OK. So, technically, I’m not engaged. Yet. But that doesn’t mean I can’t troll around for the latest wedding trends. I mean, you never know when you’re boyfriend of SEVEN YEARS will have a change of heart and pop the question. It could be any minute now. And if being a Girl Scout taught me anything it was to always be prepared (and to go easy on the Samoas).
I just so happened to come across this BRIDES study, analyzing the current trends in all things wedding. So, for your information and inspiration, here’s what’s white hot for 2011:
WEDDING TRENDS
- Couples are skipping sit-down dinners and buffets in favor of cocktail hours and passed hors d’oeuvres
- Nearly 10% of all weddings feature a “man of honor” or “best woman”
- 14% of couples are married by a friend or family member ordained for the occasion
- 20% now have a photo booth
- #1 theme for weddings is beach, tropical, luau
- Nearly 1 in 5 couples are now using evites or emails to invite guests to the wedding or save the date
- Guests: 152
- 4% also include their pets in the wedding party
AVERAGE WEDDING COSTS
- Total bill: $26,501, down slightly from $28,082 in 2009
- Dress: $1,289, up 20% from 2009
- Bridesmaids dress: $134
- Engagement ring: $4,647, a 27% drop from $6,348 in 2009 (Looks like now’s the time to buy, honey.)
- Cake: $480
ENGAGEMENT
- Most popular month to get engaged: December
- Length of engagement: 15.4 months, up from 14 months in 2009
- 63% of brides-to-be provided input on their engagement ring
- 21% of brides-to-be actually pick out the ring themselves
I’m not so sure I’m ready to send out wedding evites, but I’m completely on board with skipping the main meal and just serving hors d’oeuvres. Who wants to sit down and eat cold, rubbery chicken when you can munch AND mingle?
And it’s good to know that I’m just your average bride-to-eventually-be when I voice my preferences (in the form of weekly emails to my fella) on an engagement ring.
What about you? What trends work with your wedding plans? Is your pooch part of your party?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
for starters, our budget is going to be way less. def less than 10k– would rather spend the money on an awesome honeymoon! the size will also be significantly smaller– hoping for >50 but its hard to make cuts. i love the concept of a photo booth but trying to come up with ways of making it economical and fun. i do like the idea of an online save the date but i love getting real mail and think it would be sad to not send those out as well as invites.
as for engagement, we fill most of that criteria. hehe. got engaged last dec after 8 years! i know what its like to wait! he was always very clear about why he was waiting though– me finishing school [of course i had to go back and get my masters to delay things. ;p]. we’ll be engaged for about 20 months because of logistics [i'm going to teach, limited time off. it was either this summer or next]. i wasn’t pushy on what ring i was getting though. he knew i liked vintage but i ended up with his mom’s ring. i was then given the choice of choosing a new setting and keeping the diamond. took about two months for us to choose a ring we both loved.
it’s nice being engaged finally but the whole planning concept is overwhelming! don’t worry, it’ll come kat!
I know! I’m not in too much of a rush … just doing some prep work.
And congrats! You can definitely make your own photo booth! I always thought I wanted a big wedding, but an intimate (ie cheaper) event sounds good to me!
Have you decided where you’re going on your honeymoon?
i used to do prep work. nowadays i get on kicks where i come up with really cool ideas and follow through to price them out. hehe.
no idea re: honeymoon but we want it to be somewhere amazing. this brings me to his opinion of what should take place, although he’s very open to whatever i want. he feels we should go somewhere really cool, get married and come back to celebrate with family. i’m thinking it could be the best option at the moment. i’d love to head to india or thailand to take advantage of the money we would be spending on a wedding and experiencing somewhere incredible. so hard to think of no family with us though!
Hi Kate! Do you have an email address where I can contact you? Have a quick question for ya. Love the blog, btw!