We are delighted to announce the release of our eighth annual Wedding Industry Report. The data is compiled based on the results from our recent couples Ultimate Survey where 1200 engaged couples in Ireland shared the ins and outs of planning their wedding.
This year, for the first time, we’ve asked couples how the rise in the cost of living has impacted their budgets and decision-making. While couples are tightening their purse strings, they are still planning weddings and getting married which is very positive for the wedding industry. Here are our 7 top takeaways from this year’s report:
1. Cost Of Wedding Crisis
More than anything, the 2023 survey demonstrates that brides and grooms are keenly focused on cost. This year, couples telling us cost is more important than quality are at an all-time high of 30%. Similarly, this year 74% cited value as an important factor when choosing a venue, moving overall value up to fourth place in criteria. Venues need to focus on pricing and on adding value to packages with included extras.
2. Shifting Priorities
Smaller weddings with fewer reception guests and more evening guests are increasingly the norm. With food quality firmly fixed as the highest priority for 92% of couples, many are opting to decrease the guest list and focus on a more elegant affair, spending in the €80 to 100 per head range in record numbers. Venues need to look beyond the menu to market an impressive food and drink experience, from pretty plating to custom cocktails.
3. Maximise The Showround
This year’s statistics make it clear that the venue tour is more important than ever. Couples are sending fewer enquiries and booking fewer viewings than ever before. On average, each viewing will give a venue a 1 in 3 chance of making the sale, so personalisation, taking time, and being responsive to a couple’s plans and ideas are crucial.
4. Digital Demographic
Modern couples are used to instant information and the convenience of the digital. Catering to this demographic who grew up with the Internet means that it is vital to deliver brochures immediately and to offer couples the facility to book appointments online. Software like WedPro can help you with this.
5. Insta Rules
A tremendous 67% of brides tell us they are influenced by Instagram but only 10% tell us they are influenced by influencers. This means that it’s essential for venues to be on Insta but just as importantly, suppliers and venues need a strategy to capture and amplify the organic content created by brides, grooms, vendors and guests. Tagging, hashtags and even incentives for using them can all be part of this strategy.
6. Friday Features
This year for the first time, Friday is voted as the most popular day to wed. The popularity of Friday weddings is being driven in part by the trend of two-day events. 62% of couples planning to extend their festivities to more than one day are wedding on a Friday, fuelling the demand for rehearsal dinners and BBQs.
7.The Rise Of The Civil Ceremony
This year’s survey sees a remarkable decline in the popularity of church weddings. When WeddingDates first began collecting data in 2015, 70% of couples were marrying in a church or other religious house of worship. Crucially, this year they are seeing a 13% increase in the popularity of civil weddings in the reception venue, with more than half of all couples choosing to wed in the same location as their reception celebration. An additional 5% are choosing other locations like historic sites, beaches and weddings at home for their ceremony.
Want to read more? You can download the Ireland report here.
If you missed the webinar where Ciara Crossan, CEO and Founder of WeddingDates discussed the key findings of the report, you can watch a playback here.
We hope this report will give you some insight into the trends emerging this year and will help your business prepare for the challenges ahead. As always, we’d LOVE to hear from you. If you wish to schedule a demo with us or provide feedback on the report you can send an email to admin@weddingdates.ie or fill in the contact form.
