The number of weddings is expected to near 2.5 million in the United States this year, a number not seen since 1984.
In terms of organizing large-scale events, the last few years have felt a little like learning how to drive a stick shift—difficult at first, with a lot of jerky starts and stops and plenty of unexpected stalls.
Members of the jewelry industry are well-aware of these difficulties, with the industry’s stable annual slate of events turned upside-down for going on three years now.
Many couples looking to get married have experienced it too, with COVID-19 disrupting plans for big celebrations in 2020 and 2021, leading to expectations that there will be a lot of weddings in the United States this year.
Shane McMurray, founder and CEO of market research company The Wedding Report Inc., predicts about 2.5 million couples will tie the knot in 2022 and spend an average of $24,300 on their wedding, while The Knot released a similarly bullish forecast of 2.6 million weddings.
If achieved, it’ll be the highest number of weddings in the U.S. since 1984—when baby boomers, then 20-38, were in the prime age bracket for marriage—figures compiled by McMurray from the U.S. Census Bureau show.
It’s a boom that presents an opportunity for jewelers, from wedding-day jewelry for the bride or groom, gifts the couple exchanges, or presents for members of the wedding party.
Wedding trends
Overall trends in the wedding industry mirror what’s probably the most predominant engagement ring trend right now—couples want something customized that reflects their individual personalities and relationships.
Sheavonne Harris, a wedding planner and owner of Events by Sheavonne, said she sees clients whittling down their guests lists to include only close family and friends, investing in after-parties, skipping the wedding cake in favor of other desserts—one couple she worked with had an ice cream truck—and/or doing away with the traditional bridal party.
And just as some brides opt for a colored stone engagement ring, some choose to wear wedding dresses that are not all white, whether it’s a pop of color in a sash or overlay, a subtle all-over shade, or a bold hue.
Harris said one of her recent brides wore pink while another chose green, a trend she expects to continue.
Couples want to look back on their wedding day and say, “it was exactly as we wanted it to be,” not, “we did this because we felt obligated.”
Photo © Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash.
