What does today's bride truly want?

Happy Hump Day! Today I’m posting fun facts from my friends over at David’s Bridal. I’m receiving press releases and pitches from bridal-related businesses more and more (keep them coming!) but I try to be as discerning as possible and only share the stuff I feel is most relevant for your wants and needs. After all, that’s what separates Triple B from those katrillion other bridal sites on the World Wide Web, right? FULL DISCLAIMER: I have no idea how many Black women were surveyed to gather the below information but this stuff could be useful to you regardless.

DAVID’S BRIDAL “WHAT’S ON BRIDES’ MINDS” SURVEY UNVEILS

NEW TRADITIONS OF TODAY’S BRIDE

“Today’s bride may still be budget-conscious, but that’s not stopping her from revamping past traditions to create the one-of-a-kind wedding she’s always dreamt about,” says Brian Beitler, Chief Marketing Officer for David’s Bridal.

Keep reading for more findings (some of these stats might shock you) about getting hitched from real brides.

Vows Go Viral
A paperless wedding invitation isn’t the only way weddings are saturating the digital world, as couples look to showcase their weddings online.

  • Facebook Official: Nearly half (48%) of brides-to-be update their Facebook with new name or relationship status within a day of taking their vows.
  • YouTube Sensation: 2 in 5 (44%) brides are interested in doing whatever it takes to get their fifteen minutes of YouTube fame, like a choreographed dance down the aisle or first dance.

The New Bridal Elopement
Over-the-top weddings are becoming a thing of the past, and brides are now opting for more intimate affairs that will allow them to save for the ever after.

  • Less is More: Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) brides have considered having a small wedding, with 80% saying their reason for considering the smaller ceremony is to save money.
  • How Small is Small?: 80% of brides-to-be believe a small wedding is 50 guests or less and almost half (44%) define it as a wedding with 30 or fewer guests.
  • Nuptial Necessities: Of those who had to reduce their budgets, 61% said the wedding planner was the first to go, followed by décor (59%) and venue (57%). Brides identified alcohol as the least likely to be affected by budget cuts.
  • Saving for the Future: 32% of couples agree that their top economic priority, aside from the wedding, is saving money to go towards a down payment on a house, compared with 24% of couples in 2010.

Non-Traditional Nuptials
Some customs of previous generations are losing their luster and brides are looking for updated ways to say “I do.”

  • Starting a New Tradition: Borrowed traditions are becoming a thing of the past, as nearly 4 in 5 (79%) brides reveal they have a wedding tradition they wish they could do away with.
  • Alternative Aisles: 2 in 5 (40%) respondents would marry outside a church in a non-religious setting, and two-thirds (66%) have considered having a family member or friend deliver their vows.
  • Eliminating Expectations: Additional traditions brides-to-be would likely do away with, include wedding speeches (37%), wearing white (25%) and choosing something old, new, borrowed and blue (22%).
  • Reality Check: While watching wedding reality shows may be a guilty pleasure of brides, 69% said they’d never let their wedding be featured on a controversial reality show in order to save money and get five minutes of fame.

Green Still Looks Gorgeous
Environmentally-friendly continues to stay fashionable, as brides find ways to make green the new white.

  • Eco-Chic: 78% of respondents would take steps to make their weddings more environmentally-conscious.
  • Shades of Green: 37% of brides donate leftover food from the reception, and 35% plan to serve locally sourced dishes and/or decorate with locally sourced flowers.

Methodology
The David’s Bridal Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.WakefieldResearch.com) between November 15th and November 29th, 2010. For this research, 501 interviews were fielded among women ages 18 and older, who are either engaged to be married or were married within the past two months, using an email invitation and an online survey.

[Image courtesy of opalfusionmag.com.]

What do you think of the survey results? Were you surprised by anything? Why/why not?