Chalk this up to male ignorance or whatever, but reading this in a Big Money piece on the dominance of budget-wedding retailer David’s Bridal made me curse out loud:
While the recession hasn’t deterred couples from tying the knot, it has shrunken their budgets substantially. The average cost of getting married in the United States slipped in the first quarter to $19,212, according to the Wedding Report, a market research firm. That’s down from $21,814 last year and $26,450 in 2005. Brides-to-be are opting for cupcakes instead of wedding cakes, downsizing their guest lists, and, yes, compromising on what may have been the dress of their girlhood dreams. According to a recent survey, 55 percent of brides plan to spend no more than $600 on their dresses.
19k is cutting back??? The mind reels. The median American income was $50, 2333 last year, which means that lots of people are taking on mountains of debt to finance their nuptials. That’s their prerogative, obviously. I’m just sort of blown.