Letter from the Editor
There are few things that are as thought through and planned out as a wedding. Many young people start their dream Pinterest boards as teens and watch it evolve over time as styles and trends change. Though some couples choose a timeless aesthetic there is something to be said about following a trend that leaves a visual timestamp on your wedding day—after all, you want it to be memorable.
Plus, it is hard to know what is actually timeless and what is a trend. Which is why something it is best to not overthink it and choose what you love, without worrying about how it will look on your feed when you post it for your 10 year anniversary.
In this wedding guide, we explore the latest wedding trends and topics for 2026 couples, with insights and advice from local wedding experts.
Happy wedding season!
Mary Genson
Assignment editor
Something Borrowed, Something Thrifted: Where to Find Wedding Decor Around Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti
By Donna Iadipaolo
Planning a wedding in Washtenaw County comes with plenty of charm, but venue rentals and floral budgets can quickly climb into the thousands. Luckily, couples looking to add character, sustainability and personal flair to their big day don’t have to look far.
The local secondhand scene across Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti is brimming with hidden gems—from vintage brass candlesticks and mismatched glassware to rustic wooden signage and arches ready for a floral makeover.
Whether you’re aiming for a boho-chic reception, a cozy backyard gathering or a classic vintage aesthetic, here is your definitive guide to thrifting wedding decor across the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area.
If scale is what you need, Kiwanis is the crown jewel of local thrifting. Spanning a massive 90,000-square-foot facility, this community staple holds enough inventory to stage multiple weddings at once. Head straight to the glassware, candleholders and seasonal decor aisles. It’s an ideal spot to source dozens of matching or complementary glass vases, picture frames for table numbers and statement furniture pieces for lounge seating or photo backdrops.
- What to look for: Bulk glassware, brass candelabras, vintage picture frames and large furniture pieces.
100 N.Staebler Rd., Ste. C, Ann Arbor
Operating for decades across from Arborland, the Ann Arbor Thrift Shop is run entirely by volunteers to support local social service agencies. While smaller than a warehouse-sized shop, its curated selection of housewares, home accents, and linens often yields elegant finds. Keep an eye out for silver trays, crystal stemware and delicate table runners.
- What to look for: Elegant serve ware, crystal, small table accents and decorative trays.
3500 Washtenaw Ave., Ste. K, Ann Arbor
The ShareHouse
Located on the west side of Ann Arbor, The ShareHouse offers a rich variety of donated items that lean toward rustic and eclectic vibes. If you’re planning an outdoor or barn-style wedding, browse their furniture and home decor sections for wooden crates, lantern displays or decorative mirrors ready to be handwritten with seating charts.
- What to look for: Rustic wood items, mirrors, lanterns and unique accent furniture.
5161 Jackson Rd., Ann Arbor
Serving the community since 1942, the Ypsilanti Thrift Shop in downtown Ypsilanti is perfect for finding small, charming details that add personality to a head table or dessert bar. From vintage cake platters to delicate ceramic vases, shopping here supports local charities while giving your decor an authentic mid-century or retro flair.
- What to look for: Cake stands, vintage teacups, cake servers and unique centerpiece containers.
14 S.Washington St., Ypsilanti
With storefronts on Carpenter Road in Ypsilanti and East Michigan Avenue in Saline, Nu2U Again offers double the opportunity to land great decor bargains. The stores regularly receive fresh stock of home decor, faux greenery, lighting fixtures and tableware. It’s an easy stop for couples collecting large quantities of votive holders or decorative accents.
- What to look for: Votives, fake florals, string lights and tabletop signs.
3140 Carpenter Rd., Ypsilanti
1311 E. Michigan Ave., Saline
Facebook Marketplace (Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti Hub)
Don’t forget the digital landscape! Facebook Marketplace in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area is packed with former local brides and grooms looking to offload complete wedding decor bundles at a fraction of retail cost. Search terms like “wedding decor bundle,” “easel,” “cheesecloth runners,” or “cylinder vases” often lead to local doorstep pickups or quick meetups in town.
- Pro tip: Set your search radius to 15–20 miles around Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti and filter by “Recently Listed” to snag popular items fast.
Quick Thrifting Tips for Couples
- Start early: Building a thrifted collection takes time. Give yourself 6–12 months to aggregate enough matching or complementary pieces.
- Embrace the mismatched look: Mismatched glass vases or brass candleholders create a textured, editorial look that feels intentional and artistic rather than pieced together.
- Bring measurements & color swatches: Keep venue table dimensions and your color palette handy on your phone so you know if items fit your space before buying.
- Pass it on: Once your big day concludes, re-donate or list your decor on Facebook Marketplace to keep the eco-friendly cycle going for the next local couple!
