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2018 Newlywed Report

2018 Newlywed Report

The most comprehensive snapshot of modern wedding journeys in the U.S. based on data from the largest, most inclusive report of its kind, with insights from nearly 18,000 newlyweds married in 2017.

No two weddings are alike, which is what keeps the wedding industry so fascinating year after year. From celebratory hashtags and social media announcements to mixed-gender wedding parties and the inclusion of local food, it’s no surprise that personalization is the one constant theme. In this year’s Newlywed Report, you’ll notice a continued shift in the traditional wedding season and how couples are relying on technology from the engagement through their wedding day. Planning is also starting earlier than ever before. Based on the largest survey of its kind, WeddingWire gives you the truest look into modern day engagements, ?planning, average cost and more.

Engagement

‘Tis the season for proposals, as nearly 40% of all engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. While 52% of individuals are surprised by the ring, 1 in 3 show their partner photos of the ring and/or style they like. Though the average couple is engaged for 13 months; couples are quick to pick a date – the majority now setting their sights on a Saturday in the fall.

$5000 average cost

Popular Female Ring Styles

74% diamond  53% halo setting   50% 1-2 carats

 

Top Engagement Dates

Christmas day is the most popular day of the year to pop the question; with Christmas Eve rounding out the top 3.

86% of couples announce their engagement on social media

Where Couples Post the News

  • 76% Facebook
  • 35% Instagram
  • 12% Twitter

Fall is now the most popular season to get married, with roughly 40% of all weddings taking place during these months.

Top 5 Wedding Dates

  1. 1 October 7
  2. 2 October 14
  3. 3 September 30
  4. 4 October 21
  5. 5 November 11

Wedding Month Distribution

Planning

Setting budgets, finding vendors and knowing you’re on the right track are some of the biggest challenges couples face while planning for their wedding. In fact, 3 out of 4 millennials are doing some type of wedding planning before they’re even engaged. The majority of today’s planning is done online where couples utilize planning tools (think: checklists and budget trackers) and a broad array of technology to help manage the process.

83% of planning is done online

The Planning Process

42% on mobile/tablet

41% on desktop

The Role of Technology in Weddings

Couples rely on technology throughout the entire wedding journey, from mobile apps to wedding websites. However, when it comes to the big day, 1 in 4 couples ask guests to ‘unplug’.

  • 36% send online save-the-dates
  • 52% use a wedding planning app
  • 62% create a wedding website
  • 19% set up a group chat
  • 54% generate a wedding hashtag

Top Sources for Finding Vendors

Couples largely utilize wedding-related websites to help find potential vendors, then rely on recommendations and online reviews to make their hiring decision.

  1. 1 Wedding-related websites
  2. 2 Online searches
  3. 3 Pinterest
  4. 4 Wedding shows/expo
  5. 5 Facebook

Social Media Used During Planning (Used weekly or more)

While Pinterest and Facebook are the top two social media sites most frequently used for wedding planning, couples utilize Pinterest 2X more than any other social channel for inspiration.

  • Pinterest 69%
  • Facebook 60%
  • Instagram 44%
  • YouTube 42%
  • Twitter 29%
  • Snapchat 27%

Top Vendors Hired

13 on average hired

86% photographer

80% venue

75% hair + makeup

74% wedding dress

71% florist

70% cake

Couples

The average age of today’s marrying couple is 32. With a new generation redefining cultural and societal norms, we’re seeing new behaviors grow in popularity – such as couples meeting online, a 16% increase in interracial marriage and an increase in mixed gender wedding parties.

  • 33 average age of grooms
  • 31 average age of brides
  • 56% plan to buy a home within next 2 years
  • 70% change name to partner’s
  • 1 in 4 meet online
  • 54% dated less than 2 years

Interracial Newlyweds

According to PEW Research Center, there has been a 5X increase since the legalization of interracial marriage 50 years ago.1 Today, 19% of all WeddingWire couples identify as having an interracial marriage.

Although no two couples are alike, there are unique nuances to be found amid newlyweds of similar backgrounds. For instance, when compared to all couples, Asian couples tend to invite more guests to their weddings, LGBTQ couples are more likely to live with their partner prior to getting married and Gen X are least likely to spend the night apart before the wedding.

