Wedding Research and Recommendations

This assignment explores the various aspects of wedding planning, including different types of weddings, elements that contribute to making a wedding unforgettable, and recommendations for a fun and memorable wedding experience. The research involves collecting primary data through a survey from 57 participants, focusing on the importance of 10 different elements that significantly contribute to making a wedding memorable. The assignment also provides insights into the evolution of weddings due to internet and modern trends, as well as recommendations for incorporating unique and personalized elements into the wedding planning process.

Running head: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
What Makes a Wedding Memorable?
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Presentation, Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
Introduction
This chapter illustrates the analysis of the data collected from the survey and its findings.
The researcher has conducted a primary survey on 57 people, selected randomly, and using
simple random sampling technique. The questionnaire had total 15 close ended questions that
focused on the demographic details of the participants and different factors that contribute in
making a wedding memorable. Close ended questions are chosen due to the reason that it enables
the researcher to keep the scope of answers narrowed down and reduces the complexity of the
analysis (Lewis 2015). The presentation of the analysis and its evaluation are done in this
chapter.
Presentation, Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
Demographic factors
Demographic factors refer to those elements that describe the socio economic status of
the participants. Socio economic factors are those that address the quality of life of the people in
a society. These include behaviour, attitude, tastes and preferences, income, age, gender, and
lifestyle of people (Peng 2016). In the given research on the important factors of a wedding, the
age, gender profile, marital status, years of marriage and numbers of marriage are considered
under the demographic factor for their relevance in the research project. The responses and their
explanations are presented below.

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Table 1: Gender profile of the participants
Figure 1: Gender profile of the participants
From the above table and graph of the responses, it is seen that, among 57 participants, majority,
that is, 31 (54.39%) are female and 26 (45.61%) are male.

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Table 2: Marital status of the participants
Figure 2: Marital status of the participants
Regarding the marital status of the respondents, majority (37 people or 64.91%) are single or
unmarried, 17 (29.82%) people are married and only 3 (5.26%) people are widow/er.

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Table 3: Total years of marriage
Figure 3: Total years of marriage

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYOn the question of the number of years of marriage, 34 (59.65%) people responded not married,
9 (15.79%) are married for more than 10 years, 7 people (12.28%) are for 6 to10 years, 2 people
(3.51%) are for 4 to 6 years, 3 people (5.26%) for 1 to 3 years and 2 people (3.51%) are married
for less than 1 year. From the above to response tables, it can be said that, 34 people have said
that they were never married and 37 people have respondent single in the question of marital
status. Hence, it may be inferred that 3 people are divorcee. It can also be derived that, 3 people
who are widow/er, also responded about their number of years of marriage.
Table 4: Age group of the participants

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Figure 4: Age group of the participants
It is observed from the response pattern on the age group of the participants, that 22.81% (13)
belongs to the age group of 18 to 24 years, 26.32% (15) belongs to 25-30 years, 19.30% (11)
belongs to 31 to 35 years, 21.05% (12) is from 36 to 45 years, 5.26% (3) are from 46 to 55 years,
3.51% (2) belongs to 56 to 65 years and only 1 respondent is above 65 years. Thus, majority of
the respondents are quite younger and have contemporary views on the factors that make a
wedding memorable.
Table 5: Number of marriage(s)

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Figure 5: Number of marriage(s)
Regarding the question of number of marriage(s), 32 said they were never married, 23 responded
that they married once and only 2 said they married twice. None of the respondents married more
than twice.
Subjective factors
The rest 10 questions focused on the different factors that contribute towards making a
wedding memorable. The responses were collected on the five point scale values, where answer
options are given from strongly agree to strongly disagree. 10 factors were listed on the table on
which the respondents had to mark their responses. The findings and the explanations are
presented below.

