Category — Trends

Erika Online

The trends for 2009 weddings this spring are all about vibrant color: lemon yellow, fuscia red, vivid green, palace blue.

It’s about time winter got a swift kick in the behind!

The designers report their favorite colors in this report from Pantone.  Borrow these as inspiration for your spring wedding.

Flirty lemon yellow bridesmaids’ dresses…

Anthony Easton

Or a full length formal…

Karl Koenen

Fuschia popping out of the flowers…

This green is so fresh, so SPRING…

The blue bridal party…

Scott Feldstein

Electric blue irises…

Dave Shafer

Forget about pastels.  Eye-catching, bold as brass, full-on assault COLOR is in!

Nate Steiner

Are you in a state of shock and panic over wedding prices?

I’ve got good news for you…

Brides are spending LESS.

Um, right.  And how exactly is this good news?

Well, brides spending less means wedding vendors are making less money.  Which makes them start to PANIC…maybe as much as you did at first when you found out how darn expensive weddings can be.

(It’s about time they got a taste of their own medicine, right?)

When most wedding professionals get panicked…the first thing they do is drop their price. You better believe you can get top quality wedding services at bargain prices that haven’t been seen since the ’80’s.  Not only are vendors dropping their prices, they’re throwing in extras and offering wedding discount coupons out of desperation to get your business.

How do you know?

Good on you for asking, you smart, sassy bride.

The average wedding cost dropped another 12% in the first quarter of 2009 based on 780 surveys of brides and wedding vendors conducted by The Wedding Report.  This is attributed mainly to:

1. A decreased overall demand for products and services.
2. More couples marrying by a justice of the peace or other non-traditional means.
3. Couples holding the ceremony and reception at the same location to cut costs.

Add this to the other tools and tricks to slash your wedding expenses in half that you’ll learn in my book, The $10,000 Dream Wedding…and the wedding discounts and deals available right now are unbelievable.

This survey suggests that brides are spending less to cut costs and they are…but I also see brides spending less because wedding vendors are slashing their prices.  These businesses are SCARED.

Have you taken a glance at the housing market lately?  Housing prices have tanked.  You can buy a house at half or even a third what it was worth two years ago.  Houses in Detroit are selling for under $7,500!

The same thing is happening in the wedding industry.

If ever there was a time to step up and seize your wedding discounts…it’s NOW.

These trends are being reported by Christine, the ever-observant wedding diva behind The Wedding Dish, and GetMarried.com.

COLOR - Grey is definitely in, as are pale, watercolor versions of blue and green, chocolate brown and metal shades: gold, silver, copper, pewter.  (Lavender and soft pewter is a personal fave, by the way.)

CAKES - Rock sugar crusting and buttercream frosting instead of fondant.  Cupcakes are still extremely popular.  (Heck, I’ve been stuck on them since kindergarten.)

Manassas Cakery

SMALLER GUESTS LISTS - Smaller, more intimate weddings are becoming the norm.  Brides are inviting less people in order to spend more per person.

HOME WEDDINGS - Brides are hosting weddings on the home front.

CANDLE CENTERPIECES - Candles are rising in popularity as an elegant and cost-effective alternative to flowers.

Lindsey T

CEREMONY & RECEPTION AT SAME LOCATION - Savings are multiplied when brides host the ceremony and reception at the same location, cutting out transportation costs.

“RECYCLED” WEDDINGS - Buying used is en vogue.  Brides are shopping Ebay and bride resell sites like BrideToBride and RecycleYourWedding.

DESTINATION WEDDINGS ARE OUT - Brides are choosing wedding locations closer to home to maximize on savings and convenience.

BRUNCH, LUNCH & COCKTAIL WEDDINGS - As brides get creative with savings, we’ll see more and more brunch, lunch and dessert buffet weddings…the height of elegance and simplicity at a fraction of the cost.

What do these trends mean to you?

It’s more popular than ever to get back to budgeting basics.  Brides are even bragging about how little they paid.

But even more importantly…you have a license for creativity and flexibility.  To hell with tradition!  Make it your own.  Kick it up a notch with the inexpensive, easy ways to wow your wedding guests in The $10,000 Dream Wedding.

What 2009 wedding trends do you see out there?  Leave me a comment.

