The evolution of weddings: As we hit our 100th issue, we look back over the last 16 years to reflect how weddings have adapted through the years It’s no secret that weddings have massively evolved throughout the years, due to economic changes, technological advancements, and evolving cultural values. From 2009 to 2025, there has been a dramatic shift on how couples are approaching their special day. While love still remains at its core, weddings have transformed into something unimaginable just a couple of decades ago. 2009–2015: THE ERA OF TRADITION, PINTEREST, AND THE RISE OF PERSONALISATION When we take a look at the late 2000s and early 2010s, we see that weddings were still tied to long-standing traditions, with white dresses, banquet halls, church ceremonies, and large guest lists being the norm. However, through the cracks, we can start to see the rise of personalisation slowly coming through. While everything was still very traditional, lovebirds were searching for ways to make their wedding more unique through themed décor, signature cocktails, or customised vows. One of the most significant influences on weddings during this period was the rise of Pinterest and Instagram. Launched in 2010, Instagram quickly became a hub for wedding inspiration, while Pinterest transformed wedding planning as couples could now browse endless boards of colour palettes, floral arrangements, and dress ideas to visualise the big day, one saved photo at a time, making way for ‘Pinterest-perfect’ weddings. The aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis meant that many couples were rethinking extravagant spending. This gave rise to the DIY (do-it-yourself) wedding movement. Brides and grooms turned to handmade decorations, Etsy purchases 2009 to 2025 unsplash.com@3tnik unsplash.com@olivie_strauss 12
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