By Rieva Lesonsky
The wedding industry is not slowing down anytime soon—there are about 2 million weddings a year the U.S. The good news for entrepreneurs: In general the wedding business is primarily still a local one, and according to a report from TheKnot.com, many of the vendors in the industry are hardworking small businesses.
The Small Business Study shows local professionals work 49 hours a week, with an average of four events per week.
In more good news, wedding budgets are on the rise. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average wedding costs $35,329. And last year’s “chilled out” brides are giving way to couples who are looking to incorporate personalized and unexpected elements into their weddings.
Some of the hottest trends for 2018 include:
- If you’re a florist, brides are gravitating toward two different extremes for their wedding bouquets. One choice: bold, colorful bouquets featuring an assortment of flowers, including ultra violet-colored ones (that’s the 2018 Pantone color of the year). Another option is a simple single stem, like a large flower or monstera leaf.
- Brides are opting out of traditional designs, both for their stationery and for their décor. Instead, according to the 2018 International Wedding Trend Report, they’re adding art deco and gilded touches, such as metallic and mirrored accents in chrome and silver.
- While rustic barn weddings aren’t in as much demand as they were last year, couples are still choosing unusual wedding venues—industrial and bohemian spaces are particularly hot. This has led to an evolution in ceremony seating, which now includes velvet couches, natural wood benches and Moroccan poufs.
- While there are plenty of traditionalist grooms who choose to wear black, blue or grey suits or tuxes, the more adventurous are opting to wear burgundy or dark green suits instead.
