PRESSURE RISES ON BRIDES TO BE

28 MAY 2022

I love the idea that you’ll see on page 12 of today’s issue. It’s a new initiative at Kildare Village that allows brides to buy wedding dresses at reduced prices. The dresses are either excess stock, display items or pre-loved gowns. It not only helps reduce the carbon footprint of the dresses but also helps women worldwide through initiatives run by the brand Brides Do Good. You can really feel the return of wedding season at the moment – I feel like last Saturday, everyone I know was at one! I was at one myself, in fact, in the role of celebrant, and I can’t wait to help more couples get their day off to the best possible start with a lovely ceremony. One thing I’ve noticed of late is that I rarely have a chat about a wedding without a discussion about cost – with both brides to be and their guests. I’ve heard from so many couples who have received emails from their hotels informing them that the price of their meal has gone up, in some cases by as much as €15 per person – with an invite list of 120 people, that’s an unexpected hike of €1,800. Unfortunately, when most of them read the small print, they realised it contained a clause that allowed for this so they doidn’t have much choice. Although I did read advice from one bride who said that she and her husband-to-be met with the hotel and they tweaked the menu to bring it back to the original cost. It’s not ideal but at least it’s an option. Another bride I know has lost almost €7,000 in deposits for services that can no longer cater for her rearranged date. This is absolutely soul-destroying for her and has sucked much of the good out of the run-up to her wedding. That’s the saddest part of all this I think – so many brides are feeling stressed and angry rather than joyous as they try to organise everything for their big day. It’s not much better for guests. I don’t need to tell you that the accommodation situation in Ireland is under huge pressure and I’ve heard of several hotels charging far more than the agreed rate for guests who hadn’t already booked – one went from €175 per night to €325. That’s a huge outlay for guests, who have still to think about outfits, a gift, the bar bill and petrol money. Again, the cumulation of all of this serves to suck the joy out of what should be the best day of a couple’s lives. The only advice I can give is for a couple to decide what’s important to them and prioritise that. Is it worth getting married in a five-star hotel if the cost of rooms for guests is going to put financial stress on them and possibly stop them from attending? Are there cheaper B&Bs nearby that could offset some of the cost? Could you choose a venue closer to home so most of your guests can get a taxi at the end of the night? Or are you happy to lose some guests if it means you can have your perfect backdrop? Budgeting will become a superpower for many couples over the next few months and years – just remember that at the end of the day, all that matters is that you are happy.

Enjoy the issue.