"The fees for a church wedding or a simple registry office ceremony are very modest indeed but the wedding industry is busily ramping up expectations of what a big day should involve," she told peers.
But she added: "I do think that's what been happening through Covid-19 and smaller weddings has, perhaps, made people think that they do not need the huge weddings they have had in the past."What About Weddings is campaigning for more government support for businesses facing potential ruin.It says the wedding industry employs 400,000 people in the UK, 80% of whom are women, in jobs such as photography, cake-making, catering and dress design.
"What about couples with big families and lots of friends? Or those with cultural or religious expectations that mean large numbers of guests are vital to them and their community? Ms Settle said she would "welcome the opportunity to discuss the sector with the Bishop in more detail".