Wedding industry’s demand simplifies and budgets drop by 10%

The recent “54th Wedding, Banquet, Beauty & Jewellery Expo” saw wedding companies noting that couples in recent years tend to simplify wedding ceremonies, and their wedding preparation budgets have decreased by about 10% compared to previous years.

The three-day expo, held at the Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Center, featured nearly 50 exhibitors and close to 100 booths, and attracted several soon-to-be-married couples.

In recent years, the number of marriage registrations has moved away from the pandemic lows but cannot be described as a rebound.

Last year was a favorable one for weddings with a double spring and leap month, but marriage registrations in the first three quarters still fell by 13%.

Looking ahead, demand in the local wedding market remains stable, and efforts will continue to expand services to meet these needs.

Some wedding planners believe that Macau has a stable demand for weddings and that enhancing service quality is key to adapting to market changes.

According to Macao Daily News, a representative in charge of local wedding planning confirmed that outdoor weddings have become increasingly popular.

The wedding planner said that this year’s exhibition seemed busier than the last, with many couples already beginning to plan their weddings. However, due to the current economic situation, banquet scales have shrunk from the previous 20 to 30 tables to just over 10 tables.

Traditional indoor banquets are no longer the mainstream. More and more couples prefer outdoor ceremonies, and many simply have a family meal after registering, indicating that simplifying ceremonies is the prevailing trend.

Faced with constant market changes, the representative’s company has proactively adjusted its pricing to align with market trends. Services have expanded from banquet decorations to comprehensive wedding planning, integrating resources such as wedding dresses and makeup to provide full-service, one-stop solutions, helping busy young people simplify wedding preparations.

Regarding market prospects, the company believes that as the post-2000 generation gradually reaches marriageable age, the wedding market will continue to have stable demand.

Meanwhile, a traditional Chinese wedding coordinator mentioned that due to the uncertain economic outlook, most couples opt to streamline wedding ceremonies, reducing demand for traditional Chinese wedding coordination services.

However, it is difficult for the industry to lower fees accordingly, as the services provided are quite intricate, involving active follow-up from the moment the couple pays the deposit and requiring full-day coordination on the wedding day, from ceremony oversight to verifying gold items and attire.

The coordinator believes that although the wedding market is not as booming as before, Macau still has a stable demand for weddings. She plans to continue adapting to market changes while providing high-quality services.

A photography company stated that, having been established for over two years, its wedding photography business has been relatively modest due to Macau’s small population base.

However, because local labor costs are high, wedding photography fees are difficult to compare with those in other markets, and it is also challenging to tap into tourist clientele. Ricaela Diputado