EW 2022 AnnualSurvey

2022
AU STRAL IAN WE D D I N G I N D U STRY R E P O RT
1
Welcome
Welcome to Easy Weddings’ 2022 Australian Wedding
Industry Report. This is our 7th edition of the largest
national wedding survey, which gathered data from
350+ wedding businesses and 2,500+ engaged and
recently married couples.
In the survey responses, it’s clear that planning a
wedding or running a wedding business during a
pandemic has been frustrating, demotivating, and
sometimes, heartbreaking. But, it’s also been uplifting
to hear stories about flexibility, professionalism,
compassion and understanding.
Looking ahead, the survey responses suggest many
of the norms around weddings and wedding planning
are being rewritten. Couples are either planning much
further in advance to book suppliers in 2023 and beyond
or are rushing to get married in a matter of weeks after
experiencing long delays. Weekday weddings may be
more commonplace and intimate, luxury weddings are
likely to grow in popularity.
And of course, the sheer number of weddings will bring
a new set of challenges to businesses and couples with
our estimate being for 148,000 weddings in 2022 -
about 30,000 more than usual. Many couples who wed
during the past 18 months still intend to hold delayed
celebrations with extended family and friends, making
up for any COVID-compromises theyhad to make.
We hope the enclosed stats help bring into focus what
matters most to couples and where best to spend
your energy in the coming year. We congratulate all
business owners and staff who have made it through
these extremely difficult times and it’s our mission to
continue supporting you as the industry’s recovery
moves into full swing.
Thank you (again) for your resilience, tenacity and
passion. The next two years will be huge for our
industry as it recovers like never before. You’ve earned
every success that comes your way.
Matt Butterworth
CEO and Founder | Easy Weddings
P
2 H OT O G R A P H Y : K E V I N L U E P H OT O G R A P H Y
Contents
COVID Impact 04
Weddings in Australia 08
The Average Australian Couple 10
Wedding Buying Cycle 12
Themes + Styles 14
Category Insights + Trends 15
Honeymoons 52
Destination Weddings 53
Customer Service 54
General Feedback 56
About Easy Weddings 58
3
COVID Impact
Australian Couples
72% of couples reported that COVID increased stress and anxiety around wedding planning
48% had to postpone their day or delay setting a date*
18% had a small ceremony and postponed their reception
37% couldn’t visit their wedding suppliers in person
44% were forced to invite fewer guests
37% live-streamed their ceremony
Couples reported a broad range of perspectives about trying to plan a wedding during COVID. What’s clear
from those who eventually did manage to get hitched is that despite it not being what they first imagined,
their day turned out to be as good, and sometimes, a better celebration in the face of difficulty. It’s proof —
love always wins in the end!
It took a while for us to realise that it would be a perfect day as long as we got
married and had close family and friends by our side.
*This number varied significantly across the country, driven largely by NSW and ACT ( 64% each) and VIC (51%).
4
Are COVID Weddings Here To Stay?
Even after weddings are no longer impacted by COVID restrictions, couples have got a feeling
that some wedding trends are here to stay.
46% Outdoor Weddings
37% Weekday Weddings
24% Live-Streamed Weddings
How Many Times Weddings Were Postponed
75%
50%
25%
1 2 3 4+
55% 27% 12% 6%
Of the couples who had to postpone their wedding date, more than half moved their date once, 27%
delayed twice and the remaining 18% had to delay three times or more.
Changes To The Wedding Budget
arrow-down 22% Less Budget Per Guest arrow-up 20% More Budget Per Guest equals 58% Same Budget Per Guest
58% of wedding budgets (per guest) were unaffected by COVID, and a further 20% of
couples actually spent more money per guest.
5
COVID Impact
Australian Wedding Businesses
1% Permanently Closed
18% Temporarily Closed 55% Open But Struggling
20% Business As Usual 6% Booming
81% of wedding businesses reported being open (albeit struggling); operating as normal; or in a small
percentage (6%), enjoying greater prosperity than pre-COVID years. Just 1% of businesses reported
having to close permanently.
Of the businesses who reported revenue being negatively impacted by COVID, the average response
was a loss of -69%. Not surprisingly, Victoria and New South Wales were the states who contributed
most to this result, reporting average losses of 75% and 82% respectively.
46% of wedding suppliers pivoted their businesses in 2021, either through diversification into other
wedding-related categories or unrelated markets, or innovating within their own category.
Wedding Business Optimism: The Future Looks Bright

square 2022 square 2023
45%
30%
15%
0%
Not At All Confident Not So Confident Somewhat Confident Very Confident Extremely Confident
1
square % square 3% square 3% square 15% square 26% square 44% square 40% square 25% square 30% square 13%
82% of wedding businesses are feeling somewhat, very, or extremely confident about weddings in 2022.
In 2023, this confidence increases to around 96%, with the majority (70%) reporting feeling very or
extremely optimistic, which is a great sign. The wedding boom is coming!
6
COVID Impact
2022 and Beyond
Projected Annual Weddings Growth
150,000
125,000
100,000
75,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
113,815 78,989 85,000 148,000 143,000 133,000
Based on Easy Weddings booking data, vaccination progress, borders reopening, and wedding business
optimism, 2022 is set to be a bumper year in weddings as couples are finally able to plan with confidence
and walk down the aisle. Many couples who eloped or held micro-weddings during the pandemic will hold
deferred wedding receptions in 2022. The trend continues in 2023 before tailing off slightly in 2024.
Would Couples Consider a

Weekday Wedding in 2022?
75%
50%
25%
0%
Yes No
56% 44%
More than half of couples said they’d consider

postponing their wedding to a weekday. Phew!
That helps wedding vendors a lot.
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : T- O N E I M A G E 7
Weddings in Australia
In 2019 there were 113,815 marriages across Australia. In 2020, there were just 78,989*
In 2021 there were approximately 85,000 registered marriages.^
In 2022, we predict weddings will increase to 170,000+
NT
1% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost
$ 2 5 , 727
QLD
20% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost
$26,501
NSW
34% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost
WA
$35,993
10% of all weddings

AVG wedding cost
$30,045
ACT
1% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost
SA $26,124
7% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost TAS
VIC
$29,549
25% of all weddings
2% of all weddings
AVG wedding cost
AVG wedding cost
$ 2 6 , 1 79
$33,422
$32,228 is the average cost of a wedding in Australia
$ 2 5 , 377 arrow-circle-down 1% Couples spend 26% more than their

is the average original wedding budget original wedding budget.
*Official marriage statistics from Australian Bureau of Statistics

^Easy Weddings estimate based on partially released ABS data
+Including postponed wedding receptions of ceremonies that occurred during 2020 and 2021
8 P H OT O G R A P H Y : V E R I P H OT O G R A P H Y
How Couples Choose a Wedding Date
heart
heart
heart
heart
heart
26% 23% 10%

Venue Availability Season Day Has Special Meaning
The Most Popular Months to Get Married in 2022
15%
10%
5%
0%
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
7% 11% 14% 13% 8% 4% 3% 4% 10% 14% 9% 3%
Make the most of additional weekend capacity for weddings in January, April, July, October, and
December in 2022 as these months have five Saturdays.
The 10 Most Popular Dates for Clearly, couples are still very keen to host Saturday
Weddings in 2022 weddings, even though wedding venues will be
Ranked in order continuing to fulfil postponed weddings from
2020 and 2021. 56% of couples indicated they’d
OCT chevron-right
FEB chevron-right
OCT chevron-right
MAR chevron-right
MAR chevron-right
consider moving their wedding to a weekday so it
22 12 15 19 12
will be interesting to see how bookings fill up around
these popular dates. The number one wedding date
chevron-right
APR chevron-right MAR chevron-right APR chevron-right MAR chevron-right OCT chevron-right
reported was 22/10/22 - couples love those easy-to-
2 5 9 26 1
remember dates!
Autumn Spring Summer Winter

