Economic sector

Ireland's Wedding Industry

One event. Dozens of professions. Billions of euro in economic activity.

Every wedding creates a temporary economy of its own.

The couple may interact with twenty, thirty or more separate suppliers.

Those businesses often purchase services from additional businesses.

The resulting economic activity reaches far beyond the venue itself.

A healthy wedding economy therefore supports hospitality, entertainment, tourism, retail, transport, creative industries and local employment.

26,000

Approximate weddings annually before Covid

€2.5bn

Estimated annual wedding economy before Covid

32 Counties

An all-island industry

Dozens of Sectors

One interconnected wedding economy

International opportunity

Destination Weddings & the Irish Economy

Explore the connection between international celebrations, visitor spending, regional hospitality and skilled wedding businesses.

Explore Destination Weddings

Sectors

The Businesses Behind an Irish Wedding

The wedding economy spans sixteen broad areas of activity. Additional categories can be added to the IWIF category register as the industry develops.

Venues & Hospitality

Hotels
Country houses
Castles
Restaurants
Wedding venues
Alternative venues
Accommodation providers

Entertainment

Wedding bands
DJs
Musicians
Singers
Ceremony music
Traditional musicians
Saxophone acts
Performers
Entertainment production

Photography & Film

Wedding photographers
Videographers
Content creators
Drone operators
Photo booth providers

Bridal & Fashion

Bridal boutiques
Wedding dress designers
Alteration specialists
Menswear
Formalwear
Shoes
Accessories

Beauty

Bridal hair
Make-up artists
Barbers
Beauty professionals
Skin specialists

Flowers & Styling

Florists
Venue stylists
Decor suppliers
Prop hire
Lighting
Event design

Food & Drink

Caterers
Bakers
Wedding cake suppliers
Mobile bars
Specialist food providers

Planning & Coordination

Wedding planners
Wedding coordinators
Event managers
Destination wedding planners

Ceremony

Celebrants
Solemnisers
Ceremony specialists
Religious music providers

Jewellery

Jewellers
Wedding rings
Engagement rings
Bespoke jewellery

Transport

Wedding cars
Coaches
Chauffeurs
Vintage transport
Specialist transport

Print & Creative

Stationery
Invitations
Signage
Calligraphy
Graphic design
Wedding websites

Technology

Wedding software
Booking systems
Event technology
Payment systems
Digital guest management

Professional Services

Insurance
Accountancy
Legal services
Finance
Marketing
Business consulting

Honeymoon & Travel

Travel agents
Destination specialists
Honeymoon providers

Other Wedding Services

Additional categories are maintained through the IWIF category register.

Research

Measuring the Wedding Economy

One of IWIF's core long-term objectives is to improve the quality of information available about Ireland's wedding industry.

Because wedding expenditure is distributed across multiple economic sectors, it can be difficult to measure accurately through traditional industry classifications.

IWIF intends to develop ongoing research examining:

Number of weddings
Average wedding expenditure
Employment supported by weddings
Regional economic impact
Hospitality expenditure
Supplier revenue
International weddings in Ireland
Destination wedding activity
Seasonality
Business confidence
Consumer trends
Industry challenges

Industry Research

Federation leadership

Leadership, Board & Team

The federation’s Founder Chairperson is listed below. Further board and executive team appointments remain to be confirmed.

Founder Chairperson

Portrait
pending

Shane McGrath

Founder Chairperson

Member profile awaiting publication.

Board of Directors

Additional board appointments and individual profiles are awaiting confirmation.

Federation Team

Executive and operational team appointments are awaiting confirmation.

Industry representation

Inaugural Provisional Industry Council

The following members are IWIF’s Inaugural Provisional Council Members. Council membership is distinct from board directorship.