From bridal gowns to stripper poles

This show had it all, and then some.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting The Wonderful Wedding Show held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre (not on my own personal agenda, so don't get any ideas!).  It was my very first time attending, and I had no idea how much of a treat I was in for before entering the showroom doors.

The exhibition extended to three rooms - two of their large conferences rooms were filled corner to corner with demonstration booths, while the third smaller room was used for the Inspiration Gallery, presented by Events by Emma in collaboration with other businesses featured at the event.  It showcased some beautiful table arrangements, photography, bouquets and more.

The show offered over 300 displays over 100,000 square feet - and every single square foot was used to its fullest potential.  There wasn't a corner I turned to unused nor unoccupied, until the fashion show started at 4 p.m.  Otherwise, the isles were packed with a few men, many ladies and plenty of V.I.B.s (very important brides!).

From bridal gowns to wedding invitations to singing quartets to pole dancing classes to hiring someone to write your will, they surely had something there for every aspect of wedding planning: the before, the during and the very distant afterwards.  It was awe striking and overwhelming to see all of Winnipeg's bridal businesses come together to showoff what they're made of during a grand weekend of shiny lights and tasty delights.  They were handing out delicious dainties and bubbly drinks in the Brides Lounge - and it was marvelous.

from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/

My favourite part of the show, although it wasn't targeted towards women, was the Shaw Grooms Lounge.  A new addition this year, they lounge features large HD televisions, free popcorn and a draw for Jets tickets.  The marketing idea seemed to work just as planned, seeing as most men were hanging out in the lounge while their brides-to-be were M.I.A. - probably checking out the wedding party limos a few isles over.

HOT 103 also had their share of the wedding cake, advertising their contest for Winnipeg's coolest couple.  More details on the contest are available here and the winners of the contest will win a $20,000 dream wedding.  Submissions are being accepted up until Sunday, February 12.  It's a great opportunity for young, hip couples to share their love stories and trim down their hefty wedding budget.

I think that The Wonderful Wedding Show is a great opportunity for businesses to network with future bridal parties and each other.  Everyone in attendance was both friendly and accommodating, and although it's part of their job, I was still impressed by how savvy they were about their trades and how beautiful their booths turned out to be.  A lot of hard work was invested into these two short days and it certainly paid off.

For future brides and grooms that are looking for ideas for their upcoming big day, The Wonderful Wedding Show is definitely the best place to check out Winnipeg's wedding industry in a lively nutshell.  Be prepared for a long day of walking, talking and prize entering (every booth seems to be giving something away - free lanterns, anyone?).