The Most Popular Wedding Season 35% 33% 21% 11%
9
The Average Australian Couple
32# 31#
Average age of grooms Average age of brides
Will invite 100 guests to their wedding*
Have 8 people in their wedding party including themselves^
Are engaged for 21 months+
Will spend $5,500 on an engagement ring
91% of couples are getting married for the first time
40% are having a multi-day celebration
45% are paying for their wedding on their own
45% are combining finances with aid from both their families
77% have just one partner doing most of the wedding planning
#In same-sex unions, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the median marriage age of males in 2020 was 37 years and for females, 35 years.
*The desired guest count stands at 100 however COVID saw this year’s average guest count fall by 20% to 80 guests nationally.
^The second most popular wedding party size is 10 people including the couple.
+In pre-pandemic years.
10 P H OT O G R A P H Y : S A LT AT E L I E R
How Do Couples Meet?
30%
20%
10%
0%
Friends/Family Work At a Venue Social Media School/Uni Speed Dating Social/Sports Club Dating App Other
24% 12% 8% 6% 15% 1% 6% 21% 7%
What’s Appropriate to Spend on How Couples Receive

a Wedding Gift? Wedding Gifts
The average cost of a wedding gift in 2021 is $155, but

for close friends and family, it almost doubles to $293.
square Wishing Well 69% square Gift Registry 5%
Since the same time last year, guests have become
square Both 14% square Neither 11%
more generous with gift-giving, spending an average square Charity Donations 1%
of $43 more on wedding gifts. It appears pandemics
make the heart grow fonder!
The Most Popular

Will You Be Having a Engagement Dates in 20-21
Hens/Bucks Party?
FEB DEC AUG AUG
14 25 14 21
2021 2020 2021 2021
100% DEC
31
2020
75%
DEC JUL SEP JAN
50% 24 17 10 1
2021 2021 2021 2021
25%
12% of engagements happen in December, with 6%

0
Yes - Yes - Just One Of

Separately Together Us Is No occurring between Christmas and New Year. The most
80% 8% 6% 6% popular month to pop the question, however, is August,
with 16% of all engagements taking place in the final
month of winter.
11
Wedding Buying Cycle
While it’s not an exact science, planning a wedding is like in accommodation mode, book that for your wedding
learning how to cook. You need to know the ingredients night (and hotel blocks for any out-of-towners) too.
and what order to prepare them in. Generally speaking,
While that’s being sorted, you can plan the rest of your
couples should book their wedding venue (and caterer
reception - a cake, decorations, and photo booth. Then,
if required), a wedding planner (if desired) and a
have fun dressing your wedding party - bridesmaid
marriage celebrant first. Once these are decided, then
dresses, hair and makeup and formal wear. With your
it’s time to lock in a photographer (and videographer),
wedding vision complete, your invitations designer
and go wedding dress shopping.
will know exactly what to create, and you can breathe
From here, start to focus on how your wedding will easy planning out the remaining elements of your day
look and feel, with music, cars, florals, a stylist (if - rings, shoes, bomboniere, lingerie, wedding services,
desired) and wedding hire (like a marquee, if needed). accessories, a hens and bucks party and any beauty
Honeymoon planning is a whole project in itself, so don’t services.
forget to leave plenty of time for that, and while you’re
12 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : M A P L E A N D J U N E W E D D I N G P H OT O G R A P H Y
start
Cakes Decorations
finish
Photo Booth
Venue Accommodation
Beauty Services
Catering Honeymoon
Bridesmaid Dresses
Hens/Bucks Party
Wedding Planner Hair & Makeup
Wedding Hire Accessories
Formal Wear
Celebrant Stylist Wedding Services
Flower Girls
Photography Flowers Lingerie
Invitations
Wedding Dress Cars Bomboniere
Videography Music Jewellery Shoes
13
Wedding Themes & Styles
The Top 10 Wedding Styles
Garden/ Outdoors Romantic Rustic
40% 36% 29%
Modern Classic/Traditional Minimalist
22% 21% 20%
Cultural/Religious Vintage Bohemian Eco-friendly
11% 9% 7% 7%
For the first time in years, “rustic” is no longer the most popular wedding theme! Not surprisingly, COVID has
created a top spot for garden/outdoor weddings. In second place is “romantic” now more popular than rustic,
which has dropped to third place. Modern, classic and minimalist weddings were each favoured by around 20% of
couples, and fewer than 10% of couples cited their style as boho, vintage, eco-friendly and cultural/religious.
P H OT O G R A P H Y :
T W O T R I B E S E V E N T S | M Y S C A N D I S T Y L E P H OT O G R A P H Y | D U U E T P H OT O G R A P H Y | B L A C K AV E N U E P R O D U C T I O N S
T H E O D O R E & C O | P H A O P H OT O G R A P H Y | H E AT H E R E A S T P H OT O G R A P H Y | S P L E N D I D P H OT O S A N D V I D E O
S A M W Y P E R P H OT O G R A P H Y | F O R E V E R U S | M Y S C A N D I S T Y L E P H OT O G R A P H Y
14
Insights + Trends
By Supplier Category
P H OT O G R A P H Y : F O X & W I L D I N G 15
Wedding Venues
Insights from Australian Couples

C U S T O M E R H A P P I N E S S 4.9 / 5
The wedding venue is the largest component of a and exceptional service from the venue manager when
couple’s wedding budget, comprising on average, 43% deciding where to host their big day. The average couple
of their total wedding spend. It’s also the first supplier wishes to have 100 guests at their wedding and more
they book. Couples are looking for a combination of than three-quarters book accommodation in addition.
style and atmosphere; a price that fits with their budget;
16 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : C A R G O H A L L | M E O W E D D I N G S
Facts + figures
• 90% of couples book a wedding NT*

venue
• 25% set their wedding date QLD
$11,363
based on their favourite venue’s
availability
• 43% of a couple’s wedding budget
is spent on the reception venue
• 77% of couples book NSW
accommodation for their wedding $15,002
WA
• 40% of weddings are multi- $12,154
day celebrations; 40% of

ACT
accommodation booked is at the SA $11,825
$14,040
couple’s reception venue
VIC TAS
$8,658
$14,911
$13,901 is the average cost of a wedding venue in Australia arrow-circle-up 1%
Most important factors in choosing a wedding venue
87% 81% 69% 64%
Style & Atmosphere Right Price Helpful Venue Manager Food & Beverage Options
More than half of couples also value a variety of photo opportunities, convenient venue location, and a great wet weather alternative.
Where couples feel suppliers excel: Where couples feel suppliers could improve:
Couples weren’t restricted to preferred suppliers Lack of communication from event manager created
Event manager was passionate about their job unnecessary worry
Planning process remained the same after event Change in event managers with no proper handover
manager changed resulting in repeating booking process
Older properties were taken care of and in good Tables laid out differently on the day than agreed to
condition Allowed guest numbers were a tight squeeze
Variety of packages to choose from Event manager lacked initiative when it came to
Able to consult with florists and styling teams to solving issues
maximise space Uncooperative with other vendors working on the
wedding
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : T H E R I T Z C A R LT O N P E R T H 17
* L I M I T E D D ATA F O R N T T O P R O V I D E A R E L I A B L E AV E R A G E
Insights from Australian Wedding Venues
On average, wedding venues in Australia:

• Employ 8 permanent staff
• Have operated for 8 years
• Spend 14% of their revenue on marketing and
advertising
Social Media Platforms Used by Wedding Venues
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
instagram facebook pinterest snapchat twitter youtube

96% 91% 22% 4% 11% 9% 22%
Paid Marketing Channels Used By Wedding Venues
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Easy Other Google Paid SEO Facebook/

Weddings* Directories Adwords Services Instagram Ads Magazines Expos Other
96% 40% 22% 18% 64% 24% 38% 9%
*Easy Weddings data is skewed positively as most survey responders were current clients.
18
watch
The most common enquiry response time for wedding venues is within 24 hours (53%) followed by within 1 hour (20%).
Venue Pivots: Pain Points:

