Why Wedding Venue Spend Is Soaring And What It Means for the Industry

Couples in 2025 are spending more than ever on where they say “I do” and less on many of the elements that used to dominate the wedding checklist.

The Venue as the Experience

Modern Couples are less worried about the formality of the event and more concerned with the immersive nature of the setting. Traditional decor is out and bespoke and interesting venues are in. Venues with built-in atmosphere, luxury appeal and an opportunity for storytelling elements. Couples are interested in venues that have a built-in wow factor to add visual interest to their big day. Think private villas in Tuscany, castles in Ireland and beachfront estates in Bali. The Venue needs to create a cinematic atmosphere and backdrop to add to the grand experience and emotions of the event. Aesthetically pleasing and dramatic venues also provide the perfect backdrop for on-the-day content.

The Rise of Multi-Day Weddings

Weddings are no longer one long event. Nowadays, couples plan and host weddings as multi-day events. Modern weddings span 2-4 days and include extra events such as welcome dinners, cultural ceremonies and farewell brunches. Multi-day weddings mean that couples are booking venues for longer to host all of their events in one space for increased convenience, cohesion and luxury. However, this is driving up the cost of venue hire. Additionally, some venues offer on-site accommodation, and some couples choose to hire these spaces for the wedding party throughout the events. This also adds to the increased cost of wedding venue hire.

The Influence of Social Media & Content Creation

The rise of social media and content creation as an essential aspect of modern weddings is fueling the demand for aesthetic wedding venues. As the experience economy transforms the wedding industry, the Instagrammable nature of weddings increases and deserves to be shared. Venues are expected to photograph beautifully with minimal styling, they are to provide a naturally cinematic backdrop. This ensures that all content produced – photos, reels, and wedding films – will look and feel luxurious and cinematic because the venue already is.

Other Wedding Costs Are Shrinking

While venue costs go up, other staple wedding spend is shrinking.

Couples’ budget priorities have shifted to prioritise the venue and other experiential elements that add to the storytelling and emotional aspects of the day.

• Brides no longer have just one dress but two and are opting for more affordable outfits instead of one main couture gown.
• Weddings are also becoming more intimate events, with the guest count lowering and the per-person investment higher to improve the guest experience.
• Couples are also choosing to reallocate the budget for printed menus and wedding favours and instead spend on personalised experiential elements and content creators.

These choices are being made as couples strive to create meaningful events that are well remembered and enjoyed.

Implications for the Wedding Industry

As this shift continues, Venue owners should consider offering packaging options for multi-day wedding events and content production. Additionally, Vendors must become flexible and showcase their ability to align their services to complement the venue’s aesthetics. This will make their services more attractive to consumers as it will improve the atmosphere and overall guest experience. Furthermore, Planners and Make-up Artists (MUA’s) need to be able to integrate with the venue’s teams and services to deliver a cohesive experience for the couple and their guests.

Weddings in 2025 are no longer just an event — they’re now a multi-platform expression of love, identity, and style. Weddings are now experience-driven celebrations. The venue is the stage. Everything else? It has to support the story.

Are you a Wedding Industry Professional? 

How will you adapt your offerings to cater to this shift in wedding spending priorities?

What can you offer to differentiate your business in this changing industry?