Engagement season is upon us! Yes, there is such a thing as engagement season—it’s that time between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day when your Facebook feed is filled to the brim with photographs of newly bedazzled fingers.
If you so happen to be one of those brides-to-be (or her sister, mom, friend, fiancé, etc.), we have the perfect event for you! Mark your calendars for the 2016 Bridal Show, Sunday, February 28, hosted by Bride Guide to West Chester, a local network of small businesses that work together as a one-stop shop for wedding planning.
This year’s show is themed “What Happens in West Chester, Stays in West Chester.” It promises a fun, stress-free day of conversing with wedding vendors from the greater West Chester area while sipping on pink champagne and eating cake. If that last sentence wasn’t enough to sell you, here are five more reasons why you should save the date for the 2016 Bridal Showcase.
1. Loco for Local
You shop local, eat local and drink local … so why not get married local? Every vendor in attendance is from the greater West Chester area, meaning you won’t find any mega-chains or absurd city prices. Expect personalized attention from passionate vendors who love what they do and where they do it.
2. Not Just the Big Day
In addition to everything you’ll need to walk down the aisle, the 2016 Bridal Show features plenty of local businesses to help plan those pre-wedding events—think shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, etc. Transportation and hotel vendors will be onsite to help you decide where to stay and how to get there, while reps from local bars and restaurants, including Jimmy Duffy Catering, Cakes & Candies by Maryellen, the Best of Philly-winning steakhouse Pietro’s Prime and classic Italian ristorante Limoncello, can walk you through West Chester’s popular food and drink scene. Everything you’ll need to plan the event leading up to “I do” will be at the ready!
3. You Won’t Be Overwhelmed
With just 35 vendors, you definitely won’t feel like just a number at the show, which is a major problem with some of the larger wedding events. Every vendor is excited and ready to offer you a memorable, 1:1 experience. If just the THOUGHT of planning a wedding is causing you stress, you’ll be able to consult with resident event planner Tara Thistlethwaite of Something Blu Wedding and Events. Worry not, she’ll help get your big day back on track.
4. You Won’t Be Bored
Okay, this one is mostly for the grooms out there who aren’t exactly thrilled to be wedding planning. The event organizers of the West Chester Bride Guide show certainly don’t want you to end up like these miserable fellows, so they have decided to install a Groom’s Lounge complete with televisions, drinks and food. Plus, we hear there will be a whiskey tasting. Does it get any better than that? We think not.
5. The Prizes Are Really, Really Good
Now for the icing on the cake—the prizes! Attendees will be eligible to win the ultimate West Chester prize package, including gift certificates to Balance Hair Spa, Pietro’s Prime, Barnaby’s West Chester, Rams Head Bar and Grill, Secrets Limo, Limoncello, Refinery Hair Studio and Blaze Salon, overnight accommodations at the Hilton, a round of golf at Penn Oaks Golf Club and more! Did we mention there will be two grand prize winners?
Alright, you’ve decided to go. Now for the details. The 2016 Bridal Show is Sunday, February 28, 2016, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Chester County Historical Society, 225 N. High St., West Chester. Click here for more details and to register today!
- Photos: Amy Tucker Photography
