The latest wedding and honeymoon trends to tap into

Operators are reporting that more couples are looking to walk down the aisle abroad than ever before, with Perfect Weddings Abroad forecasting its biggest year yet for the next 12 months, and Sandals and Beaches Resorts saying this upward trend was detectable even last year, with 30% more weddings booked at its properties in 2021 than in 2020.

“Feedback from our customers and travel agents has confirmed many couples are getting married overseas because they haven’t been able to have the wedding that they planned at home, or because they are afraid of more [UK] restrictions impacting their big day,” explains Leah Marshall, director of sales for Sandals’ UK tour operation, Unique Vacations.

The fact the market is burgeoning isn’t the only development weddings and honeymoons operators are spotting either, so here are some additional trends to take into consideration when selling travel to soon-to-be husbands and wives in the coming months.

TREND: COUPLES ARE SPLASHING OUT

According to the latest figures from Kuoni, average honeymoon spend has increased by 13% from £7,985 in 2019 to £9,045 for 2022, largely due to couples upgrading their flights, room types and in-destination experiences. Five-star properties are also featuring in a larger share of the operator’s honeymoon bookings, now at 40% compared to 28% in 2019.

Perfect Weddings Abroad says more of its customers are splashing out on their big day too, especially in the Caribbean: “Many Caribbean hotels offer free wedding packages, which is very appealing to wedding couples and means they often spend more on the holiday side of things, for example upgrading their flights or room category,” says Lauren Staley, weddings specialist at the operator.

Kuoni and Sandals and Beaches Resorts are in agreement that newlyweds are increasingly choosing premium economy or business class in favour of economy flights, with the latter adding it’s seeing evidence of upgrades in accommodation and experiences too.

Marshall explains: “Most customers have chosen LoveNest Butler suites so they have the most luxurious and private honeymoon possible, while we’ve seen an increase in Sandals Extras being booked such as spa treatments, private candlelit dinners, excursions and private luxury transfers.”

“Private pools are always in demand, and clients will increase their budget to make sure they get one,” adds Kuoni’s honeymoon expert Stacey Owens, with Marshall citing “customers wanting to make their honeymoon special after missing out on other celebrations throughout the year due to Covid” as a possible reason for this.

TREND: ELOPEMENTS ARE ON THE RISE

Both Perfect Weddings Abroad and Sandals and Beaches Resorts have seen more couples looking to tie the knot abroad in secret this year. “I have noticed an increase in the number of enquiries for elopements in the Caribbean,” reports Staley. “Couples are looking to get away, just the two of them, and combine their wedding and honeymoon.”

Marshall implies this isn’t happening solely in the Caribbean – she discovered that Google searches for the term “elopement” rose by 22% from September 2019 compared to the same month in 2021. “This suggests intimate destination weddings are becoming more appealing to couples,” she says.

TREND: LAST-MINUTE BOOKING IS THE NEW NORMAL

As across all travel sectors during the past two years, last-minute honeymoon bookings are on the rise, with the days of advance reservations as the norm yet to return. Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ Marshall says this is because “couples want to wait and see which destinations are open and have the least-complicated entry protocols”, while Kuoni says it booked more late luxury honeymoons than ever before in 2021, as many couples who tied the knot in summer were seeking last-minute September departures for their first getaway as husbands and wives.