But we’re not the only ones who’ve grown, it seems. So many people are now tying the knot—and doing it in such spectacular fashion—that the wedding industry has transformed from a virtually non-existent entity ten years ago to a veritable force to be reckoned with. Today, literally hundreds of suppliers can be found primed and ready to cater to every critical task and every conceivable element couples have to attend to when planning a wedding. There are event stylists, wedding coordinators, photographers, videographers, gown designers, caterers, florists, bands, deejays, shops that specialize in firework displays, rent out chocolate fountains, illuminate dance floors—if you need it, the wedding industry will most certainly have it.

Of course, most people in the wedding industry had already been offering their services long before the trend for holding elaborate weddings came into being. The difference these days, according to Sharon Fabian, one-half of the duo behind Themes & Motifs - The Special Events Co., is that the industry has become "greatly professionalized." Sharon says, "Unlike before, when soon-to-weds had to contend with wedding suppliers who used their being hobbyists as an excuse for lapses in conducting proper business (i.e. "Sorry I’m late because I came from the office," "I don’t have an OR because I’m not registered; I’m just doing this on the side"), current players are keeping up to speed with unwavering professionalism."

Manuel Chua of Chu U Yen Events which organizes the Brides and Beyond bridal exhibit for SM, has another theory. He attributes the increase in business not to a rising tendency towards extravagance on the part of soon-to-weds but rather to the wedding industry’s response to these concerns by becoming "more flexible in terms of providing for the needs of the clientele while limiting the cost involved."

Whatever the reason for the change, the near-phenomenal growth of the wedding industry is a trend which definitely bodes well for fair organizers like Chua and Fabian who each noted increases in the earnings for their respective fairs since their inception. In the case of Wedding Expo Philippines, the bi-annual, two-day wedding fair organized by Sharon and her husband Dodjie Fabian, earnings have not only consistently risen, they’ve risen exponentially. During its last show in March 2007, Wedding Expo Philippines reported a staggering Php 19.7 million in onsite down payments alone among its 228 exhibitors, an incredibly long way from the Php 1.5 million the wedding fair earned during its very first run way back in 2001 with 150 exhibitors. This September, earnings are expected to exceed the previous record with 250-plus suppliers already booked for the event. These days, it seems, romance is not only ‘in the air,’ it’s also ‘big business.’

Of course, there was a time when getting hitched meant little more than simply picking a date, booking the venue, and showing up on the day itself. Brides, with the help of their closest girlfriends and relatives, got the job done mostly by calling on favors and choosing among pre-selected sets for buffet menus, decorating arrangements, dance music, and the like.

So, why the sudden leap in the minds of the Philippine collective? JP Montilla of Complete Work, Inc. and current president of the Philippine Association of Wedding Planners (PAWP), claims, "The wedding industry has always been alive. More people are simply more conscious (of the wedding industry) now than (they were) ten years back." Montilla attributes this to the emerging of a new consciousness with the entry of lifestyle shows on television emphasizing the importance of putting together beautiful, elegant weddings to usher in one’s marriage.

And media exposure of the wedding industry certainly hasn’t hurt. The proliferation of movies like Father of the Bride and The Wedding Planner and the coverage of high-profile weddings of celebrities such as those of Claudine and Raymart and Aga and Charlene, among others, have helped contribute to the shift in the public’s perception that a Hollywood ending is, more often than not, best brought about with professionals by your side.

Of course, Filipinos have always been notorious romantics, and weddings have always been regarded as special occasions. "Because we don’t have divorce in this country," Montilla says, "getting married really only happens once and many people feel that they might as well make it the best—as far as (their budgets) permit, of course."

So what’s in store for the future? We asked the experts about this, and they answered us.

The current trend for holding beautiful weddings, JP Montilla feels, will definitely continue as exposure to the wedding industry grows and couples become savvier when selecting suppliers and judging what’s in vogue. Manuel Chua adds that we will probably see "a lot more extraordinary weddings—a fusion of Eastern and Western ideas and state-of-the-art styles and designs." For her part, Sharon Fabian believes that the "professionalization" of the local wedding industry will "augur well for soon-to-weds since their choices (expand) and the services that they get become better in all aspects."

All in all, that’s not a bad thing for those involved—for suppliers, soon-to-weds, and least of all us, as we continue to bring you the latest news and the best insight into the wonderful world of planning a wedding. So, sit tight, pop a bottle of champagne, and prepare yourself, because we promise you—the best is yet to come.