Weddings have always been a reflection of the times. As we journey from the era of Baby Boomers to today's Gen Z, it's clear that the traditional "I do" has transformed into something much more personal and diverse. From grand church ceremonies to intimate micro-weddings, the way we celebrate love has evolved—and so have values and priorities of each generation.
spoke with wedding expert Steven Greitzer, the CEO/founder of Provenance, along with micro- and courthouse-wedding photographer Elizabeth Halford to gain insight into wedding trends from the 1960s to the 2020s. For Baby Boomers, weddings were all about tradition. was a time of "grand, formal affairs," Greitzer said.
It was also a time when marrying within one's faith was almost a given. Greitzer said more than 80 percent of Boomers tied the knot with someone from the same religious background. The ceremonies were often led by professional clergy, too, sticking closely to a script that highlighted the societal and religious meanings of marriage.
"This generation valued religious traditions and formal settings, seeing marriage as a societal milestone with deep roots in their faith communities that complied with social expectations," Greitzer said. In terms of photography, photos tended to be : "Mostly just standing there looking at the camera," Halford said. As millennials came into their own, they started to reshape wedding traditions, moving toward .
This generation embraced the idea of weddings as a highly curated .