Summer 2008 £2.75
For planners, organisers and other specialist intermediaries
Planners condemn claims By Mary Ferguson WEDDING planners have condemned the results of a survey that claim couples are cancelling their big days because of the credit crunch – saying there is no threat to business. Free ads website Gumtree conducted research that showed one in ten British couples are scrapping their wedding plans because of money worries, while a third are being forced to slash their budgets and marry on the cheap. And 18 per cent of engaged couples questioned said it was ‘impossible’ to have the wedding they really want in the current economic climate. Sam Ketterer of Absolute Perfection rubbished the survey results. He said: “Why does it always have to be doom and gloom for wedding planners? Gumtree is a free ads directory – what do they know about weddings? “More than a quarter of a million weddings will take place over the next year with an estimated average spend of £15-20K. The market out there is enormous.” Katie Denner runs Wedding By Design and believes the wedding
industry is better protected in the current economic climate than some. “A wedding is the last area a couple would want to cut costs because it is such a special event. Naturally, if the financial climate worsens, it might be that rather than scale back wedding expenses, people might defer a wedding until a later date – but so far nothing I have seen indicates that this is yet happening." Nearly half of the couples who responded to the survey said they have been forced to cap their wedding budget at £5000. The areas they were most likely to cut back on were photographers and drinks, prioritising the dress and honeymoon. Candice Benson of the Association of Bridal Consultants added: “Brides will continue to get married, money or not; job or not. “Planners should not look to lower their fee, after all as true professionals we are worth what we charge – probably even more.” I Are you worried? Send your comments to Mary Ferguson at mf@whpl.net or call 01226 734712.
Couples ask guests to pay on website
Germaine Giles and Amanda Sherlock have officially launched their new wedding planning business with a glittering party in London – complete with giant cake. Giles Sherlock Event Design are determined to take the industry by storm and will be sharing their progress with Wedding Professional. For more about the company, Page 10
PENNY-PINCHING couples are swallowing their pride and asking their guests to pay for their wedding through a website. Youbuymywedding.com claims to help happy couples to beat the banks by getting their guests to share the costs of the big day and avoid starting married life in debt. The website’s concept is to get the guests to pay for the wedding by making financial pledges online in advance of the event. Every aspect of the wedding – from flowers and rings to reception drinks and even the dress – is included on a couple’s personalised wedding page, where guests can add a donation instead of buying another toaster. Each time a guest makes a pledge, an SMS text alerts the couple, who can check their wedding fund balance at any time and make withdrawals as a bank transfer or cheque. Founder Liz Quant said: “Of the 250,000 weddings which take place in England & Wales each year, 41 per cent of couples will use credit cards and 15 per cent will take out a loan to cover the costs of their special day.”