Vogue says weddings this year are all about authenticity.

About values.

About doing things that actually mean something to you.

And honestly? I couldn’t agree more.

Mostly because this has been my message for… well, forever.

But also because I see, week in and week out, what happens when couples plan a wedding for the internet instead of for themselves.

Spoiler: the internet doesn’t hug you at the end of the night.

The problem with trends

Trends aren’t evil. They’re just… loud.

They shout:

“Everyone’s doing this”
“This is what a cool wedding looks like”
“If you don’t do this, you’re getting it wrong”

And suddenly couples who were excited to get married are:

Second-guessing their choices
Worrying their day isn’t “enough”
Planning moments for photos instead of memories

Trends move fast.

Your marriage doesn’t.

You’re not getting married for content

This might be controversial but…

You are not getting married for how it looks on Instagram.

You’re getting married because you love someone.

Because you’re choosing them.

Because you want a life together.

The wedding is the start of that story… Not a styled shoot, not a brand launch, not a performance.

And the best weddings I’ve ever photographed?

They’re not the ones that followed every trend perfectly.

They’re the ones where:

People cried actual tears (not aesthetic ones)
The timeline had breathing space
The couple forgot I was there because they were too busy being present
Something went “wrong” and no one cared because they were having too much fun

Authenticity isn’t an aesthetic

This is the bit I really want couples to hear.

Authenticity isn’t:

A colour palette
A film preset
A buzzword you add to your Pinterest board

Authenticity is:

Doing things that feel like you
Making decisions based on your values, not other people’s opinions
Letting go of what you think a wedding should be

It might look like:

Skipping traditions that don’t resonate
Wearing something that feels comfortable, not just impressive
Having fewer things planned and more space to actually feel the day
Choosing suppliers who get you, not just your aesthetic

The irony? Authentic weddings age better

Here’s the funny thing.

The weddings that feel the most “timeless” are the ones that didn’t chase trends at all.

Because when your wedding is rooted in who you are… Your people, your energy, your story… It doesn’t date in the same way.

Years from now, you won’t look back and think:

“Wow, that was very 2026.”

You’ll think:

“That felt like us.”

And that? That’s the magic.

A gentle reminder while you’re planning

If you’re deep in wedding planning and feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself this:

Would we still love this if no one else saw it?
Does this add meaning or just pressure?
Are we doing this because we want to… Or because we feel like we should?

You don’t need permission to do things differently.

You don’t need your wedding to impress strangers on the internet.

You don’t need to follow trends to have a beautiful day.

You just need to be yourselves.

And I promise… That will always be enough.