Big budget weddings continue to boom

Despite recent news of economic gloom, stylish couples planning to attend next week's luxury Designer Wedding Show appear undeterred. The exclusive event takes place this weekend, 10 - 12 October in Battersea Park, London with more tickets already sold in advance than ever before. Visiting brides to The Designer Wedding Show spend an average of £89,000 on their weddings (more than 4 times the national average) and £5,000 on a dress.

The exclusive Mosimann's Party Service runs the champagne bar and designer restaurant at the show and they too are reporting an increase in bookings for both champagne lunches and afternoon teas for next week's event, compared to previous years' events.

Sue Maddix, Director of Foxglove Events, organisers of The Designer Wedding Shows commented: "Our brides see their weddings as a once in a lifetime event and so far we have no sense that the current economic outlook is putting them off. As with previous events, there appears to be a significant representation of couples from the financial services industry buying tickets."

Designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Lacroix for Rosa Clara at Liberty plus renowned British designers such as Alice Temperley, Amanda Wakeley and Jasper Conran as well as royal couturier Stewart Parvin are showing their latest bridal designs at The Designer Wedding Show. Phillipa Lepley, one of London's leading bridal couture designers who also takes part said:

"The Designer Wedding Show produces some of our wealthiest brides and our clients are currently showing no signs of compromising on their dream dress."

Nikki Tibbles, founder of luxury florist Wild at Heart who will design the flowers at next week's show added:

"Weddings are a very important part of our business. Our current clients seem to have no plans to downscale their weddings - we are continuing to work with clients who have considerable budgets, and The Designer Wedding Show will always be a focus for this market."

Widely recognised as London's most fashionable wedding event, The Designer Wedding Show is the ultimate in stylish pre-wedding parties. Fashion designers are joined by celebrity florists and beautiful hotels and venues as well as smaller designer-creators of bespoke jewellery, millinery, cakes and stationers who are reliant on the business that results from big budget weddings.

The Spring edition of The Designer Wedding Show takes place on 13, 14 and 15 February 2009.

For more information, log on to designerweddingshow.co.uk .