Fewer weddings, more photographers. Time for something new?

democrates

Ok I don't have stats but my understanding is, correcting for immigration, fewer couples are getting married.

A vast wedding industry offers endless options for those ready to tie the knot on that Special Day, all based on promises that may not pan out but hopefully will. In stark contrast a couple who choose not to marry but have 10 years together to celebrate, are neglected. Surely that's a gap in the market, and the opportunity for an 'X Years Together' industry catering to the celebration of successful relationships, married or not.

Throw a big bash, invite loads, dress up to the nines, then go on a sweet holiday. Later dote over the "10 Years Together" photo album. People are throwing these things together themselves but the marketing machine isn't there like it is for weddings or even birthdays. What do you think folks, is it a runner?

It certainly could be, but the thing is... You'll have plenty of anniversaries in your life (weddings are usually limited to one, or maybe two, unless you really get around a lot!) and people choose to celebrate them differently (ie' sitting at home watching TV or a night of sex, or other personal things)

"Wedding" and "photographer" kind of go hand-in-hand these days. It's a rarity that a wedding will have no photos taken at it. The guests have to be doing a particular thing, in a particular place just as much as the people getting married and the other bridesmaids, best man, etc. However, as an anniversary is much less formal and people tend to just get pissed and have a laugh, there's a huge likelyhood that every second person invited will have a compact camera in their pocket, eliminating the reason to have a professional.


It's an image thing. Weddings are the clean, respectable and great day of your life. Anything involving a pub is just a piss-up and doesn't require much effort on anyone's part, unfortunately.

democrates

Deleted User wrote: »

It's an image thing. Weddings are the clean, respectable and great day of your life. Anything involving a pub is just a piss-up and doesn't require much effort on anyone's part, unfortunately.

Well you're dead right, nothing will ever come close to a wedding, especially as they become less usual.

Thing is if you don't get married you never have a special day, so anniversaries could be much more than a p1ss up in a pub. Can you even buy a card for an anniversary where there was no wedding though? The behavioural shift is happening but it seems the conservative judgemental view of 'living in sin' still hangs around.

I think the hotels federation should look into this too and get their marketing folks promoting the concept of celebrating successful relationships in womens magazines etc., they sure need it...

Covey

I don't think the idea is a runner to be honest.

You're trying to "invent" two things at the one time, one an event that doesn't exist at the moment and two the photography of that.

democrates

Ted I want out. I went too far too soon.

It's a fair point though, I can visualise how the hoteliers could sell the package but without the church ceremony where does the tog come in. Maybe some pagan ritual would fit the bill...

Borderfox

There is still call for a photographer, I get a lot of calls to do slideshows for the couple and to shoot at the event also. A good photographer will always bring something special to the view of an event.

Covey

democrates wrote: »

Ted I want out. I went too far too soon.

It's a fair point though, I can visualise how the hoteliers could sell the package but without the church ceremony where does the tog come in. Maybe some pagan ritual would fit the bill...

I don't actually think it needs the church ceremony tbh, but it does need the marketing to bring the event to the masses, Valentines Day, etc...

paddylonglegs

democrates wrote: »

Ok I don't have stats but my understanding is, correcting for immigration, fewer couples are getting married.

A vast wedding industry offers endless options for those ready to tie the knot on that Special Day, all based on promises that may not pan out but hopefully will. In stark contrast a couple who choose not to marry but have 10 years together to celebrate, are neglected. Surely that's a gap in the market, and the opportunity for an 'X Years Together' industry catering to the celebration of successful relationships, married or not.

Throw a big bash, invite loads, dress up to the nines, then go on a sweet holiday. Later dote over the "10 Years Together" photo album. People are throwing these things together themselves but the marketing machine isn't there like it is for weddings or even birthdays. What do you think folks, is it a runner?

