Giving Back Has Become a Key Wedding Trend for 2022

For engaged couples, the celebration is not their only priority, they also want to 'do good,' according to The Wedding Report (TWR).

 A new study examined "giving back" behaviors of 1,000 engaged couples. According to the study, 64% are likely to support a charitable cause as part of their upcoming wedding or bridal event (such as bridal showers and gift registries). That's equivalent to 1.58 million weddings in 2022 based on wedding market data.

The study that was conducted by TWR was also in conjunction with VOW for Girls, a nonprofit organization that partners with the wedding industry, brands, and individuals that want to end the international child marriage crisis. These findings confirmed that including a charitable component is an important component for today's couples.

"Now more than ever, couples are looking to align their purchasing dollars and their values -- including with their weddings," Clay Dunn, CEO of VOW for Girls, said in a statement. "More than $60 billion will be spent on weddings in the U.S this year alone -- the potential to make an impact while celebrating love is enormous. By aligning with nonprofit organizations like VOW for Girls around their weddings, couples have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a positive impact."

The findings also revealed that the couples would like to make charitable giving a part of their guests' experiences and go beyond just asking for monetary gifts:

• 66% of respondents said they would likely consider adding a donation option to their wedding registry to ask their friends and family to donate to a cause in lieu of a gift.
• 72% of couples are likely to hire a wedding vendor that donates a portion of their profits to a cause.
• 67% of people surveyed are more likely to include gifts on their registry if a portion of proceeds support a cause, versus similar gift items that do not benefit a cause-related organization.

The survey also took a look at top causes couples are interested in supporting as part of their wedding and revealed the following:

• Respondents' top preference (67%) is to align their weddings with causes that support women and girls.
• This was followed by education, poverty, and health related-issues, which commonly intersect with women's and girl's rights.

"Girls around the globe were hit hard by the global pandemic -- locking them out of educational and economic opportunities, and leading to an increase in child marriage globally," Dunn said. "With more than 12 million children becoming brides every year, women and girls need our support now more than ever before. As weddings resume, it's heartening to see so many generous couples say they want to give back while supporting women and girls. This is a tremendous opportunity for VOW and our work to support girls to live lives they love."