This year is likely to be an active one for wedding planners and couples alike as pandemic-induced postponements all but subside.
But the 2022 wedding season arrives asΒ inflation hits a 40-year high, having climbed 8.5 percentΒ in March compared with one year ago. And some wedding-related items, in particular, are seeing explosive price hikes.
βRight now, consumers are feeling the impact of inflation across every industry, the weddings industry included,β said Emily Forrest Skurnik, director of communications for weddings company Zola.
The price of men's suits, sport coats and outerwear climbed 14.5 percent in March, year-on-year on a seasonally unadjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday. Women's dresses, meanwhile, climbed 10.1 percent.
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While jewelry price increases were much less dramatic β growing 2.8 percent year-on-year β if you were planning on holding or attending a destination wedding this year, you will likely be shelling out more for flights: airline fares increased 23.6 percent in March compared with one year ago, the BLS said.