Weddings continue to generate big business, and the wedding industry earns $3 billion a year in the US and $72 billion globally. As a result, startups have popped up in all parts of the world in hopes of getting a piece of the pie and disrupting the wedding industrial complex. Over the internet and social media age, the industry has certainly shifted as certain aspects of wedding planning have become more accessible online. But apart from the proliferation of wedding-related apps, there are other ways in which the wedding business has transformed over recent years. Here’s how the wedding industry has changed for the better.
More inclusivity
Many wedding professionals have seen a lack of inclusivity in the industry. This is why some retailers and service providers are now moving away from gender-specific conventions and are referring to their clients as “clients” and not “bride” or “groom”: after all, clients could be two brides or two grooms. Jewelers are also now offering mens’ engagement rings so that men can have different options to choose from before popping the question to their future spouse. Although men’s engagement rings have a history dating back 100 years, designs are now becoming more contemporary and ornate. Moreover, there has also been the creation of workshops, such as Gay Wedding Institute and Halls of Ivy, which are geared towards educating wedding professionals on making their business LGBTQ+ friendly.
More budget-friendly options
Small-scale weddings have become popular as more couples are looking to save money on their nuptials. Nowadays, wedding planning companies are offering elopement or micro wedding packages, which allow couples to have a wedding ceremony for about $2,000 to $4,000. Given that the average wedding in the US costs around $34,000, these wallet-friendly packages allow couples to have an intimate yet memorable wedding at a beautiful location within their area.
Is there room for improvement?
If there is one thing that the wedding industry has to work on, it’s on its lack of diversity. Most wedding magazines only feature mainly white or Western couples on the cover, and the images used in these magazines and wedding blogs do not reflect the variety of couples from different ethnicities. Moreover, most wedding planning companies are not trained on how to manage ceremonies from different cultures. Although things have come a long way in the past decade when it comes to diversity in the wedding industry itself, there’s still room for improvement when it comes to catering to couples from different backgrounds and cultures.
The wedding industry is changing: it has become more inclusive, and it’s making strides to make sure that couples can have the best wedding even at an affordable price. Although the wedding business still needs to address its lack of diversity, it’s clear that it’s taking steps to make changes for the better.
