The finding comes as nearly half (49%) of all adults have attended at least one part of a wedding in the last three years, proving that the occasionwear sector is an opportunity ripe for fashion retailers.But while guests are increasing their spend on outfits, more and more brides are choosing to wear second-hand dresses to reduce their wedding bill. Indeed, 58% of today’s brides and brides-to-be still think that getting the right dress is an important part of their wedding, however 19% of women who married within the last three years, or who are looking to get married in the next three, either did or would consider buying a second-hand wedding dress.

“With bespoke dresses often proving prohibitively expensive, there remains scope for high street brands to develop their wedding proposition. But there are also blossoming opportunities for the second-hand wedding dress market to expand. For instance, charity shops can further market their wedding collections, helping to establish a closer bond between weddings and charitable causes,” said Jack Duckett, senior consumer lifestyle analyst at Mintel.The research has also found that the majority (51%) of recent couples and those planning to marry look to family members for inspiration, while just 4% cite celebrities as a source of inspiration for their big day.  Finally, wedding guests are now spending £76 on average on wedding presents, and a vast majority of adults who have attended a wedding celebration in the last three years agree that cash or gift vouchers are an ideal wedding gift, according to Mintel.”With many couples today having set up house together before they marry, the tradition for giving new couples homewares has been rendered increasingly obsolete. Wedding gift lists have consequently become more popular in recent years, as marrying couples look to guide guests towards items that they want or need,” said Duckett.