Weddings up, planning stretched

Wedding bookings are climbing in 2026 as couples return to bigger celebrations, even as planners stretch timelines to lock in venues and control costs. (globaltill.com, c-mw.net) The Knot Worldwide said its 2026 Real Weddings Study drew on responses from more than 10,000 United States couples married in 2025 and found about 2 million couples married last year. The study put average wedding spending at $34,000, average guest count at 117, and the average number of hired wedding professionals at 13. (theknotww.com) The same study said the average engagement length was 14 months, a sign that many couples are planning well ahead before they book vendors and venues. WeddingPro, a vendor arm of The Knot, said higher-spending couples averaged 141 guests, while couples spending under $12,000 averaged 92 guests. (pros.weddingpro.com, theknotww.com) On the business-events side, the Events Industry Council said its fourth-quarter 2025 barometer showed global hotel group room nights at 97% of 2019 levels and request-for-proposal activity at 102% of pre-pandemic benchmarks. The report also said requests for events scheduled more than 12 months ahead continued to grow. (c-mw.net) That longer lead time is showing up as costs stay elevated. The Events Industry Council said global room rates averaged 139% of 2019 levels, while its president and chief executive Amy Calvert said early 2026 brought added volatility tied to fuel supply, travel patterns and economic confidence. (c-mw.net) Wedding demand is rising against a broader backdrop of steady marriage activity in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,041,926 marriages in 2023, the latest official national count on its FastStats page, with a marriage rate of 6.1 per 1,000 people. (cdc.gov) The wedding market is also splitting by budget rather than moving in one direction. WeddingPro said couples spending more than $41,000 were more likely to put money into guest experience and full-service venues, while cost-driven couples often chose parks, family homes and do-it-yourself decor. (pros.weddingpro.com) Technology is changing the planning process, but not replacing planners or vendors. The Knot Worldwide said 36% of engaged couples surveyed used artificial intelligence tools in 2026, up from 20% a year earlier, mainly for inspiration, early questions and drafting messages before turning to people for final decisions. (theknotww.com) For venues, caterers and planners, the pattern is straightforward: more couples are booking, more guests are coming, and more decisions are getting pushed further out on the calendar. That leaves 2026 looking busy now and even more booked up in 2027. (globaltill.com, c-mw.net, theknotww.com)