Although over half of British weddings now feature home-made invitations, stationery and favours, for HNWIs the personal touch doesn’t always mean making bunting yourself. The Wedding Gallery is a London-based luxury department store that caters to couples' wildest whims. We explore the insights behind the store, and why people want increasingly lavish weddings – though not at the cost of convenience.
The average cost of a wedding in the UK is over £27,000, and luxury consumers can spend a lot more. “The level of expectation for modern weddings is so high now – couples see photos on Instagram of bridesmaid squads, and they want to recreate the same visual effect,” says Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook. Knowing that many brides and grooms dream of showcasing the ultimate #couplegoals, staff at The Wedding Gallery aim to inspire couples to think big, introducing them to suppliers that can deliver things they may never have previously thought of – from Michelin-star wedding breakfasts to arriving at the venue in a vintage Rolls-Royce.
Aside from making the event fabulous, the other goal is to reduce stress, says co-curator Anna McGregor. While the department store set-up means that every little detail can be bought from the same place if so desired, The Wedding Gallery also acts as a members’ club for couples to relax in, flick through brochures, hang out with their bridesmaids and groomsmen, and meet with suppliers. “Just as weddings today are no longer conforming to tradition, so the wedding planning process and the way brides-to-be are shopping is constantly evolving,” says McGregor. “With an abundance of choice across all elements of wedding planning, anything goes these days and there are no limits on the lengths couples will go to.”
Yet while choice is often a good thing, it can also be overwhelming; 96% of respondents to a Zola survey said they found wedding planning stressful. The Wedding Gallery hopes to alleviate some of these concerns by providing a one-stop-shop. “Such extensive choice also means that the process of planning a wedding can be daunting,” says McGregor. “The sheer amount of information and knowledge and the comprehensive nature of each and every department is what wedding planning dreams are made of.”
Bridebook is the UK's no.1 wedding planning app and website
Jo Allison is the editor of Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. Previously, she worked for retail trends consultancy GDR, where shopping was part of the job description. When she’s not getting her head around the quirks of human behaviour, she’s busy ‘researching’ the latest food or fitness fad.