60% of wedding venues pivoted their business during • Brand awareness
COVID. They: • Council-imposed wedding restrictions
• Diversified into other wedding categories like • Rebuilding
wedding planning • Rent
• Added private dining options • Staff retention
• Offered takeaway menus • Finding good quality hospitality staff amid a
• Added more packages for couples hospitality shortage
• Reimagined packages for smaller weddings and • Navigating weather concerns
elopements • Breaking into established markets
• Added new buildings to the property for different
purposes such as a gift shop and teahouse
• Focused on e-commerce and merchandise sales
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : I V Y B A L L R O O M 19
WEDDING DRESSES
NT
Insights from $2,800
Australian Couples QLD

$2,069
Weddings are a reflection of a couple’s

personal style and, perhaps more than any
other decision, this is true of the wedding
NSW
gown. Three-quarters of brides purchase WA $2,501
their dress brand new and a further 18% $2,096
have their gown custom made. Given this is

a highly emotive purchase, 76% of brides ACT
$2,034
will keep their wedding gown to cherish long
after the day has been and gone. Brides are SA
$2,190
looking for boutiques they can work with to
TAS
modify or embellish designs to their taste. VIC $1,463
$2,640
$2,316 is the average cost of a wedding dress in Australia Arrow-circle-down 3%
Did you purcase special lingerie for Where will you get your wedding
your wedding? gown from?
square Yes69% square Purchase Brand New75% square Purchase Pre-Loved 5%

square No 31% square Custom Designer 18% square Other 2%
Dress fit comfortably Bride encouraged to spend more than their budget
Able to add extra styling to the dress such as lace Limited payment options, eg. only able to pay in full
Ensured the bride was involved in the design and Service inconsistent between team members
alteration process start to finish Bookings mixed up and wrong dress provided at
Provided regular fittings to ensure measurements fittings
were the same Would not allow fittings earlier than two weeks
Took on unconventional ideas and requirements before the wedding
with no judgement Final dress given to bride without a dress bag to
Not forced to use the in-store alterations service protect it
20 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : B L A N C H B R I D A L | L I G H T H E A R T F I L M S & P H OT O G R A P H Y
C AT E R I N G
NT*
Insights from
$4,151
Traditional alternate-drop meals still make up

the largest portion of catering styles among
Australian couples, at 43%. The remaining
NSW
57% is divided between various styles (such WA $5,839
$5,416
as roving finger food, food trucks, buffets,
grazing tables and feasting platters), and
the one thing these all have in common is ACT
$6,643
that guests are given a choice. Couples are
looking for suppliers who cater to a variety of SA
$6,000
specific dietary needs. Half of all couples want

TAS
vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, VIC $5,093
while 26% will be serving gluten-free. $5,853
$5,368 is the average cost of wedding caterers in Australia Arrow-circle-up 18%
What style of catering are you having for your What dietary options are you including?
square Alternate Drop 43% square Food Trucks 7% square Gluten-free 26% square Religious 4%
square Buffet 15% square Grazing/Feasting Table 18% square Vegan 13% square Dairy/Nut/Shell-Fish Free 14%
square Roving/Finger Food 12% square Other 8% square Vegetarian 37% square Other 6%
Where couples feel suppliers xcel: Where couples feel suppliers could improve:
Added requested items that were not on their Correct number of courses not provided on the
usual menus night
Able to match tableware/serving platters to Verbal agreements were taken back

wedding theme/styling Food stations lacked presentation
Visited venue beforehand to work out logistics of setup Requesting a last-minute change to the couple's
Service included all other supplies e.g. cutlery and run sheet to suit their own timeframe
napkins if required Owners/managers changed after booking and
Extra intolerance-specific meals made just in case some requirements were not honoured
Food quality was the same at the tasting and on

the night
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : C R E AT I V E C AT E R I N G 21
Marriage Celebrants

C U STO M E R HAP P I N E S S 5 / 5
The vast majority of Australian couples choose to be couples, with 85% choosing to include personal vows
married by a civil marriage celebrant. They are most in either a portion or all of their ceremony. Couples
looking for celebrants who embody warmth and a also value strong attention to detail by their celebrants,
sense of humour. Personalisation is a big deal for most given the legal nature of the union.
22 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : W E D D I N G S B Y YA Z M I N
Facts + figures
NT
$ 72 5
• 80% of marriages in Australia QLD

are officiated by a civil marriage $ 670
celebrant*
• 87% of couples surveyed said they
will book or have booked a celebrant
for their wedding
NSW
• 66% of wedding ceremonies are $ 779
‘unplugged’, meaning guests are

WA
$ 675
asked not to use their phones

• 54% of couples want to write their SA
ACT
own vows and 31% like a mix of
$644
$643
traditional and personal

VIC TAS
$532
$811
$ 770 is the average cost of a marriage celebrant in Australia arrow-circle-down 1%
What kind of vibe do you want from your celebrant?
Warm Funny Wise Extrovert Religious

43% 25% 3% 2% 8%
Ensured they were aware of outfit requirements Didn't share the ceremony with the couple so they
to match styling/theme of the ceremony were unaware of what was being said
Encouraged couple to personalise as much as they Names pronounced incorrectly
wanted Mistakes made on legal documents
Explained the process step by step to ensure the Photos used in promotional material without
couple knew what was required permission, including young children
Responses and explanations were always detailed Copies of vows were lost
Provided flexibility around meeting times
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : S A M L AV E R Y - T H E C E L E B R A N T 23
*A U S T R A L I A N B U R E A U O F S TAT I S T I C S
Insights from Australian Marriage Celebrants
On average, marriage celebrants in Australia:

• Are sole traders (95%) who work from home (95%)
• Have been marrying couples for 7 years
• Spend 25% of their revenue on marketing and advertising
• Work 15 additional hours outside the wedding itself
• Are among 9700+ registered celebrants across the
country
Social Media Platforms Used by Marriage Celebrants
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

77% 94% 11% 1% 9% 3% 14%
Paid Marketing Channels Used by Marriage Celebrants
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

91% 30% 17% 13% 51% 9% 26% 11%

24
watch
The most common enquiry response time for marriage celebrants is within 1 hour (47%) followed by within the day (30%).
Marriage Celebrant Pivots: Pain Points:
32% of marriage celebrants pivoted their business • Highly competitive market

during COVID. They: • Cash flow and forecasting challenges amid
• Diversified into funerals uncertainty
• Created new packages and services • Strong price competition leads to the perception
that celebrants aren't important
• Branched out into other wedding-related
categories like wedding hire and photography • Breaking into a highly established market
• Focused efforts on small ceremonies, micro- • Navigating SEO and social media
weddings and elopements • As a sole trader, only being able to perform one
• Focused on memorials and vow renewals wedding a day
• Split packages into legals now, renewal later • Juggling business with other full- or part-time work
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : J O R D A N VA S S A L L O - C E L E B R A N T & M C 25
VIDEOGRAPHY
NT*
Insights from
$2,605
Videography continues to gain momentum

as a must-have wedding service at Australian
weddings. 78% of couples will have their
NSW
wedding filmed, up 50% on last year. WA $3,034
Videography was more heavily in demand $2,684
during COVID with decreased guest lists

prompting professionally live-streamed ACT
ceremonies. When couples decide to include $2,385
videography, more than 60% pay for a pro. SA

$2,481
Receiving a sneak peek highlights reel soon
after the wedding is important to couples. TAS
VIC $1,856
$ 2 , 876
$2,817 is the average cost of a wedding videographer in Australia Arrow-circle-up 9.5%
78% of couples will have someone film their wedding.
Of these, 61% will hire a professional videographer.
47%
of couples said they want to choose their How long will you hire a videographer for?
own wedding video soundtrack,
square Ceremony Only 7%
square Ceremony + Some of the Reception 37%
32% would like to collaborate. 23% said they trust their
videographer’s music selection. square The Whole Day 56%
Worked together with the photographer to ensure Back-ups of footage not created, resulting in
they were not in each other's way footage being lost post-wedding
Visited the venue prior to scope out where their Every additional edit came with a charge
cameras could be placed discreetly Extras that were agreed upon were missing from
Took the time to understand what the couple the invoice
wanted out of their video Equipment was not set up with adequate time
Felt like requesting edits was easy prior to the ceremony starting
Able to provide music suggestions for montages Videographer did not work well with other vendors
when the couple was unsure Raw footage not provided as per contract
Quick release of highlights/sneak peeks
26 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : FA B L E W E D D I N G F I L M S
WEDDING HIRE
NT
Insights from N.A.

