COVINGTON, Ky. — The Northern Kentucky Convention Center hosted the Greater Cincinnati Bridal and Wedding Expo, helping newly engaged couples find vendors to create their dream wedding. As one wedding photographer shares, inflation has affected the cost of her wedding packages.  

What You Need To Know

  • The Northern Kentucky Convention Center hosted the Greater Cincinnati Bridal and Wedding Expo

  • One wedding photographer shares how inflation has affected the cost of her wedding packages

  • According to a survey from Zola, 83% of wedding vendors reported the cost to run their business will increase this year, and 26% of wedding vendors reported the cost of goods have gone up

  • Erica Griffin shares the cost of her wedding packages are up to $6,000 now

Erica Griffin has been a photographer and business owner for seven years. She says her love for photos grew in college. 

“I went to UC Blue Ash (College) for electronic media. So, we did video photography and, you know, just everything electronic media. So, I just was like, okay, I’m going to start off doing photography,” said Griffin.

She shares why photography is so special. “It’s the moment...when you capture the moment, you can’t get that back,” she said.

Griffin says in the past few years she’s needed to adjust her prices to continue to provide for herself and her children. 

She said, “Okay, it did rise. I’m not going to lie, because I have to account for the products, the quality. Before, I started out like at $2,000. And then I will have a little, you know, album and a portrait, a canvas to go with it. And then I started going up. I’m about at the $6,000 mark.”

In January, Zola conducted a survey of about 300 wedding vendors and 83% reported the cost to run their business will increase this year. And 26% reported the cost of goods has gone up. 

Many couples disagree with the inflated cost and are in search of ways to combat cost and not have a traditional wedding. Bride-to-be Jasmine Parker said she and her fiancé took a different approach. 

Parker said, “We have no wedding experience, so we do not know how expensive it was until we started going on Google looking into it. So, we booked a cruise, Carnival cruise and everything. It’s all inclusive. There’s a lot of different pamphlets and different options. So, there’s no third-party vendors, but it keeps it a little bit more simple, so it’s more cost efficient.”

Griffin says that couples may have to adjust to new cost, as many people are affected by inflation. 

“I feel like if you have a love for something and you want it and you want that to represent who you are as a person, you will go for it no matter if you got to say…You know what I mean?” she shared. “Because that’s what I did for my passion. This stuff is not cheap. It’s not cheap at all. I had to go along with the inflation as well.” 

Over 40 businesses came to the expo hoping to increase their cliental. There were also a dozen prizes and giveaways for things like free wedding make-up and a two-night small honeymoon package right in Cincinnati.