Rely on These Trends and Tips For Planning a Perfect Cleveland Wedding

Thousands of Cleveland couples will walk the aisle at intricately coordinated ceremonies and receptions this year. Every wedding is as different as the couple it celebrates, but each year, certain trends can be spotted across a range of these singular events.

The Knot, a sweeping wedding planning platform, publishes its annual "Real Weddings Study" that compiles a year of wedding trends from thousands of surveyed couples. We scoured some of the newest stats and spoke to Valarie Kirkbride, founder and team manager of Kirkbrides Wedding Planning & Design, to get some tips on how to craft the trendiest Cleveland wedding.

Save the Date

In Northeast Ohio, where the weather is notoriously finicky, the season, month and day of a wedding is of utmost importance.

“September is usually a really safe bet,” says Kirkbride. “It’s the month that has the safest weather in Cleveland.”

The Knot’s research and insights team agrees, stating that the most popular day to say “I do” in 2025 was Sept. 20, and in 2024, it was Sept. 21. Kirkbride says that this temperate month is always the busiest in the wedding industry; with that comes high demand venue booking. She says couples should always be ready to book their venues 18 months out.

Stay at Home

The average wedding in the U.S. costs $33,000, based on 2024 data. Deciding where to place your event geographically has a significant impact on that total.

The Knot says that couples can save up to $7,000 by choosing a hometown wedding over a destination. For instance, the average Midwest wedding costs $29,000.

“A lot of people who grow up in Cleveland move away to cities like Chicago or New York. But their families still live here, so they have their wedding in Cleveland,” Kirkbride says. “They like having a bit more flexibility to spend on experiences or design details.”

Lyrics of Love 

Looking for the perfect love song to dance your way into newlywed life? Sometimes a classic choice for a first dance song leaves the most lasting impression. According to The Knot, the most popular first dance song of 2024 was “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Elvis Presley for the second year in a row. The other top four are "Joy of My Life" by Chris Stapleton, "Life With You" by Kelsey Hart, "At Last" by Etta James and "Lover" by Taylor Swift, respectively. 

Under a Rock

Trends for the shapes and styles of engagement rings change frequently, but the newest trend in rings might save you a pretty penny. The Knot says that for the first time, over half of engaged couples shared that their ring features a lab-grown stone. These man-made gems have rapidly increased in popularity, boasting a 40% growth in prevalence since 2019. 

No Size Fits All

The Knot’s report states that Gen Z couples averaged more wedding guests at 131 when compared to millennial celebrations with 113 invited friends and family. The 18-guest contrast may seem small but makes all of the difference when paying per head. 

Regardless of guest amount, Kirkbride says she has seen a rise in more intimate feeling ceremonies and receptions for Cleveland couples.

“We have seen a lot more private residence weddings and rehearsal dinners take place this year,” says Kirkbride. “It’s fun because there are a lot of really cool vendors in Cleveland that you can add to a wedding like that, such as bar trucks or walk-around dessert options.”

The Knot’s study agrees and recognizes experiential features such as on-site mixologists and portrait painters as a key trend for 2025 weddings. 

READ MORE: Nonalcoholic Drinks Are Raising the Bar at Weddings and Events Across Northeast Ohio

For the Thrill 

Large online registries have been standard for wedding gift giving over the last few decades, but in more recent years, The Knot has seen a rise in couples registering for more unique and experiential gifts, rather than the standard household goods. The most common experiences registered by couples include NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL tickets. Gift cards have also risen in popularity with Home Depot, Airbnb and Delta Airlines being the most popular.

Cashing In

The days of long gift registries full of kitchen gadgets and linens are over. The Knot says that couples are registering for money, gift cards and experience, more than anything. The most commonly requested by couples are cash funds for honeymoons, new homes and round-trip airfare. 

The survey says that 69% of newly wed couples took a honeymoon in 2024. Over half of those couples funded their getaways on their own, and the remaining half paid for their vacations through financial gifts from friends and family. 

Weddings are innately unique. Each event is an amalgamation of trend, tradition and the love couples hold for each other and the people who matter to them. Kirkbride says that in the end, it is the essence of a couple that create an unforgettable wedding. 

“I always say that happy people have happy weddings,” says Kirkbride. “So, the energy the main characters bring to the day truly matters more than what color flowers you picked or what patterns are on the linens.”

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