Today’s Couples by the Numbers

  • 32 average age of couple
  • 127 average number of guests
  • 9 number of wedding party members
  • 79% lived with partner prior to marriage
  • 67% asked for parent’s blessing
  • 71% spent night apart before wedding

Calculations based on partners with equal identifiers (i.e., same reported race).

Wedding Traditions

While certain traditions, like having a first-dance, have been embraced by couples for generations – others like walking down the aisle to non-classical music are on the rise. Regardless of the exact details couples decide on incorporating into their wedding day, couples are focused on finding way to make their big day a direct reflection of their personal style.

Follow the timeline below to see when couples hire their vendor team and the role each one plays in bringing the couple’s personalized wedding day details to life.

12 Months

CEREMONY/RECEPTION VENUE

77%of wedding receptions are indoors

CATERER

54%have food served buffet-style

68%have an open-bar

PHOTOGRAPHER

42%of couples do a “first-look”

SELECT DRESS/ATTIRE

80%of brides wear white

63%of grooms dress in something more casual than a tuxedo

BAND/DJ

52%of couples say they’ve seen their band/DJ perform in person prior to booking them

6 Months

FLORIST

50%of couples do a bouquet toss

CAKE

82%have a cake-cutting ceremony

37%weddings include a dessert bar/table

CREATE REGISTRY

2 in 3 millennial’s create a traditional registry

CREATE WEDDING WEBSITE

62%of couples create a wedding website

1 in 2 add accommodations into their website

ROOM BLOCKS

63%of couples book at least one hotel room block for their guests

3 Months

BEAUTY AND HEALTH

31%started a new exercise routine or diet to prepare for the wedding

1 in 2bridesmaids pay to have their hair done by a professional for the wedding

DISCUSS REHEARSAL DINNER

43%of the groom’s parents pay for the rehearsal dinner

OFFICIANT

39%of couples create their own vows

Wedding Day

MOST POPULAR

87% of couples perform a first dance

Gaining Momentum

(% vs. 2 years ago)

63% groom(s) dressing more casual than tuxedo (7%)

61% walking down aisle to non-classical music (7%)

59% wedding party: females wearing different dresses (14%)

54% creating a wedding hashtag (10%)

40% wedding party: including mixed genders (14%)

Cooling Down

(% vs. 2 years ago)

75% order of day: ceremony, cocktail hour, reception (-10%)

74% father-daughter and/or mother-son dances (-9%)

70% changing to partner’s last name (-12%)

45% begin honeymoon 1-2 days after reception (-12%)

Adding a Personal Touch

Now more than ever, couples are steering clear of the cookie cutter wedding and adding unique elements that highlight their relationship and impress guests.

40%

had unique musical choices during ceremony

(ex. bagpipes)

21%

Added local elements based on city where couple met or grew up

(ex. food or decor)

18%

Included ceremonial customs related to race/religion

(ex. jumping the broom)

17%

hired special entertainment for guests

(ex. fortune teller, caricature)

Cost

On average, couples budget nearly $16K for their wedding ceremony/reception but spend approximately 40% more once they begin to understand the true cost of each element. Varying attributes like age, region and marriage number also play a significant role in the fluctuation of spend – as Millennials spend nearly $10K more than Gen X on their wedding and those getting married for the first time spend 2X more than those on their 2nd+ marriage ($30K vs. $15K).

All-in Average Wedding Cost

$5,000 Engagement Ring

  • +

$27,000 Ceremony/Reception

  • +

$4,000 Honeymoon

  • =

$36,000 Total Wedding Cost

Budget vs. Reality

Couples underestimate how much they’ll spend on their wedding by roughly 40%.

Percent Contributed to Total Wedding Cost

On average, millennials (who account for approximately 80% of today’s marrying couples) are paying for roughly 40% of their wedding, while their parents and other family members are contributing the remaining 60%. In fact, 20% of millennial couples don’t spend a dime of their own money and get their wedding fully paid for. The majority (56%) of parents pull money out of their savings account to help pay for the wedding and nearly 1 in 10 dip into their retirement!