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STRONGLY
AGREE
AGREE NEUTRAL DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISAGREE
TOTAL WEIGHTED
AVERAGE
Décor is
very
important
to reflect
the warmth
in the
wedding
33.33
%
19
52.6
3%
30
14.04
%
8
0.00%
0
0.00%
0 57 1.81
Theme
should
reflect the
couple’s
personalitie
s and
choices
35.09
%
20
50.8
8%
29
14.04
%
8
0.00%
0
0.00%
0 57 1.79
Pre-
wedding
photograph
y is
important
to make the
wedding
memorable
31.58
%
18
43.8
6%
25
15.79
%
9
5.26%
3
3.51%
2 57 2.05
Destination
wedding
must be
arranged
for a
memorable
wedding
28.57
%
16
35.7
1%
20
21.43
%
12
8.93%
5
5.36%
3 56 2.27
Wedding
invitation
card should
be costly to
tell your
story
10.53
%
6
21.0
5%
12
26.32
%
15
29.82
%
17
12.28%
7 57 3.12
Wedding
cake
should
have
14.04
%
8
31.5
8%
18
29.82
%
17
21.05
%
12
3.51%
2 57 2.68

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
STRONGLY
AGREE
AGREE NEUTRAL DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISAGREE
TOTAL WEIGHTED
AVERAGE
minimum
of 3 tiers
Designer
wedding
dress or
from a high
fashion
brand is a
must to
make the
wedding
memorable
.
10.53
%
6
17.5
4%
10
17.54
%
10
36.84
%
21
17.54%
10 57 3.33
Mini
reception,
with small
snacks and
drinks, or a
group
outing
must
always be
arranged
for the
guests
between
the
wedding
ceremony
and
reception
in the
evening
14.29
%
8
32.1
4%
18
32.14
%
18
17.86
%
10
3.57%
2 56 2.64
Arranging
transportati
on for the
guests is a
must
14.04
%
8
24.5
6%
14
28.07
%
16
26.32
%
15
7.02%
4 57 2.88
Signature
drinks and
17.54
%
36.8
4%
22.81
%
17.54
%
5.26%
3 57 2.56

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STRONGLY
AGREE
AGREE NEUTRAL DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISAGREE
TOTAL WEIGHTED
AVERAGE
specialized
menu is a
must to
make your
wedding
memorable
10 21 13 10
Table 6: Responses on the important factors
Figure 6: Weighted average of the responses on the important factors

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYFrom the above table and figure, an idea can be generated about the tastes and
preferences of the respondents and their views on the importance of different factors in making a
wedding memorable. The 10 factors that were considered are the décor of the wedding venue,
theme of wedding, pre-wedding photography, destination wedding, costly wedding invitation
card, tiers in the wedding cake, designer wedding dress, mini reception before the evening,
transport arrangements and serving of signature drinks and specialized menu. The factors were
chosen based on the presence of these in any wedding, irrespective of the budget. However, the
costing of these also matter to people as not everyone can afford expensive wedding.
 The first element is the décor of the wedding venue. The question asked if the décor is
important to reflect the warmth of the wedding to the guests. 19 respondents strongly
agreed, 30 agreed and 8 people responded neutral. None of the respondents disagreed or
strongly disagreed. This indicates that the décor is indeed an important factor to make a
wedding memorable.
 The next factor is theme of the wedding, on which 29 agreed 20 strongly agreed and 8
answered neutral that it should reflect the couple’s personalities and choices, which is a
rational opinion.
 On the matter of importance of pre-wedding photography for making a wedding
memorable, 25 people agreed, 18 strongly agreed, however, 9 responded neutral, 3
people disagreed and 2 strongly disagreed. It indicates that, pre-wedding photography is
not important to a certain percentage of people.
 Destination wedding is a craze these days, where the entire party of bride and groom goes
to a different location for the wedding. In this matter, 20 people agreed and 16 strongly
agreed, while 12 responded neutral, 5 disagreed and 3 strongly disagreed. Thus, it can be

