Inflation causing wedding costs to increase
With wedding season in full swing, some soon-to-be married couples might already take a hit to their joint bank accounts.
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Due to inflation, expenses for a wedding are increasing. Everything from flowers, venues, food and music are all going up in price.
According to CNBC, in a January survey of roughly three hundred wedding vendors, 83 percent of participants say their business expenses will increase in 2023 and 77 percent of vendors surveyed say they raised rates this year to offset the rising operational costs.
The inflation is also impacting venues, as one official had to close a chapel down because of inflation.
“I actually operated a wedding chapel for four years in downtown Parkersburg. And I closed my chapel last year because the cost of doing business with the rent and inflation and cost of gas. Just everything else rising was too much for me to keep it open,” Mid-Ohio Valley officiants owner, Deb Lorentz said. “So, it was either pass on those costs to my couples or close it and become a traveling officiant which is what I do now.”
The wedding report said the average cost for a wedding in 2023 is roughly $29 thousand. Lorentz said because of higher costs at venues and outside expenses, many couples are looking to downsize their wedding and find ways to save.
“A lot of couples are just cutting things out. They’re not getting favors, they’re having their wedding party buy their own dresses. Things like that because it is expensive,” Lorentz said.
Lorentz said she has heard couples have cut costs by having family members play music, going to thrift stores for outfits and even doing potlucks for food.
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