A wedding expert says the term 'Bridezilla' is dying out. Georgina Mitchell, 33, claims that the "negative and unfair" word - meaning a woman to be wed who becomes unpleasant to deal with - is being phased out.
Instead, the term is being replaced by "main character bride" - a much more positive figure, Georgina says. The wedding planner, who has been in the business for 12 years and got married herself last year, added: "It's like that nightmare employee has become the boss and all is well.
"Bridezilla is such a negative and unfair term. It was basically about brides crying out to be heard because it's their special day. But they were so disempowered by other people paying - like gifts with strings attached.
"If we go right back then women were moving families - the passive bride who was given away. That evolved into bridezilla, it was her big day but she didn't own it.
"Now brides are the main character. They pay for the wedding and can have what they want without a fight. I call her the main character bride. She’s basically, 'This is what we’re doing - come if you want. She's only answerable to her partner."
Georgina gives daily tips on Instagram and TikTok and hosts a wedding-themed podcast. She says the cost of a big day has risen in recent years, with the price of a photographer more than doubling - as people want social media ready content.
But modern weddings are generally smaller and more often held outside, she added. There has also a shift away from the groom's side and the bride's side as modern families are structured differently, Georgina said.
Brides are also opting for two dresses now - the long train in the day then often changing into a short, party dress for the evening. And food is no longer a sitdown, served meal, but more likely street food vans, and pie and mash is a popular option, she said.
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"Weddings are a lot more informal now," she went on. "Couples just want their friends and families to come along and have a good time. Social media has generated a lot of the change I think.
"Now people use it to get ideas, and they realise they're not alone when they want to go for a non-traditional option. The cost of photographers is eye-watering now. I'd say around £2,000 on average.
"The biggest change is that couples are doing it their way because they don't feel beholden to anyone else. They can pay for it themselves so they can do what they like.
"I’ve known a couple to be given £20,000 for their wedding but it came with so many stipulations that they gave it back. They were told who to invite, what kind of wedding to have, what the colour scheme would be.
Georgina and husband Brian, 33, a personal finance influencer, had their legal wedding at a registry office two weeks before another ceremony and party on New Year's Eve. Her dress was fitted with a long train, and there was no cake - instead guests got to make their own cocktails.
Georgina worked on weddings in her roles at a golf club, a hotel, and with an outdoor catering company before setting up her own business, Georgina Rose Events in Gloucester in 2020.
