The WoW Style

Weddings really aren’t what they used to be, especially when millennials have anything to say about it. Just like many other facets of many millennials’ lives, this generation tends to focus on making some type of positive social impact with their wedding planning and the big event itself. In fact, the happy couple often turns wedding conversations to center around inclusivity, social responsibility and sustainability.

Since millennials are waiting longer to get married in order to better establish themselves, pay off school debts and simply find the right mate, there’s no reason for them to play by previous generations’ prescribed ideas and ideals regarding weddings.

Here are three ways millennials are changing all the rules to turn the wedding industry on its head.

1. Millennials are Cohabitating and Buying Homes Together Before Marrying

According to Business Insider, millennials are cohabitating sixfold over the numbers of their parents’ generation, meaning they increasingly look at living together as a practical pathway toward marriage.
Additionally, millennials are more apt to commit to buying a house with a significant other with whom they plan to marry, which shows that couples of this generation are taking a more realistic view of the economic aspects of marriage before heading down the aisle.

This attitude and approach toward the traditional steps of getting married and moving in together may add to the list of reasons the divorce rates for millennials are substantially decreasing.

2. Wedding Planning Largely Takes Place Online or Mobile Devices

While on-site and in-person wedding planner sessions still happen, they’re probably far less common today than they were before the advent of the smartphone. Indeed, today’s engaged couples are using a variety of online tools for wedding planning. Case in point: 80 percent of a couple’s wedding planning time is done online, with nearly 40 percent electing to use their smart devices.

Couples are searching for cakes, venues, dresses, invitations, color coordinating expertise, flowers and much more online and on their mobile devices, saving time and energy they certainly need in a million other places.

Take something like save the date cards, which were introduced in the mid-2000s to serve as a pre-invitation, announcing the wedding date and location. It’s now super easy to prepare a save the date card online or via a mobile app to save time and resources for everyone involved.

3. Millennials are Choosing to Plan More Progressive and Inclusive Weddings

Millennials are increasingly aware and sensitive of the ethnic, cultural, racial and size makeup of their friends and family. To that end, millennial couples are focusing on ways to ensure everyone who attends their wedding feels welcome and respected by the community.

For example, they’re leaving behind antiquated traditions such as the garter toss, the best man and the concept of “giving away” the bride to bring in new and more socially conscious traditions. These traditions may include ideas like searching for alternative language for wedding vows that better reflects their equality and shaking up the cake cutting portion of the event.

Bottom Line: Millennials are Shaking Things Up

These are just a few of the many ways millennials are shaking up weddings for themselves and the wedding industry at large. Millennials understand the value of focusing on fiscal responsibility via methods like pre-marriage cohabitation and online planning.

Ultimately, it’s equally important for them on a personal level that the social aspects of their wedding reflect their dedication to a healthy and happy future together as a 21st century couple.