Carlos Mendoza Lima

There’s a new wedding trend rocking the wedding industry that I am very excited about.

Most brides have been paying 2-3 times MORE than they have to for the wedding of their dreams for far too long.  And finally…they’re fighting back.

Gone are the days of the Bride Wars.  No more petty competition, jealousy, or hoarding ideas and favorite vendors.

The recession is bringing brides together for savings. As you realize your power…the Power of the Purse, that is…you can band together with fellow brides to create your own wedding discounts and savings.

Here are some creative ways to use the internet to connect with other brides to help each other save:

Bride To Bride Boutique and Recycle Your Wedding - These websites allow brides to purchase discount wedding accessories from brides after their weddings, and resell their own items.  You can find wedding gowns, shoes, jewelry, vases, you name it.  

Trash To Treasure - Even the infamous Knot website is getting in on the act.  The “Trash To Treasure” board links to The Knot’s sister website, The Nest, where brides can list their discount wedding merchandise for resale.

Meetups - Why stop there?  With sites like this one it’s easy to create a local community of brides right in your neighborhood.  You can meet as a group and pool purchases that can be used again, like vases, baskets and accessories.  Heck, you could even barter for services.  A crafty DIY wedding bride could help you out with your centerpieces in return for the candy buffet jars from your reception.

It’s about time brides took back their power from a wedding industry out to rip them off.  Hallelujah!

QUICK NOTE:  If you’re sick of getting taken advantage of and overcharged by wedding vendors, download my free Bride’s Secret Weapon report to learn my method that will turn the tables on wedding vendors and let you create your own wedding discounts.

Got a story about how a bride helped you?  Leave me a comment.

I’ve been talking a lot about the 24% drop in the average cost of a US wedding as reported by The Wedding Report quite a bit lately.

The amount of money brides spent on their weddings dropped in almost every category in 2008 for the first time in decades.  But there were a few exceptions.  Brides actually spent MORE in 2008 on ceremony location, the reception location, rentals, wedding bands, and tux rental.

Here’s the category by category breakdown of the changes in expense from 2007 to 2008.

Categories where brides spent LESS in 2008:

• Wedding dress……………..31% less
• Rehearsal dinner…………..34% less
• DJ…………………………………6% less
• Bridesmaid bouquets…….36% less
• Attendant gifts…………….38% less
• Wedding invitations……..34% less
• Engagement ring………….30% less
• Photographer………………26% less
• Videographer………………24% less
• Wedding cake……………..33% less
• Wedding favors…………….9% less
• Reception food service…53% less
• Limo rental…………………24% less

Categories where brides spent MORE in 2008:

• Tuxedo/suit…47% more
• Ceremony location…….108% more
• Bride bouquet……………….1% more
• Brides wedding band……21% more
• Grooms wedding band…38% more
• Reception bar service…..12% more
• Reception location………15% more
• Reception rentals………..84% more

Since the overall cost of average wedding decreased from $27,800 in 2007 to only $21,814 in 2008, how can we explain these increases?

What could be behind the 84% increase in reception rentals…the whopping 108% increase in ceremony location expense…the 15% increase in reception location?

Brides are beginning to shift their priorities.

2009 wedding trends will continue to show brides choosing smaller guests lists.  This will allow food, favor and invitation costs to decline while freeing them up to spend a bit more on the ceremony and reception location they prefer.

Brides are placing higher priority on the ceremony rather than the reception.

More brides are planning weddings at home that require tent, linen and other reception rentals.

Could it be that couples are purchasing the groom’s suit instead of renting, a thrifty choice when he can wear it again?

One thing is for sure: frugality is here for the long haul.

To learn more about why this is the best time to be planning your wedding and how to use the recession to your advantage and save $1,000’s on your wedding…check out my earlier post on the Breakdown of Average Wedding Costs and The $10,000 Dream Wedding.

Michael Bucker/Getty Images

Did you check out the Oscars?  It was all about WHITE…dresses for wedding inspiration and maybe a twinge of jealousy.

From goddess chic to voluptuous curve-hugging gowns…princess ballroom dresses and sequines…mermaid cuts and A-lines…from classic ivory to champagne and metallics…a vertiable feast for a bride’s eyes.

