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1. Personalized Weddings.   Today's marriage ceremonies often blend elements that have special meaning for couples and prehaps their families. Many couple make a concerted effort to plan their weddings as expressions of their interests. Lavish might be in, but so is intimate and individualized.

2. Sharing the costs.  Wedding expenses are no longer the exclusive responsibility of the bride's parent but are frequently shared by the couple, as well as by the bride's and sometimes the groom's parents. More and more couples pay most or all of the expenses. With wedding costs so high, it's no wonder that "who pays" is one of the first conversations that engaged couples have.

3. Weddings and high tech.  The internet plays a growing role in registries, gift selection, and shopping for wedding supplies and vendors; wedding oriented chat rooms and bulletin boards enable couples around the world to share information and advice. Couples can create their own wedding web sites and use on-line wedding planning companies. (e-mailing invitations and thank you notes is still an etiquette no-no.)

4.  Involved Grooms.  Grooms are now likely as brides to be active participants in wedding planning and decision making . Couples often take mutual reaponsibility for everything from financing to writing thank-you notes.

5.  Variations in Color.  Traditional white still reigns, but color is blooming not only in bouquets and floral arrangements but also in brides' and grooms' attire, invitations, and announcements, reception decorations and table linens, wedding cake, etc.
 
(Excerpt from Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette 5th Edition)