After months and months of planning — it takes just as long to plan a bridal show as it does a wedding! — The Boutique
Bridal Show went off without a hitch January 22, 2017. If we could describe the show in two words, it would be elegant and relaxed. From the beginning, our focus was on vendors and brides and finding the best way to marry the two together.
The savvy bride has her wedding checklist and inspiration board full of pins, so our show provided her with the opportunity to book the vendors that will make her dream wedding a reality. Brides were “invited” to approach each booth with plenty of time to get to know each other and even enjoy a glass of champagne while doing so.
Vendors have described The Boutique Bridal Show as intimate, organized and effective. Many left with bookings from brides and the beginning of relationships that will continue for months after the show. Our fashion show, which was more like a “bridal parade,” featured gowns from Le Jour Couture and Bella Bridesmaids exclusively.
“Invoking the style of fashion shows in the salons of couturiers through the golden ages of haute couture in the 1940s and ’50s, our models paraded through the crowd on ground level and rose up onto platforms so that viewers could get an intimate feel of each gown,” says style show coordinator Stephen F. L. Barker.
Another intimate part of the show was an informal Q&A with wedding planners and photographers. Brides were able to ask questions as if they were having a conversation with a close friend and get access to information immediately. We look forward to more fashion and more conversation in future shows.
We advise brides to contact the vendors they were most interested in since schedules fill up fast. Show creator and Wedding Doula Robin Hebert advises, “The sooner a bride can cross something off her list, the closer she is to perfecting the details. It is important to have the framework complete and then add the finishing touches!”
A great resource for brides is The Boutique Bridal Show’s Blog: “The Bride Speaks.” Brides can stay informed about vendors, upcoming bridal events and learn more about the planning process from a local bride who is in the middle of planning her own wedding.
And stay tuned—“The Bride Speaks” has more in store. Our coveted list of wedding planners will be available soon, along with information on specialty niche categories that we feel are untapped by the local market.
You can also save the date for next year’s Boutique Bridal Show scheduled for Sunday, January 21, 2018.