Wedding Dinner Trends 2026
Keith Chapman Culinary Group LLC
The Rooted Table
Are couples moving away from the traditional plated dinner or buffet? If so, what are they choosing instead?
Yes. I think couples increasingly want dinner to feel like part of the experience rather than simply the meal between the ceremony and dancing. Plated dinners and buffets still have a place, but I’m seeing much more interest in chef-driven stations, family-style service, interactive food experiences and menus that encourage guests to move, talk and discover.
Family-style dining has always been one of my favorite ways to serve food. I grew up in a large family where gathering around the table was how people caught up, connected and took care of one another. Food is love. That philosophy has followed me throughout my career.
Family-style and tasting-style menus also allow guests to experience more of the food. Instead of committing to one large entrée, they can taste several proteins, vegetables, sauces, textures and flavors while still eating an appropriate amount of food. It creates conversation at the table and turns dinner into a shared experience.
For me, the best format is the one that feels like the couple rather than something chosen because weddings are “supposed” to look a certain way. It’s their day. The food should feel like theirs, too.
What types of cuisines or flavors are becoming more popular for weddings?
Couples are much more comfortable bringing global flavors and personal food memories into a wedding menu.
Mediterranean, Latin, Asian and Middle Eastern influences can sit alongside Michigan-grown ingredients and familiar comfort foods. That fits the philosophy behind Keith Chapman Culinary Group: Michigan Grown. World Inspired.
You can honor where the food comes from locally without limiting where the inspiration comes from.
What are some of the most requested main dishes right now?
Trends evolve, but some dishes never really disappear. Surf and turf is one of them. There is something timeless and celebratory about a beautifully prepared cut of beef paired with seafood.
One classic example is an Oscar-style preparation: tenderloin with lump crab, asparagus and béarnaise. You can surround that foundation with seasonal Michigan vegetables, beautiful potatoes and contemporary presentation without losing what people have loved about the dish for generations.
Beyond those classics, I see couples responding to recognizable ingredients prepared with more intention: beautifully cooked beef, chicken or fish; seasonal vegetables; handmade pastas; and plant-forward dishes that feel complete rather than like an afterthought.
The biggest request underneath all of it is choice. Couples want a menu that can take care of different guests while still feeling cohesive.
What wedding food trend do you think is going to have staying power?
Personalization.
Trends come and go, but couples wanting the food to tell part of their story is not going anywhere.
A menu can reference where they grew up, a first date, family traditions, travel, or the season and farms surrounding the venue. It doesn’t have to be obvious to every guest. Sometimes one dish can have enormous meaning to the two people getting married.
When the food has meaning, guests remember it long after they forget what was trendy that year.
Are late-night food options still popular after the main dinner? What are couples serving?
Absolutely. In fact, I think late-night food is one of the most practical things couples can add to a reception.
After hours of celebrating and dancing, guests want something fun, recognizable and easy to eat. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly people become hungry again late in the evening — including at my best friend’s wedding this summer, where I was both the best man and the person who made the wedding cake. By the end of a very long day, we were ready to eat again.
That experience reinforced something I already believed strongly enough to build into my own catering offerings: late-night food deserves its own place on the menu.
This is where elevated comfort food shines — handheld sandwiches, sliders, pizza or flatbreads, fries, tacos, breakfast-inspired bites or something with a personal connection to the couple.
It should feel less like another formal course and more like a great surprise.
What should couples consider when designing the overall wedding meal?
Start with the experience you want your guests to have, then build the menu around it.
Season, venue, service style, dietary needs, family traditions and budget all matter. I would rather create a focused menu of fewer things executed beautifully than a huge menu that loses its identity.
Most importantly, don’t build your wedding meal around what somebody tells you a wedding is supposed to be. If you love family-style food, serve it family-style. If you want a tasting experience, create one. If a particular dish means something to your relationship, find a way to put it on the menu.
Food is hospitality, and at a wedding it is one of the clearest ways a couple can take care of every person in the room.
Wedding Dessert Trends 2026
Keith Chapman Culinary Group LLC
The Rooted Table
What cake flavors are becoming more popular with couples?
Couples are getting more adventurous with flavor while still wanting the cake to feel approachable.
I love building from familiar foundations — vanilla, chocolate, lemon, pistachio and coffee — and pairing them with seasonal fruit, herbs, nuts or spirits. Michigan cherries, peaches, raspberries and blackberries give us an incredible palette.
A wedding cake doesn’t have to be one flavor, either. A multi-tiered cake gives you an opportunity to create an entire progression of flavors and let guests discover something different from tier to tier.
The result can be creative and personal without becoming gimmicky.
Keith Chapman Culinary Group LLC.
Are you seeing a shift toward simpler, minimalist cakes or more elaborate, decorative designs?
