Marriage decline hurts Indonesian wedding industry

The wedding sector is feeling the negative effects of demographic change, with the number of marriages in Indonesia falling in recent years, according to latest industry figures.

Last year, the archipelago saw 1.57 million couples tying the knot, according to government institute Statistics Indonesia, a drop from over 2 million in 2018.

The share of young married individuals continued to shrink to 30.61 percent last year, from 44.45 percent recorded a decade ago, Statistics Indonesia figures showed. The share of unmarried young individuals rose over the past years, from 54.11 percent in 2014 to 68.29 percent last year.

Yunarsih, who chairs the Indonesian Wedding Organizer Association, said that the trend of fewer marriages over the past years has taken a toll on the industry.

"Hotels and wedding organizers for the middle to upper scale were affected," she said, adding that in past years organizers would see a peak season around the end of the year but that has not been the case this year.

Many Indonesians see marriage as a burden, with more young adults opting to pursue a career, an education or socializing and traveling, according to industry reports.

Some young people also prefer not to have children, while others suggest one can live without being formally married.

The average age of marriage in Indonesia has increased to 22.3 years last year from 20 years in 2012, according to Statistics Indonesia figures, which indicated that more people are postponing getting married.

Tutus Wahyu, a wedding organizer in Surabaya, East Java, said that the trend has been hurting his business and others in his region, adding that this year saw the lowest takings compared to previous post-pandemic years.

Shifting trends and lifestyle choices among the young combined with a weakening economy in the country, Tutus said, have significantly influenced their reluctance to get married.

Established in 2016, his business normally handles 150 clients a year but it has seen a 30 percent drop in bookings this year.

But Natasza Kurniawan, head of marketing at a wedding platform in Indonesia, said she remained optimistic, that the wedding industry will still grow in the country amid the declining number of marriages.

Event visitors at the group's wedding exhibition remained stable at 100,000 people, while its website and app channels averaged 1.4 million visits and 390,000 visits, respectively, during the first nine months of this year.

"Weddings in Indonesia are still considered sacred and important; thus, it remains anticipated and prioritized by grooms and their families," she said.

Some weddings still incorporate traditional settings, with a series of events that involve family members, resulting in large arrangements, she said.

But the company recorded "intimate weddings" as consistently topping the list of concept trends preferred by married couples from the first to third quarter of this year.

Intimate weddings typically focus on quality over quantity, requiring less financial resources. Natasza said that an intimate wedding is more personal, with challenging details and adjustments to fit the customer's preferences.

Tutus pointed out that the intimate wedding trend could affect the profit margin for wedding organizers, given the smaller budget required. But he also perceived the trend as an opportunity to attract more young couples.

Intimate weddings are more cost-efficient, so they can attract young couples that prioritize the value of time spent with their close ones, he said.

Tutus said that the market from young generations, including millennials born between 1981 and 1996, could still give the industry an optimistic outlook.

"Approaches to millennials require creativity, efficiency and personal communication. Focus on creating added value through personalized services and relevant promotion based on their digital preferences. This will help wedding organizers stay competitive amid shifting market trends," he said.

Tammy Vanya, a wedding organizer operating in the greater Jakarta area, Bandung, West Java and Bali, said the outlook for the industry remains bright.

Her business has been operating for five years and remains resilient despite industry challenges.

The key to surviving comes from a personal and emotional approach to clients, she said.

THE JAKARTA POST, INDONESIA