We understand doulas traditionally as trained professionals who guide women through their pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Their expertise has been offered as one of the many solutions to the epidemic of Black maternal morbidity in America.
So where exactly does a wedding doula come into play? According to Ozy.com, the role of wedding doulas are popping up to assist brides-to-be nationwide. While a wedding planner may handle the logistics of wedding details, a wedding doula nurses the emotions of the anxious bride.
The piece explains that wedding doulas are an emerging sector in the wedding industry, with 10 nonprofessionals offering their services versus zero two years ago.
Elizabeth Su, left her career as a health tech to pursue a trade as a wedding doula full time. She emphasizes intention throughout every step of the wedding planning.
“Weddings are one of the few rituals in our society, and it’s quickly becoming just a party,” Su told Ozy.
Another wedding doula, Kate Hoffman of Denver, Colorado, explained she is an “intuitive wedding doula.”
“Getting married is a loss of independence, and there’s a sense of grief in losing a part of yourself,” she said. “It’s a huge life shift, and the traditional wedding process does not acknowledge these emotions.”
The word “doula” is literally Greek for “female helper,” so in theory, the phrase can be applied to any industry, but does a “wedding doula” elicit thoughts of privilege? The services can be pricey, with Su charging up to $300 for a one hour consult. For brides on a budget, the added emotional support may sound like a lovely idea, but may not be worth the cost. Weddings are already extraordinarily pricey, coming in at nearly $25,000 for the average wedding in 2017. Birthing doulas, on the other hand, are sometimes covered by insurance, with their average cost of their services coming in at around $1200.
Yes, the cost to help bring a life into the world, would total 4 “wedding doula” sessions in some cases. Every bride will have to assess for themselves if this support is a necessary line-item on her wedding budget. But it may be worth visiting your insurance covered therapist for the emotional support you need.
