Wedding Economy: The Ups and Downs

April 17, 2020

Photo by: David Clumpner, Montana, United States

We all know that the economy can go through some hard times, and be somewhat reminiscent of past recessions. However, as people cut back on non-essential little luxuries here and there, one constant remains: weddings. People don’t tend to just stop getting married due to a poor economy, nor should they! So, in an industry that keeps on going through thick and thin, what are some things to expect for the future, and what is really necessary to still make that wedding day memorable and celebratory?

Photo by: Ronan Jégaden, France

THE BAD NEWS FIRST...

Let’s first address the elephant in the room: the wedding budget. In a struggling economy, couples certainly must consider adjusting budgets and cutting costs where they can. While the amount most couples spend on weddings has generally seen a steady increase over the last few years, we can expect that to change slightly in the current environment as couples must be more mindful of budget and must consider cutting down on anything perceived as “extra.”

Photo by: Julian Kanz, Genova, Italy

However, we know to expect these changes and know that we will start to see couples altering the way they spend, focusing much more on money than they may have in the past. So, what does that mean? Well, the large, extravagant, no-costs-barred weddings might be less frequent and replaced instead by simplicity and minimalism. We can expect that the thrifty-chic wedding will become the new, modern trend, enabling couples to save in style so they have to spend less. It won’t be uncommon to see couples keeping guest lists small, and trimming down on non-essentials wherever possible.

Photo by: Aaron Storry, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom

NOW THE GOOD NEWS

This is a change that may be just in its beginnings, but it’s one we can expect to see sticking around for the foreseeable future. But that doesn’t mean that the wedding industry has to suffer, particularly for those whose services are essential. You just have to make sure it’s known that your wedding photojournalism services are, indeed, necessary.

Photo by: Lyndsey Goddard, London, United Kingdom

As couples try to cut corners to save or trim back their budget, fortunately, their vendors will be the last place they start. Some wedding industry vendors provide essential services to their clients, like photography. One process of logic might lead some to think that they could forego a professional photographer, but this would be a huge mistake as wedding photojournalists are truthfully the most important vendor in the industry; an important consideration for those trying to trim the fat.

Photo by: Shaunte Dittmar, California, United States

Photographers may find themselves facing an increased battle of sorts between a rising faction of amateur wedding photographers, offering prices that professionals can’t keep up with. But what’s important to remember is that a wedding is such an important event, surely couples don’t want to look back on that day and find they have been left with a series of poor-quality, overly-posed, awkwardly-staged, or even rather cheesy and embarrassing photos. Photographs are memories, and memories of a wedding should be artful, natural, comfortable, and unique, which is a service and ability that only (WPJA) professionals can provide.

Photo by: Sylvain Bouzat, France