All Millennials Gen X LGBTQ
Couples 45% 39% 66% 59%
Parents 46% 51% 29% 36%
Other 9% 10% 5% 5%

Most Expensive Cities to Get Married Including surrounding metro areas

  1. New York
  2. Boston
  3. San Francisco
  4. Washington, DC
  5. Chicago

Average Wedding Cost by Category

Ceremony/Reception

Venue

$9,000

Catering

$6,600

Band

$3,800

Photography

$2,400

Rehearsal dinner +
additional meals

$2,000

Videography

$1,800

Wedding rings

$1,800

Event rentals and photobooths

$1,700

Wedding planner

$1,700

Dress

$1,700

Flowers

$1,700

Lighting and Décor

$1,300

DJ

$1,200

Transportation

$1,000

Guest accomodations

$800

Wedding party attire

$750

Ceremony music/musician

$600

Wedding party gifts

$600

Invitations/stationary

$560

Cake/desserts

$550

Hair and makeup

$550

Beauty and Health

$500

Favors and gifts

$450

Groom’s attire

$350

Jewelry

$350

Officiant

$300

Engagement

Engagement Rings

$5,000

Honeymoon

Honeymoon

$4,000

Average Wedding Cost in 25 Largest Metro Area Markets

City
New York + surrounding
metro area, NY		 $45,000
Boston, MA $37,000
San Francisco – Oakland, CA $36,000
Washington, DC $34,000
Chicago, IL $34,000
Hartford – New Haven, CT $34,000
Los Angeles, CA $33,000
Baltimore, MD $33,000
Philadelphia, PA $32,000
Miami – Ft. Lauderdale, FL $31,000
San Diego, CA $29,000
Houston, TX $28,000
Detroit, MI $26,000
Pittsburg, PA $26,000
Atlanta, GA $26,000
Raleigh-Durham, NC $26,000
Sacramento – Stockton, CA $25,000
Orlando – Daytona Beach, FL $25,000
Tampa – St. Petersburg, FL $25,000
Dallas – Ft. Worth, TX $25,000
Charlotte, NC $24,000
Denver, CO $23,000
Cleveland, OH $23,000
Minneapolis – St. Paul, MN $22,000
St. Louis, MO $21,000

 

View the full report from WeddingWire.com at http://publications.weddingwire.com/i/953286-weddingwire-2018-newlywed-report

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Thomas Wedding DJ Recap @ Environmental Services Building

With the record rainfall in the Northwest this year, newlyweds Daniel and Mallory have been nervous about their wedding day for a while. Thankfully mother nature got all the rain out of her system and presented them with a picturesque  backdrop of the Olympics and Puget Sound.

Despite the pull and draw of wanting to basque in the sun after months of rain, guests still came in and cut loose on the dance floor! Check out the video down below  🙂

Congratulations Daniel and Mallory Thomas and thank you  for letting Great Rate DJs be part of your wedding!

FEEDBACK:
Event Date:  Saturday, May 20, 2017
Event Type:  Wedding Reception
Event Location:  Environmental Services Building
Event Staff:  Erik de Klerk

Quality of Customer Service via Telephone:  Excellent
Quality of Customer Service via Internet:  Excellent
Quality of Customer Service at Event:  Excellent
Friendliness of your Entertainer:  Excellent
Promptness of your Entertainer:  Excellent
Professionalism of your Entertainer:  Excellent
Entertainer’s Performance:  Excellent
Entertainer’s Appearance:  Excellent
System Appearance:  Excellent
Sound Quality:  Excellent
Overall Volume Levels:  Excellent
Music Selection:  Excellent
Incorporation of Your Requests:  Excellent
Lighting Effects:  Excellent
Equipment Appearance:  Excellent
Overall Customer Service:  Excellent
Planning Assistance:  Excellent
Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors:  Excellent
Overall Performance Rating:  Excellent

Is there anything specific that can be improved upon?  Nothing.
Additional comments or suggestions?  Erik is great. Me and my wife have seen him at two weddings now and he’s done a fantastic job all around.

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Wedding Trends

Getting married? Here are a few new trends and insights we’re seeing from engaged couples and newlyweds.