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYsaid, that a small percentage of people still do not consider destination wedding as a
mandatory part of the wedding ceremony. The list of responses has one missing data,
which makes the total observation 56.
 Wedding invitation card is one of the most important things in a wedding. The couples
put a lot of effort to design their wedding cards so as to reflect their personalities and
their story through the card. However, the cost of the wedding cards varies and the design
varies too according to the cost. Whether only an expensive card can make the wedding
memorable, 17 people disagreed and 7 strongly disagreed. 15 respondents answered
neutral. However, a small number of respondents, that is, 12 people agreed and 6 strong
agreed to the idea of a costly wedding invitation. Thus, it can be inferred that, cost of the
wedding card is not always important.
 Number of tiers in the wedding cake is another important factor in a wedding. Cutting the
cake is a ritual and every couple must do that. The tiers should be made according to the
number of guests. However, it depends on the tastes and preferences of the couple and of
course the cost. 12 respondents disagreed and 2 strongly disagreed about the idea of
minimum of three tiers on the cake, 17 answered neutral, 18 agreed and 8 strongly
agreed.
 Brides want the best wedding gown for the most special day in their lives. Although,
designer wedding gown from a high fashion brand can raise the feel good factor of the
brides to a few notches, it is unaffordable for many. Thus, they find out the best dress
from good but low cost shops. Whether availing high fashion brand is necessary for a
memorable wedding, 10 strongly disagreed, 21 disagreed while 10 agreed, 6 strongly

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYagreed and 10 answered neutral. This shows that, high fashion brand for the wedding
dress is not necessary for every couple in town.
 Many times a mini reception or a group outing is arranged for the guests with small
snacks and drinks during the gap time between the wedding and the reception in the
evening. This helps in utilizing the wait time for the evening party as well as creating
another memory. 18 people agreed and 8 people strongly agreed, while 18 responded
neutral, 10 disagreed and 2 strongly disagreed. There is one missing data in the
responses, making the number of responses to 56.
 Sometimes, it is necessary to arrange transportation for the guests. However, whether the
transport arrangement contributes in a memorable wedding, 14 agreed, 8 strongly agreed,
16 answered neutral, 15 disagreed and 4 strongly disagreed. Hence, the respondents have
mixed point of view about this.
 Lastly, to complete a celebration in a most memorable way, people throw a party with
specialized menu and signature drinks, with which they raise a toast to the bride and
groom. Hence, this is considered to be important. The responses show the similar trend.
10 participants strongly agreed, 21 agreed to this, while 13 remained neutral, 10
disagreed and 3 strongly disagreed.
The diagram shows the weighted average of the responses. From the above analysis of the trend
and pattern of the responses, it is found that, all the 10 factors contribute to some extent to make
a wedding memorable. The budget of a wedding often throws an obstacle to many brides and
grooms to avail everything in a most lavish manner. However, in those cases, the couples prefer
to maintain the warmth of the ceremony by arranging the facilities, card, food, drinks, décor,
cake, venue, music, photography, transport and many other things within a compact budget so

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYthat everyone is happy. Those, who can afford expensive dresses and other arrangements, such
as, destination weddings, do things in a more extravagant way. However, for almost every
couple, a wedding becomes memorable with the perfect arrangements of the necessary things,
such as, beautiful wedding cards, nice dress, good food and drinks, warm décor reflecting the
personal choices and big wedding cakes to accommodate all the guests. Lastly, it can be said that
it is the memories that make a wedding successful. Highly expensive arrangements do not
necessarily make a wedding memorable; rather it is the combination of all the above factors that
leads to a unforgettable wedding.

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Conclusion and recommendations
Introduction
This is the last chapter that establishes a connection between the findings of the research
and the research objectives stated earlier. The researcher also puts forward some
recommendations based on the observation and data analysis. Through this research, the answer
to the research question, that is, what makes a wedding memorable was addressed by the
researcher and conclusion is drawn based on the research.
Linking to the objectives
Linking to the first objective
The first objective of the paper was to highlight the concept of wedding. From various
literatures by different authors, the researcher highlighted the concept of wedding. A wedding is
an event of celebration where two people and their families get united through marriage. It
involves exchanging marriage vows by the couple when they commit to be together for life. The
families also get bounded with the wedding of two people. The traditions and customs of
wedding vary greatly across the numerous cultures of the world. The style of rituals varies too.
Various events are arranged surrounding the main wedding and those depends on the culture,
such as, Christian wedding, Hindu wedding, Muslim wedding, Jewish wedding etc. In the
western culture, the weddings take place in the church, where religion plays a major role. Brides
wear white gowns and grooms wear black tuxedo. In the eastern culture, the wedding ceremony

