Annual Australian wedding survey results Supplier exclusive

Transcription

1 Annual Australian wedding survey results 2015 Supplier exclusive

2 For the latest news and coaching tips to help your business grow, visit our free Pro-Education centre Don t forget to join our wedding suppliers industry group on LinkedIn. Psst! Want to be friends? Our hashtag #EasyWeddings

3 Hello and welcome to this exclusive supplier edition of Easy Weddings annual Australian wedding survey results for More than 2,220 Australian brides (and a few grooms) answered our survey, the biggest in the country, and, in the following pages, we ve shared what they ve told us about their wedding planning. These results represent the latest, most accurate industry insights around weddings in Australia and we hope you re able to use them to better promote your products and services to brides in the coming year. Matt Butterworth CEO and Founder, Easy Weddings Cover image: Ben Yew Photography This image: Blue Sky Photography

4 Annual Australian wedding survey 2015 In July and August 2015, Easy Weddings, Australia s most popular wedding website, conducted its annual wedding survey. More than 2,220 engaged Australian couples shared their wedding planning experiences, telling us everything from how long they were engaged, to their thoughts about same-sex marriage and, of course, the overall costs of their big day. The results paint the most accurate, up-to-date and authoritative picture of Australia s wedding industry and modern couples.

5 Australian weddings at a glance $36,200 Actual wedding cost * $28,048 Anticipated wedding cost $23,584 Original wedding budget Final costs are, on average, 53% higher than original budget 89% of couples marry in their home state 21 months is the average length of an engagement $1,925 is the average spend on a wedding dress October, November, September, March The most popular months in which to marry July, June, January, May The least popular months in which to marry Blue, pink white and purple are the most popular colour themes is the average number of guests 29.2 is the median age at marriage for women 32 is the median age at marriage for men 79% support same-sex marriage This is down from 105 in 2005 USA/Hawaii, Fiji, Europe, Thailand The most popular overseas honeymoon destinations of couples are having 91.4% a honeymoon 118,962 is the annual number of marriages in Australia ** This is up 10% from five years ago * Australian Securities and Investments Commission s estimate of the average cost of a wedding in Australia ** Australian Bureau of Statistics Marriage and Divorce Statistics 2013

6 86% of brides are under 34 years of age insight Most brides are digital natives who will research and plan their weddings almost entirely online. 95% of brides-to-be consult a specialist wedding website when planning their big day. Reviews and a wedding supplier s own website will help determine whether they re chosen or not. 72% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Brides are increasingly using mobile devices to research their wedding and wedding suppliers. 60% of Easy Weddings monthly website traffic is mobile. This figure has doubled over the past two years. Ensure your website is mobile friendly, that it is attractive to your target demographic and that you have plenty of reviews. Remember: Our businesses mature over time, but our customers (engaged couples) remain, largely, the same age. Image: Dreamlife Photos & Video

7 71% of brides have attended at least one wedding in the 12 months prior to their wedding insight Potential customers are likely to experience your products or services before they choose their own suppliers in the same category. Every wedding is a chance to showcase your work to potential customers. Not only is it a chance to get in front of future brides, but you ll be seen by future grooms, bridesmaids and parents of couples marrying. No matter how big or small a wedding, always put your best foot forward. You never know who will see and want your offerings. Assume about 20% of guests at every wedding are potential customers. Image: Dezine by Mauro

8 72% of brides are engaged for 7-24 months with the average engagement being 21 months insight This means brides are planning for their big day long before it arrives and they ll be securing suppliers at different times throughout this period. For example, venues are usually booked earlier than decorations. Know that brides will be researching and looking at your profile page across the duration of their engagement, so keep your profile page and website content up to date and dynamic. Also, when brides make early enquires, remind them to shortlist you on Easy Weddings so when they are ready to buy, your details are close at hand. Image: Ben Yew Photography

