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Wedding Industry Struggles to Keep Pace With New Marriages

Image Credit: iStock, kkshepel

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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s engagement may be winning all the headlines, but they may not be able to book a venue and finally, finally, finally tie the knot until next year.

Following delays spurred by endless Covid waves, newlyweds are turning 2022 into a landmark year for weddings. While this may at long last be the year you master all the steps to the Electric Slide, the nuptials industry is struggling to keep pace.

For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll

Pent-up wedding demand has led to 2.5 million expected ceremonies in the US this year, marking a 30% increase from last year’s already strong bounceback, according to trade group The Wedding Report. It’s the highest figure since couples had their first dance to Prince’s Purple Rain and partied the night away to Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark in 1984.

Like everything these days, weddings are a story of massive demand and insufficient supply. The result is — you guessed it — inflating prices across the board:

  • Average spending on weddings already jumped 25% to more than $27,000 last year, according to The Wedding Report, and wedding planners say they expect costs to increase even further this year.
  • DJs and wedding singers are booking three events a day, while venues are hosting receptions every day of the week (yes, even Mondays), according to The Washington Post.

Say Yes to the Dress: An estimated 80% of wedding dresses are imported from China, according to The Washington Post, but coronavirus outbreaks and subsequent city-wide lockdowns are threatening to shatter the supply chain. Brides are turning to hand-me-downs from mothers and grandmothers to fill the void, and tailors are working overtime to keep up with alterations – potentially saving countless couples from delaying their special day yet again.