Among the different types of weddings, the term ‘luxury wedding’ stands out for several reasons. Besides sounding fancy, a luxury wedding also connotes high expense. So, what is a luxury wedding exactly, and who has them? Here is a rundown of what a luxury wedding entails:

1. Luxury weddings are more expensive.

In North America, the average marrying couple spends about $28,000 on their wedding. For an event to qualify as a luxury affair in the wedding planning industry, however, the price must be about three times that amount! Some couples having luxury weddings will spend up to $100,000 for the ceremony and decorative items alone, not including guest prices.

2. Guest prices are more expensive too.

For a wedding to meet the threshold of ‘luxury’ in North America, the cost per guest is usually about $1000. For comparison, a more average priced wedding will include a guest cost of a few hundred dollars per person.

3. It’s not just about price.

Spending lots of money isn’t the only facet of an expensive wedding, there’s also significant attention-to-detail. Clients who want luxury weddings are usually striving for perfection, and therefore pay strong attention to style. Rather than using place settings provided by the venue, a luxury wedding will feature plates made of fine china and imported silk table cloths.

Where other clients will want to save money by prioritizing certain expenses at the exclusion of others, luxury wedding clientele will often invest in both.

4. Luxury weddings are bespoke

Whereas the average wedding invite might simply feature the marrying couples’ names, an invite to a luxury wedding might be a laser-cut paper with a specific design or inlay in it. Rather than serving a normal bottle of wine at dinner, a luxury wedding might feature one made especially for the couple bearing a label embossed with their names and wedding date. Luxury includes finer details that usually go missing in average weddings.

5. Luxury weddings have more elaborate events

The average wedding in North America consists of a ceremony and few associated events, such as a rehearsal dinner and a post-ceremony reception. Luxury weddings feature a much more elaborate series of associated events. Some of the most popular events and details that luxury planners will be responsible for organizing include an engagement party, ceremony, rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, entertainment and activities throughout the wedding weekend, and accommodations and food for guests from out of town.

6. The guest’s expectations are higher

Part of the reason your clients are striving for such perfection is to impress their guests! Particularly if your client is of a particular level of prestige in their community, they might feel social pressure to have a very impressive, and high-profile wedding.

7. Who are the clients of luxury wedding planners?

Most people think that the only people that hire luxury wedding planners are heiresses and celebrities. While this is certainly true, high-net-worth individuals and families are often the majority of luxury wedding clientele.

Get some luxury wedding design inspiration from these recent weddings by Forever Events: