- 31
- July
- 2025
In Lebanon, people don’t simply get married, they stage a full-scale festival of love. From cinematic pre-wedding photo shoots and stylish bachelor parties to couture gowns, lavish banquets, next-day brunches, and rose petals raining from the sky, weddings have evolved into a dazzling spectacle and a thriving industry. Despite the country’s economic crisis, both love and business continue to shine brightly.
Today, Lebanese weddings are no longer just about love; they’re major financial productions. Each celebration activates an entire economic ecosystem: fully booked wedding planners, photographers and videographers charging thousands of dollars, gourmet caterers offering five-star menus, florists capable of transforming any venue into a lush paradise, DJs, chocolatiers, creators of personalized keepsakes, stylists, makeup artists, and hairdressers, some even flown in from Paris or Milan. And that’s only the beginning.
Pre-Weddings and Bachelor Parties: Profitable Premieres
Even before saying “I do,” couples in Lebanon are already spending, big time. The pre-wedding shoot has become a must: think princess gowns, drone footage, golden-hour backdrops, and vintage cars. Depending on the concept and location, the cost can range anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties are no less extravagant. Options range from chic rooftops in Beirut and luxurious beach escapes to full-blown getaways in Mykonos, often with budgets of $500 to $2,000 per guest, according to one wedding planner.
Several Lebanese wedding planners estimate that the average cost of a high-end wedding in Lebanon falls between $50,000 and $200,000. For prominent families or expatriate couples, the price tag can easily surpass half a million dollars.
Key figures for 2024, according to the professionals:
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Flowers and décor: $10,000 to $80,000
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Venue rental: $15,000 to $50,000
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Catering and beverages (for 300 guests): $25,000 to $70,000
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Photography and videography: $3,000 to $10,000
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Bride’s attire: $5,000 to $50,000 (including haute couture gowns)
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Makeup and hairstyling: $800 to $2,000
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Favors and chocolates: $2,000 to $10,000
A Booming Market, Crisis or Not
The real surprise? Lebanon’s wedding market hasn’t merely weathered the economic crisis, it’s thriving. According to Euromonitor International, the country’s wedding planning sector grew by 12% between 2022 and 2024, driven largely by expatriates and destination weddings.
Many Lebanese couples living abroad choose to celebrate their big day “back home,” injecting much-needed foreign currency into the local economy. The result? Wedding vendors are already fully booked through 2026.
And the After Party? Brunches, Lunches, and Keepsakes
In Lebanon, a wedding no longer ends with the reception. There’s the post-wedding brunch, with a DJ and an all-white linen dress code, intimate family lunches, and carefully curated thank-you gifts for guests. The post-party alone can cost between $5,000 and $15,000—honeymoon not included.
Today, a Lebanese wedding is orchestrated with the precision of a startup launch and the theatrics of a soap opera. It fuels hundreds of professions and accounts for a significant slice of economic activity in a country desperate for good news.
Getting married in Lebanon is far more than a romantic milestone, it’s a spectacular celebration of love and a direct cash infusion into the local economy, from florists and caterers to DJs and designers.
And if you were imagining a small, simple garden wedding… welcome to the Lebanese arena of XXL nuptials.
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