Portobello Bride is so proud to have Bride to Be magazine as a sponsor for the Boutique Wedding Market coming up on March 26 + 27 in Melbourne [find our more info here]. Bride to Be Editor Sarah Gawthorne recently sent us some information that we found truly eye-opening and we thought you might find it interesting too.
Aussie brides spend their annual salary getting hitched!
The latest Bride to Be Cost of Love findings, released today, reveal that the average Australian wedding is now costing couples $48,296 – on par with the respondent’s average annual income.
While the average spend on a couple’s big day has increased by 73% in the last decade (three times the rate of inflation), this survey has seen the total go down by 1.8% - the first time the amount has decreased ever in the survey’s 13 year history.
“The slight decrease in the average spend is most likely reflective of the changing economic circumstances we’ve endured over the past few years,” says Bride to Be editor, Sarah Gawthorne. “Couples are still spending for their special day, but they are being more careful about how they spend their money and what they spend it on.”
The 2010 Cost of Love had its biggest number of respondents ever, revealing insights into everything wedding from the proposal to the honeymoon.
Among the findings, 1 in 3 couples will now announce their engagement via social networking avenues such as Facebook or Twitter. Despite this, tradition is making a big comeback in other areas. White wedding dresses are growing in popularity again, 4 in 5 women will take their husband’s surname, 27% will try and get pregnant within the first six months of getting married and 92% of couples won’t sign a pre-nup.
Diamonds are still a girl’s best friend, but the popularity of other stones is growing. In particular sapphires have doubled since the last survey in 2008, and perhaps Prince William’s choice of engagement ring for Kate Middleton could be the reason for this new trend?
Australia’s growing love affair with food is also emerging at weddings, with the cost of the reception being the highest ever.
Given the choice between things like ‘committing to their partner’ and ‘creating lasting memories’, 1 in 10 brides admitted that their number one priority on the day is actually ‘looking their best’. As such, spend on hair and make-up has increased 3.5 times since we first started tracking it and the average cost of a fitness regime has increased to $408. Cosmetic procedures are also on the rise, increasing to $1183.
Interesting food-for-thought isn't it? How are you allocating the money spent for your big day? What cost-saving plans do you have in place?
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