With "Say Yes to the Dress" haunting every bride-to-be and the pressures of wedding planning and all the choices that need to be made, it's easy to forget about the emotional dynamics that are involved in those special moments with friends and family. When Stella Jones, owner of Stella's Bridal, connected with a bride whose mother had just been diagnosed with ALS, she cleared the showroom for the afternoon.
When the bride walked in with her mother, her mother cried. “It’s not these cheesy say yes to the vibes, there are so many other things you walk through during this rite of passage,” Jones says.
What happened next stayed with her. The mother, who didn’t appear to have strong financial backing, insisted on paying for the dress once her daughter found the perfect one. The bride, recognizing how serious her mother’s diagnosis was, hoped she’d simply make it to the wedding. Jones expedited everything, delivering the bride her couture dress in time for her big day. Although her mother didn’t make it to the wedding, she got to see her daughter in her wedding gown. “To me this was her wedding day. This was her moment,” Jones says the mother told her.
For Jones, Vince DiGiorgio, and Amy Derks, all professionals working in the wedding industry, it’s not just about the aesthetic—it’s about the people and ensuring they feel good about themselves, their investments, and the choices they’re making for one of the most significant days of their lives.
That balancing act has only gotten harder. Between social media influencers, celebrity wedding glam shots, and AI-generated inspiration photos, expectations don’t always match reality, budget, or timeline. Trends shift and change all the time, whether it’s revisiting vintage styles, a preference for venues over churches, or something all new. We talked with three industry veterans about what’s trending now, what’s overhyped, and what it takes to help someone find their aesthetic in a meaningful way in preparation for the day they say “I do.”
The Bride
For the bride, the dress is iconic, an occasion to bring together some of the most important people in her world to help find the perfect one for the big day.
Silhouette & Fabric: In the 15 years since Jones first opened her shop, bridal style has moved away from classic two-toned belts and contrasting color dresses. Lace is back, she notes, but elevated. Instead of lace appliqué, brides are now reaching for chantilly or botanical lace layered head to toe, including sheer sleeves, for added texture and dimension. "It's a little more romantic and traditional," she says. "We've had so many brides who want a detachable sleeve or glove, or just full coverage."
Structurally, sculptural corsets are having a moment, with visible boning and a defined waist. Basque waistlines, a form-fitting bodice that dips into a "V" or curved point at the hip, are especially popular, Jones notes, bringing a more elevated, couture level of tailoring to the silhouette.
There's also a shift toward more modest looks, with Queen Anne necklines and buttoned jackets finished with English buttons up the back.
For a time, many brides were buying two looks, one for the ceremony and one for the reception, but Jones sees that trend slowing down as today’s bride looks to get more wear out of her dress.
Veils & Headwear: Veils and headwear are having a major moment, with cathedral-length, mantilla, and cape veils flooding Instagram and TikTok, drawing brides toward a throwback to a more classic era. They're not just being paired with full lace gowns, either; they're just as often worn with crepe or liquid satin. "It's a really nice blend—it softens and romanticizes, bringing back that heirloom type of feel,” Jones says, noting that the designers she works with have done a great job of creating that heirloom look at a price point that's accessible for the everyday bride.
Another personal favorite for Jones are hats, and she predicts they’re on their way back. They’re wide-brimmed and structured, and she’s even seen cowboy hats on the runway. For 2027, distinctive headwear will also be popular.
“I think fashion is always a reflection of where we are at historically. And I think that the modesty is a reflection of where we’re at with the economy, being more buttoned up, being more demure. It’s very classic understated elegance. I think that history and fashion always repeats itself,” she says.
Color: A few years ago, contrasting tones like champagne with a nude underlay, or mocha and sand paired with ivory lace, were the height of fashion. Today, warm ivory reigns as "the new luxury neutral," Jones says. For a touch of color, she's seeing a pearl tone come through, a metallic look that can shift into a soft powder blue in the beading, threading, and metal facets. "That old-world look is definitely luxury," she says.
