Photo (above): Photographer: Elena Mantovan Photography
Experience is the new baseline
Gen Z couples want their wedding celebration to be right down to the smallest details—for themselves and for their guests. You can feel that in the choices they make; “experience” is becoming increasingly tangible. Catering, for instance, is becoming more personal and more often tailored. Entertainment is also an important part of that experience, with live music, magicians, or live illustrators. All elements then contribute to one cohesive story that truly fits the couple.
Big or intimate, the approach remains the same
Not every couple is still going big. A clear movement is that some couples invite fewer guests in order to invest more in the overall experience. The wedding celebration then often has an even stronger focus on quality, atmosphere, and personal touches. Other couples, however, still opt for a large party with all their friends and family, and there too you see the same drive for a celebration that is fully tailored to them.
In Belgium, the majority of couples—according to our National Wedding Survey—choose a celebration with around 80 to 120 guests. Classic formats also remain present, depending on the couple’s preferences and style. Round tables and larger reception venues are therefore still chosen, especially by couples who want to bring family and friends together in one space. At the same time, more variations in layout and atmosphere are emerging. A major wedding trend for 2026, for example, is a setup with serpentine tables, which also works perfectly in larger spaces.
Higher budgets & conscious choices
The wedding budget of engaged couples has not become smaller—quite the opposite. According to our National Wedding Survey among 1,000 respondents, the average wedding budget for couples getting married this year or in the coming years is around €31,750. In 2022, that was still around €21,339. That’s an increase of about €10,000 over three to five years. The rise points not only to macro-economic trends such as inflation, but also to the growing focus on experience, atmosphere, and personalization during the wedding. At the same time, couples are making more deliberate choices about where they spend their money. They want their investment to be visible and tangible in the overall experience.
Getting married as an identity statement
Engaged Gen Z couples mainly want a celebration that feels completely right for them: a wedding party tailored to them, with their vibe, their guests, and their choices. They often see their wedding day as an identity statement; it should feel like their story. There are certainly still Gen Z couples who dream of their fairytale wedding, in a more classic castle setting.
At the same time, demand is growing for other formats, depending on the couple’s vibe. Some prefer a festival atmosphere, where they can, for example, stay overnight with friends in glamping tents—like at Château Jemeppe in the Ardennes—for a blend of classic and modern. Getting married in your own garden, in a meadow, or in a forest is also possible—often with the help of a wedding planner to style everything fully to taste and down to the last detail.
Watch the live interview on VTM Nieuws from 6/1 at 1 p.m. here, and the additional report on VTM Nieuws from 6/1 at 7 p.m. here.
Would you also like a wedding celebration that is perfectly organized down to the smallest details, supported by reliable and high-quality wedding suppliers? Book them now via House of Weddings.
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