• New York Times, Wednesday, November 3, 2010 10:32 AM

Millennial couples (people generally in their 20s) want wedding experiences -- including gifts -- that showcase their interests and personal style, Elizabeth Olsen reports. They will account for more than 60% of all weddings by 2012, according to census figures. Having been raised using the Internet, they are accustomed to choice.

"It's all about self-expression. People are not so much saving money as they are showing their personal style," says Paula Puleo, CMO for Michaels craft stores, which has expanded its do-it-yourself wedding projects. About two-thirds of couples have personal, or signature, elements in their weddings, says Carley Roney, editor and co-founder of TheKnot.com. "These are children of baby boomers. They want to stand out, not just follow the rules."

A Pew Research Center study interestingly found that this age group values marriage above careers and financial success. While engagement rings are still in vogue, about a third of them are customized or personalized. "People want something that is distinctively theirs," says Millie Martini Bratten, editor-in-chief of Brides magazine.

Read the whole story at New York Times »