$2,315
More than half of Australian couples hire

furniture and styling props for their big day.
They seek full-service companies who will
NSW
take care of delivery, setup, and pickup; and WA $2,431
who work well with their chosen wedding $2,038
venue. In previous years around 10% couples

hired a marquee for their wedding. COVID ACT
has seen garden and outdoor weddings move N.A.
to first place as couples’ preferred wedding SA

60%
$ 1 , 76 8
style and of suppliers believe this
trend will continue long after restrictions TAS
VIC N.A.
have ended - a win for many wedding hire $2,234
businesses!
$2,195 is the average cost of wedding hire in Australia Arrow-circle-down 9.5%
Are you hiring furniture/styling props for your wedding?

square Yes 57% square No 43%
Provided a complete package of delivery, setup, and Did not have a backup plan to deliver items so
pack down items did not get delivered on the day
Arranged with the venue directly to deliver items Items provided were not in same condition as
when viewed prior
Able to source unconventional items
Disorganised with booking details and mixed up
Easy selection directly from website stock list
with other bookings
Explained logistics of sizing and any issues that
Slow replies for simple questions
might arise
Clear on what items would need permission to be
used by the venue
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : W I L D H E A R T E V E N T S | M Y S C A N D I S T Y L E P H OT O G R A P H Y 27
* L I M I T E D D ATA F O R N T A D N TA S T O P R O V I D E A R E L I A B L E AV E R A G E
Wedding Photography

Wedding photographers are one of the first suppliers 61%. Likewise, more couples are choosing to purchase
a couple books, after their venue and celebrant. Most an album from their photographer, up 33% on last year.
couples will pay for a professional photographer to Couples love working with photographers they are
capture their day. The trend towards candid photography comfortable with, especially when feeling camera-shy.
continues, jumping by 39% on the previous year to
28 P H OT O G R A P H Y : K E V I N L U E P H OT O G R A P H Y
Facts + figures
NT
• 91% of couples will have a $1,820
professional photographer at their

QLD
wedding $ 2 , 72 5
• 36% commemorate their

engagement with a professional
engagement shoot
• 60% purchase a wedding album
from their photographer, up 33% NSW
$ 3 , 70 2
on last year’s poll WA
42% of couples most value
$2,842
•
photographs of the ceremony, ACT
followed by wedding party location SA $ 2 , 9 27
$ 2 , 75 2
shots (19%)
• 66% of couples ask guests not VIC TAS
$ 2 , 1 78
to take photos with their phones $ 3 , 0 74
during the ceremony
$3,152 is the average cost of wedding photography in Australia Arrow-circle-up 5.5%
What style of wedding photography do you

square Candid/Natural 61% square Highly Edited/Fine Art3%
square Traditional/Posed 3% square Mix of Traditional/Candid 33%
Pre-reception photos were taken in a quick and Extremely long timeframes to receive photos
orderly fashion Multiple photos of the same group doing the same
Able to explain their process in a way the couple pose provided in final photos
understood Paid for a second photographer but only one
Visited the wedding venue with the couple to showed up
scope out photography locations Did not take couple's ideas and suggestions into
Displayed the same passionate attitude from start consideration
to finish of the long day The photographer did not seem interested or
Provided direction and guidance without being rude passionate on the day
Worked well with videographers to not get in each Chose inconvenient spots to stand to take
other's way ceremony photos
P H OT O G R A P H Y : PA U L W I N Z A R P H OT O G R A P H Y 29
Insights from Australian Wedding Photographers
On average, wedding photographers in

Australia:
• Have photographed weddings for 7 years
Social Media Platforms Used by Wedding Photographers
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

100% 92% 19% 0% 0% 12% 8%
Paid Marketing Channels Used by Wedding Photographers
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

100% 27% 15% 4% 46% 15% 35% 4%

30
watch
The most common enquiry response time for wedding photographers is within 24 hours (46%) followed by within 1 hour (27%).
Photographer Pivots: Pain Points:
54% of wedding photographers pivoted their business • Juggling the craft of photography with being an
entrepreneur
during COVID. They:
• Resilience
• Diversified into cinematography/video • Finding great staff
• Focused on inspiration shoots • Lead generation
• Conducted photography workshops • Balancing work and family
• Expanded business with a team of photographers • Staying up to date with marketing trends
• Added digital Santa photos to offering • Time management
• Started retouching services • Building a business while working full- or part-time
• Created postponement support kits • Staying relevant among competition
• Offered COVID packages like small and pop-up
weddings, and virtual photo booths
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : C A S A H E R R E R A P H OT O G R A P H Y 31
WE D D I N G F LOWE R S
NT

$ 1 , 2 97
Most couples (80%) engage a wedding

florist to create arrangements for their day,
forming one of the most visual aspects that NSW
define the overall style of a wedding. Fresh WA $2,026
$1,664
flowers continue to be preferred by couples,

with three-quarters opting for real blooms
over artificial ones. Although, some couples ACT
$1,345
are opting for a mix of real and faux, especially

SA
when their preferred variety is out of season. $1,399
Whites and neutrals are the most desired

TAS
floral colour, followed by pinks, greenery, and VIC $1,261
$1,666
natives.
$1,678 is the average cost of wedding flowers in Australia Arrow-circle-up 12.5%
What kind of wedding flowers will you have? What is the main colour of your wedding
flowers?
square Real74% square Pinks15% square Brights5%
square Faux 11% square Reds 4% square Greenery 14%
square A Mix of Real and Faux 16% square Whites/Neutrals 49% square Other 13%
Visited the venue with the couple to help visualise Not enough time allowed to make changes
their ideas Design briefs not followed
Able to accommodate any issues with allergies Flowers lost quality between pickup and wedding
Had a backup option if the chosen flowers were day
unavailable Flowers booked in advance were advised the week
Felt that they were still treated well with a simple of the wedding they could not be sourced.
design Suggestions and examples not provided when
Took samples of coloured items to ensure flowers unsure of vision
matched
Made a private Pinterest board for the couple to
upload ideas
32 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : C A M I E F L E U R
FORMAL WEAR
NT*
Insights from
$1,335
The majority of grooms (65%) are opting

to purchase their suits and accessories for
their wedding, while a further 18% will have NSW
their suit custom made. Just 11% of grooms
WA $ 1 , 777
$1,495
will hire their formal wear, although this

is a more practical option for groomsmen.
The formal wear purchase is usually a joint
ACT
$1,093
decision, influenced by what the bridesmaids

SA
are wearing and the overall wedding colour $1,260
scheme. The most popular dress code for

TAS*
weddings is formal, followed equally by VIC
10%
$1,442
cocktail and semi-formal. Only of

weddings are black tie.
$1,444 is the average cost of formal wear in Australia Arrow-circle-up 1.5%
How are grooms suiting up for their wedding? What’s the dress code of your wedding?
square Purchasing 67% square Wearing own suit 2% 10%
square Black Tie square Cocktail 25%
square Hiring 11% square Borrowing 1% square Formal 32% 7%
square Casual
square Tailor-Made 19% square Semi-Formal 24% square Themed 1%
Staff were eager to please without being pushy Alterations were done incorrectly multiple times
Provided advice about colours and styling Items received with marks on them
Provided both men's and women's suits Items chosen were discontinued so not enough
available after they were ordered
Flexibility to buy or hire
Couples encouraged to spend more than their
budget
Payment options limited, eg. only able to pay in full
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : M E N S S U I T W A R E H O U S E 33
* L I M I T E D D ATA F O R N T A N D TA S T O P R O V I D E A R E L I A B L E AV E R A G E
Wedding Music