• The average couple begins looking for their DJ 8 months before their wedding. This means vendors start booking up earlier than most people think.
• Couples typically hire 13 vendors to support their day
• Most couples underestimate the cost of their wedding by 40%
• The average wedding cost in your area is $23,100

With that being said, let us help. We specialize in affordable DJs for your wedding. The average length of time for a reception is 5 hours. The average length of time including your ceremony is 6 hours of services. Depending on how many hours you need and which package you choose, the average cost varies from $175 to $795. Learn more about pricing options at https://www.greatratedjs.com/quote or call us with questions at 1-877-888-9933. We will even consider matching or beating a competitors price!

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Do’s & don’ts of choosing music for your wedding

Of course every bride and groom wants to hear music they love at their wedding and every DJ should be sensitive to that. However newlyweds should also consider what their guests will enjoy or not enjoy. We run across this time to time where the bride or groom or sometimes both will come up with an elaborate list of selections that are not mass appeal. The more focused and narrow the music list becomes the more alienated their guests will also become. Once guests have become alienated the more likely they will leave early or complain about the music. If guests are not having a good time, the newlyweds will also begin to feel the same way.

The trick to a successful event is balance and not to lean too heavily in one direction. Take for example a wedding we recently did. The bride and groom came up with a large list of music and a very large Do Not Play list. The songs the bride did not want to hear were the top 100 most popular weddings songs. Immediately that alienated most of their guests as these were the songs that they wanted to hear. In addition the groom wanted unedited versions of songs. Keep in mind they were a young hip couple but there is a thing as being to cool for the room. By playing unedited music the “high-class feel” of the reception was soon lost…especially to the older generation. That may have seemed cool to about 20% of the entire wedding party similar in age to the newlyweds but that left a majority of 80% that did not appreciate it.

Of course it’s OK to come up with a list of “must play” and “do not play” songs but keep it within reason. Think of a wedding reception as give and take. Yes it is your special day but it wouldn’t feel that way without your friends and family there to celebrate it with you. Yes you are providing food for them but they also are giving you gifts in return. Yes you are providing entertainment for them but if you don’t also think of their needs then it won’t be entertaining to them at all. The more fun they have the more fun you will have in return.

Remember this one basic rule of thumb, just because you like something doesn’t automatically mean that everyone else will. As we all know music is important, it sets the mood and it’s what makes or breaks the overall feel of any party. Just make sure you set the right mood for everyone you invite. Otherwise you might as well save some money by reducing your guest list down to just those who only like the same music as you.

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How many hours do I need for my wedding DJ?

We get this question a lot. Ultimately it depends on if you need the DJ for just your reception or for both your ceremony and reception. Typically for a reception it’s about 5 hours but some will only do 4 hours to shave costs. If adding a ceremony then an average amount of time is 6 hours for both your ceremony and reception however we also have seen 5 hours for both to help shave costs.

For a typical reception the DJ provides the following services…
1. Background music during cocktail hours
2. Introductions
3. Background music the greeting line (if any)
4. Provides microphone for blessing (if any)
5. Excuses guests to buffet or asks them to take their seats if a plated meal
6. Background music for dinner
7. Slide show (if you have one)
8. Toasts
9. Cake Cutting
10. Bride/Groom first dance
11. Father/Daughter Dance
12. Mother/Son dance
13. Wedding party dance (if any)
14. Open dancing for all guests for about 30 minutes
15. Money Dance (if needed)
16. Anniversary dance (if wanted)
17. Bouquet/Garter Toss
18. Reverse Garter (if requested)
19. More dancing for everyone
20. Last dance
21. Send-Off (if you have one)

If you include the ceremony then this is what’s typical of the DJ:
1. Prelude music 30 minutes to start of ceremony as guests are arriving and being seated waiting for the ceremony to start.
2. Processional song for the wedding party
3. Processional song for the bride
4. Possible music in middle of ceremony for unity sand or other similar event
5. Recessional music for bride, groom and wedding party after being introduced as husband and wife.

As you can see there are a lot of different things to consider. Wedding ceremonies usually only need one hour for everything from the prelude music all the way to the recessional song at the end. Receptions typically require 2 hours of background music for cocktails and dinner and then 3 hours of dancing and everything in between.