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Wedding planners back on growth path
Couples hosting a few guests are advised to leave planners out on the account of costs. Photo/REUTERS
Posted Thursday, July 8 2010 at 00:00
Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence, of hope over experience.”
-Oscar Wilde
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The wedding industry has evolved over time to become one of the most lucrative businesses across the world.
In the US, 2.3 million couples wed every year, meaning that there are nearly 6,200 ceremonies daily.
At an average cost of $20,000 (Sh1.6 million), organisers spend $72 billion per year.
About $8 billion is spent per year on honeymoons, pushing the figure to $80 billion.
Research by wedding services company Samantha’s Bridal last year found that at least 28,000 couples wed in Kenya yearly.
The average cost of a wedding for middle- and upper-middle class families was pegged at about Sh1.5 million.
This translates to Sh42 billion.
These figures have seen the wedding planners grow from a handful providers five years ago to 150 today.
Like other industries, the wedding business is also coming out of the post-election gloom to near 2007 levels when the industry was at its peak thanks to consumer confidence.
In the past, weddings used to be run by committees drawn from both the couples’ families and friends.
The committees would handle planning and raise funds.
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