Almost three-quarters of couples want their wedding of couples are content having music as the only
music in the hands of professional musicians over entertainment at their wedding, but for those who want
attempting to do it themselves. Of these, the most more, an MC is the most sought after service. Couples
popular service is a DJ, followed by a band/DJ combo, love it when their DJ can also fulfil the role of MC.
and for fewer couples, an acoustic duo. Almost half
34 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : L I M I T E D E D I T I O N W E D D I N G B A N D
Facts + figures
NT
73% of couples will have
$1,500
•
professional wedding music for their QLD
$1,694
day
• 41% of these hire a wedding DJ
• 23% hire a DJ/band combo and
16% want just the band
• 36% will engage an MC to host NSW
their reception $ 1 , 772
WA
• 88% of couples include a first dance $1,409
at their reception
ACT
SA $1,199
$1,359
VIC TAS
$ 1 , 79 3
$2,019
$ 1 , 74 5 is the average cost of wedding music in Australia Arrow-circle-up 7.5%
What type of music will you hire for your What type of entertainment will you hire for your
square DJ 41% 8%
square Acoustic Duo square MC 36% square Fireworks 7%
square Band 16% square DJ/Band Combo 23% square Dancers 4% square Other 6%
square Soloist 6% square Other 6%
square None 47%
Played a range of music for all age groups Requested payment without producing a contract
Online portal for easy song selections or invoice
Able to provide advice on the run sheet on the Drew too much attention to the DJ booth with
night bright lights and signs
Could provide an MC service at the last minute Lacked vocal confidence/volume so guests weren't
aware of announcements
Songs were transitioned well so there was no
awkward silence Performer that was chosen was not who turned up
on the day
Able to recommend other entertainment suppliers
such as photo booths, lighting, etc Supplier showed up late and delayed ceremony start
Supplier did not follow run sheet
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : S O M E T H I N G B O R R O W E D 35
Insights from Australian Wedding Musicians
On average, wedding musicians in Australia:

Social Media Platforms Used by Wedding Musicians
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

93% 93% 4% 0% 11% 11% 64%
Paid Marketing Channels Used by Wedding Musicians
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

82% 39% 36% 14% 57% 11% 36% 21%

36
watch
The most common enquiry response time for wedding musicians is within 24 hours (43%) followed by within 1 hour (32%).
Music Pivots: Pain Points:
56% of wedding musicans pivoted their business • Brand awareness

during COVID. They: • Breaking into the market
• Added live streaming services for virtual • Communicating value

ceremonies and performances • Competing with amateaur copycat businesses
• Diversified into another wedding service like • Lack of support from banks and financial services
celebrancy • Competition
• Offered games and entertainment in lieu of • Cash flow
dancing • Band dynamics
• Focused on non-wedding markets like corporate, • Finding good staff and subcontractors
schools, and funerals
• Time management
• Promoted smaller packages
• Started a regular live-stream on socials
• Launched new upsells such as songwriting and
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : T H E FA M O ’ S 37
W E D D I N G I N V I TAT I O N S
NT*
Insights from
$569
Not surprisingly, COVID uncertainty around

wedding dates has temporarily impacted the
number of couples wanting to send physical
NSW
invitations to their guests. Just over a third WA $851
of couples are hiring a professional invitation $1,205
designer to create beautiful, printed

invitations, and just under that opt for ACT
professionally designed place cards. Couples $500
are looking for quality finishes, meticulous SA

$901
attention to detail, and flexibility with design
from their invitation suppliers. TAS*
VIC
$ 79 3
$760 is the average cost of wedding invitations in Australia Arrow-circle-up 21.5%
Where will you get your invitations from? Will you be having place cards at your wedding?
square Professional Designer 35% square Friend/Family Member 9% 30%
square Yes - Professionally Printed square No 26%
square DIY 44% square Digital Invitations 12% square Yes - Making Ourselves 37% square Not Sure 7%
Able to create a design for an unconventional Spelling mistakes not fixed up on final product
theme Envelopes received with damaged edges
Samples provided with ample time to make edits Online businesses slow to respond to queries
Quick turnaround of products once final design Ink had run/bled on some items
chosen
Quality and care didn't decline for more simple
designs
Ready-made or custom design options available
38 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : T H E H E L L O B U R E A U
WE DDI NG CAKES
NT
Insights from $ 47 5

$1,061
Wedding cakes are considered an essential

wedding staple for a vast majority of couples,
with almost all couples including a cake at
NSW
their wedding. Of these, 72% entrust a WA $ 5 74
professional cake maker to create a delicious $546
and attractive cake, being one of the most

photographed styling elements and rituals ACT
at a wedding. 39% of couples serve just $523
the cake as dessert making it an even more SA

$564
significant part of the reception. Increasingly,
intolerance cakes are being requested, and TAS
VIC $594
couples love it when they taste as delicious, if $ 579
not more, than traditional recipes.
$558 is the average cost of wedding cakes in Australia Arrow-circle-up 2.5%
How many tiers will your wedding cake have? Who will be baking your cake?
16%
square Single Tier square 3 Tiers30% square Professional Cake Maker 69% square Friend/Family Member 20%
square 2 Tiers 49% square 4+ Tiers 5% square Making it Myself 3% square Not Having a Cake 8%
Variety of different flavour combinations available Decorations added to cake by the supplier did not
match brief from couple
Was willing to make a flavour they hadn't made
before and able to taste prior to the wedding Decorations provided by the couple were not
added as requested
Sourced ingredients from local suppliers
Supplier only communicated via email, which felt
Took samples of coloured items to ensure cake
impersonal
colours matched
Supplier did not keep in contact once booking was
Intolerance-friendly cakes tasted just as good as
made
traditional cakes
Lack of communication in the lead up to the day
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : F R O S T Y C A K E S C O . 39
Wedding Cars

As well as the functional purpose of transporting one of the key moments captured on camera. Almost
couples and their bridal parties to and from the wedding, 60% of couples hire wedding transport for the day,
wedding cars are an important feature. Contributing and the engaging personality of the chauffeur adds to
to the aesthetic of the day, cars make wonderful the overall experience, as well as calming nerves before
photographic props and, such as the bride’s arrival, are the ceremony.
40 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : K O M B I S 4 U
Facts + figures
NT
$ 75 0
QLD
$880
• 59% of couples book wedding

transport for their day
• 58% of couples choose their
wedding transport together, while
8% will leave this decision up to an NSW
outside party WA
$1,318
$923
• The four most popular wedding car
styles are vintage, classic, modern
ACT
and stretch limo. SA $ 1 , 0 87
$1,009
VIC TAS
$1,000
$1,080
$1,118 is the average cost of wedding cars in Australia Arrow-circle-up 7%
How many wedding cars will you have for What kind of wedding car will you hire?
your wedding?
square Classic21% square Sports/Luxury 10%
square 1 44% square 313% square Stretch Limo 19% square Modern 21%
square 2 35% square 4 5% square Vintage 25% square Other 5%
square 5+ 4%
Allowed time for photos with the vehicle Extras not provided as paid for
Up to date technology for music facilities Disorganised over what payments had been made
Made extra stops that weren't on the itinerary already
Driver provided an entertaining service and Cars turned up unwashed on the day
showed personality Company refused to pay tolls so journey to venue
Visited all wedding locations to ensure chosen car resulted in late arrivals
was suitable for driveway Driver took couple to the wrong accommodation
post-wedding
Driver dressed too casually
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : H F W E D D I N G & H I R E C A R S | L I G H T H E A R T F I L M S & P H OT O G R A P H Y 41
Insights from Australian Wedding Car Businesses
On average, wedding car businesses in

Australia:
• Employ 5 permanent staff
Social Media Platforms Used by Wedding Car Businesses
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

82% 91% 18% 9% 18% 9% 18%
Paid Marketing Channels Used by Wedding Car Businesses
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

