Bridal Guide Rings in "Engagement Season"

The holidays mean wedding engagements—and cause for marketers to celebrate

As the holiday season approaches, so does the annual “engagement season”—that magical time of year between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day when nearly one third of all couples become engaged.

Weddings take place year ‘round, but the holiday season’s focus on home, family and gift-giving makes it the perfect time of year to pop the question. No matter how the economy is faring, people will keep on getting married, which means that engaged couples essentially make up a recession-resistant audience. It’s vital for marketers to reach this audience when they’re newly engaged and just diving into the wedding planning process.

Bridal market resilience
Recent surveys conducted by Bridal Guide support the resilience of the bridal market:

- Median spending on wedding gowns has remained virtually unchanged, while selection and quality—not price—are still the top factors in choosing a wedding gown retailer
- 94% of readers have or plan to receive an engagement ring
- “Nesting” is important, with items like fine china, sterling silver, crystal stemware and home linens continuing to top wedding registries
- Traditional wedding-related celebrations continue: Nearly 90% of readers are planning a bridal shower; more than half of readers will have an engagement party; 90% of readers will host a rehearsal dinner

For travel, the outlook is just as rosy:

- 25% of Bridal Guide readers are planning or considering a destination wedding (higher than the national average of 18%)
- Destination weddings include a median of 44 guests who will stay at the wedding destination for 3 nights
- Nearly 96% of readers plan to go on a honeymoon
- The popularity of bachelor and bachelorette getaways (in lieu of a traditional party) shows noteworthy strength, with nearly one-third of readers planning or considering a celebratory vacation with their friends and bridal party before the wedding

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