How 2020 wedding trends could turn Indy into a destination city
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Brides in central Indiana kicked off wedding planning season Sunday at Engaged Indiana Wedding Show.
The one-day wedding planning experience is designed to make sorting out all the details a little more fun, while helping brides get a head start.
According to a global report by The Knot , December is the most popular month to get engaged. That makes January a busy month for wedding planning.
“I am booking already for November 2021,” said Mark Mattingly, event director for the Biltwell Event Center in downtown Indianapolis.
The popular wedding venue also hosted the wedding show which featured two floors of interactive booths, food trends, and a bridal fashion show for inspiration.
“Between dress fittings and alterations, brides should really start wedding dress shopping 9 – 12 months out,” said Gretchen Reynolds of Gretchen’s Bridal Gallery and Reynolds Tux.
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Reynolds also advises to start the budgeting process in advance.
“The national average price of a wedding dress is $17,000 and I would say in Indiana it’s about $15,000,” said Reynolds.
Engaged Indiana owner Leslie Swathwood says wedding shows help ease the stress of planning a wedding by offering brides a chance to meet with vendors, talk with past clients and and get an inside look into local trends.
“National trends are great, but then you miss out on opportunities to choose maybe a venue that has a historic feel in your own city that adds a local element,” said Swathwood.
Swathwood also says half of couples in Indiana have one person that doesn’t live or isn’t from the city that they’re getting married in.
That could make Indy a destination wedding city with non-Indiana guests coming to the state.
“We see a lot of couples who grew up in Indianapolis and maybe have moved away but they come home to get married because of family or because it’s cheaper than where they live,” added Swathwood.
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As for wedding trends in 2020, Swathwood says interactivity is more popular than ever.
“Guests these days want to feel part of your wedding and be entertained. We see that in so many ways from how food is being served to creative photo booths,” said Swathwood.