As a reporter of top trends in the wedding industry, it’s always interesting to look back at the previous year to see how things matched up with what was predicted. Did brides really go retro? How many actually had a candy buffet? What was the most popular color? These are the types of questions The Knot and The Wedding Channel answered in their 2010 recap that gives us a glimpse at the wedding market for last year. It’s like a reality show—only in reverse! This is how brides actually made their wedding dreams a reality.
Full of some interesting facts about weddings last year, here are the highlights from the Knot and The Wedding Channel 2010 Real Weddings Survey:
Where are the most expensive and least expensive places to tie the knot?
New York City (Manhattan) has the highest average wedding budget ($70,730), and Utah has the lowest average wedding budget ($13,214), excluding honeymoon only.
In what month do most couples get engaged?
December has the highest number of proposals at 16%, with most brides getting the ring around the Christmas holiday.
What is the average age of brides?
New York City (Manhattan and Outer Boroughs) has the oldest brides (32 years), whereas West Texas has the youngest brides (24 years), on average.
Inside vs. Outside: Where did most brides get married?
Outside venues win this face-off hands down. Ceremonies held in churches, synagogues and mosques dropped off by 10% as more couples opted to hold their wedding ceremonies outdoors. In 2010, 43% of ceremonies were held outdoors, compared with 39% in 2009 – an increase of 10%. In addition, destination weddings rose the past two years, with an increase of 20% since 2008. Approximately 1 in 4 couples considered their wedding a destination wedding in 2010.
What’s the number one way brides save money on their big day?
When it comes to lowering the wedding budget, one successful cost-cutting tactic used by brides is to trim the number of wedding guests – 141 was the average in 2010, compared with 149 in 2009. Brides are holding true to their vision and not sacrificing the main elements of their day; they’re just inviting less people.
White and ivory are always top wedding colors, but after that, what was the most popular color last year?
Purple was the new “it” color, with 1 out of 5 brides (21%) choosing it for their wedding – a 50% increase since 2008.
Candy buffets were all the rage last year. How many brides chose alternative desserts for their reception?
A majority of brides (68%) had a traditional tiered wedding cake; however, other desserts like a groom’s cake (20%), candy buffets (14%) and cupcakes (13%) were also served.
Well, there you have it! How did your wedding stack up with the real weddings from last year? It will be interesting to see how many of these trends will carry over into 2011. But, one thing’s for sure. The Real Wedding Survey shows a spectrum of results as diverse as the brides. Whether you’re on the high end or the low-end of that spectrum, you’ll be glad to know that Kate Aspen wedding favors are versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of choices, desires and personalities. I guess the next question should be “How many brides should accent their wedding with Kate Aspen Favors?“ Answer: All of them!
Happy Planning!
