Themed vs Traditional: Is there a demand for themed weddings in Scotland?

Abstract

This research investigates the motivations to have themed weddings and questions whether or not there is a demand for these in Scotland. Weddings have become a social aspiration for many and there has been some debate on what type of wedding is better: Themed or Traditional. Existing literature emphasises that there are a variety of motivations that influence people to add a theme to their wedding day. However, gaps in the literature were identified in terms of how these factors affect those in Scotland. It is important for wedding planners to understand the motivations behind having themed weddings as this allows them to market effectively to their target market and offering themed packages will set the apart from competitors. The overall aim of this study was to determine if there is a demand for themed weddings in Scotland. To achieve this aim, the objectives included determining the level of interest in themed weddings, discovering what the most popular themes are, determining what motivates people to have themed weddings and to use this information to make recommendations to wedding planners. Quantitative research was conducted using an online survey comprising of open and closed questions as well as a 12 item Likert Scale to assess the level of agreement with four motivational factors: Cost, Uniqueness, Ease of Planning and Media. The sample was people over the age of eighteen in Scotland that have been married in the last five years or have their date set in the next eighteen months. The findings highlighted that there is some demand for themed weddings in Scotland and the target market is women aged 26-35. There was a variety of themes identified in the findings with the most popular choice being Colour followed by Movies and Rustic. The most prominent motivational factor was Uniqueness, highlighting that people wanted their wedding to be memorable and personalised to their tastes and lifestyles. These findings are discussed in the final chapter and aided in making recommendations for future research and current wedding planners.