{"id":297332,"date":"2024-10-23T14:11:38","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T03:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/?post_type=au-pro-education&p=297332"},"modified":"2025-02-06T12:06:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T01:06:45","slug":"2025-industry-insights","status":"publish","type":"au-pro-education","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/pro-education\/2025-industry-insights\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Weddings: 2025 Industry Insights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our 2025 Annual Wedding Industry Report<\/a> has officially been released! Local businesses and couples have responded to allow robust research and collate 2025 industry insights.<\/p>\n

In this year\u2019s report, we\u2019ve gathered crucial statistics that wedding vendors across the industry can use to future-proof their offerings for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n

With over 4,000 couples and 800 businesses surveyed, here are the key insights and trends you should be watching as we look ahead.<\/p>\n

To learn how your wedding venue or business can gain a competitive edge by partnering with Easy Weddings,\u00a0submit an online enquiry form here<\/a><\/strong>, and we will be in touch.<\/p>\n

\"2025
Yallamundi Rooms. Photographer: Jarred Eid from Weddings by Library.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2025 industry insights: emerging trends<\/h2>\n

The cost of weddings has increased<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s start here: weddings are getting more expensive. The average cost of a wedding is now $35,315 (with a starting budget of\u00a0 $27,455)\u2014that\u2019s an increase of 4.5% year-on-year. This means that couples are spending almost $8k more than they planned to.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Two thirds of couples get financial help from family (up 3% year-on-year), who foot 39% of the bill.<\/p>\n

Weekday weddings continue to rise<\/h3>\n

Post-COVID, we saw couples forced into weekday weddings while venues and suppliers scrambled to schedule a glut of postponed weddings.<\/p>\n

Two years on,\u00a0 for the 2025 industry insights, it shows that this trend is driven by couples feeling the pinch of the cost of living. Saturday weddings \u2014 the most expensive of them all \u2014 while still the most popular (at 55%), have seen a 2% decline \u2014 in favour of Fridays \u2014 21%.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Guest lists are shrinking<\/h3>\n

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 \u2013 we\u2019re talking exclusive guest lists. Guest lists have come down for the third year in a row, although this figure is stabilising.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Sheri McMahon<\/a> Photography<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Longer engagements are helping couples save<\/h3>\n

For the first time in our report\u2019s 10-year history, the average engagement length has increased from the usual 21-22 months to 24 months. The 2025 industry insights sees the rising cost of living as the cause for this delay. Now, couples are taking longer to plan and save for their wedding<\/p>\n

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!<\/p>\n

Couples are booking longer honeymoons<\/h3>\n

The 2025 industry insights also exposes a new trend that couples are taking long honeymoons. Some for over three weeks. This is 18% higher than last year, though the most popular honeymoon duration remains at two weeks.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

Tailored experiences are a must<\/h3>\n

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\u2014from bridal attire to pre-wedding activities\u2014are set to stand out.<\/p>\n

Old-school vs. new-school<\/h3>\n

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\u2019ll always find couples who prefer a bespoke paper invitation over the convenience of a click. It\u2019s all about what works best for the specific couple.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Longview Vineyard<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How to Future-Proof Your Business for 2025<\/h2>\n

Optimise for multi-channel planning<\/h3>\n

Couples are using a mix of social and digital channels to make key wedding planning decisions. This means that it\u2019s not enough to pick just one channel to nurture.<\/p>\n

The top three channels used by couples as they gather inspiration according to the 2025 industry insights:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Social Media (69% of couples)
\n2. Easy Weddings (64% of couples)
\n3. Google \/ Search Engines (56% of couples)<\/p>\n

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\u2013this means you\u2019ll want to build a stable of 5-star reviews and glowing testimonials! These are the top channels for seeking and enquiring:<\/p>\n

1. Social Media (57%)
\n2. Easy Weddings (50%)
\n3. Google (44%)
\n4. Word of mouth (36%)<\/p>\n

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\u2019t be disheartened\u2013try email instead.<\/p>\n

Build a strong social presence<\/h3>\n

Guess what? According to our 2025 industry insights, Gen Z are all grown up, and they\u2019re tying the knot! Each year more Gen Z (that\u2019s those born 1997 \u2013 2012, for those not in the know) are planning their weddings. It\u2019s crucial to meet these couples where they are\u2014on 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.<\/p>\n

The number one social platform used by couples is Instagram (51%) followed by Facebook\u00a0 (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.<\/p>\n

\"Photographer:
Photographer: Veri Photography<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Optimise your website<\/h3>\n

Your website is a key research touchpoint for couples. You need to make sure it\u2019s easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and packed with up-to-date, clear images. And don\u2019t forget to check that all your enquiry forms are working smoothly\u2014you don\u2019t want to miss any leads.<\/p>\n

Be consistent<\/h3>\n

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\u2019re dealing with a reliable, professional vendor.<\/p>\n

Streamline your operations<\/h3>\n

Managing inquiries and following up with leads can be time-consuming, but tools like CRMs can make your life easier. Easy Weddings\u2019 CRM, for example, helps vendors manage client communications, streamline processes, and keep potential customers moving through the sales funnel\u2014all with templates tailored to the wedding industry.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Idora Bridal<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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<\/a> for deeper insights.<\/p>\n

To learn how your wedding venue or business can gain a competitive edge by partnering with Easy Weddings,\u00a0submit an online enquiry form here<\/a><\/strong>, and we will be in touch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":297333,"template":"","au_pro_edu_tags":[13115],"class_list":["post-297332","au-pro-education","type-au-pro-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","au_pro_edu_categories-share-worthy-articles","au_pro_edu_categories-wedding-industry","au_pro_edu_tags-industry-study"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-pro-education\/297332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-pro-education"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/au-pro-education"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/297333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"au_pro_edu_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_pro_edu_tags?post=297332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}