The global economic slowdown is affecting the lives of people around the world, and the natural reaction to a contraction of disposable income is to cut out, or cut down on the luxuries in life. While statistics show that for the vast majority of people, getting married is not considered a luxury that can be cut out, but rather one that can be cut down on. Many foreign (especially European) couples come to South Africa to get married, as exchange rates between South Africa European economies tend to favour the latter, making possible a scenic, lavish and affordable wedding. Recently it seems that the number of such weddings; as well as the number of guests attending and the amount of money spent on the occassion; is dwindling...
  

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SA wedding industry suffering
By: Joanita Cillié

Mar 22 2009 09:58

Johannesburg - The global financial crisis and cooler local economy are hurting the local wedding industry.

In the past, South Africa was a popular destination for foreigners. Some 4 000 couples a year tied the knot in the Western Cape, according to figures from Celebration House, a Cape Town wedding information centre.

Research indicates that these weddings typically each generate from R600 000 to R1m, and an average guest remains in the country for 14 days, spending R1 000 to R1 500/day.

The Western Cape has about 200 venues suited to weddings, each venue organising 10 or so weddings a month, says Celebration House.

Aleit Swanepoel, managing director of the Aleit Group, a wedding planner in Stellenbosch, says 60% to 70% of the weddings his company organises are for foreign couples, who come from countries like Germany, Sweden, Poland, Spain and Australia, but mainly from Britain.

Foreign couples, notes Swanepoel, generally have 80 to 120 guests at their weddings. This figure is however rapidly shrinking because job losses overseas are impacting people's ability to afford flights to South Africa to attend weddings.

But Swanepoel says there will always be weddings - though people can clearly now afford less.

The cost of a wedding organised by the group runs from R2 200 to R7 000 per person, which includes all expenses - from the bride's outfit to the catering. South Africans for whom weddings are arranged pay an average of R1 000 per person.

Tilani Edwards, sales and marketing manager of Avianto in Muldersdrift outside Johannesburg says the Gauteng wedding industry is enormous, but international weddings there are in the minority. She observes that budgets and numbers of guests for local weddings are being scaled down.

"One clearly sees the impact of the economy," she comments. She expects more exclusive weddings, with only 30 to 40 guests, to become more popular in the coming months.

The average expenditure on catering, liquor and facilities for a wedding at Avianto is R40 000

Article available at: Fin24.com

Let's hope that this economic situation does not for too long deter European couples from choosing South Africa as the destination for their wedding as this industry gives plenty of exposure to our country as a destination for travellers. The joy surrounding a wedding surely adds to the magical nature of our beautiful country, and the wedding parties that come here must tend to leave with a very good impression of South Africa. For South African who love to attend weddings, the trend of smaller ceremonies will also be worrying. If you don't end up getting an invitation to a wedding which you expected to be invited to, then just remember that you can blame it on the credit crunch!