are doing and think about how those ideas might apply to our industry. A few weeks ago, I was in New York City and arrived early for an event. I was sitting at the restaurant eating lunch and looking at the installation above the bar. It was simple—woven baskets with ferns spilling out of the top, almost like an upside-down garden. I love observing how hotels and restaurants use texture, light, materials, and art to create a mood. There is so much to learn just by paying attention.

Translate, Don’t Imitate

Next, translate, don’t imitate. If you see a beautiful gallery wall in a magazine, the takeaway isn’t “I should build that.” The takeaway is noticing how they’re using light, scale, negative space, or contrasting materials. Even when I’m at a great mall, I look at installations to see how people use scale or unusual materials. I always think, one day I’m going to want to create something like this, so I’m paying attention to how they constructed it, how it’s hung, and how the room feels because of it.

Pair Originality with Empathy

Third, pair originality with empathy. I’m going to step onto a little soapbox here. I’m seeing more couples who want “never been done before” moments, especially younger couples. Sometimes these ideas are fresh and fun, and sometimes they are simply not practical.

Did you see that video of the bride who said she wanted to see which of her guests truly loved her, so she scheduled a 3:00 a.m. sunrise ceremony on a sandbar? Everyone woke up, boarded boats in the dark, and stood in the rising tide while she got married in the water. Was it unique? Absolutely. Was it a great guest experience? That’s debatable. Personally, I would never ask guests to do that.

Finding Fresh Wedding Inspiration for 2026

Our job as planners is to hear these ideas and help clients edit them. They can still have the feeling or effect they’re wanting, but in a way that is gracious and focused on hospitality. The best creative ideas feel original, but they also consider the comfort and experience of the people attending. So filter every client idea with this question: Does this enhance the guest experience, or does it simply call attention to itself? That is where real innovation happens.

Here is what I want you to take away from today’s episode: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You just need to look at it from a different angle. Think about how people in other industries create and design. Learn from that and adapt it to your work.

Architecture teaches proportion.
Interior design teaches restraint.
Hospitality teaches pacing.
Culinary teaches sensory storytelling.
Fashion teaches cultural direction and mood.

When you blend all of these influences, you stop recreating what you have already seen and begin designing with a clear, distinct point of view. And that is what I want for you. I want you to feel confident saying, “This is my voice. This is how I design.”

Because ultimately, our job is not just to plan logistics. Our job is to translate our clients’ identity into an experience. That requires curiosity beyond our own industry so we can bring fresh ideas and new perspectives into our events.

Bringing 2026 Wedding Designs to Life

Before we wrap up where to find wedding inspiration for 2026, I want to leave you with this. You don’t need to overhaul your entire creative process to feel inspired again. Sometimes all it takes is paying closer attention to the things you already enjoy — the restaurants you love, the hotels you notice, the stores you walk through, the shows you’re watching. Inspiration is everywhere if you train yourself to look at the world through a slightly different lens. When you do, your work naturally becomes sharper, more intentional, and more reflective of who you are as a designer and planner.

And if this conversation sparked something for you and you want to bring this kind of clarity and creativity into your business, I would love to support you. My mentorship and coaching program for planners and pros is reopening in December, and we’ll begin in January 2026. Spots will be limited. This program is designed to help planners level up from where they are and transition into high-end, full-service luxury weddings. I’ll be teaching everything I know about running a high-end full-service planning company — systems, team growth, and how to deliver a truly elevated client experience.

I know how difficult it can be for newer or even semi-established planners to move from day-of coordination or partial planning into true full-service. It’s a big shift, and it requires a deep understanding of service, operations, and design. That’s exactly what I want to help you learn inside my coaching program for wedding planners.

Until next time, I’m Desirée Adams — and this is The Planner’s Edit.