The Bridal Boom: Key Insights & Opportunities

As casual courthouse weddings rise in popularity and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis threatens budgets, many modern brides are opting for more low-key looks at a lower price point. Additionally, they’re seeking out less traditional pieces from brands they already wear – and may wear again – meaning that their wedding day style remains aligned with their personal everyday tastes.

To name just a few, cult-favourite mid-market brands (particularly those with millennial and Gen Z fans) such as Staud and HVN (both US), Rixo, Nensi Dojaka, 16Arlington and Molly Goddard (all UK), Ester Manas (Belgium) and Ba&sh (France) have all recently launched bridal offerings, while Copenhagen label Cecilie Bahnsen’s Bridal Edit recognises both the opportunity in and demand for bridal designs among its existing customer base.

On the other hand, many brides going down the more traditional route are choosing to wear multiple dresses throughout their big day, where a primary – and usually more opulent – gown for the ceremony is followed by something more casual and comfortable for the reception (which is where the aforementioned mid-market labels come in). There are also bridesmaid dresses to consider, as well as getting-ready robes and slips for the whole bridal party.

Pre- and post-wedding events – think bachelorette parties, bridal showers, honeymoons, rehearsal dinners and next-day ensembles as the trend for multi-day destination events continues to grow – are equally in demand and provide lucrative opportunities for brands to make bridal wardrobe building and styling a priority.

There’s a burgeoning fascination with celebrity weddings, which have become lavish star-studded entertainment events, often spanning entire weekends in luxurious, far-flung destinations. Sofia Richie’s recent South of France wedding (where she wore three different Chanel dresses throughout the day) went viral on TikTok, with videos garnering a combined 586 million views and counting. Last year also saw Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham’s Florida nuptials (where the bride wore custom Valentino), as well as Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Dolce & Gabbana-sponsored Italian extravaganza – read The Brief for further insights.

There’s a myriad of lessons to be gleaned from these events, with a major one being the sheer scope of opportunity. For Kardashian and Barker’s wedding, Dolce & Gabbana dressed not just the bridal party but also the guests, while US-based bridal stylists Anny Choi and Gabrielle Hurwitz have reported an uptick in requests for guest styling this year. When weddings must be optimised for content – be it for social media or a Hulu reality show – nothing is off-limits.