Cost-of-living crisis ‘forcing couples to scale back weddings’

One in five brides planning to wear a second-hand dress, pollsters find

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Couples are scaling back their wedding plans because of the cost-of-living crisis, a poll suggests.

The poll of 2,000 adults who are engaged, or have been married in the last decade, revealed more than half (54 per cent) thought the tough economic landscape was a reason to cut corners on their big day.

And almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of couples were planning smaller, more sustainable weddings to both protect the planet and their purse strings.

An estimated 350,000 nuptials are set to take place in 2022, with couples choosing pre-owned centrepieces (24 per cent) and, jewellery (16 per cent). One in five (20 per cent) brides-to-be planned to wear a second-hand gown for their big day.

Listings data from selling site Gumtree suggests pre-owned gowns sell for an average of £380.25.

In another money-saving gambit, one-quarter of women planned to their wedding dresses in place of buying new, as Carrie Johnson did. Some 51 per cent of upcoming grooms plan to buy second-hand outfits or rent, as well as 41 per cent of bridesmaids and groomsmen (52 per cent).

Hannah Rouch, chief customer officer at Gumtree, which commissioned the research, said: “Our research shows it’s evident that not even weddings are immune to two of the biggest influences in society right now – climate change and the cost-of-living crisis.”

The survey found couples were saving cash by not hiring a wedding planner (44 per cent), having a friend take photographs (28 per cent) and doing their own hair and makeup (24 per cent).

More than one-quarter (27 per cent) planned to get married out of season and one in four (26 per cent) said they would avoid stocking a free bar. Meanwhile, more than one-third planned to make their own decorations and one-fifth intended to bake their own wedding cake.

Wedding guests are also making trying to save money. Some would rather avoid weddings at all costs, with 30 per cent admitting they are planning on declining invites to upcoming events citing worries about the environmental impact (50 per cent) or the cost of the occasion (58 per cent).