Accessories: Some other popular trends for brides? Different styles of gloves, like crepe or satin; off-the-shoulder sleeves; overskirts or detachable trains; chokers and long silk neck scarves.
Streamlined Luxury: With luxury now central to the bridal experience, Jones says many brides are seeking one-on-one service in an elevated environment. In response, she recently launched Stella's Signature Artistry, giving brides the option to come in for a soft glam makeup look before their dress appointment. Once the dress is purchased, brides can book a trial makeup appointment, and on the wedding day, Stella's Bridal will be on hand to do makeup for the bride and her entire bridal party. It's a seamless, one-stop service that means one less vendor for brides to worry about.
The Groom
The dress isn't the only wardrobe getting a modern update. In the more than 40 years that Vince DiGiorgio, owner of Custom One Clothier on Monroe Avenue, has been a tailor, he's seen plenty of trends come and go, including the groom's.
The Suit: Current trends show a decline in the traditional tux, driven by fewer church weddings and a rise in venue weddings, notes DiGiorgio. With fewer gala events overall, tuxedos are worn less and less, and people are increasingly reluctant to spend a lot of money on something they'll wear only once. "People are becoming more practical in having their suits custom-made, so they can use them for work, social events, and galas," DiGiorgio says. "It's a big shame to make something from scratch and use it once."
Color Trends: With barn weddings continuing to rise in popularity, colors like green, pink, mauve, burgundy, and dusty rose are having a moment, as grooms opt for a more colorful look. "One of the ways we differentiate the groom from everyone else is color, which also harmonizes well with greenery and outdoor scenes," DiGiorgio says.
Personalization: For grooms who opt for a custom suit, one fun trend is custom-made linings. DiGiorgio notes that some grooms have chosen to line the inside of their suit with childhood photos, family pictures, or images of deceased relatives. Others like a theme, like the couple who loved the Buffalo Bills and had the lining made to match.
The Experience: The No. 1 thing DiGiorgio says makes the process smoother is having the fiancée at the fitting. "We want to make it an experience for the entire party that comes in," he says. "Just like women have 'say yes to the dress,' we want the guys to be surrounded by love, family, and friends too."
Fit First: When it comes to the suit itself, DiGiorgio says fit comes down to a person's actual shape—regardless of what they initially ask for. He aims to strike a balance between giving grooms what they want, while making sure they look and feel their best. "It's the most photographed day of your life," he says. "The wedding is for one day, but the picture's forever."
Like Jones, nurturing the relationship with his clients isn't just part of the service for DiGiorgio—it's ingrained in the fabric of how he works. In more than 40 years in the industry, he says he's never missed a wedding. "I think it's super special when people go out of their way to have you be a part of their wedding," he says.
The Ring
For Amy Derks, rings run in the family. As a third-generation gemologist at The Gem Lab on West Henrietta Road, she's spent her career helping couples find, or design from scratch, the perfect rings for their big day.
The Engagement Sparkle: Lab-grown diamonds are the new normal, Derks says, with fancy shapes like elongated cushion and radiant cuts also on the rise. "I find that couples have leaned into the lab-grown options, and I am a huge fan! It gives the client an opportunity to make their dream ring, as it may not have been possible using natural stones," she says.
With more couples designing rings together, Derks says brides are increasingly involved in the decision-making and more empowered in the process. "Oval has been the most popular cut for a few years now. Solitaire and three-stone engagement rings seem to be at the top of the trend list. But even with these designs, we focus on the little details that make the ring unique to the recipient," she says.
While lab-grown diamonds don't carry the rarity of natural stones, their affordability gives couples more flexibility to go bigger. The price increase per carat is much steeper for natural diamonds than for lab-grown ones.
Color: According to Derks, the solitaire diamond ring is still having a moment, now more than ever. But colored gemstones have also become popular for engagement rings, giving couples a way to bring in color and embrace a more unique, creative design. Derks cautions that not all gemstones are suited for everyday wear, so consulting a jeweler about gemstone preferences is key to finding the right stone for a couple's style and daily use.
