carimmohelp: Five Key Findings From The Knot’s 2011 Bridal Fashion Study

Jan 25, 2012 Vows Magazine

To put together its 2011 Bridal Fashion Study the Knot Market Intelligence surveyed 9,690 brides across the U.S. of various ages, ethnicities and income/education/wedding-budget levels.

However diverse this group, these brides did have two key things in common: a wedding date in 2011 and strong opinions on the $4 billion bridal fashion industry.

What follows are five key trends highlighted by this survey, along with insights into what they mean for your business.

1. Smart phones dominate. Members of the millennial generation (those aged 13 to 31, a.k.a your prom girls and brides are twice as likely to have smart phones as the rest of the population – and they're not afraid to use them.

"It's literally an extension of their arm and a constant factor in their behavior," says Kristyn Clement, senior director of insights for the Knot Market Intelligence. "And that kind of uber smart phone user is just going to increase. "

From accessing dress galleries and taking gown photos in the dressing room to scanning QR codes and actually buying stuff via mobile phone, millennials are seemingly doing everything via smartphone.

As such, the booming popularity of this mobile platform makes it crucial for retailers to figure out how to leverage this quickly evolving technology to help their business.

"You need to be where she is and she is on her mobile phone," Clement says. "Because if you aren't there, she'll find someone who is."

Bottom line: Make sure your Web site is mobile ready, pronto!

2. Gown spending remains important. Sustained economic stress hasn't stopped brides from buying their dream dress.

"The bridal gown is one of the few things we've seen not fall in spending (during the recession," Clement says. "Most other items have fallen at least nominally on average."

The price isn't soaring – rather, at $1,055 without alterations it's remained relatively flat for a number of years.

Still, while budget-conscious brides have no problem cutting back in other areas – choosing a cheaper photography package, for example, or using an iPod and speakers instead of hiring a deejay – they remain dedicated to buying the gown they want.

"The fact we haven't seen a drop in spending speaks to the gown's importance," Clement says.

Bottom line: While no business is recession-proof, you can take comfort in knowing that selling bridal gowns comes pretty darn close!

3. Brides are spending less time shopping. Every stage of the dress-search timeline is about one month less than it was a few years ago.

On average, brides begin researching their dresses 10.2 months before the wedding, visiting stores 8.7 months before and purchasing the dress 7.5 months before.

"We can't say for sure why this is happening but part of it might be the fact it's not just local retailers anymore (where brides are shopping," Clement says. "They're still very much the core of the gown-shopping experience, but you've had other players enter the picture, like David's Bridal and manufacturer stores, catering to the budget bride that automatically tend to have shorter timelines."

Bottom line: Now more than ever, it's crucial to educate customers on the dress-shopping time frame.

4: Dress shopping is an event. Almost 9-in-10 brides say that family and friends are important in helping them select their dress.

The most common accompaniments: The bride's mother (75%, girlfriend (48%, sister (36%, mother-in-law (18%, other family member (18%, sister-in-law (11%, grandmother (8%, father (6% and fiancé (3%.

"This number has always been high but we have seen it increase," Clement says. "Anecdotally we have heard a lot more about event focus and parties coming in for the gown-shopping experience."

Perhaps this is because the Great Recession taught people to place a higher value on relationships. Or maybe it's because millennials are so used to sharing everything with their peers via social media that including them in the gown-shopping experience is a natural extension of that trend.

Bottom line: The fact brides are looking for an experience is a major advantage for you. Break out the bubbly, play soothing music, offer in-store chair massages – anything to make customers feel pampered and happy.

5. Purchasing habits still favor independent retailers. A whooping 93% of brides buy their wedding gown from a brick-and-mortar store. Local bridal stores win 58% of this business, while chain bridal stores take home 33%.

Only seven percent of brides purchase their wedding gown online (not surprisingly, a majority – 60% – do so due to price/value.

"This number is up a couple percentage points, but it's still small in absolute terms," Clement says.

Bridesmaids' numbers are slightly less favorable. While 73% buy dresses exclusively in a brick-and-mortar store, of that group, 47% opt for a national chain bridal store and 39% visit a local bridal boutique. Thirteen percent purchase their bridesmaids dresses online.

"It's a convenience thing," Clement says. "Bridesmaids can be scattered all over and that's an easy way for them to all access the same dress. Budget is also a factor: Brides are conscious of what their bridesmaids can spend."

As for a statistic that shows buying off the rack is most popular (49% vs 44% for custom/special order? Don't panic, Clement advises.

Keep in mind this number includes includes purchases from David's Bridal and manufacturer stores, where off the rack is typically the only option. Much more telling is the statistic that reveals two out of three brides who purchase their gown at a local bridal salon go the custom/special order route.

Bottom line: Dress-shopping options abound but "we're not seeing anything to suggest the iconic experience of shopping at an independent retailer changed that much," Clement says. "You're always going to have brides who want that experience. "