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Written by Michelle Brisebois
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There’s a new girl in town
She’s waited a long time to settle down. Long years of
schooling were followed by marathon hours at the office to nail all of
those promotions. She’s pulled together a nice RRSP and a down payment
on her own house.
Oh, how her parents had wondered how she’d manage on her own! Finally, she found the right partner to share it all with – the engagement became official last night. She stands in front of the magazine rack filled with bridal publications.
Headlines scream: “Celebrity wedding ring trends! How to know if he’s the right one!” After surveying this feast of advice, our bride-to-be takes a deep breath – and runs screaming into the night.
Believe it or not, this exact scenario (albeit not displayed so dramatically) is playing out daily. Women have changed more in the last 30 years than any other group at any other time in history and this metamorphosis has given birth to a new sector of the wedding industry – the creature known as the “offbeat bride.”
Young women today are no longer seen as property to be given away by their families – they now come with their own dowries hard earned through years of schooling and toil in the workforce. “It’s a function of education and earning power,” confirms Stephannie Roy, PhD, a feminist researcher with the University of Toronto. “As women have secured greater levels of education and income, they no longer see marriage as a way to be taken care of.
Marriage now happens on their terms and time-table.” The average age of first marriage now resides around 28 or 29 for women and more women than men are currently enrolled in post-secondary schools. “Once someone has economic clout, they no longer have to worry about pleasing others as much. Marriage has become more of a personal statement and less about following a pre-ordained format,” points out Dr. Roy. Today’s older, savvier and more affluent bride is less concerned about whether her flowers match the bridesmaids’ dresses and more concerned about whether they match the personal statement she wants her wedding to make.
The shelves of any local bookstore are crammed with titles such as Eco Chic Weddings and Offbeat Bride. The website www.frugalbride.com looks at ways to get married without going into debt. This trend is also a function of changing demographics. “As couples marry at an older age, more of them are footing the bill themselves,” says Dr. Roy. Retailers would do well to become known for their ability to create beautiful wedding flowers economically. More couples are marrying with mortgages and other financial commitments (such as huge student loans to repay) already – it’s not an isolated trend. The off-beat bride is not only economically aware, she’s also socially aware. We may need to be prepared to defend our business practices.
If anyone doubts that social issues are impacting the wedding industry – just ask the people who sell diamonds. The critically acclaimed movie Blood Diamond was released in late 2006 and immediately put the jewelry industry under the microscope. The movie addressed the South African diamond industry’s links to funding guerrilla warfare in many South African countries. The bridal chat rooms on the Internet were buzzing with questions from brides. Many posters felt strongly that a symbol of love should not be tainted with such violence. The World Diamond Council was concerned enough to respond with ads and a website – www.diamondfacts.org. The council stresses that more than 99 per cent of diamonds now come from conflict-free sources, and that diamond revenue today is mostly utilized in African countries for health care, education and other benefits. Colombia has become a huge international exporter of floral products. This country is also constantly under scrutiny for its human rights issues. You may find more brides are asking questions about floral origin. They may be motivated politically and environmentally.
Be prepared to answer questions about how your flowers were grown. You may want to develop more local suppliers. Couples may ask if pesticides were used and if your flowers are certified organic. Brides may be thinking in terms of “the 3 Rs of sustainability” – reduce, reuse and recycle. Floral wires will make it hard to compost the arrangements afterwards. Brides may want the flowers reused first at the church and then later at the reception. Plastic holders may be replaced with cardboard boxes that can be reused and foam blocks may be a no-no. Turning those rose petals into potpourri may be a valued service.
Our offbeat bride isn’t really an anomaly – she’s the wave of the future. Independent, smart and in control, this is a very different customer from what we’re used to seeing. However, if we meet her standards it could be a very good union indeed.
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