Nina Callaway put together a terrific gallery of White Wedding Dresses At the Oscars.

This is my favorite by Tina Fey…most likely because I’m a huge fan.  She’s smart and sexy, sassy with ruthless wit and self-depreciating humor.  And she absolutely rocks this metallic number.

It also reminds me of the only wedding…the only wedding in hundreds that I’ve attended…where the bride DID NOT wear a white/ivory/champagne wedding gown.

This bride chose a silk wedding gown in soft lavender gray that clung to her curves.  She was absolutely ravishing.  It was sort of like this in a silvery tone, with a bit more up top, but the same elegance…

I still remember it to this day…

So if you’ve got an urge to buck the white trend, take your cues from the Oscars.  It’s a room stopper.

What’s your favorite Oscar inspiration?

Paul Falardeau

A bride recently emailed me with a request for more information.  I want this blog to be YOUR forum, so feel free to challenge me, question me…heck, even ridicule me…if this stuff isn’t valuable to you.  Here goes…

Q: Regarding your post about wedding costs decreasing, can you please cite where you got those numbers and what the breakdown of expenses is. I think brides would be interested in seeing what categories the decreases are in, if it is across the broad, etc. etc. - Maura

A: Maura,

Thanks for asking your question.  I’m getting the feeling that you doubt the numbers I quoted?

GOOD.

Don’t take anything “they” tell you for granted.  It’s Step One to planning your dream wedding inexpensive…and avoiding the lies the wedding industry wants you to believe so that you overspend on your wedding.

NOTE:  To learn more about the wedding industry’s LIES exposed, check out The $10,000 Dream Wedding and the Bride’s Secret Weapon Special Report.

On the other hand…is it tough to believe that the average cost of wedding is going down when everything “wedding” is so darn expensive and wedding vendors use any excuse to rack up the price?

Sure.

But it’s true.  Brides are beginning to reduce their expenses for the first time in decades.  And they actually spent 24% LESS on their weddings in 2008 than they did in 2007.

These statistics come from The Wedding Report and in particular their recent report, “Average Cost Of Wedding In 2008.”

And I quote…

“The average cost of a wedding in 2008 was $21,814. This is a 24% decline over the 2007 average of $28,704.”

This data was collected from 3,620 surveys of brides before and after their weddings, as well as wedding vendors.  These costs were not included: Honeymoon Items, Bridal Shower Invitations, Engagement Announcements, Engagement Ring, Bridal Shower, Engagement Party, Engagement Photographer, and Engagement Videographer.

A breakdown of costs by category is available for a fee at The Wedding Report.  However, the average cost of wedding expenses in every category is predicted to decrease in 2009.

In addition, wedding vendors report that brides are choosing to invest their money in entertainment and photography…the parts of the wedding associated with making and preserving memories…rather than areas of decor.  So the amount spent on entertainment and photography is remaining the same or only reducing slightly…while brides are spending much less on flowers, favors, invitations, etc.

I’ve posted the specifics on the average cost per item in 2008 as broken down in their report.  Bear in mind that this is a national average.  The average wedding cost is actually much higher in metropolitan areas (like where I am in New York) and much less in rural communities.

While this is bad news for the wedding industry…it’s GOOD NEWS for you as a bride. Vendors are scared and they are dropping prices to get your business. Knowing this information empowers you to get the best deals…so use it!

Your Friend & Wedding Coach,

Stephanie

2008 Average Spending per Item

SpaceOdissey

The average cost of wedding plummeted to $21,814 in 2008.  This was a 24% DECREASE from the 2007 wedding cost of $28,704.

All throughout 2008 the wedding industry kept predicting the same thing it had seen for the past two decades…GROWTH.  “Wedding prices will keep going up,” they told themselves…and the brides they were trying to deceive.  “It’s inflation.  We have to keep raising our prices.”  And my favorite, “The wedding industry is recession-proof.”

WRONG.

The average wedding cost in 2009 is predicted to DROP another 8%…or more.

Is this a reason for you to get scared?  Should you give up and elope because there’s no way you can plan an affordable dream wedding?

Heck, no!  Now, more than ever…You’ve got the POWER.

Wedding vendors are scared.  They’re scrambling to hang on to their piece of the market…while recession-savvy brides are spending less.

