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Weddings are big business in America. An industry that was once small potatoes has grown into a massive 40-billion-dollar-a-year empire. Even in the wake of the global recession, wedding costs continue to rise. The bill for the average modern wedding is just over $ 24,000. That's twice as much as it was in 1990.
Why are wedding costs on the rise? There are many reasons. But none is more important than the bride-to-be. Since the 1970s, women have made remarkable strides in the work. Although gender inequalities still exist, the woman of today has a better education, earns more money, and has greater job security than ever before. She also gets married a lot later than she did in the past. The median age of a first marriage for an American woman is now twenty-six, two years more than it was in 1990.
In short, women are putting off marriage in order to focus on their careers. This simple and indisputable fact has been a mixed blessing for the marriage industry. On the one hand, there are fewer total marriages about four hundred thousand fewer since 1990! But on the other hand, women have more money to spend when they get married at an older age.
The modern wedding is all about the bride, partly because she is more likely to pay! It may be stereotypical, but the bride of today is generally hard to please. After centuries of having others tell her what to do, she is now in complete control of her big day. She picks the bridal party, the flowers, the music, the photographer and the food. But her single most important selection is the dress.
How important is it? The modern bride-to-be starts shopping for her dress nine months before her wedding day. She spends an average of around fifteen hundred dollars on the gown and hundreds more on accessories and alterations. Although she will only wear it once, most married women keep their gowns safely stored in the hope that one day their daughters will wear it.
Millions of women spend billions of dollars on bridal gowns each year. This growing industry contracts some of the world's top designers. In the next few paragraphs, we will discuss a few of the most popular trends in bridal gown fashions.
Add Some Color
Twenty years ago it would have been almost unthinkable for a bride to wear any other color but white on her wedding day. But due to the rise in less formal outdoor ceremonies, more modern brides are choosing non-white dresses. Colors like pink, red and blue can be found at most bridal salons and boutiques. Of course, it is important to consider the venue.
Pink has gotten quite popular with beach brides. Since white makes some women look washed-out, these brides look for colors that will compliment their natural coloring. In many cases, that is either red or pink, especially on the sands. Many brides-to-be that wear white like to add some color to their dresses with a pink or red sash, colorful shoes, embroidery, lace or beading. The options are really only limited by your imagination.
Consider the Material
Extravagant dresses with heavily brocaded fabrics, flowing veils and long trains are out. Because modern brides actually want to enjoy their big day, they are choosing gowns that use lighter, more comfortable fabrics. One recent trend is to include some type of material in the bridal gown. Sheer materials are see-though and they give the bride a delicate look, no matter what the venue. The most popular place to use sheer materials is in the straps. This gives brides the best of both worlds. They get the support and comfort of having straps, but because sheer materials are translucent, their gown appears to be strapless. Sheer materials can also be used on the back, the train, and on the neckline of the dress.
Embrace Asymmetry
The days of the plain old wedding gown that looks just like every other fancy dress have come and gone. Modern brides want styles that are edgier and eye-catching. This simple fact has encouraged many designers to offer asymmetrical dresses. The most popular uneven style is the one-shoulder gown. These dresses have a strap on one shoulder and leave the other shoulder bare. It is a distinct and attractive look for brides who do not feel comfortable going completely strapless. One-shoulder gowns are also more formal than strapless dresses, which means that they can be worn to traditional weddings. Every bride wants to stand apart on her wedding day. Finding a unique, fashion-forward dress can help you do this.
