Subject: Event Management

Dissertation Title: The Consumption of Weddings: An Exploratory Analysis of the Wedding Planning and Purchasing Process

Why Event Management?

It’s quite simple really. I can tick off every characteristic on this list that is needed to succeed in the events industry.

• Organised (pretty OCD actually)
• Time management (often early)
• Friendly
• Team Management
• Leadership Skills
• Committed (once I start something, I have to finish it)
• Reliable

I’m sure there are plenty of other traits that are needed in the events industry, but let’s face it, the list isn’t exhaustive. And above all, I enjoy it!

And why have I chosen this title? 

First and foremost, I want to be a wedding planner. I’ve loved weddings since I was approx. 7 years old. My mum often tells me the story of the day she watched me watching Father of the Bride. Apparently my face was a picture, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen for the full 105 minutes, and to this day it is still my favourite film (followed by Father of the Bride Part II!) So, everybody says try and do something that you love for your career, and I love weddings. Initially I wanted to photograph weddings, but I soon discovered that wasn’t the right path for me. I still do photography as a hobby, but I’ve also learned that there are some passions in life that have to be left as a hobby so that you still experience true joy when carrying them out.

I have chosen to research into the necessity of wedding planners as this is my dream career. In order to discover how necessary wedding planners are, significant amounts of academic research needs to be carried out. I will not be able to answer the question by the end of my research, but I will be able to give an opinion on the subject with regards to my research question. My research also aims to discover the financial planning that occurs when planning a wedding, and how engaged couples are drawn into the consumption process whilst planning their wedding. The average cost of a wedding is now £20,000 – this is more than many people spend on a car, yet a wedding lasts one day and a car lasts significantly longer. Many people also don’t spent this much money on a holiday – something that also lasts significantly longer!

So what is it about weddings that draws in the consumer and influences them to spend so much money? What are people’s motives for spending so much money? Does a wedding portray who the engaged couple are as a couple, as an individual, or both? And which element of consumption is most significant in the wedding planning process?