Our 2025 Annual Wedding Industry Report has officially been released! We’ve been running our annual survey for ten years—that’s a decade of the most robust research on the Australian wedding industry as reported by real Australian couples and businesses.
In this year’s report, we’ve gathered crucial statistics that wedding vendors across the industry can use to future-proof their offerings for the 2025 season.
With over 4,000 couples and 800 businesses surveyed, here are the key insights and trends you should be watching as we look ahead.
To learn how your wedding venue or business can gain a competitive edge by partnering with Easy Weddings, submit an online enquiry form here, and we will be in touch.
Emerging Trends Shaping the Wedding Scene
The cost of weddings has increased
Let’s start here: weddings are getting more expensive. The average cost of a wedding is now $35,315 (with a starting budget of $27,455)—that’s an increase of 4.5% year-on-year. This means that couples are spending almost $8k more than they planned to.
For the majority of couples who take a romantic getaway post-celebration, the cost rises higher still. With a honeymoon included, couples need to find $44,591 to fund this major life event.
Two thirds of couples get financial help from family (up 3% year-on-year), who foot 39% of the bill.
Weekday weddings continue to rise
Post-COVID, we saw couples forced into weekday weddings while venues and suppliers scrambled to schedule a glut of postponed weddings.
Two years on, this trend is driven by couples feeling the pinch of the cost of living. Saturday weddings — the most expensive of them all — while still the most popular (at 55%), have seen a 2% decline — in favour of Fridays — 21%.
In 2025, 55% of weddings will be on Saturday, 21% on Friday, 8% on Sunday, and 8% on Thursday. To compare, in 2016, 62% of weddings were on Saturday, 15% on Friday, 11% on Sunday, and 4% on Thursday.
Guest lists are shrinking
Gone are the days when every wedding was a massive gathering. More couples are choosing smaller, more intimate celebrations with their closest friends and family – we’re talking exclusive guest lists. Guest lists have come down for the third year in a row, although this figure is stabilising.
The average guest count is now 88, down from 89 last year, 92 the year before, and 98 pre-covid. Micro-weddings, once a necessity for couples adhering to COVID-19 gathering rules, have become a real alternative for couples who are grappling with the cost of living. Weddings with guest lists between 11 and 30 have seen a 12% increase year on year.
The number one stressor for couples is sticking to their budget (25%), followed by who to invite (15%). Couples are inviting, on average, 28 guests fewer than they would like to.
Longer engagements are helping couples save
For the first time in our report’s 10-year history, the average engagement length has increased from the usual 21-22 months to 24 months. This is linked to the rising cost of living–couples are taking longer to plan and save for their wedding
The shopping window for couples to find all their suppliers has increased. There is a longer lead time between quotes and bookings and the wedding day. Take note: Suppliers need to factor this into their pricing strategies!
Couples are booking longer honeymoons
Here’s a trend we can definitely get around! 47% of couples are now taking a honeymoon for 3 weeks or more – which is 18% higher than last year, though the most popular honeymoon duration remains at two weeks.
The cost of honeymoons has gone up 5% as couples flock to Europe and Japan to take extended honeymoons and advantage of borders being well and truly open. Just under three quarters of couples are honeymooning overseas – up a further 11% on last year.
So, what should you take away from this? Suppliers need to tweak when and how often they ask for reviews or do any post-wedding service. Firstly, make sure you’re sending those important review requests a few days after the wedding. The best practice is to follow up with another request in around two weeks.
Tailored experiences are a must
Planning a wedding can be stressful, with top concerns for couples including staying on budget (25%), keeping up with tasks (10%), and finding reliable suppliers (10%). As a result, couples are leaning toward personalised experiences that reduce stress and save time. Vendors who can offer stress-free, tailored packages—from bridal attire to pre-wedding activities—are set to stand out.
Old-school vs. new-school
In a world where technology is everywhere, couples are rethinking ways to plan and host their wedding. An example of this is the trend of email invitations or social media updates instead of traditional mail-out invitations. Of course, you’ll always find couples who prefer a bespoke paper invitation over the convenience of a click. It’s all about what works best for the specific couple.
How to Future-Proof Your Business for 2025
Optimise for multi-channel planning
Couples are using a mix of social and digital channels to make key wedding planning decisions. This means that it’s not enough to pick just one channel to nurture.
The top three channels used by couples as they gather inspiration are:
1. Social Media (69% of couples)
2. Easy Weddings (64% of couples)
3. Google / Search Engines (56% of couples)
To find and enquire with suppliers, couples are relying on the same sources, with word of mouth playing an additional important role in shortlisting vendors. During this phase, social proof is vital–this means you’ll want to build a stable of 5-star reviews and glowing testimonials! These are the top channels for seeking and enquiring:
1. Social Media (57%)
2. Easy Weddings (50%)
3. Google (44%)
4. Word of mouth (36%)
When it comes to communicating with suppliers, couples prefer email over any other method. If you feel that couples are screening your calls, they might just be phone-shy. Don’t be disheartened–try email instead.
Build a strong social presence
Guess what? Gen Z are all grown up, and they’re tying the knot! Each year more Gen Z (that’s those born 1997 – 2012, for those not in the know) are planning their weddings. It’s crucial to meet these couples where they are—on social media. Having a strong presence, specifically on TikTok and Instagram not only helps you engage with potential clients but also adds credibility to your business.
The number one social platform used by couples is Instagram (51%) followed by Facebook (19%) and Pinterest (17%), but for emerging Gen Z couples, TikTok is the next channel to prioritise, with 7% already using the platform to plan their weddings.
Optimise your website
Your website is a key research touchpoint for couples. You need to make sure it’s easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and packed with up-to-date, clear images. And don’t forget to check that all your enquiry forms are working smoothly—you don’t want to miss any leads.
Be consistent
From your website to your social media and face-to-face interactions, consistency is key. A cohesive brand experience builds trust and ensures couples know they’re dealing with a reliable, professional vendor.
Streamline your operations
Managing inquiries and following up with leads can be time-consuming, but tools like CRMs can make your life easier. Easy Weddings’ CRM, for example, helps vendors manage client communications, streamline processes, and keep potential customers moving through the sales funnel—all with templates tailored to the wedding industry.
Want to learn more about how to set your business up for success in the 2025 wedding season? Reach out to the Easy Weddings team to dive into our latest Australian Wedding Industry Report for deeper insights.
To learn how your wedding venue or business can gain a competitive edge by partnering with Easy Weddings, submit an online enquiry form here, and we will be in touch.
