Photographer Claims Weddings Will Be Dead by 2030

Weddings, while beautiful, moving, and joyful, are also inherently stressful, anxiety-inducing, and very, VERY expensive.

According to wedding photographer Laleh Vahedian, this is why wedding ceremonies, at least the lavish ones with more than 60 guests, may become a thing of the past.

Photographer claims that by 2030 weddings will disappear.

“Weddings are dying out and will be gone by 2030. Here’s everything you need to know,” Vahedian began in her video.

As a wedding photographer, she has valuable knowledge on the subject. And from what she’s seen, traditional weddings are fading out of popular culture.

“Big, extravagant weddings are becoming less likely,” she said. “Microweddings and elopements will become the new norm.”

In stark contrast to large ceremonies and lavish receptions, micro weddings have only 25 to 30 guests, sometimes even fewer. And of course, elopements often involve no guests at all.

“Just your closest friends and family that you’re celebrating with without having a giant wedding in a normal place,” Vahedian said of micro weddings. “An alternative to a normal place would be something like a guesthouse, a national park or someone’s backyard.”

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Fortunately, as weddings get smaller, so does the price tag—a key selling point for these smaller celebrations. “You’ll save a ton of money,” Vahedian joked.

Many couples go into debt to afford a wedding.

US News conducted a nationwide survey of 1,205 Americans who got married in the past year and had a ceremony and reception. They found that more than half of newlyweds, 56%, took on debt to pay for their wedding.

Of those who borrowed money — from credit cards, bank loans and family members — 48% said they didn’t expect to go into debt when they initially planned their wedding, and 42% regretted going into debt for wedding expenses.

The biggest culprit was big, extravagant weddings. Newlyweds who had weddings with more than 150 guests were twice as likely to go into debt to finance them than those who had small weddings, at 65% and 32%, respectively.

And it’s not just the bride and groom who are feeling the pressure of wedding costs, but the guests, too. In a study conducted by LendingTree, wedding guests admitted that attending the ceremony put a strain on their pockets.

Of the 54% of Americans who attended a wedding in the past five years, 31% took on debt to do so, according to a survey of more than 2,000 Americans.

Vahedian predicts people will later opt for smaller weddings and larger receptions.

She argued that given the high costs of wedding ceremonies, many couples would opt to forgo a large ceremony and elope to a “beautiful place” with only their closest friends and family.

That doesn’t mean they won’t be celebrating with everyone, though. According to Vahedian, many will be having large parties separate from the ceremony, where they’ll invite their extended friends and family to celebrate their final nuptials.

Monkey Business Photos | Shutterstock

There is nothing wrong with forgoing the traditional aspects of a wedding because, quite frankly, it is simply too expensive. You can still create beautiful memories and celebrate your love without spending thousands of dollars and sinking into debt.

That money would be better spent starting your life together as a married couple.

Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose writing focuses on contemporary issues and experiences.