Wedding vendors are dropping their prices to make the sale.

Just last week I learned that one popular wedding venue’s bookings are DOWN with 35 fewer jobs booked than last year.  A wedding planner friend of mine reports that venues are calling her up and begging her to send them jobs.

They’re begging.

All you’ve got to do is give a little shove and those wedding vendors will be slashing their prices to get your business.  Believe me, it won’t take much.  Just hint that you might walk away…and you’ll have them eating out of your hand.

If you’re not sure how to give that little shove to tip your wedding vendors in price slashing mode, download my free Bride’s Secret Weapon Report. 

It’s easier than you think.  It’s up to YOU to make the most of your wedding dollars to plan the wedding of your dreams.

Carlos Mendoza Lima

 “From tried and true to the brand new, couples young and older are choosing the best of everything to celebrate their love…”

Reads like a flippin’ Hallmark card, doesn’t it?

That quote is straight out of the “2009 Wedding Supplement” of the New York Times.  According to them, 2009 wedding trends show couples “sparing no expense” to have the BEST as a “celebration of their love.”  

The unspoken implication is that if you dare spend less…you just don’t value your love enough.

Are they living on another planet?  The brides I know are getting smart, trimming their budgets and spending where it makes the most impact.  I’m not seeing those “Spare No Expense” brides around these parts.

Ah, now I see…it’s the 2009 wedding advertising supplement.  Why that explains everything!

Watch out for those advertisements disguised as newspaper ads.  The wedding industry is still projecting the illusion of extravagant spending as the norm, as the average, even. 

Why would they do a thing like that?  Maybe it’s to brainwash you into spending MORE MONEY…money you didn’t have to spend.

Of course you still want the best for your wedding.  I want you to have the best, too.

But gone are the days when brides would spend $10,000 on a dress and brag about it.  Even brides who have the money are toning it down these days.

It’s cool to be frugal.  It’s hip to be thrifty.

The wedding industry will try to keep you in the dark as long as possible.  They want you to think you have to pay their ridiculously high prices to have your dream wedding.  The truth is…

Most brides pay 2-3 TIMES MORE than they have to pay on their weddings.

I expose the industry’s wedding Scams in my eBook, “The $10,000 Dream Wedding,” because I know you can have the wedding of your dreams for a fraction of the cost when you know exactly what to say and do to get the best deals.

DON’T BUY THE HYPE.  When you see a “newspaper ad,” scan the top and bottom carefully and read the small print.  “A special advertising supplement…”  “This is a paid advertisement…”

Proceed with caution. 

Got a scammy advertising story?  Leave me a comment.

The bad economy can be a good excuse for lots of things, according to this New York Times article.

Downsizing…Travel to family gatherings…Buying expensive gifts…Joining the gym…

All the things we feel obligated to do that we never wanted to do in the first place.  And that includes WEDDINGS.

An emerging 2009 wedding trend is more guests RSVP’ing “Regrets” because of the recession.

In 2008, one very popular wedding location (which shall remain nameless) reported that many couples had trouble meeting their minimum guest requirements.  It appears that guests are saying NO more often, and using the economic downturn as an excuse.

This means you can probably expect to receive more No’s from your guests than usual, especially if your guests are traveling from a distance.

But the Recession Excuse can also work in your favor.

I propose a new 2009 wedding trend…

Ditch all the “obligatory” wedding invites, the cross-eyed second cousins and geeks from work that you really didn’t want to invite in the first place.  And blame in on the Recession.

It’s the perfect time to plan the wedding you want, with the people you really want in attendance, and nobody else.

How can anyone blame you?  The up side of the down economy is that it’s given you a perfect get out of jail free card.  “I really wanted to invite everyone from the office, but with the recession we can only afford to invite our family…”  “I’d love to have all the kids at my wedding, but we’ve been forced to trim out guest list because of the recession…”

The truth is, you shouldn’t have to give an excuse not to invite someone to your wedding.  It’s your day.  You should invite the guests you want and no one else.  Period.

In a perfect world we would all speak our minds.  But in this etiquette obsessed world of over-sensitive mooches who only think of themselves…the recession is the Perfect Excuse.

How is the recession impacting your wedding plans?  Leave me a comment.