9 79% of brides believe same-sex marriage should be legalised insight Though same-sex marriage is yet to be legalised in Australia, it is widely considered to be inevitable. Estimates project same-sex marriage will contribute more than $1 billion to the Australian wedding industry over two years once legalised. Don t assume every enquiry you receive will be for a bride and groom. Consider the language used on your website and profile page, as well as in other communications, and limit gender-specific words such as bride, groom or bridesmaid, replacing them, where possible, with gender-neutral words such as couple or attendants. Image: Ben Yew Photography

10 89% of weddings are performed in the bride s home state

11 insight Although we hear a lot about destination weddings, the vast majority of your potential customers will be located in your local area or state. Make sure you localise your website and your Easy Weddings profile with a local phone number and a local address, and ensure your content is relevant to the market you re advertising in. If you have a national listing, show how you service each state and region. Image: Dreamlife Photos & Video

12 41% of brides plan to spend more than $30,000 on their wedding insight Though the average wedding spend is $36,200, the average spend for those expecting to pay more than $30,000 is $45,000. Consider presenting customers your premium packages and services first rather than your least expensive offerings. Think about your pricing structure and how it is displayed on your website and other marketing material, remembering that the first figure your customer sees is the figure they will expect to pay. Image: Le Time Photography

13 Final wedding costs are, on average, 53% higher than originally budgeted insight Couples are prepared to spend more than their initial budgets to ensure their weddings are exactly what they want. While average guest numbers are down 5%, the average spend per guest is up. Weddings are an emotional event and couples are seeking to offer guests a truly memorable (and fun) experience. In your marketing, focus on the experience, not just your products or services. Help your customers envision their special day and demonstrate how your offerings can help deliver that vision. Remember, if a customer asks you what your price is up front, it s not necessarily that they want the cheapest price, it may be that they don t know what else to ask!

14 Peak months for weddings, in order of popularity, are October, November, September and March with 50% of weddings happening in these months July, June, January and May are the least popular months for weddings in Australia (in that order) Image: Luisa Dingal Blanco Photography and Film

15 insight With most brides engaged for about 21 months, all year is wedding season. Ensure you have taken care of all the back-end and preparatory elements of your business in the off-peak months. That way, you ll be ready to fill your calendar with weddings during peak periods - without being distracted by a need to market your business. Off-peak business boosting activities could include holding competitions, optimising your website and Easy Wedding profile, and lots of social media awesomeness!. Image: Will Hartl Photography

16 The most popular wedding colours in Australia are blue, purple, white and pink Ensure your Easy Weddings profile and your website showcase the weddings you ve serviced that feature these colours. If you are a product-based business, ensure you have lots of offerings in these colour choices available. Images: Urban Earth Photography

17 28% of brides spend more than $2,500 on their wedding dress. The average bride will spend $1,925 insight The majority of brides are looking for the perfect wedding dress and they re willing to spend a significant portion of their budget on the right one. Ensure you stock gowns in all price ranges in your portfolio, not just the lower-cost ones. Don t neglect to include high-end gowns.

18 51% of couples honeymoon immediately after their wedding and more than 70% of honeymoons last 2-20 days insight The majority of couples will be away enjoying themselves on their honeymoon for the first few weeks after the wedding. When you contact brides for feedback and reviews, wait until they get home from their honeymoon. Set yourself a reminder to call or them 20 to 24 days after their wedding day to ensure they re around to respond.

19 And, here are Easy Weddings stats * : 70% of Australia s brides consult Easy Weddings when planning their big day 12,500,000 million page views per year 330,000+ users per month 133,500+ supplier reviews 103,000+ Facebook fans 20,000+ products in our gift registry 2,000+ blog posts 870+ Real Weddings * Correct at the time of printing, but those figures are probably WAY bigger now!

20 Need more business? We re here to help. If you d like to discuss how you can make the most of these exclusive insights to grow your business, please get in touch: service@easyweddings.com.au or Image: One of the scenes from Easy Weddings 2015 TV commercial which features 14 of our suppliers