Krista Vasquez had her heart set on getting married in a body-hugging, halter-style gown from Spain. In April, the Atlanta paramedic learned her dream dress would cost nearly $300 more due to new US tariffs on imported goods. After finding that other dresses from Europe came with tariff-driven price increases ranging from $150 to $400, Vasquez, 33, went with her first choice, fearing shipping delays or additional costs like a rush fee before her October wedding if she placed an order elsewhere. "It's already expensive enough to get married," she said. "It just kind of made me a little sad."
Wedding cakes, decor, attire, flowers, party favors, photo and video gear, tableware, Champagne—not many goods used in the wedding industry remain untouched by the tariffs President Trump has imposed, per the AP. Here's a look from inside the industry:
- Dresses: Almost all bridal gowns are made in China or other parts of Asia, and so are many of the fabrics, buttons, zippers, and other materials used, per the National Bridal Retailers Association. Manufacturing in those countries, where labor generally costs less, has put the price of high-quality bridal gowns within reach for many Americans. Retailers and manufacturers say the US lacks enough skilled labor and production of specialized materials to fully serve the market; skilled seamstresses are hard to find and often come from older generations.
- Flowers: Roughly 80% of cut flowers sold in the US are imported from other nations, and lots of quality faux flowers are made in China. Colombia is a large supplier of roses, carnations, and spray chrysanthemums; Ecuador is another major rose supplier. The Netherlands, meanwhile, produces a huge share of tulips and other flowers. In addition, some of the cut greens used as filler in flower arrangements and bouquets in the US are imported.
- Overall: A wedding may involve 40 or more vendors, says Jacqueline Vizcaino, a luxury wedding planner in Atlanta who's also president of the Wedding Industry Professionals Association. Huge cost bumps are already widespread due to tariffs, she said, and with many weddings planned up to a year or more in advance, the industry is girding for more bad news. "We're going to see a lot of interactions that aren't so pleasant in the next eight to 12 months," she says. Fellow wedding planner McKenzi Taylor adds, "My vendors are shaking in their boots." More here.
(The fate of Trump's tariffs
is being debated in the courts.)
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