What luxury events reveal about consumers’ premium experience spending
Download the full What The Future: Indulgence issueLuxury celebrations among America’s ultra-wealthy are shifting from quantity-driven excess toward curated multi-day experiences. While wedding budgets can reach six to seven figures, event hosts now prioritize meaningful, personalized moments over traditional status displays. Sojourner Judson, founder and CEO of ultra-luxury event-planning firm Erganic Design, sees these expectations cascading beyond her high-net-worth clients to reshape mainstream social events, from elaborate birthday parties to extravagant prom sendoffs.
Kate MacArthur: What makes a social event luxurious?
Sojourner Judson: It used to be about volume — more flowers, more sparkle, larger, grander in quantity. But now it’s about quality, curation, rare elements and handmade details. What I'm finding is it's really about the intentionality, and then it's very personalized so that every couple really wants the guests to feel like they are learning a little bit more about the couple.
MacArthur: Can you give an example?
Judson: We were in Montana for a wedding, and from the very beginning the bride was telling me she loves the cowboy black tie concept. We created a custom hat bar, which sounds very simple. But if you think about someone who's making hats, branding them and each guest getting their own. Then if hats cost anywhere from $150 and up, times 100-plus guests, that's just one moment they had at their welcome party that wasn't even the wedding. Right now, luxury has to do with the experiential. It's not just showing up, sitting for a ceremony, cocktail hour before dinner, going to dinner, special dances and toasts, and then you leave. It becomes an adventure for guests. Most of our couples start with what the experience should feel like for their guests versus “Here's your photographer” and “I want this band.”
MacArthur: How are motivations behind luxury event expectations evolving?
Judson: If you had asked me this question pre-pandemic, it would be a different answer. I'm hearing clients say, “I want my guests to feel like I thought of them.” I'm hearing it over and over, and I feel it's because we’ve all been traumatized by what happened.
MacArthur: How do different generations shape perceptions of luxury?
Judson: For Boomers, it's always about heritage. Sometimes it's grandeur, but they want to speak to tradition. They want there to be some honor shown with the culture of the families. Gen Xers also care about tradition, but how to make it more innovative. We don't have a ton of Gen Z, but they're kind of a mix. But it's about individuality for sure.
MacArthur: What’s driving bigger expectations for young people who are having promposals and prom sendoffs?
Judson: Everyone sees what everyone else is doing, and they still want to be a part of “Look at me.” Millennials want story-worthy experiences. So do Gen Zers. Even though it's more about their individuality, they still want to have these social media moments to share. So everyone wants to be the next viral moment.
Right now, luxury has to do with the experiential.”
MacArthur: You’re known for designing events across cultures. How does culture shape luxury?
Judson: When we're requested to do a wedding, whether the couple are both Indian or even if one of them is Indian and marrying into a different culture, it's very rare that it's one day. We are finding that multi-day events are the request across the board, no matter what the culture is, no matter what the religious or ethnic background is, because they want more time to spend with their guests.
MacArthur: What cultural fluency basics should companies and brands be thinking about?
Judson: Learning the cultures, first, and how they celebrate would be key. Honor what those are but also be excited about them and then celebrate what they are in their own way. Just a little nod is a gesture, because imagine never seeing anything that's about your culture.
MacArthur: How much influence do TV shows about wealth have on aspirations?
Judson: They're having lots of impact. There's this opulence and luxuriousness that we all seem to be intrigued by. It's much more interesting to watch someone spend $50,000 on a 5-year-old’s Alice in Wonderland themed party than a Chuck E. Cheese party.
← Read previous | Read next → |