Wed& Insider: Weddings This Week
What's happening in weddings around the world | Issue #2 | 12 September 2025
This Week's Focus: Couples are turning celebrations into highly personalised storytelling opportunities, creating new revenue streams for vendors who can craft authentic, bespoke experiences.
TRENDS THIS WEEK
Tech-Free Celebrations: Preserving the "Magic"
What's happening: We came across this NBC article about Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld's "no-phone wedding" in Santa Barbara. The couple asked all 60 guests to leave their smartphones behind to ensure everyone remained "present" during their May ceremony.
Why this caught our attention: Asian couples increasingly seek ways to create genuine, undistracted celebration moments that feel more intimate and memorable than heavily documented events.
Crochet Varmalas: Forever Keepsakes Replace Fresh Flowers
What's happening: The Better India featured the rising trend of handcrafted crochet wedding garlands that couples can preserve indefinitely. These bespoke varmalas take 14-20 hours to create and are particularly popular with couples who are living abroad (Non-Resident Indians) seeking sustainable alternatives.
Why this matters: Traditional elements are being reimagined through contemporary craftsmanship, appealing to couples who want both heritage connection and modern sustainability values.
Ultra-Luxe Destination Storytelling
What's happening: HerWorld just featured TikTok creator Becca Bloom's Lake Como wedding, where every detail—from custom Oscar de la Renta gowns to $600K Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery—was curated to tell her personal story through luxury craftsmanship.
Why this is significant: Couples with substantial budgets now expect vendors to create cohesive narratives through every element, not just beautiful individual components.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
Experience Curation = Premium Service Positioning
Asian couples increasingly view weddings as curated experiences rather than standard celebrations. They're willing to invest significantly more for vendors who can weave personal stories, cultural heritage, and contemporary values into cohesive celebrations.
The opportunity: Position yourself as an experience curator rather than a service provider, commanding premium rates for bespoke storytelling through your specialty.
Sustainable Heritage Crafts Might Be Your Next Service
The crochet varmala trend signals broader demand for handcrafted, sustainable alternatives to traditional wedding elements. Couples want pieces they can treasure permanently whilst supporting artisan communities.
The opportunity: Partner with local artisans to offer custom heritage pieces that blend traditional significance with modern sustainability values.
Cultural Fusion Expertise Is Becoming Standard
Vogue Singapore featured a Korean-Indian wedding in Greece, showcasing how modern couples expect vendors to seamlessly blend multiple cultural traditions into coherent celebrations.
The reality check: Can you confidently navigate and respectfully integrate diverse cultural requirements into a single, harmonious celebration experience?
WHAT TO DO/ASK YOURSELF
This Week's Action Steps
Check your experience narrative: Review your current service descriptions. Do they position you as creating experiences or simply providing products/services?
Assess your cultural knowledge: Research traditional elements from major Asian cultures represented in your market. Can you explain their significance and modern adaptations?
Test your sustainability offerings: Identify three ways your services could incorporate sustainable, keepsake-worthy elements that couples can treasure permanently.
Questions Worth Asking Yourself
About personalisation services:
Do I view custom storytelling as a premium service that warrants significantly higher pricing?
How quickly can I pivot from standard packages to fully bespoke experiences when couples request them?
About cultural expertise:
Can I confidently advise couples on respectful ways to blend different cultural traditions into cohesive celebrations?
Do I have trusted cultural advisors or artisan partners who can ensure authenticity when working outside my primary expertise?
About sustainable alternatives:
Which traditional wedding elements in my specialty could be reimagined as permanent keepsakes?
How might I position eco-conscious options as luxury choices rather than budget-friendly alternatives?
Skills Worth Developing
Cultural consultation: Research traditional significance and modern adaptations of key Asian wedding elements relevant to your market
Artisan networking: Build relationships with skilled craftspeople who can create bespoke, sustainable alternatives to traditional elements
Narrative development: Practice articulating how your services contribute to couples' overall celebration story rather than functioning as isolated vendors
LOOKING AHEAD
What we're tracking: Singapore caterers expanding themed personalisation services like Rasel Catering's Garden and Enchanted Blue décor packages; NRI couples seeking vendors who understand both heritage significance and contemporary sustainability values; celebrities normalising phone-free celebrations
In the coming weeks, we'll watch for: Increased demand for sustainable heritage crafts among environmentally conscious couples; more vendors positioning cultural expertise as premium consultation services; venues adapting policies to support unplugged celebration experiences
Forward this newsletter to vendor mates who need weekly intelligence about what couples actually want.