The Knot shows photographers are key wedding vendor

“The wedding industry was resilient throughout COVID-19 and bounced back quicker than most expected—but that doesn’t mean it was unchanged,” said Tim Chi, Chief Executive Officer at The Knot Worldwide. “Weddings look different than they did before and during the pandemic, which is why we’re calling 2023 the year of transformation. We found that after spending time apart from family and friends, celebration is more important than ever and couples are creating new ways to wow their guests. They’re also rethinking what matters most and incorporating what’s authentic to them. Couples have had to make concessions in response to economic conditions—but investing in guest experience, vendors and unique ways to celebrate are top priorities. Our findings underscore the need to evolve to keep pace with today’s couples.”

Top 5 themes and takeaways from The Knot Worldwide 2023 Global Wedding Report:

1. Guest experience

• Providing a stellar guest experience is a must in many cultures.
  • Giving favors to guests is increasingly common in Western Europe, with around 8 in 10 couples in Spain (83%), Italy (82%) and Portugal (79%) reporting giving favors.
  • Wedding fests are an emerging way to delight guests in Europe and Latin America. Inspired by music festivals, the trend typically involves neon decor, music, smoke cannons, lights and pops of color.

2. Trends

• Couples are waiting longer to get married and identifying new ways to highlight their individuality and values during their weddings.
  • Couples are increasingly marrying at an older age, especially in Western Europe where the average age to get married hovers around 35-36 years.
  • Some of the most common ways people are making their wedding authentic to them include incorporating pets, having a unique wedding theme and exploring unconventional ways to symbolize their commitment such as matching tattoos, eco-friendly elements, and beyond.

3. Technology

• The use of technology remains high among couples throughout the wedding journey, taking them from inspiration to action.
  • For example, in Peru, nearly 3 in 10 looked to YouTube for inspiration during planning. In Brazil, 63% of survey respondents downloaded apps for wedding planning so they could plan on the go.
  • In the U.S., more than half of 2022 couples video-chatted with vendors, representing an increase of 35% compared to 2019.

4. Vendors

• Couples across the globe are increasingly relying on vendors to bring their vision to life, but top priorities look different depending on the country.
  • Couples hired an average of 10 vendors for their wedding day in 2022.
  • Photographers are among the most-hired vendors across geographies, hired by 85% of couples surveyed on average, but the rest of the list varies. Dress boutiques ranked as the No. 1 category hired in the U.S.—one of the few countries where photography isn’t first. Hair and makeup artists are second in demand in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and Uruguay, while catering is the second-most important vendor for couples in France.

5. Wedding investment

• Weddings have the highest average cost in the U.S. and tend to be lower in South America, aligned with incomes and each country’s cost of living.
  • In the U.S., 2022 couples invested an average of $30K on their wedding day, while couples in Argentina spent $4K on average.
  • A major factor impacting wedding spending is the guest count, which varies widely by country. India guest counts were highest in 2022 with an average of 285 followed by Mexico (145 guests) and Brazil (125 guests).