With 2022 coming to an end, the Wedded Wonderland team is reflecting on the year that was. 2022 was the year of catching up on life in a (somewhat) post-Covid world, and of course, this included many many Weddings!
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2022 brought the rise and desire for experiences, and this poured into Weddings and Private Events. Couples want to treat their guests to an experience that is beyond what is traditionally expected. From this, we have seen a massive rise in ‘Destination Weddings’ both locally and abroad (hint for what’s to come in 2023 😉
Here’s our recap of our highlights for 2022;
Save Our Weddings
Save Our Weddings, a campaign launched by Wedded Wonderland, driven by our Founder Wendy El-Khoury during the pandemic to support the Wedded community local and abroad, Businesses and Couples, seeking clarity on restrictions and how to wed during this time finally came to an end, with almost all Covid Wedding postponements taking place in 2022!
“Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for persevering over the years, even though the odds were against you and so many of us. Thank you for being strong and fierce but at the same time, warm-hearted, empathetic and kind.” Wedded Wonderland Bride, Nirasha
Photo credit @siempreweddings
B2B Discovery Session
Our B2B Discovery Session in June 2022 was our first face-to-face business event in over 2 years! We were joined by incredible pioneers, designers and leading business owners including Jules Robinson Founder of Figur Shapewear, Viktoria Novak Milliner to the stars, Steven Khalil Couture Designer, Sebastian Lee CEO of Eternal Bridal, and Melissa Sassine Makeup Artist and Academy Director, plus so many more leaders and up and comers.
B2C Discovery Session
Following the success of the B2B Discovery Session, we decided to host one for Consumers as well. The room was filled with past, present, and future Couples ready to give us insight into the challenges Couples face when planning their wedding, and the events in the lead-up.
Media partner – Eternal Bridal x Galia Lahav
In August, Wedded Wonderland was a media partner for the exclusive launch of Galia Lahav’s latest collection at Eternal Bridal in Sydney and Melbourne!
Bras N Things partnership
We partnered with Bras N Things to launch their new bridal range at The Langham Sydney. We worked with Coote Connex to bring this to life. We encourage any retail brand that has product offerings that align with the Wedding industry to carve out an exclusive and specific offering for this market, ad hoc can drive interest, but dedicated campaigns drive strategy and ROI.
DWP Bali
Our Founder Wendy Daoud El-Khoury joined the world stage of Weddings at DWP Insider Bali presenting as a Digital and Social Media Keynote on “Your Online Presence in 2022 and beyond”.
“Content is king, but context is the QUEEN! Without a marketing strategy focusing on the community you want to build, and the customers you’re looking to attract, you will fall short. Without purpose, you will not connect, and therefore receive random messages and enquiries that do not align with your business proposition.” – Wendy El-Khoury, Founder, Wedded Wonderland
RSVP Paris
Our Founder Wendy El-Khoury presented a keynote at RSVP Paris focusing on ‘Elevating your online presence’. Exploring the dynamics of social platforms including, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, RSVP 2022 guests learnt how to level it up online!
Whilst in Paris, the team had the pleasure of visiting some of the world’s most prestigious Haute Couture Houses and Hotels. We gained exclusive access and insider knowledge of trends to come in 2023 and more from SCHIAPARELLI, Zuhair Murad, Georges Hobeika and Elie Saab.
Private tours of the event spaces at Le Meurice, Ritz Carlton, and Plaza Athenee, which included Event experts sharing insights with us on Destination Weddings and what’s to come.
Loved Kissed with Tanya Hennessy
Launching in 2023, we can’t wait to share the inspiration behind this shoot with renowned TV Presenter, Best Selling Author, Comedian and Wedded Bride Tanya Hennessy. Brides in Australia and across the globe will be inspired and empowered.
Turkey Tourism x Vivaah Weddings
The Wedded Wonderland team enjoyed a 7-day stay in Turkey experiencing everything the beautiful country has to offer for Destination Weddings. We visited the old town, The Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Museum Hotel and chatted with leading Wedding and Event experts on what’s to come in 2023, and of course there was a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia!
2023 and Beyond…
Wedded Wonderland has always put the needs of our Couples and Businesses first, we have spent the better part of the last 3 years researching, listening and watching the landscape of the Wedding and Private Event Market evolve pre, during and post-Covid and what we have discovered (as mentioned above) is a desire for creating memorable experiences.
Enter the rise of Destination Weddings.
Yahoo’s finance’s 2022 recent global market report showcased that the global destination wedding market is expected to grow to $64.01 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR). With these figures on the rise, every 1 out of 4 couples is now deciding on destination weddings, primarily in the American region.
In 2023 Wedded Wonderland will partner with Tourism bodies in emerging and established Destination Wedding markets, and launch an online marketplace that will answer the needs of Couples planning Destination Weddings. The platform will be available for Couples to use worldwide, finding suppliers and venues to engage with in the desired region and access to exclusive deals.
Not only does our marketplace provide solutions for Couples planning Destination Weddings but, it will also offer businesses the opportunity to present themselves on a global platform, engage with Couples around the world, and access to education, networking and community.