100% 18% 36% 27% 27% 27% 45% 9%

42
watch
The most common enquiry response times for wedding car businesses are within 1 hour and within the day both at 45.5%
Wedding Car Pivots: Pain Points:
20% of wedding car businesses pivoted their business • Learning social media
during COVID. They: • Cash flow
• Purchased a coffee van • Finding reliable drivers and employees
• Reworked packages and added new services • Retaining and motivating staff
• Offered delivery boxes for corporate clients • Brand awareness
• Diversified into weekly home delivery • Competing with unregistered and illegal car hire
operators
• Added new income streams via schools and
funerals • Rebuilding post-COVID
• Navigating strong price competition
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : E X C L U S I V E V I N TA G E W E D D I N G C A R S 43
D E C O R AT I O N S
NT

$1,660
Together, Pinterest and Instagram make

up 77% of where couples dream up decor
inspiration for their wedding. After this,
NSW
florists have the most sway. The most WA $2,313
popular individual avenue for sourcing $ 1 , 73 0
decorative pieces is by hiring, however, just

over half of couples will combine renting, ACT
purchasing and DIY to gather all the styling $1,348
pieces they need. Rustic-styled weddings are SA

$1,445
being bumped in favour of romantic styling
so decorations suppliers will do well to adapt TAS
VIC $1,200
their collections to the style shift. $2,029
$1,973 is the average cost of wedding decor in Australia Arrow-circle-up 58.5%
How will you be sourcing your wedding decor? What influences your wedding style/theme?
square Hiring32% square Making 8% square Pinterest47% square Florist 11%
square Buying 8% square Hiring/Buying/Making Combo 52% square Instagram 30% square Wedding Planner 4%
square Venue Advice 4% square Other 4%
Where couples feel suppliers excel: Where couples suppliers could improve:
Able to explain different theming styles and what Arrived late resulting in not all items being able to
items would work well be put out
Could source items that weren't on the usual stock Items were made from low-quality material and
list looked cheap
Able to adapt to changes put in place by the venue Multiple same items hired varied in condition
Provided a complete package of delivery, setup, Unreasonable prices for small extras
and pack down
44 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : C L OT H A N D C O N F E T T I
BRIDESMAIDS
NT*
Insights from
$414
The tradition of matching bridesmaids

continues to be the most popular choice at
weddings and we see this trend with hairstyles,
NSW
too. After this, couples choose silhouettes WA $903
that suit each maid individually while creating $ 787
consistency through colour. The vast majority

of bridesmaid dresses purchased are under ACT
$400, with just over half of gown price tags $ 74 5
under $200. Increasingly we are seeing SA

$680
blended wedding parties, however traditional
bride and groom parties are still the norm, and TAS*
VIC
the bride usually asks her best friend or sister $843
to be maid of honour.
$698 is the average cost of bridesmaid dresses in Australia Arrow-circle-up 5%
What are your bridesmaids wearing? What’s the most common price tag per
bridesmaid dress?
square Matching Gowns 48% square Mismatched Gowns 5%
square Same Colour/Different Styles 34% square Suits 1% square Up to $19958% square $400-799 3%
square Same Style/Different Colours 3% square Whatever They Want 9% square $200-$399 38% square $800+ 1%
Sourced the same fabric to get matching ties made Unable to accommodate bigger sizes
for the groomsmen Low-quality details such as stitching or zips not up to
Shared examples of potential dresses through scratch
online appointment booking form Dresses not ready within promised time frame
Able to tailor dresses to different heights and body Gowns arrived in different fabric than purchased
shapes Dresses damaged and not taken care of by the
Knowledgeable on latest trends and styling supplier
Dresses made internationally resulting in delays in
shipping
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : H E N K A A 45
Hair & Makeup

C U STO M E R HAP P I N E S S 5 / 5
Brides continue to love a fresh-faced look for their length hair top the list of preferred wedding hairdos.
wedding, with around half preferring natural makeup Brides are heavily in favour of having a hair and makeup
over other styles. Conversely, the next most popular trial and love that they can test out their wedding-day
style among one fifth of brides is full glam! Hollywood look while dressed up for another occasion prior to the
waves for long hair and a textured low bun for medium- wedding.
46 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : S A R A H B E Z Z I N A M A K E U P A R T I S T R Y
Facts + figures
NT*
• 92% of brides will hire a
professional makeup artist to do QLD
$668
their wedding day makeup
• 90% will hire a professional
hairstylist to do their wedding day
hair
• The most popular makeup look with
NSW
brides is nude/natural (53%) $835
WA
• The two most popular wedding $634
hairstyles at 28% each are

Hollywood waves and the textured ACT
SA $ 72 2
low bun $614
• 79% of brides will have a hair and

VIC TAS
makeup trial $505
$686
$ 72 5 is the average cost of wedding hair and makeup in Australia Arrow-circle-down 18%
What style hair will you have on your wedding What style makeup will you have on your wedding
square Textured Low Bun 28% square Half Up/Half Down 18% square Full Glam 20% square Vintage/Cat Eye 3%
square Classic High Bun 3% square Beachy Wave 20% square Nude/Natural 53% square Smoky Eye 10%
square Hollywood Waves 28% square Other 3% square Natural + Red Lip 3% square Pink Shimmer 11%
Able to provide advice if the bride didn't usually Provided an extensive list of what they needed in
wear makeup order to provide the service
Suggested to book trial in line with another occasion Careless with hot styling equipment resulting in
Different techniques available, eg. airbrushing burns to bride
Gave advice on skin and hair prep prior to the Bride's requests not taken into account
wedding Agency staff seemed disinterested
On-the-go touch-up kit provided Quality of work was not the same as the trial
Discussed preferred brands with the bride to tailor Hair style did not last the day
tastes
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : R U B Y D I D I T 47
* L I M I T E D D ATA F O R N T T O P R O V I D E A R E L I A B L E AV E R A G E .
Insights from Australian Wedding Hair & Makeup Businesses
On average, hair and makeup artists in

Australia:
• Have been in business for 12 years
Social Media Platforms Used by Hair & Makeup Artists
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

100% 94% 24% 0% 0% 12% 0%
Paid Marketing Channels Used by Hair & Makeup Artists
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

94% 12% 6% 18% 29% 18% 18% 12%

48
watch
The most common enquiry response time for hair and makeup artists is within 24 hours (47%) followed by within 48 hours (24%).
Hair & Makeup Artist Pivots: Pain Points:
24% of hair and makeup artists pivoted their business • Finding new clients
during COVID. They: • Brides expecting too much for the price
• Rebuilding post-COVID
• Diversified into e-commerce
• Cash flow and creating alternative income sources
• Offered home delivery of hair and makeup
• Finding and maintaining reliable contractors and
products
staff
• Added makeup services to their hair styling offer
• Staying motivated
• Created hair and makeup tutorials for social media
• Learning the industry
• Focused on in-salon services when possible
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : L O V E & OT H E R P H OT O G R A P H Y 49
P H OTO B O OT H H I R E
NT*
Insights from
$ 9 74
Just over half of couples are including a

photo booth of some kind at their wedding
reception as an added interactive experience
NSW
in addition to music. With a variety of booths WA $963
$ 79 9
to decide between, couple preferences
are fairly evenly distributed between: the
traditional enclosed photo booth; one run by ACT
$ 727
their photographer; innovative booths like
the Kombi van or mirror booth; and Polaroid- SA
$712
style photo booths.
VIC TAS*
$902
$905 is the average cost of photo booths in Australia Arrow-circle-down 1.5%
Are you having a photo booth at your What type of photo booth are you having at
wedding? your wedding?
square Yes51% square DIY 19% square Unique 23%

square No 49% square Traditional Enclosed 17% square Polaroid 22%
square Photographer Photo Booth 19%
Attendant kept everyone interested Table of props set up clashed with wedding theme
Offered a choice of using their own props or the Overbearing signage

couple's Props provided by couple were not used as
Offered digital copies of the photos requested
Able to customise a frame design Names misspelt or details incorrect on photo strip
50 S U P P L I E R P H OT O : B OTA N I C A L P H OT O B O OT H
BOMBONIERE
NT*
Insights from
$402
64% of couples thank wedding guests for

their presence with bomboniere of some
kind. A third of these will purchase from a NSW
bomboniere supplier, an increase of 43% on
WA $512
$ 377
last year’s poll. The most popular wedding

favours gifted to guests are edible gifts and
ACT
personalised items. Among the 10% of $300
“other” responses, candles and succulents

