You can expect overspending, bridal parties, and secular ceremonies from your Irish pals getting married this year.
Irish wedding venue website Save My Day have released the top trends amongst those getting married, with some unexpected findings. They surveyed 600 brides and grooms to garner these results.
Co-Owner of SaveMyDay.ie, Shell Holdens says this of the results:
“Couples are zeroing in on how they can customise their wedding to make it unique, creating a personalised wedding experience with their own stamp on it. We are seeing wedding venues becoming more adaptable to the alternative and non-traditional asks of brides and grooms."
Holden also says, “couples are beginning to favour quality over quantity, with intimate weddings on the rise and many opting for more meaningful celebrations with their closest family and friends.”
Venue
Just 20% of people are getting married in traditional religious settings. 67% opt for a civil or secular ceremony, while 13% go down the spiritual route. Hotels remain the favourite spot to get married at, while 12% want a castle location.
Perhaps surprisingly, food is a huge factor for where people decide to get married; 90% of couples say it's a top priority for them.
[caption id="attachment_108793" align="alignnone" width="1126"]
Image via Save My Day[/caption]
Guests
In a somewhat surprising turn of events, 67% of people are going for less than 100 guests at their wedding. More than half go for 50-100 guests, while 20% look for dog-friendly locations for their furry friend to be apart of the day. In the last 9 months alone, there's been a 50% increase in pup-friendly spots as it becomes more important to those getting married.
The same cannot be said for inviting children however. 63% of newly weds to be opt for no children at their wedding, making it an adult-only affair.
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Image via Save My Day[/caption]
Tradition
Some traditions never die. Save My Day found that 81% of to-be-weds will have bridesmaids/groomsmen, 87% will choose a sit-down meal, 71% will host speeches, and 64% will have a ‘Day 2’.
However, 20% of brides are opting out of wearing white, and 43% decide against the traditional top table.
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Image via Save My Day via Mrs Redhead[/caption]
Sustainability
64% of those getting married say it's important they go for somewhere environmentally friendly. Director of weddings and events at Kilkenny’s Mountain View, Sharon Doyle, says this of the trend:
"
It is very visible that couples are increasingly mindful of sustainability when choosing their wedding venue and options. Seasonality and low carbon footprint are two areas that are influencing couples choices. We see this with our locally sourced food and beverage offerings and our ability to host our ceremonies onsite.
In our decor we offer floral arrangements that are sourced right here from our grounds and people are continuing to move away from linen dressed tables to more eco-friendly decorations. Couples want to be authentic when choosing countryside venues and it's this combination that allows them to have all this in our naturally beautiful surroundings."
Cost
Most couples expect they will be overspending for their big day. 68% predict they will go over budget when it comes to the big day, with 42% setting aside more than €20,000 to pay for the festivities. 78% of those getting married are relying on their own savings to pay for the wedding.
Entertainment on the big day is the factor 33% of couples would spend the most on, followed by the honeymoon, then food, then the venue itself.
Header image via SaveMyDay.ie
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