2026 Wedding Trend Alert: The Surprising Tradition Couples Are Ditching

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(NEXSTAR) — As the new year approaches, many Americans are likely to continue their preparations for weddings set in 2026, especially during the holiday season. The effort involved in planning a wedding is ongoing, and the trends within the wedding industry are constantly evolving.

The Knot, a renowned wedding resource and news platform, has unveiled its “Future of Marriage: 2026 Trends to Watch Report.” This comprehensive report gathers insights from a series of surveys conducted by the company throughout 2025. The surveys encompassed responses from nearly 2,000 individuals who are engaged, dating, or single, representing a diverse array of ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and income levels. This was done to gauge the anticipated trends for weddings in 2026.

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A groom flipping a garter belt to the waiting crowd of single men (Credit: CJMGrafx/Getty Images)

Several elements that have been staples at weddings in recent years might be less common in the coming year.

Topping the list of traditions likely to fade is the time-honored bouquet and garter toss. According to The Knot, 67% of engaged couples believe this traditional part of the reception will decline in popularity by 2026. This trend is not entirely unexpected, as the bouquet and garter toss have been steadily falling out of favor with couples over the past ten years.

The garter toss, meanwhile, has fallen even further out of favor, with many finding that while they can be done tastefully, the groom fishing under the bride’s dress to remove lingerie can easily become “tacky” or even uncomfortable for the bride and guests. The idea is pretty well-hated, even deemed “gross” over on Reddit wedding pages.

Last year, the Knot published its “14 bouquet and garter toss alternatives that aren’t cringeworthy,” featuring ideas like a “wedding favor toss” or a bouquet “passing of the torch,” where the married couple presents the bouquet to a couple they know is engaged, as a wish of good luck.

For the full report on the Knot’s 2026 wedding trends (including what kind of decor is “out”), visit the Knot Worldwide.