SA
featured regularly. Just under three quarters $335
of couples spend up to $5 per guest on TAS

favours, and the remaining quarter between VIC $333
$716
$5 and $10.
$ 5 47 is the average cost of bomboniere in Australia Arrow-circle-up 42%
What kind of wedding favours are you gifting How are you sourcing your bomboniere?
square Traditional Sugared Almonds 3% square Donating to Charity 8% square Purchasing 39% square Family/Friend 5%
39%
square Edible Gifts square Polaroid Pics 6% 26%
square DIY square None 36%
square Personalised Items 34% square Other 10%
Quick turn around of product once final design was Online businesses did not provide tracking
chosen Items ordered in advance took a long time to be
Packaging was good quality so protected items well delivered
Very easy process to order Weren't reasonably flexible with quantities
Sourced material from local suppliers

Mini sample packs/items were sent with plenty of
time to make changes
S U P P L I E R P H OT O : F R O S T E D I N D U L G E N C E 51
* L I M I T E D D ATA F O R N T T O P R O V I D E A R E L I A B L E AV E R A G E .
HONEYMOONS
Top Australian Honeymoon Destinations With three-quarters of couples honeymooning
76% of couples will honeymoon in Australia domestically due to COVID (a jump of 38%),
it’s understandable that the average cost of a
honeymoon has fallen by 24% in the past year.
The majority of couples will spend between one
and two weeks honeymooning after the big day.
Around a quarter of couples will take a longer
honeymoon of three or more weeks. Overall,
couples wish simply to relax on their honeymoon
after the stress of the big event; and connect as
newlyweds. 66% of couples like the idea of taking
square Whitsundays square Tasmania
a minimoon before their main honeymoon.
square Far North Queensland square NT / Central Australia
$5,752 is the average cost of a honeymoon for Australian couples Arrow-circle-down 24%
Hot spots for Aussie honeymoons include The

Top Overseas Honeymoon Destinations
Whitsundays and Far North Queensland (60%),
24% of couples will honeymoon abroad
followed by Tasmania, then Central Australia and the
Northern Territory. The remaining “other” responses
are split mostly between Western Australia, New
South Wales and South East Queensland.
For those couples who still wish to take an overseas

honeymoon when borders reopen, just under a third
are dreaming of Europe; a fifth of Fiji; and 15% and
13% respectively of New Zealand and USA. Just
6% of couples indicated Bali as a preference. Of the
13% of “other” responses, the most popular overseas square Europe square New Zealand
square Fiji square USA
destinations are Maldives, Japan, and Bora Bora.
How long do couples honeymoon? Most popular honeymoon pastimes

8%
square A Few Days square 2 Weeks 21% square Relaxing 34% 3%
square Trying Local Food
square 1 Week 25% square 3 Weeks 12% square Quality Time Together 40% square New Experiences 18%
square 10 Days 20% square Longer/Other 14% square Sightseeing 5% square Partying 1%
52
Destination Weddings
square New Zealand square Fiji square Bali square Greece square Ireland square Italy square UK
7.5% of couples wish to marry outside their home

state or territory, and a further 1.5% dream of
a destination wedding overseas. Most couples
however prefer to marry in their home state or
territory (91%). Nearby destinations like New
Zealand, Fiji and Bali remain popular for those
who do want to say ‘I do’ abroad, as well as Europe
and the UK.
PH
OT
OG
RA
PH
Y:
JA
ME
S W
HIT
E P
HO
TO
GR
AP
HY
S
DIO
N ST U
S VE
PHO Y:
TO G PH
RAP RA
HY:
EVE T OG
RMO P HO
TION
PHO
TO G
RAP
HY
53
Customer Service
A V E R A G E C U S T O M E R H A P P I N E S S R AT I N G 4.9 / 5
How Suppliers Are Exceeding Expectations of Enquiry Response Times
square How Quickly Couples Expect a Response square Supplier Response Time
75%
50%
25%
0%
Within 7 Days Within 2 Days Within 1 Day Within 1 Hour Within Minutes
square 17% square 12% square 51% square 12% square 25% square 42% square 5% square 32% square 2% square 2%
Suppliers are doing an incredible job of exceeding couples’ expectations of response times! Keep it up!
The average review score for suppliers on Easy the same day or hour, and in some instances, within
weddings is 4.9 stars out of five. Couples love vendors minutes. The average wedding business spends 21
on Easy Weddings! Suppliers continue to impress hours preparing for weddings in addition to the day.
clients with how quickly they respond to enquiries. That’s more than 2.5 business days that the couple
68% of couples are not expecting a response to their does not necessarily appreciate, so it’s a great idea to
enquiries faster than 48 hours, yet, three-quarters include the preparation hours in quotes and invoices to
of the time, they are contacted by suppliers within show how much value you are providing your clients.
Did You Know?
50% of couples will book the first 5 minutes is the ideal timeframe Contacting a lead within the first
supplier that gets back to them for responding to a lead* hour is 7x more likely to result in
a booking than contacting within
two hours*
54 * S O U R C E : H A R VA R D B U S I N E S S R E V I E W | P H OT O G R A P H Y : M K P I X E L S
75% of couples favour email when making contact with suppliers
11% like contacting vendors via phone
< 4% of couples like contacting suppliers via their website, social media or SMS.
It’s plain to see - modern millennial couples are not that fond of the telephone!
Star Rating Per Category
Marriage Celebrant 5.0 Flowers 4.9 Hens & Bucks Parties 4.9
Beauty Services 5.0 Cakes 4.9 Shoes 4.8
Hair & Makeup 5.0 Dress Designers 4.9 Accessories 4.8
Stylists 4.9 Cars 4.9 Lingerie 4.8
Music 4.9 Planners 4.9 Accommodation 4.8
Bomboniere 4.9 Photo Booth 4.9 Honeymoon 4.8
Photography 4.9 Invitations 4.9 Destination Weddings 4.8
Jewellery 4.9 Decorations 4.9 Wedding Dresses 4.7
Wedding Services 4.9 Flower Girl Dresses 4.9 Formal Wear 4.7
Videography 4.9 Wedding Hire 4.9 Bridesmaids 4.7
Caterers 4.9 Venues 4.9 Engagement Venues 4.6
Looking Ahead
While many wedding businesses will be talking about be knowing that you and your business can survive
bouncing back from the past 18 months, we believe anything.
the resilience our industry has shown, coupled with
For us at Easy Weddings, it means helping business
the imminent wedding boom, is our opportunity to
owners and staff to navigate this new normal and to
bounce forward.
inspire couples and guests to come together like never
To bounce forward means to come back from adversity before!
even better than before.
However you are bouncing forward, we are excited
For you, this might mean continuing a service or about 2022/23 bringing more rewards than challenges
product you innovated during lockdown. It could and more celebrations than postponements.
We did it!
mean having more professional and comprehensive
terms of service to give couples. Or it could simply
55
General Feedback
In order of importance, couples rank these influences For most couples, a wedding is a one-time event
on their decision to purchase or hire from a wedding they have no prior experience planning. It’s also one
vendor:
of the biggest ticket items they’ve ever purchased.
1. They are up-front with their pricing It’s unsurprising then, that the number one factor
2. Their photos/posts fit with the wedding I want couples want to see from potential wedding vendors,
3. They have a flexible refund policy for COVID- is clear and upfront pricing. Pictures tell a thousand
related cancellations or postponements
words; so carefully considering which images you use
4. They have positive reviews from previous
to represent your business on your website and Easy
customers
5. I felt a personal connection with the supplier Weddings storefront is also key.
6. The supplier is popular on social media
Where do couples first discover their wedding vendors?
30%
20%
10%
0%
Easy Google/Search Social Friends/ Venue/ Wedding Wedding