I think both are thriving.
Some couples want restrained, architectural cakes with beautiful texture and very little decoration. Others want the cake to be edible art and a centerpiece in the room.
I don’t think the question is minimal versus elaborate. The question is whether the design belongs to that couple.
A cake should look intentional from ten feet away and still reward you when you get close.
What are some flavor combinations that sound unusual but work surprisingly well?
Fruit, herbs and savory-leaning aromatics can be incredible in dessert when they are used with restraint.
Lemon and fresh thyme is one combination I love. Pistachio and blackberry is another. Michigan cherry and chocolate is a classic for a reason, while espresso and mascarpone can bring the familiarity of tiramisu into a celebration cake.
I recently built a five-tier wedding cake around exactly this philosophy, with different flavor experiences throughout the tiers — including Michigan Black Forest cherry, tiramisu, pistachio and blackberry, lemon and thyme with raspberry, and peaches and cream.
The goal is never to be unusual just for attention. Every flavor still has to make sense on the palate.
What role are cupcakes, mini desserts, cookies or other alternatives playing in wedding dessert tables?
They give couples freedom.
A smaller ceremonial cake can still provide the tradition and photographs, while a dessert table lets guests explore different textures and flavors.
Mini pastries, cookies, tarts, hand pies and individual desserts also make it easier to incorporate family traditions or seasonal ingredients.
From a hospitality standpoint, variety lets more guests find something they genuinely love.
What colors are trending for wedding cakes?
I’m seeing couples become less afraid of contrast.
White and ivory will always be beautiful, but black, deep greens, warm neutrals, metallic accents and colors pulled directly from florals or invitations can make the cake feel integrated into the entire event.
I especially like a limited palette used deliberately rather than adding color simply because it is fashionable.
If a couple wants their cake to be memorable, what should they consider?
Make it personal — and make sure it tastes as memorable as it looks.
The cake can reference the invitation, clothing, flowers, family history, a place, a shared story or even a private joke.
I recently designed a wedding cake for my best friend and his bride, and I incorporated elements from their wedding invitations into the design without them asking me to. When they saw that those details had made their way onto the cake, it became more than decoration — it belonged specifically to them.
But none of that matters if the cake underneath is forgettable.
My approach is Edible Art: design, flavor and story should all work together.
A wedding cake is one of the rare pieces of art at an event that every guest gets to experience with more than their eyes.
Wedding Cocktail Trends 2026
Jason Reed
Greyline Venue & Event Manager
zingermansgreyline.com
What types of spirits are couples gravitating toward for signature cocktails?
We have seen a trend leading towards the lighter side. Aperitifs are very popular right now with a lot of guests featuring an Aperol spritz or Hugo Spritz as a nice balanced drink to open up cocktail hour. Bourbon is also still very popular and I don’t think the Old Fashioned is going anywhere but we have also seen guests opening the palate with a Boulevardier as well!
What role are seasonal ingredients playing in wedding cocktails?
We love to feature items that are seasonal and on trend in our featured drinks. A lot of couples are looking for a fit with the time of year, but also they are looking for ingredients that fit with the “season” of their love story. People like to feature a certain cocktail or ingredient because it reminds them of something special from a part of their relationship they built together along the way to the wedding day. So it still feels “seasonal” to me, in just a different definition of the word.
Are couples favoring lighter, refreshing cocktails or richer, spirit-forward drinks?
Yes and no, it depends on the season and the guest’s palate. I think there has been a nice balance between offering multiple options as a welcome drink or signature item.
What cocktail trend do you expect to see more of in the coming year?
A lot of people are moving towards the spritz or a simple highball style cocktail. We’ve also seen “spicy” as a growing trend over the last few years. Who doesn’t love a spicy marg in the summer?
How popular are mocktails, zero-proof cocktails and low-ABV drinks?
The Greyline is part of the Zingerman’s Delicatessen team and thanks to their enthusiasm for vinegar, we’ve been making vinegar spritzers (aka n/a mocktails) for years, so we’re delighted in the increase we’ve seen in requests for non-alcoholic cocktails. The recipe for our very favorite mocktail, the Cherry Balsamic Spritzer is on the Deli’s blog. (Making a Mean Mocktail blog post)
How are couples personalizing their signature cocktails?
Couples personalize in lots of different ways, from using a specific spirit they like or items from a specific region or distillery. Some couples name their cocktails after their pets, which is always super fun. I have seen some couples turn it into a game, having the guests vote for where they think the honeymoon will be by ordering one signature drink over the other. Or even just a simple sign explaining why they picked the drink they did with a story from their relationship together.
What is the most creative signature cocktail you’ve seen?
