Twenty-eight-year-old Gracia Di N’zau Mbudi and his fiancé got engaged in April and plan to marry in August 2025. Despite having money set aside for their big day, Di N’zau Mbudi is continually surprised by unexpected costs.
“We grossly underestimated the price of everything,” says Di N’zau Mbudi. “If we were starting at zero, whoa! I would have stayed engaged for at least two or three years.”
Internet and Industry
According to a report by the Business Research Company, the global wedding service market will grow to US$219.8 billion by the end of 2024, and is forecasted to reach $327.19 billion in 2028.
The industry’s growth isn’t going unnoticed. Popular social media accounts are using the increased demand to reach their audience. A recent post even suggests what days couples should avoid across the next three years to save money.
Similarly, TikTok users, with over 4.3 million posts, help to leverage the wedding market by using the hashtag #weddingtiktok.
The post-COVID crunch
Most people find it stressful enough to plan their big day once engaged. Today, couples feel overwhelmed before anyone gets down on one knee.
Local wedding photographer, Keeley Cannings, says she’s already getting inquiries about dates two years from now — some of those are from couples who aren’t yet engaged.
Cannings says, “[COVID-19] created a serious panic for those considering marriage.”
Cohort restrictions and pandemic precautions caused couples to either postpone their festivities or hold intimate ceremonies in backyards, living rooms or sometimes over Zoom. However, most people sought an unrestricted, limitless celebration.
By 2022, couples were finally able to host their weddings their way. As a result, longer engagements, weekday ceremonies, extensive plans and smaller guest counts have become the norm.
The rise of micro-weddings is a growing trend and a direct result of both the pandemic and inflation. Cannings says having a large guest list can contribute to both price and stress.
Inflation and beyond
Couples like Di N’zau Mbudi and his partner are trying to navigate this new era of wedding preparation. However, a small wedding isn’t always an option.
Di N’zau Mbudi is Congolese, and his partner is from Latin America. The number of people they include in their special day is culturally important for them both.
“My fiancé and I are the first of our immediate families to get married, so there’s a lot of hype,” says Di N’zau Mbudi. “Eloping and having a small gathering was out of the question.”
Like many others who are wedding planning Di N’zau Mbudi is looking at the industry from a long-term perspective. He says, “If the institution of marriage remains so prevalent in our society, then the industry will be booming for a very long time.”
