Jasmine Rae
Jasmine Rae Cakes Portfolio
New study finds average cost of nuptials $28,000
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — After a significant drop-off due to Covid-19, the wedding industry appears to be on the comeback, with the average cost of a wedding last year rising to the pre-pandemic level of about $28,000; however, this year’s weddings and those to come may turn out to be anything but “average.”
That’s according to Jasmine Rae de Lung, the award-winning cake artist voted Best Wedding Cake Designer, Los Angeles 2022. “I don’t see enough evidence that weddings are ‘back’ in the way they used to be. It’s too soon to tell how the industry will recover,” says de Lung, who opened Jasmine Rae Cakes in San Francisco in 2006.
The New York Times and several leading wedding industry publications are reporting on a pair of nationwide studies that found the average cost of a wedding had recovered from a low of $19,000 during the height of the pandemic. The studies are presented as evidence that “weddings are indeed back.”
That may not be the complete picture, says de Lung, who notes that many couples postponed their nuptials and those who did tie the knot held scaled-down affairs with fewer guests.
“Almost half of my 2021 weddings were rollovers from 2020,” she says, surmising that average costs are not an accurate bellwether by themselves. “I believe there’s a deepening dynamic here between couples getting married and weddings as an industry. The couples I meet tell me that they are more discerning about which elements to bring to their wedding in a new way that wasn’t as ubiquitous prior to 2020.”
That could mean the wedding industry’s comeback may arrive without some of the traditional roles that have been hallmarks in the past. “Couples getting married are concerning themselves more with the meaningfulness of their weddings than I’ve ever seen in my seventeen years as a cake maker. They are spending disproportionately more money on the things they care about, while eliminating other traditions and elements altogether. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an ongoing downshift in guest count as couples are electing to spend their money on a higher quality experience for the closest members of their family and community.”
She further predicts that the industry looks to be, well, “unpredictable for a few more years.” So many vendors went out of business during Covid that “couples are going to face a dearth of experienced options” and pricing is likely to be “distorted, as some charge significantly more to recoup losses while others charge less out of desperation.”
The average cost of a wedding varies widely across the US, from lows of $16,000 in Oklahoma and $17,500 in Utah to a high of $47,000 in New Jersey. California was among the top third, at $33,000.
BIO: Jasmine Rae de Lung has worked in cake artistry services for over 15 years and holds a BA in cognitive science and an MA in psychology. Jasmine’s work bridges the gap between art and psychology. She states, “I’m often asked if and how my master’s degree contributes to my cake business. I find it extremely relevant to my work and life, in part because it’s now part of my identity, a trained tool of sensitivity, with a social justice lens. This influences the creative process both in making cakes and working with real people.” Besides cake artistry, Jasmine has also had a formal art background and a mural-painting business. Through her giftings, Jasmine merges her various skill sets into a strategic work process. Jasmine reveals, “The cornerstone of my work is the natural process–relying on experienced skills to set up my materials and revel in their surprise; to surrender to the contortion of a rice paper petal as it dries, and constantly be responding to the cake as it forms. I hold you in mind, replaying the parts of myself that overlap with you, your vision, your celebration until we have an outcome that is personal and authentic.” Jasmine found freedom when she began to challenge tradition and convention. This freedom helped to shape her identity as an artist. Jasmine tailors each client’s needs with the vision that the client gives her.
Aurora DeRose
Boundless Media Inc.
+1 470-661-1843
email us here
