With dozens of decisions on the horizon, brainstorming fresh ideas to set your wedding apart from the rest can feel overwhelming—so how can you make sure you're planning a memorable, one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony and reception?

According to wedding planning experts, couples should focus on planning a wedding that speaks to their personal style, rather than simply embracing new trends. From floral trends and dresses to diamond ring and interior trends, here are 17 unforgettable trends that are sure to wow your guests.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen preparing to walk down the aisle.

Alternative Center Stones

More couples are choosing alternative center gemstones, such as sapphire, topaz, opal, and emerald, to create a unique look. While choosing alternative center gems is a great way to separate yourself from the rest, white gold or rose gold diamond fashion rings are the perfect choice for the traditional bride with a bold personal style.

Bold Prints

Flowers aren't the only way to bring a pop of color to your wedding—this year, bold prints on table linens and wedding backdrops bring a festival vibe to your reception. Colorful patterned linens, bright napkins, and vibrant tablescapes can bring life to any event space and make for one-of-a-kind wedding photos.

Lab-Grown Diamonds

As a new and exciting trend in the diamond industry, modern couples are drawn to lab diamonds because of their affordability, transparency, and sustainability. Lab diamonds are grown in a sealed chamber using a diamond seed and high-temperature (HPHT) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), meaning they share the same chemical properties and physical properties as diamonds mined from the Earth's surface. Unlike moissanite, cubic zirconia, and other diamond simulants and synthetic diamonds, lab diamonds are nearly impossible to distinguish from natural diamonds with the naked eye.

According to experts in the jewelry industry, the lab diamond market is expected to continue growing as more jewelers and designer collections start offering lab diamonds as an alternative to real diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds have a wide range of industrial uses, and all diamonds come with certifications from third-party labs, such as the Gemological Institute of America and the International Gemological Institute, which include all necessary information on clarity, carat size, and cut to ensure high-quality gems.

Intimate Lighting

Intimate lighting is the surest way to wow your guests and make sure your 2020 wedding trends are noticed. Between hanging installations and tube lighting to LED bars, couples have endless options when it comes to lighting. Try changing up the vibe of your party between dinner and dancing with a light show or stringing fairy lights around a concentrated space, like above your dessert bar, for a romantic feel.

Colorful Diamonds

For fashion-forward brides, colorful lab-grown diamond engagement rings in colors like pink, blue, and yellow offer the perfect opportunity to show off personal style. Through high-pressure processes, lab diamonds replicate the high temperatures and extreme pressure of the natural diamond growing process.

Thanks to high pressure processes, lab diamonds share the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as earth-mined diamonds and are free of inclusions. Lab diamonds are diamonds with the same clarity, sparkle, and durability as natural diamonds, making them affordable, high-quality alternatives to colorful mined diamonds.

Shades of Blue

Black is taking a backseat to blue in 2020, with navy, teal, and cobalt jackets trending when it comes to tuxedos and suits. Darker shades of blue pair well with any color, creating timeless wedding photo ops.

Custom Engagement Rings

Choosing the perfect engagement ring is a unique process for every couple, and more couples are designing custom engagement rings to match their personal style. Designing a custom engagement ring can not only help you choose the best diamond, type of metal, and cut, but a custom ring is guaranteed to wow your guests.

If you're thinking about designing a custom engagement ring, consider reaching out to the diamond experts at Agape Diamonds. With vast experience in online shopping support, our friendly and qualified support team of customer service professionals can answer any questions you have.

Used Wedding Dresses

Environmentally friendly brides searching for the perfect sustainable alternative for their big day are buying pre-owned designer dresses. Used wedding dresses can help couples take advantage of special offer promotions up to 80% off designer collections, allowing them to focus their budget on more important aspects of the wedding, like standout décor or the perfect engagement ring.

Personalized Invitations

Your invitations can set the tone for your whole ceremony. If you're hosting a sustainable, green ceremony, try using recycled paper and soy-based inks. For a modern vibe, embrace bold colors, patterns, and textures. To delight your guests, send pop-up or acrylic invites.

Side Stone Accents

Thanks to Meghan Markle's three-stone engagement ring and Princess Beatrice's iconic diamond ring, side stone accents are gaining more attention. To incorporate side stone accents into your ring setting, opt for an art-deco inspired look with tapered diamonds or a modern look with pear- or trillion-shaped diamond accents.

Inclusive Menus

Couples are being more thoughtful about inclusivity when it comes to wedding planning. When putting together your reception menu, be considerate of your guests' dietary restrictions and allergies by offering a wide variety of dishes, drinks, and desserts.

Stacked and Nested Rings

In 2020, expert jewelers expect brides to continue leaning toward classic engagement ring styles while spicing up their look with stacks and nestled rings. Whether you're interested in sterling silver diamond-accented, white gold curved, or rose gold crescent-shaped rings, a stacked ring set is the perfect complement to any engagement ring and highlights the sparkle of diamond rings.

Statement Décor

If you want to wow your guests, statement décor is a must. Instead of stretching your budget to incorporate everything from your wish list, focus on one or two statement pieces, like hanging florals over tables or a vibrant mural. Your guests are sure to remember a standout detail, especially if it reminds them of you.

Affordable Diamond Rings

As a sustainable and affordable alternative to natural diamonds, soon-to-be-married couples can get the best diamond at a higher clarity and carat of diamond for their budget. Unlike low-quality synthetic diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are manufactured using carbon atoms and are guaranteed not to fade or lose their sparkle.

Wholesale jewelers such as Agape Diamonds offer free shipping within the United States and promotional discounts with prices lower than popular fine jewelry designer collections like Ada Diamonds, De Beers, Helzberg Diamonds, Diamond Nexus, and James Allen, allowing couples to find the perfect diamond without sacrificing their wedding budget.

Zero-Waste Ceremonies

Sustainable weddings are on the rise in 2020. To embrace your commitment to a zero-waste ceremony, consider resetting a family stone or heirloom diamond engagement ring. For a more ethical choice, choose a lab diamond instead of a diamond mined from the Earth's mantle. Lab diamonds are created in a vacuum chamber using a pure carbon starter seed and a combination of heat and extreme pressure. Although lab-grown diamonds lack a significant resale value, they’re a high-quality ethical and affordable alternative to mined diamonds.

Whether you're considering buying loose diamonds or diamond jewelry, choosing a lab diamond provides the peace of mind of knowing that your engagement ring was created with the highest safety measures using HPHT processes, and will not cause negative environmental impacts like volcanic eruptions.

Elongated Diamond Shapes

From oval and emerald to elongated cushion and pear, elongated cuts have skyrocketed in popularity over recent years. With celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Bindi Irwin, and Katherine Schwarzenegger wearing elongated diamond rings, jewelry experts expect elongated gemstones to trend among future purchases.

Charity Checks

Instead of handing out party favors at the end of the night, thank your guests for celebrating with you by making a donation to a charity that holds significance to you and your significant other. Alternatively, try finding a wedding registry that allows you to link to your favorite charity.

From the diamond ring to the décor, staying on trend and focusing on your personal style as a couple can help you plan an unforgettable wedding.