Jan 27, 2012 by Lauren

Do you want to know what brides-to-be are really thinking? David’s Bridal revealed everything that goes through a woman’s mind as she gears up for the largest day of her life in their “What’s on Brides’ Minds” survey. Conducted by Wakefield Research between between November 17th and November 23rd, 2011, the results of this study uncovers what brides are choosing and plotting. Their results and implications for 2012 wedding trends may surprise you! Read on.

Brides get together

Brides used to reckon that they knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding, but today they are more open to sharing resources and input from fellow brides. Around 37% of brides consider sharing their resources. The top items they usually share include decorations (63%), clothing and accessories (50%), and plotting tools (38%).

Finding the dress is harder than they realize

Many girls already have an thought about what their wedding dress will look like way before they’re even engaged, but 47% of brides saying their wedding dress is nothing like what they pictured when they were younger. It’s also a lot tougher to narrow down their choices from a wide selection, so over a third of brides (38%) in 2011 thought of buying a second dress for their reception. More than half of the brides surveyed (56%) said that if their mom thought their dream dress was in appropriate, they’d still buy it anyway.

All about the veil

The tradition of wearing a white veil has not been forgotten by modern brides. 3 out of 4 engaged women (83%) plot to wear a veil to their huge day, while more than half (63%) intend to save their white headpieces as a keepsake.

Wedding costs are still a concern

Because of the economy, brides are still cutting back on wedding costs, with 53% cutting their budgets in 2011 (similar to the 54% who cut their wedding budget in 2010). They are likely to cut costs on reception essentials, such as the venue (22% in 2011, 57% in 2010), décor (47% in 2011, 59% in 2010), and alcohol (27% in 2011, 44% in 2010.