https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Christian-wedding-planner-weighs-in-on-extravagant-wedding-trend

Christian wedding planner weighs in on extravagant wedding trends

Wed 26 Apr 2017

By Tola Mbakwe

Have you been to a wedding with a social media hashtag, large bridal party or a custom website?

Country Life magazine says too many weddings have turned into a three-day-extravaganza full of glitzy add-ons. They say a classic country wedding should be about quality not quantity.

Christian wedding planner and owner of Exclusively You Events, Theresa Beckles, also believes weddings have gone from simple to lavish over the years.

She explained to Premier News Hour: "You can have a bridal party of at least 25 people, and then you have the special venues these days.

"It's all about glitz and glamour.

"Wedding cakes have gone from three tiers to five to seven tiers and you have the crystals and diamonds.

"You have social media involved where the bride and groom can post their wedding plans, special gifts and honeymoon and so on.

"It's all about who can outdo each other by the looks of it".

Beckles said the trend has a lot with people wanting to keep up with the Joneses and the internet plays a big part.

She said: "You have social media where people are talking about their wedding, their honeymoon and the different designer dresses, cakes and shoes ".

A study shows the cost of an average UK wedding is between £27,000 and £30,000.

Beckles told Premier News Hour there's nothing wrong with a bride and groom having the wedding of their dreams as long as they don't go into debt doing it.

She said: "When I speak to the couple, I always ask them about their marriage.

"What do you have planned? The most important thing to me is to talk about is their budget and tell them they don't need to get all these expensive items."

County Life magazine listed some things that couples should stay away from when wedding planning.

They include hashtags, having more than six bridesmaids, asking for honeymoon donations, going out of the country for a stag-do/ hen night and expanding the wedding celebration to a three-day affair.

The article states: "Thirty years ago, the essentials of the classic British wedding were the ceremony, a reception (either standing or seated) and possibly a party in the evening, although this was the exception, not the rule.

"That model has been subsequently enhanced by the nuptial equivalent of an arms race that has left the event so elaborate it's easy to forget that, at its heart, is a very simple and important exchange of vows."

About the Author

Tola Mbakwe

Tola Mbakwe is a multimedia journalist for Premier.