Once upon a time, the announcement of a forthcoming marriage was the first in a series of steps to be taken, each one following a well-trodden path steeped in tradition and convention. Any doubts arising along the way could be swiftly dispelled by a brief visit to the library or local bookshop in search of an established voice on the subject of wedding etiquette!
Alas – no longer, though you’ll surely not expect life changing events 21st century style to be that simply or sweetly accomplished?
As you all know, there has been a fundamental change in the law, which may affect your wedding arrangements. Couples are now offered the freedom to marry outside of the narrow confines of a register office or church. However, since the benefits of a ceremony and reception at the same location have become more apparent, so an increasing level of competitiveness between couples to secure the best venues has emerged as a trend. This may go some way to explain why many a bride and her groom are making substantial financial commitments to hotels, country houses and all manner of venues in and around the West Country, so very far ahead of the wedding date itself.
Other services related to the smooth running of the wedding are also snapped up well in advance, with the best photographers coming in a close second on the list of essentials to be ticked off of an ever expanding inventory of bridal must haves.
Since my return to the field of wedding dress design, I have been amazed by the number of brides-to-be who are searching in earnest for a dress to wear in 2010 and beyond. At what great length I’ve pondered this particular phenomenon you’ll never know, but suffice to say, with over 300,000 weddings taking place every year at a current average cost of £20,000 and above, it will come as no surprise to learn that the typical length of an engagement is now twenty-three months. That’s a long time to keep the excitement in check. In fact, one in ten couples saves for as long as five years, especially if they are among the twenty percent of young people funding the entire celebrations themselves. Add to the mix the pressures of purchasing a home for the first time and you have a pretty potent recipe for stress and strain unless a well thought out plan of action is followed from the outset.
Personally, I have a strong belief in the concept of the wedding dress as fresh and new. It’s the signal of the onset of a different era and is all the more precious for that. The acquired wisdom of seventeen years spent working in this field, has at last seen me (most of the time,) completing individual dresses created in my studio some weeks rather than some days prior to the allotted date. Last minute considerations, with most ready to wear gowns now being shipped in from the Far East, are quite frankly a thing of the past, and a switched on bride should reach a decision about her choice of dress, a comfortable six months before she is due to say “I do”.