What Brides Do on Facebook and YouTube

Nearly half (48%) of brides-to-be update their Facebook with new name or relationship status within a day of taking their vows. And 2 in 5 (44%) brides are interested in doing whatever it takes to get their fifteen minutes of YouTube fame, like a choreographed dance down the aisle or first dance.

These are among the findings of the fifth annual “What’s on Brides’ Minds” survey by David’s Bridal. It reveals that there are some new twists changing up the tried-and-true wedding rituals.

According to the survey, more than half of brides (54%) have decreased their bottom-line wedding expenditure due to the economy, which is an improvement from the 68% who tightened their budgets last year.

In fact, 45% of respondents plan to spend less than $10,000 on their nuptials. Regardless of the effects of a still unstable economy, the outlook for 2011 weddings is positive, as brides adjust to changes in both their budgets and trends, said David’s Bridal, Inc. today, Jan. 13, while releasing the findings of its survey.

“Today’s bride may still be budget-conscious, but that’s not stopping her from revamping past traditions to create the one-of-a-kind wedding she’s always dreamt about,” said Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer for David’s Bridal.

Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) brides have considered having a small wedding, with 80% saying their reason for considering the smaller ceremony is to save money.

And 80% of brides-to-be believe a small wedding is 50 guests or less and almost half (44%) define it as a wedding with 30 or fewer guests.

Of those who had to reduce their budgets, 61% said the wedding planner was the first to go, followed by decor (59%) and venue (57%). Brides identified alcohol as the least likely to be affected by budget cuts.

Moreover, 32% of couples agree that their top economic priority, aside from the wedding, is saving money to go towards a down payment on a house, compared with 24% of couples in 2010.

The survey finds that some customs of previous generations are losing their luster and brides are looking for updated ways to say “I do.”

Borrowed traditions are quickly becoming a thing of the past, as nearly 4 in 5 (79%) brides reveal they have a wedding tradition they wish they could do away with. And 2 in 5 (40%) respondents would marry outside a church or synagogue in a non-religious setting, and two-thirds (66%) have considered having a family member or friend deliver their vows.

Additional traditions brides-to-be would likely do away with, include wedding speeches (37%), wearing white (25%) and choosing something old, new, borrowed and blue (22%).

While watching wedding reality shows may be a guilty pleasure of brides, 69% said they’d never let their wedding be featured on a controversial reality show in order to save money and get five minutes of fame.

The David’s Bridal Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research between Nov. 15 and Nov. 29, 2010.

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For this research, 501 interviews were fielded among women ages 18 and older, who are either engaged to be married or were married within the past two months, using an email invitation and an online survey.

The findings of the survey were released today, Jan 13.

David’s Bridal provides brides-to-be with a vast selection of bridal gowns and bridal party dresses.