We had a bride who was a beekeeper! She had her own apiary, and there was a bee theme repeated throughout the details of their wedding. The wedding cake was adorned with handmade wooden bees, the couple gave her honey away as favors to their guests, and we used her honey in their custom cocktail, the Watercolor Smash. In addition to a housemade honey syrup, this cocktail featured cucumber, lime vodka, St. Germain, fresh lime juice and soda water.
What makes a good signature wedding cocktail?
Having a customized beverage can help tell a story, ultimately making your event unforgettable. Personalizing the beverage based on an important location, favorite ingredients, or simply a significant color can add a really personal touch to the wedding celebration.
What advice would you give couples who want their signature cocktail to be memorable?
Pick something that brings a special memory to mind for you and your partner and share that story with your guests. Less is more, simple signature drinks that you can talk about vs an over-built/over-proofed cocktail that everyone will only have one of adds a small interaction with your guests that they will remember. Pro Tip – keep your signature items to a few ingredients and simple steps, something the bartenders can make a lot of very quickly so that your guests aren’t all waiting at the bar forever and can enjoy conversations and the reception with you and not be in line for a mojito with 15 ingredients.
Show Your Wedding Guests Around Ann Arbor
By Antonio Cooper
If you have guests visiting Ann Arbor for the first time for your wedding, you might want to show them around to some of your favorite local gems. However, its your wedding weekend and you likely won’t have time to play tour guide, so, we created a list of must-visit places to recommend to your guests while they are in town. Whether they want to catch live shows at The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase or enjoy nightlife at the Rabbit Hole, the Ann Arbor area offers plenty of adventures that can turn your wedding season into a lasting memory for those celebrating your happily ever after.
Attend a concert at Hill Auditorium
Did you know that the Ann Arbor area hosts hundreds of events per week across Washtenaw County? Enjoy a trip to the University’s Hill Auditorium and a performance by University Musical Society (UMS). From Orchestra performances to iconic entertainers like Herbie Hancock, the U-M venue hosts daily performances, grand sound, dynamic visuals, and music that will have your guests thinking about the show long after you say “I do.”
Explore around Washtenaw
The cities surrounding Ann Arbor offer a wonderland of unique adventures. Take the time to attend a live show at The Encore Musical Theatre Company in Dexter, where every weekend features a night of new live entertainment. You can also stroll down to The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea to watch an engaging theatrical showcase. If you are looking for group activities to entertain your guests, take a trip to Ypsilanti to play a round of Putt-Putt Golf at Putt-R-Round or unleash your inner artist at Tipsy Ypsi – Paint and Pour!
Rent a kayak at Gallup Park
What better way to show your guests the best of the city than taking them on the relaxing Ann Arbor waters to kayak through 60 acres around Gallup Park.
Gallup Park hosts multiple picnic areas, grills, shelters and several miles of asphalt trails for easy walks or biking. I can’t forget to mention that it also connects to the iconic Border-to-Border trail.
Enjoy laughter and theatre performances
Ann Arbor’s entertainment scene blends live theatrical performances with infectious musical shows. However, if you believe laughter is the best medicine, visit Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase to see some of the country’s best performers take the stage. You can also visit Hear.Say Brewing and Theater, where improv comedy is always on tap while you sip one of their many drink options. You can also take your visitors to one of the many Open Mic Comedy or trivia nights, like Bløm Meadworks, where you and your visitors will enjoy a memorable performance.
Nature walk
Ann Arbor has rightfully earned the nickname “Tree Town,” having over 160 park properties throughout the area. Before your guests watch you walk down the aisle, suggest they take a walk to experience the city’s beautiful nature, starting with the Border-to-Border Trail, which spans over 50 miles and connects communities across Washtenaw County.
You can also take a step back and enjoy the flowers at The University’s Arboretum or Matthei Botanical Gardens, which provide lush landscapes of walking trails, riverfronts and native trees. There are few better ways to enjoy an Ann Arbor sunset than strolling along either trail.
Dance the night away
When all else fails, get on the dance floor. Everyone should experience the Ann Arbor nightlife scene at least once; why not make it this special trip? After enjoying nature, live entertainment, and the county, visit businesses like Rabbit Hole, which features rotating drink selections, special event nights, and a steady roster of DJ’s.
You can also show off your best steps at the Pretzel Bell Down Bar, where music begins after the upstairs restaurant ends, playing your favorite hits to match the bar’s stellar atmosphere. We also can’t forget the tried-and-true favorite bars like long-time Ann Arbor staples, Necto and LIVE nightclub.
Whether your family and friends want to enjoy a night on the town or a soothing day in nature watching the sunset, the Ann Arbor area has everything for you to enjoy during your pre-wedding adventures. Use these unique ways to entertain guests for the perfect out-of-the-box experience.
