Photographer Says Weddings Will Go Extinct By 2030 & Two New Celebrations Will Take Their Place
"Micro-weddings and elopements are going to be the new normal."
Ground Picture | Shutterstock As beautiful, touching, and joyous as weddings can be, they are also inherently stressful, anxiety-inducing, and very, VERY expensive.
According to wedding and elopement photographer Laleh Vahedian, it's for this very reason that wedding ceremonies, at least the lavish ones with 60+ people in attendance, may just become a thing of the past.
The photographer claimed that weddings will go extinct by 2030.
"Weddings are going extinct, and they're going to be extinct by 2030. Here's everything you need to know about it," Vahedian began in her video.
As a wedding photographer, she has valuable insight into the topic. And from what she has seen, traditional weddings are making their way out of popular culture.
"Big extravagant weddings are becoming less and less likely," she claimed. "Micro-weddings and elopements are going to be the new normal."
In stark contrast to large ceremonies and boisterous receptions, micro-weddings only have between 25 to 30 guests in attendance, sometimes even less. And, of course, elopements often feature no guests at all.
"Just your closest friends and family where you celebrate with them without having a giant wedding at a normal venue," Vahedian said of micro-weddings. "The alternative to a normal venue would be something like a bed and breakfast, national park, or someone's backyard."
Ground Picture | Shutterstock
With the size of weddings decreasing, thankfully, so does the price — a major selling point for these smaller celebrations. "You're gonna save a butt-ton of money," Vahedian joked.
Many couples have gone into debt to afford their wedding.
U.S. News conducted a nationwide survey of 1,205 Americans who got married in the past year and held a wedding ceremony and reception. They found that over half of newlyweds, 56%, took on debt to pay for their wedding.
Among those who borrowed money — from credit cards, bank loans, and family members — 48% said they weren't expecting to go into debt when they initially planned their wedding, and 42% regret going into debt over wedding expenses.
Big, extravagant weddings were the biggest culprit of all. Newlyweds who had weddings with more than 150 guests were twice as likely to go into debt to pay for it than those who had small weddings, at 65% and 32%, respectively.
And it's not just the bride and groom who feel the pressure of how costly weddings are, but the guests as well. In a survey conducted by LendingTree, wedding guests admitted that it hurt their pockets to attend a ceremony.
Of the 54% of Americans who’ve attended a wedding in the past five years, 31% have taken on debt to do so, according to their survey of over 2,000 Americans.
Vahedian predicts that people will choose to have smaller weddings and big receptions later.
She claimed that with the cost of weddings as high as they are, many couples will choose to forgo a large ceremony and elope in a "gorgeous location" with only their closest friends and family instead.
However, that doesn't mean they won't celebrate with everyone else. According to Vahedian, many will have giant parties separate from the ceremony where they invite their extended friends and family to celebrate their recent nuptials.
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock
There's nothing wrong with letting go of the traditional aspects of a wedding because, frankly, it's just too expensive. You can still make beautiful memories and celebrate your love without spending thousands of dollars and plunging yourself into debt.
That money will be better spent starting your life together as a married couple.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.