When we think of weddings we tend to think of either formal church/synogue events or the slightly less formal well-decorated backyard variety. These weddings typically will have 100 or more guests, or at least that's how many invitations were sent.
However destination weddings are a different breed. They are usually in some beautiful remote location. The location usually provides the venue, a wedding coordinator and a list of vendors that include florists, musicians, ministers, and bakeries. These weddings usually have far fewer guests. As a wedding musician I've played at large church events and small, intimate garden events with as few as 7 guests.
Over the years I've spoken with several wedding ministers and venue coordinators and they often comment on the number of elopements that they have accommodated. A couple will steal away for a couple of days and get married. There will be some form of reception at home at a later date. The venue enjoys these events because they involve a minimum effort. They also charge less so the couple gets to be married in a fairytale setting on a budget.
This year I've noticed a slight shift in these two scenarios. I recently played at a wedding that the bridal couple represented as an elopement. But there was music, flowers, and nearly a dozen guests. By industry standards this was a wedding but the couple felt otherwise.
Last week I was asked to play at another elopement. They wanted music for the ceremony and background music for the subsequent luncheon for the couple and their guests. I had to decline because of a prior commitment, but I've been pondering this for a bit now. If they had this much going on isn't this also a wedding? Does the definition change because of the size of the guest list?
Because this has come up twice in recent weeks I'm beginning to wonder if this is the beginning of a trend or if it's simply coincidence. This may be the beginning of a new category of wedding. Smaller than a traditional wedding and more than an elopement. Although that sounds like a difference without distinction, it may affect my pricing and competitiveness.
Another continuing trend that I'm noticing is a heavier reliance on pop music and less of a reliance on the traditional wedding music. This has been an ongoing trend for the last few years, but this year it seems to be the rule rather than the exception. Because I need to arrange these songs for solo guitar, I find that I need more preparation time for each wedding.
As reality TV likes to show more of the drama of the very large weddings I find that smaller intimate weddings have a fascinating dynamic of their own. I suspect that the smaller weddings will continue to have an impact on the wedding industry in smaller more meaningful ways. Contrary to popular opinion this is an exciting and challenging profession.