Having surveyed over 600 brides and grooms to be, Irish wedding venue website SaveMyDay.ie recently unveiled the results of their Irish Wedding Trends Survey for 2022.
From refined guest lists and civil and secular ceremonies to sustainable and dog-friendly venues, the survey results reveal the current and emerging wedding trends across the nation.
Speaking on the results, Shell Holden, Co-Owner of SaveMyDay.ie, said: "Couples are zeroing in on how they can customise their wedding to make it unique, creating a personalised wedding experience with their own stamp on it. We are seeing wedding venues becoming more adaptable to the alternative and non-traditional asks of brides and grooms."
Here are some of the trends that have appeared amongst Irish brides and grooms in 2022.
One stop shop
According to the study, 80% of those surveyed want to get married in the same venue as their reception, with 67% tying the knot in civil and secular ceremonies and 13% choosing spiritual ceremonies. 20% marry in religious services including traditional church settings.
Location, location, location
Hotels and country estates land at the top spots for preferred venue types, at 32% and 30% respectively. Castle venues are favoured by 12% and 'Other' venue types account for 26%, with couples listing marquees, barns, restaurants, and museums amongst the other styles.
41% of those surveyed wish to get married in a countryside setting, with 32% deciding on city or town locations and 27% in coastal areas.
64% say the style of the venue is the most important factor when choosing where to host their special day, followed by location at 29% and guest capacity at 7%.
A whopping 90% of couples say food is a top consideration when selecting where to get hitched, and 88% would like their venue to have a late license so they can continue the party into the wee hours.
An intimate affair
The majority of couples (67%) opted for 100 or fewer guests. At present, 52% of to-be-weds are looking to invite between 50 - 100 guests, with expectations that we will continue to see couples opting for intimate, meaningful celebrations across the coming year.
63% would rather keep the day to an adult-only celebration and opt not to invite kids to their wedding, but for other couples, inviting the whole family including their four-legged furry friends to their special day is a must, with 20% of respondents said pet-friendly wedding venues are essential.
A sustainable celebration
64% of those surveyed said sustainability is an important consideration when choosing their venue and planning their day.
With many couples committed to living a green lifestyle, they are choosing to adopt planet-kind measures across their big day. These can range from choosing locally grown produce to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding banquet, opting for local wedding suppliers, hosting the ceremony and reception in the same venue to reduce travel, to sending paperless invites.
