2026 Wedding Trends Every UK Couple Needs to Know
2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years yet for weddings in the UK. Couples are moving beyond one size fits all planning and embracing celebrations that feel expressive, memorable and deeply personal. From immersive guest experiences to relaxed timelines and meaningful ceremonies, weddings are becoming less about rules and more about how the day feels.
Here at Abbots Court, we see these shifts every day. As Dorset’s Wedding Venue of the Year 2025 at the DMB Tourism Awards, we are proud to be at the forefront of how modern couples want to celebrate. Our exclusive use estate, Victorian ceremony space and natural flow between rooms and courtyard allow couples to create days that feel elegant, unhurried and entirely their own.
These are the trends we are seeing for 2026 and how they come to life here.
Intimate, experience led celebrations
The guest list is becoming a statement in itself. Couples are choosing connection over capacity, creating gatherings where every face in the room matters. Intimacy is no longer about size, but about depth. Time for conversation. Space for emotion. A feeling that everyone present belongs.
Abbots Court was made for this style of celebration. With ceremonies for up to 80, wedding breakfasts for 120 and evening parties for 150, the atmosphere remains personal while still carrying the energy of a true occasion. It is refined, warm and never overwhelming.
Immersive guest experiences
The traditional structure of a wedding day is softening. Rigid timelines are giving way to something more fluid. Couples want space to linger. To feel present. To allow the day to breathe.
Here, the flow of the estate does the work. The journey from ceremony to courtyard, from speeches to evening celebration feels instinctive. There is no sense of being moved along. Moments happen naturally. Laughter spills into the courtyard. Golden hour arrives without interruption. The day feels like a story unfolding, not a programme being followed.
A return to romance, reimagined
Romance is back, but it is quieter now. Less theatrical. More tactile. Candlelight instead of centrepieces. Texture instead of theme. Soft fabrics, layered tables, gentle light and a sense of timelessness that feels modern rather than nostalgic.
Our Victorian Wedding Stables hold this mood beautifully. The space is intimate, atmospheric and deeply elegant. It frames a ceremony in warmth and stillness, allowing emotion to take centre stage. It is not a backdrop. It is part of the moment.
Styling that feels editorial
In 2026, weddings look like magazine spreads because they are styled with intention. Colour is thoughtful. Florals feel sculptural. Tables are designed rather than decorated. Everything has a point of view.
Abbots Court offers a canvas that elevates every choice. Whether a couple leans into quiet neutrals or rich, expressive tones, the estate supports it. Nothing competes. Everything enhances. The result is a wedding that feels curated, not themed.
Moments over moments
Couples are no longer chasing perfection. They are chasing feeling. A hand squeeze before the ceremony. A laugh during speeches. A dancefloor that feels electric rather than staged.
Our spaces invite these moments. The light. The proportions. The way guests move through the day. Everything encourages connection. These are the memories that live beyond photographs. The ones couples return to years later.
What we care about most is that a wedding here never feels like a production. We want it to feel like a gathering of people who matter, in a place that gives the day space to breathe.
We see couples arrive nervous and leave completely absorbed in the moment. We see parents linger in the courtyard with a glass in hand. We watch friends drift from speeches into laughter, then onto the dancefloor without ever feeling rushed. Those are the details that stay with us.
Abbots Court is not about following trends. It is about giving you a setting that lets your day feel natural, elegant and entirely your own. If that sounds like the way you want to get married, we would love to show you around.
Photography taken from our favourite love stories. View all our albums and find our recommended photographers HERE