Weddings Engines Media Family Vendors Expos Planner Other
30% 21% 20% 13% 5% 4% 4% 3%
Over the next 12 months, COVID concerns will

continue even as restrictions lift. Being transparent
and thorough about your policies will give you a
competitive edge. Reviews continue to play an
After finding suppliers on Easy Weddings,
important part of the decision making process.
what do couples do next?
The best time to ask recently-married couples for
reviews is 2-3 weeks after the wedding, and then square Search for the supplier's square Search for more
again 6 weeks after the wedding. Aim to receive website 35% online reviews 13%
square Contact the supplier through square Discuss with family
one new review on Easy Weddings per month to
Easy Weddings 27% and friends 7%
increase results.
square Check the supplier's socials 17% square Other 1%
It is interesting to note that 73% of couples interested in a supplier on Easy Weddings will go off the
Easy Weddings platform to research further before enquiring. Usually these enquiries will take place on
the supplier’s own website, making attribution to Easy Weddings difficult.
56
Success Tips
01 Experiment on Socials 06 Network
Use your social media accounts as a testing Network with other wedding business owners
ground for your website and storefront. Update either in your category or across related
your storefront with images that perform well, categories. Many suppliers will be contacted for
particularly on Instagram, and ensure your library weddings in the next 18 months that they are not
of images are high resolution and reflect the available for and will likely recommend people who
weddings you want to attract. they have recently met.
02 Review Everything 07 Upskill
Update your written content to reflect any Keep on learning. Attend webinars and professional
changes you made during the last 18 months development events; listen to wedding industry
whether that be new services, a greater focus on podcasts and business experts; and keep refining
smaller weddings, or your vaccination status. your craft.
03 Reframe 'The Deposit' 08 Get a CRM
Look at changing the wording on your contracts Use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
from ‘deposit’ to ‘booking fee’ to better reflect the system. The time spent setting it up will pay off in
work you put in prior to and after the wedding day. the long run when you are better able to get back
Take the time to explain the difference to couples to couples — particularly when wedding bookings
to avoid confusion or conflict should they decide start stretching into 2023 and beyond.
to postpone or cancel.
09 Reinforce COVID Safety

04 Full Disclosure
Include COVID checklists on your website and
Be as transparent as possible when it comes to social media platforms, and repeat this information
cancellations, postponements, and booking fees. across all forms of communication. Show your
Clients should know upfront what your process is clients how seriously you take their safety and the
for postponement. safety of their guests.
05 Social Admin 10 Prioritise Reponse Time
Respond to all enquiries as soon as possible.

Convert your Facebook profile to a business page.
Remember, a couple is most likely to book the first
This gives you access to Page Insights, where you
supplier they get in contact with. Every second
can see metrics (like which posts people engage
counts once you’ve received an enquiry.
with), visitor demographics (like age and location),
and create branded ads that link to your page.
57
About Easy Weddings
58 P H OT O G R A P H Y : R U N W I L D P H OT O G R A P H Y
Directory Listings Spotlight/Premium Plus
Listings
We offer a range of listings suitable to businesses During the coming wedding boom, businesses
of every size. We can help you find the right listing can get seen by even more couples, by investing
size for your business to grow while pairing you in a Spotlight or Premium Plus position. There are
with the best category and locations to help you five spotlight listings available at the top of each
be seen by the thousands of couples who use our category in each region. Our Premium Plus service
directory every day. Every business listed on the gives you exclusive access to our internal team of
Easy Weddings directory receives ongoing support content producers, email marketing specialists and
from our customer success team; advice on how to social media superstars to ensure your storefront
get more enquiries; industry education to help you is seen by more couples and sends more enquiries
convert leads; and our specially designed customer directly to your inbox.
relationship management system, WedCRM.
Social Media Supplier Awards
After 21 years as the leading wedding website in We love to recognise a job well done and that goes
Australia, Easy Weddings has built a huge following for you and your business. Our EOFY supplier
of couples across Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. awards acknowledge the customer service and
We use our social reach to educate couples about care that you have taken with your couples
wedding planning and how to best work with throughout the year. Suppliers who receive these
suppliers. During the pandemic, our social channels awards will also receive an online certificate to
have become an essential tool to help suppliers and showcase in your office and digital badges to show
couples understand the latest restrictions. off on your website.
Industry Education Mobile App
The Easy Weddings apps for couples and suppliers

Check out our pro-education centre for more
are available on both Apple iOS and Android. The
tips and strategies for your business throughout
supplier app gives business owners access to
the year. Our newsletter, webinars, educational
WedCRM and the ability to reply to enquiries on
articles, and engaging videos will give you more
the go. The app for couples is a free planning tool
food for thought on how you can improve your
and an easy way to contact businesses on the Easy
business. Check out our education archive at
Weddings directory.
www.easyweddings.com.au/pro-education.
59
We’re always here to help. To chat about how these exclusive insights could help
you grow your business, contact our customer success team through any of the
following channels. We look forward to chatting with you!
phone 1800 155 122

envelope service@easyweddings.com.au
map-marker 18 Miles St, Mulgrave VIC 3170
globe easyweddings.com.au
48 C O V E R P H OT O : M A K E O N E ' S W AY P H OT O G R A P H Y

EW 2022 AnnualSurvey

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

EW 2022 AnnualSurvey

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2022

AU STRAL IAN WE D D I N G I N D U STRY R E P O RT

The Average Australian Couple 10

Wedding Buying Cycle 12

Category Insights + Trends 15

About Easy Weddings 58

48% had to postpone their day or delay setting a date*

18% had a small ceremony and postponed their reception

37% couldn’t visit their wedding suppliers in person

44% were forced to invite fewer guests

37% live-streamed their ceremony

46% Outdoor Weddings

37% Weekday Weddings

24% Live-Streamed Weddings

How Many Times Weddings Were Postponed

55% 27% 12% 6%

Changes To The Wedding Budget

18% Temporarily Closed 55% Open But Struggling

20% Business As Usual 6% Booming

Wedding Business Optimism: The Future Looks Bright

Projected Annual Weddings Growth

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

113,815 78,989 85,000 148,000 143,000 133,000

Would Couples Consider a

More than half of couples said they’d consider

In 2022, we predict weddings will increase to 170,000+

10% of all weddings

$32,228 is the average cost of a wedding in Australia

$ 2 5 , 377 arrow-circle-down 1% Couples spend 26% more than their

*Official marriage statistics from Australian Bureau of Statistics

26% 23% 10%

The Most Popular Months to Get Married in 2022

7% 11% 14% 13% 8% 4% 3% 4% 10% 14% 9% 3%

Autumn Spring Summer Winter

Will invite 100 guests to their wedding*

Have 8 people in their wedding party including themselves^

Are engaged for 21 months+

Will spend $5,500 on an engagement ring

91% of couples are getting married for the first time

40% are having a multi-day celebration

45% are paying for their wedding on their own

24% 12% 8% 6% 15% 1% 6% 21% 7%

What’s Appropriate to Spend on How Couples Receive

The average cost of a wedding gift in 2021 is $155, but

The Most Popular

12% of engagements happen in December, with 6%

Yes - Yes - Just One Of

Wedding Planner Hair & Makeup

Wedding Hire Accessories

Celebrant Stylist Wedding Services

Photography Flowers Lingerie

Wedding Dress Cars Bomboniere

Videography Music Jewellery Shoes

Garden/ Outdoors Romantic Rustic

40% 36% 29%

Modern Classic/Traditional Minimalist

22% 21% 20%

Cultural/Religious Vintage Bohemian Eco-friendly

Insights from Australian Couples

• 90% of couples book a wedding NT*

day celebrations; 40% of

$13,901 is the average cost of a wedding venue in Australia arrow-circle-up 1%

Most important factors in choosing a wedding venue

Able to match tableware/serving platters to Verbal agreements were taken back

Food quality was the same at the tasting and on