Is there not enough commercial BS throughout the year already?You might get your way and there'll be a string of idiotic overpriced products you have to buy just to exploit people for the occasion too. Could you not just leave this for people to organise themselves and not end up pushing people to follow some overhyped tradition that you have to shell out 10k for? Its bad enough seeing ads in the paper asking what "Easter Gifts will you get for your loved one this year". What rock was I under to miss out on the invention of easter gifts?

Rant over

Simplicius

any man in a relationship where they have been together for a long time and not married. Meaning an Aisleaphobic like mise! would view having to attend a 5 years together celebration as simply peer pressure to conform and get married......

my attitude would be bollix to that

no offence to your idea, just my take

Slidinginfinity

Might work as a night out event marketed to couples that have been together for X number of years.
Something like the alternative proms that are popping up around the US.
Hire a band, get a location (preferably with a bar) , have 1 or 2 photographers roaming the hall and 1 doing entry couple portraits, with prints of 1 portrait and maybe one candid of the couple dancing or something.

I just don't think you are going to get people to shell out the cash for an event and a photographer on their own.

democrates

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Its bad enough seeing ads in the paper asking what "Easter Gifts will you get for your loved one this year". What rock was I under to miss out on the invention of easter gifts?
Rant over

Easter gifts indeed. Just shows though, innovation can happen. Once in ten years wouldn't kill you and it doesn't have to cost anything like a wedding.

Simplicius wrote: »

any man in a relationship where they have been together for a long time and not married. Meaning an Aisleaphobic like mise! would view having to attend a 5 years together celebration as simply peer pressure to conform and get married......

my attitude would be bollix to that

no offence to your idea, just my take

Well if she feels the same way as you then f the begrudgers. See the psychology of your response there, first thing you thought of was that you're still expected to get married. The whole point is that the notion of an unmarried couple gets proper respect as a valid option.

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

Might work as a night out event marketed to couples that have been together for X number of years.
Something like the alternative proms that are popping up around the US.
Hire a band, get a location (preferably with a bar) , have 1 or 2 photographers roaming the hall and 1 doing entry couple portraits, with prints of 1 portrait and maybe one candid of the couple dancing or something.

I just don't think you are going to get people to shell out the cash for an event and a photographer on their own.

Nice one, spread the cost and you've got an easier option. Would take some organising to match people with say 10 year anniversaries all willing to celebrate on the same day, not easy but maybe worth trying.

VisionaryP

democrates wrote: »

Ok I don't have stats but my understanding is, correcting for immigration, fewer couples are getting married.

Where does this 'understanding' come from? Generally the trend is for the number of marriages to increase during an economic downturn.

Fenster

If competition is a problem, you could always join the IPPA and then report them to Revenue...

gloobag

The way I see it, you'd be trying to market a service to people who've essentially already decided that they don't want that service.

I'm 30 years old, in a happy long term relationship, yet I don't want to get married. One of the main reasons is, I don't want to have to fork out a truck load of cash on a party for freeloading relatives/"friends".

I would imagine that most long term couples who've decided not to tie the knot would probably feel the same.

Also, a lot of people justify the cost of a wedding with the whole "You make it back in wedding presents (in the form of cash for the most part these days)" argument. If I was invited to a "We've been together ten years" celebration, there ain't a hope in hell that I'd be giving a cash or any other kind of "present". I even hate the fact that it's expected at weddings these days, and only do it begrudgingly.

Prove me wrong though

democrates

VisionaryP wrote: »

Where does this 'understanding' come from? Generally the trend is for the number of marriages to increase during an economic downturn.

I was about to respond that I was talking long term rather than the current downturn, but 2 minutes on google shows I'm wrong - it was actually holding steady at 5.2/1000 before the downturn and that's up on the 1990's so well done to you and stand in the corner for me. Don't worry I keep a laptop there for occasions such as this. Just shows the hazard of anecdotal evidence versus hard stats.

@gloobag &fenster It's not for myself I don't do weddings and doubt I ever will, just can't help feeling for those who's livelihoods are under threat so thought the idea might lead to something for someone. You never know when you throw an idea out there who'll pick up the ball and run with it. Don't see this thread reaching a tipping point though.