Planning a wedding is stressful. Couples and vendors now have to factor in tariffs

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press Lifestyles Writer NEW YORK AP 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 more because of new U S tariffs on imported goods With little wiggle room in her timing the bride-to-be rapidly checked around for similar styles The story was the same any dresses from Europe would come with tariff-driven price increases ranging from to And that was before President Donald Trump stated he would increase the tariff on goods produced in the European Union from to Vasquez 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 stated It just kind of made me a little sad Wedding cakes decor attire flowers party favors photo and video equipment tableware wine and Champagne Not several goods used in the wedding industry remain untouched by the tariffs Trump has imposed since returning to office How much of the import taxes get passed down to consumers is up to florists photographers caterers and myriad other vendors and intermediaries such as wholesalers This April photos shows a bridal bouquet in Grass Valley Calif Wedding vendors and bridal couples this year are being impacted by U S tariffs imposed on other countries around the world Bryan Gallagher Photo via AP Olivia Sever a -year-old online content creator in San Diego has a lot of wedding shopping ahead of her Much of what she wants may cost more because of tariffs An immediate concern is specific of her paper goods Her wedding planner has already flagged a price increase for the menus place cards and signage she demanded for her September celebration in Hawaii Sever announced shifting to American goods isn t invariably cost-effective For instance flowers grown in Hawaii are in high demand with increased prices to match in response to tariffs imposed on a large number of imports around the world That includes flowers from Ecuador Colombia and other countries that grow the bulk of the flowers the U S imports There s just so multiple unknowns but we have our budget and we re trying to work within our budget Sever noted If that means we can t get these you know specific shell cups I want then we just won t get them and we ll get something else Here s a look from inside the wedding industry on tariffs Tariffs and the wedding cake industry Clients of Phoenix cake artist Armana Christianson pay roughly to for one of her creations She spent two years perfecting the flavor combinations she offers They range from simple vanilla bean made with vanilla bean paste imported from Mexico to dark chocolate raspberry with a whipped hazelnut ganache that s dependent on chocolates and powders from Belgium This March photo shows Armana Christianson in Mesa Ariz with one of her wedding cake creations Wedding vendors and bridal couples alike are feeling the impact of U S tariffs imposed on countries around the globe Larisa Kaiser via AP Not all of Christianson s cost woes are tariff-driven The chocolate industry was already struggling because of a cocoa bean shortage I m a small business with just myself as my employee I ve seen at minimum a increase in just the chocolate I use It s a type of chocolate that I ve built into my recipes Changing brands isn t acceptable Christianson stated The imported white chocolate in her white chocolate mud cake a popular flavor shot up from or per cake to She used nearly pounds of it in a up-to-date order a cake that had five tiers Christianson may have to come up with new recipes based on less expensive ingredients In the meantime she announced she s eating the cost of tariffs for clients already on her books I don t have it in my contract where I can raise prices for unexpected events like this she revealed Unfortunately that s something I have to add to new contracts for my future couples Tariffs and the wedding dress industry Almost all bridal gowns are made in China or other parts of Asia and so are numerous of the fabrics buttons zippers and other materials used according to 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 a large number of American families Retailers and manufacturers say the U S lacks enough skilled labor and production of specialized materials to fully serve the field Skilled seamstresses are hard to find and often come from older generations This May photos shows a bridal gown display at the Urban Set Bride shop in Richmond Va Preponderance U S bridal gowns are made in China Wedding vendors like bridal shops along with bridal couples are feeling the impact of tariffs imposed by the U S on countries around the globe Chelsea Diane Photography via AP The materials that we sell in a bridal shop include lace beadwork boning for the corsetry We don t really make stuff like that in this country There just aren t very numerous designers who create and put their whole looks together in this nation noted Christine Greenberg founder and co-owner of the Urban Set Bride boutique in Richmond Virginia The designs done here are normally very simple designs You don t see a lot of American-made gowns that have a lot of detail a lot of embroidered lace and that s a really popular wedding gown style she revealed A large number of designers with gowns labeled made in the U S still are using imported materials Greenberg noted If Trump s highest tariffs on China are reinstated after a current pause Greenberg stated her small business will pay between and extra in import taxes this year For a small family-owned business that only hosts one bride at a time this will absolutely lead us and a multitude of others to close for good she stated We can t buy American when the products don t exist Tariffs and the cut flower industry Roughly of cut flowers sold in the U S come from other countries 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 produces a huge share of tulips and other flowers In addition particular of the cut greens used as filler in flower arrangements and bouquets in the U S are imported If you re talking about cars and computer chips they ve got inventory that s sitting there It s already stateside Our inventory turns in days and we saw the impact almost forthwith announced Joan Wyndrum co-founder of the online floral distributor Blooms by the Box We re all absorbing a little bit but it s inevitable that it comes out on the consumer end of it Wyndrum who works directly with wholesalers and growers revealed the U S flower industry isn t capable at the moment of absorbing all the production from elsewhere She does a lot of business with U S suppliers though and sees a huge opportunity for advancement stateside There s a benefit to the U S bride to have flowers grown here It s the simple reason of freshness she noted Tariffs and the wedding industry overall Jacqueline Vizcaino is a luxury wedding planner and event designer in Atlanta She s also national president of the Wedding Industry Professionals Association a -member education-focused arrangement group whose members include transportation and photo booth providers makeup artists caterers linen distributors and planners Related Articles SpaceX launches another Starship rocket after back-to-back explosions but it tumbles out of control Howie Carr Time to pound the pavement snowflakes The present day in History May criminal charges filed in Liberty Reserve scheme US stops scheduling visa interviews for foreign students while it expands social media vetting Rick Derringer who had a hit with Hang On Sloopy and produced Weird Al dies at Any one wedding may involve or more vendors Vizcaino declared Huge jumps in costs are already widespread due to tariffs she mentioned florals and fabrics among them With countless weddings planned up to a year or more in advance she and others in the industry are girding for more bad news We re going to see a lot of interactions that aren t so pleasant in the next eight to months she declared Tariffs have delayed decision-making among several couples planning weddings Decisions are taking double the time because of the uncertainty People are shopping around more and wanting vendors to lock in at the lowest price accomplishable Vizcaino explained Revealed McKenzi Taylor a planner who coordinates weddings in Las Vegas San Diego and the Black Hills in South Dakota Our inquiry-to-booking window has grown from days to Cancellations are up so far this year on pace to double from last year with costs definitely being a concern for couples My vendors are shaking in their boots