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYis more colorful and takes place in the temple or at a particular destination. The attire is chosen
based on the tradition of the society.
Linking to the second objective
The second objective is to review the wedding industry of the world. It is found that, the
wedding industry is a huge industry across the world. Wedding involves many activities and
events and that generates a business of millions of dollars each year. According to a study by The
Knot 2016 Real Weddings, the average cost of a wedding reached up to $32,329 in 2016 in the
USA. In the USA alone, there are more than 300,000 vendors who do business on different
sections of a wedding. In 2016, the wedding industry contributed $72 billion in the GDP of the
USA. The statistics is similar or more than this in other countries. As the average level of
disposable income of people has increased significantly across the world, the level of spending
on the weddings has increased too. Professionals are hired to plan the weddings and sometimes,
destination wedding is preferred by those who can afford it. Internet has changed the outlook and
way of doing the wedding for the couples. Everything is becoming customized and billions of
vendors, starting from the decorator, photographer, make up artist, catering, music and many
more, are taking this opportunity to establish their businesses.
Linking to the third objective
The third objective was to find out different types of wedding. It is found that, weddings
are of numerous types. It is categorized based on various parameters, such as, religion, culture
and tradition, themes, locations, and trends. The major difference in the types of weddings is
generated from the religion, culture and tradition. The customs and rituals in a Hindu Wedding
are vastly different from a Christian wedding. Starting from attire, rituals, norms, food, music
and events, there are huge differences in wedding across the cultures. Apart from that, the

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYlifestyle and modern trends also determine the type of wedding. Some prefer to do a destination
wedding, while some prefer to arrange it in their homes. As the society has been progressive and
LGBT rights have been established in many countries, same sex marriage is also happening,
which is another type of wedding. The number of inter-caste, inter-state or inter-religious
weddings has also increased, setting a trend around the globe.
Linking to the fourth objective
The last objective was to explore the elements that make a wedding memorable. To
conduct the research, the researcher collected primary data through a survey from 57 random
participants, which focused on the importance of 10 different elements that contribute
significantly to make a wedding unforgettable. It is found that, people prefer to have a nice and
exclusive dress, décor, theme of the wedding, invitation card and the wedding cake chosen
according to the personality and tastes and preferences of the couple, signature drinks and
specialized menu are the most important elements that make a wedding memorable. Expensive
arrangements, such as, destination wedding, costly pre-wedding photography, transport and
outing arrangements for the guests are arranged by those who can afford the budget.
Recommendations
Based on the research and data analysis, the researcher makes some recommendations to
address to make the wedding all the more memorable.
 The couple should include some fun events, such as, games or dance competitions to
make the wedding evening more interesting. Many guests will have more enjoyment
where they would get the chance to participate rather than just watch and have the food.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Pros are very popular these days. Dress up pops, signage, photo frames, big funny fake
spectacles are quite popular among the people and these are not expensive. A couple can
arrange those easily, which will make nice and funny memories for all.
 Arranging the seating is a tough job for a couple. Rather than making it traditional
numbering, the couple can use names from their favorite films, books, soccer club,
holiday destinations, Harry Potter houses, and integrate it with the decoration. This will
make a unique experience for the guests and make the wedding more memorable.
 The table centerpieces should not always be flowers, but it can be anything that interests
the couple, such as, balloons, chocolates, handmade artworks, miniature paintings,
miniature Star Wars or any other animated characters etc. This will reflect a new
dimension of the couple’s characters that will create more fascinating memories.
There is infinite number of ways which can make a wedding memorable while keeping the
budget reachable. Two people in a wedding can belong to any religion or any tradition, but the
ultimate goal of a wedding is to create a beautiful bonding and relationship between the two
people and their families. Hence, it is important to arrange the important factors in a way that
will have a long lasting impact on the bride, groom, their families and all the guests present in
the wedding.

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References
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.
Peng, X., 2016. Demographic Factors in China's. Resurgent China: Issues for the Future, p.52.