With the Royal Wedding putting weddings firmly into the spotlight this month, there’s been a rise in couples asking for tech gifts, honeymoon contributions and charity donations, confirms John Lewis.
The retailer has published a report on 2018’s wedding trends – from what’s on gift lists and what couples are wearing, to where they are honeymooning and how fashions and trends have changed since Prince William and Kate Middleton married in 2011.
“We have analysed thousands and thousands of gift lists created in 2011, when Prince William and Kate Middleton got married, and for 2018 weddings, we have seen that there are significant trends in couples’ decisions,” confirms the manager of John Lewis’s Gift List Service, Tasneem Shafiq. “The biggest shift we have seen is that couples are choosing technology, and in particular smart home products, over more traditional choices. In 2011, our most popular gift list product by value was a premium cutlery set, whereas this year, both first and second place are taken by smart speakers. The most expensive wedding gift selected in 2011 was a £2,500 sofa, and this year it’s a £3,499 LG OLED 55 inch TV.”
Continues Tasneem: “However, plates, bowls, towels, toasters, roasting dishes and bedding still appeared on most lists in both 2011 and 2018. Items which appear on many 2018 gift lists, but weren’t on any lists in 2011 are: firepits, voice activated speakers, Star Wars Droids and barista-style coffee machines. This year few couples are asking for digital photo frames, microwaves and landline telephones.”
She adds that not only have cooking choices changed but also how we eat, pointing out that in 2011 when Prince William and Kate got married, more plates were given as gifts than any other product but now the most gift that’s bought is a bowl.
“More couples are also asking for honeymoon and charity donations instead of traditional gifts,” points out Tasneem. “Requests for Kuoni honeymoon contributions have increased 375% since 2011 and the number of couples asking for charity donations has nearly tripled.”
Top: John Lewis is seeing more couples putting smart home products on their wedding lists.