Metal Trend: What was once old is new again, with yellow gold making a comeback. “Everyone is loving the bright look of yellow gold," Derks says. Ironically, the trend has taken off even as the price of gold has skyrocketed, though she notes that pairing it with lab-grown diamonds helps offset the cost.
Derks predicts the all-yellow-gold trend won't last. "Yellow gold has its place, but so do white gold and platinum," she says, forecasting that sterling silver will make a comeback sooner rather than later, thanks to its affordability. For her, the truly classic engagement ring pairs a yellow-gold band with a white-gold head.
Custom Design: One of the biggest trends in wedding jewelry is couples getting involved before the proposal, choosing the design of their ring together as a "part of their love story."
"Equal partnerships are so relevant in our community, and I think that's a big driving force. There's definitely been a shift toward mutual involvement in the process," she says.
Wedding Bands: For men's bands, Derks says she's seeing more recycled family heirloom wedding bands being resized or refinished. Couples are also adding matching elements to their bands—something as simple as a scroll pattern, or a shared celestial theme. Derks has even matched the pattern in a couple's wedding bands to the pattern in the groom's tux or suit.
Jewelry Trends: Beyond the wedding rings, pearls are trending. Derks says she's seeing more requests to restring heirloom pearls, as well as family diamonds reimagined as pendants for bridal jewelry. "The pearl trend has been here and stayed. It's been a longtime tradition for brides, and these small personal touches and influences make it more personal," she says.
Another trend that might be unexpected: estate brooches for men's tuxes. "Men are wearing them, and they're embracing the vintage of these beautiful pieces," she says, noting that celebrities like Usher have been seen wearing brooches, most recently at the 2026 Oscars.
Connections: "I love going through the custom design experience with a couple. It allows them to express their desire while building a lasting connection," she says. "I love really getting into what excites the couple together, forming this relationship with them. When people walk through our door, they feel comfortable. They're trusting me with their most prized possession."
The Social Media Effect
Two of the three experts we spoke with pointed to the same force impacting their industry: social media.
For Jones, the impact is multifaceted. "When you look at it with a positive mindset, it can be very resourceful," she says. But it also lends to a "grass is greener" mindset, with brides measuring themselves against an often unrealistic version of reality. A dress that looks flawless on an influencer, she notes, is often the product of a professional photo shoot, a full glam team, and editing. "That bride looks absolutely spectacular when she's been photographed, and then you'll see this disclosure that it's AI-generated," Jones says. "It's disheartening. We need to be more real."
That gap between expectation and reality, she says, can leave brides rethinking decisions that should be instinctive and sending a photo to a group chat for validation, or hesitating to commit to a dress they love. To ensure her brides find the elevated styles they’re looking for, she works with a variety of designers that offer dresses at a range of price points brides can actually afford.
Derks expressed a similar sentiment when it comes to jewelry. She credits social media with driving the current yellow gold trend and says she's gotten multiple requests to recreate Taylor Swift's engagement ring. "It definitely has a major impact on styles," she says. "And they change every day, so it’s hard to determine where these trends are going to go."
For both women, helping couples balance their desires with what's obtainable has become as much a part of the job as the styling and design itself.
The Relationship
For Jones, Derks, and DiGiorgio, ensuring a couple is happy with their investments, and that the dress, the suit, or the ring is actually right for them, is a significant part of their calling. Trends come and go. But what matters most is the union of two people, and the professionals helping them turn their love story's culmination into a day to remember.
As DiGiorgio puts it: "There's no greater compliment than someone coming 3,000 miles for your services because they trust you. If there's anything that's super, super special, it's trust."
“I think fashion is always a reflection of where we are at historically."
"The wedding is for one day, but the picture's forever."
"Solitaire and three-stone engagement rings seem to be at the top of the trend list. But even with these designs, we focus on the little details that make the ring unique to the recipient."
"I love really getting into what excites the couple together, forming this relationship with them."
"There's no greater compliment than someone coming 3,000 miles for your services because they trust you."