A Sophisticated Affair for the Bride to Be; A Creative Statement for the Exhibitor

by Ashley Vidler

Ladies – and upcoming brides – if you had a moment (or a few hours) to stop by the Carlu in downtown Toronto this January for the Wedding Show, you know your time spent was well worth it.

Put on annually by the Wedding Co., this bridal show wasn’t just a show; it was more like an extravaganza of class. Case in point number one: it was at the beautiful Carlu rather than in some giant convention centre. It was exclusive. Ladies were escorted up the elevator into wedding planning dreamland. Stepping into the thick of things, you were quick to realize this wasn’t your ordinary bridal bash. It was décor unlike anything you’d seen and a creative flair mastered by those participating in the event. The exhibitors – about 120 of them – were spread out through a few rooms, and the vibe was relaxed and good natured. Nothing was cluttered. You could mingle through the booths at your own pace, talk to the vendors and taste the yummy cake samples along the way. It really was a cakewalk. Everyone was friendly and polite, and no one intruded on you, unlike the typical bridal show that brings vultures to town. You could even snag a glass of H2O and lemon from the water bar. Nothing was difficult. And might I add, having a coat check was a lovely – and welcome – option. The space was bright and definitely made a statement of elegance. It was beautiful and inviting – unlike my previous show experiences.

Stephanie Wright, web editor and communications point girl for the Wedding Co., probably said it best: “In terms of booths and products we definitely saw a lot more unconventional, modern and creative design and that made the whole event a visual spectacle. Gone were the booths designed to be universally appealing – this year, we saw people make statements with their work and abilities which was absolutely fantastic.”

And it was. In fact, my fiancé, who so graciously decided to join me (after a bit of begging, of course), remarked that this was, “one bridal show you could definitely take your man to.” Although there were not many male-oriented exhibits, the visually stimulating scene made up for it.

Interest was not hard to come by, what with the infinite unique ideas folded into the mix. There was Adele Wechsler’s line of eco-friendly gowns, made with sustainable fabrics and dyes to make “going green look glam!” Photo booth rentals that are quickly becoming the new trend. Boudoir photography. It was all there – even the things you didn’t know about were there. All to feed the Wedding Co.’s reputation of becoming the Canadian wedding experts, as Stephanie said.

And those experts were represented at The Handmade Stand, which featured several handcrafted items or etsys. From genealogy charts on how the bride and groom knew everyone to beautifully crafted headbands, this ‘indie chic’ display, as Stephanie put it, brought the stylishness of the affair back down to earth. You could also join in the handmade theme as well by creating an engagement ring made from pipe cleaners or by signing an origami crane for the Wedding Co.’s ‘Crane Chandelier Project’ – its goal being to collect 10,000 of the little birds from couples around the world to craft a visual representation of those freshly engaged or hitched. Lots of people participated and you could even spot some vendors sporting the artsy rings too.

As I chatted with the different exhibitors, it was clear why the show was a success. An intimate venue just worked – it allowed more imagination in design to attract visitors, and also allowed networking with other vendors, something that’s unheard of at the shows with walled in booths, where it’s seen as a crime if one vendor takes a peek at their neighbour’s display. At the Pulp and Pearl stand, which offered premium invitations, we chatted about why they came. They said this is typically the only show they do because of the intimacy and the relaxed feel. Another vendor from Events and Bloom told me about the networking appeal and how everyone talks to each other, seemingly throwing competition to the wind. Yet another mentioned the clientele relationship – the one on one time the exhibitor could share with the visitor and the absence of trying to “sell” the visitors too hard.

A lot of work goes into this spectacle – and making sure the vendors understand the direction the Wedding Co. wants to go is a bit of a challenge. According to Stephanie, it’s “educating our exhibitors that what we’re doing is something different from any other trade show they’ve seen or participated in.”

Well, I can vouch for that. The official image of this year’s show was a bride in a tea-length pink dress walking with her groom – a non-traditional wedding image in truth. But non-traditional doesn’t necessarily equal non-elegant. Rather, it stands out because it’s new. It’s bohemian and sophisticated rolled into one. Fresh. Unique. Different. And whoever dares to be different takes a risk to either fly or fall. I think you can guess how this show made out.