THUNDER BAY - It’s just one day, but it could be the most memorable day of your life. So there’s nothing wrong with taking some extra time and care when planning your wedding day.
More and more couples are planning their wedding day well in advance, and the Wedding Wishes Formal Fair provided a one-stop shop for everything a couple may need for the big day.
“A lot of people are still getting married,” said Nancy Milani, show manager with the Wedding Wishes Formal Fair. “What we are seeing now is that a lot of people are getting engaged and planning a couple of years out. So they end up coming down to look at all the opportunities. It’s one-stop shopping for them.”
The annual formal fair has been held in Thunder Bay for the last 30 years. According to Milani, between 500 and 600 people came out to the fair on Sunday to see the more than 100 exhibitors at the Valhalla Inn.
“Pretty much anything that has to do with planning your event is covered here today,” she said. “Weddings are a huge business.”
From photography, venues, and catering, to bridal gowns, tuxedos, and hair and makeup, all the way to wine making, the Wedding Wishes Formal Fair had everything to make a dream wedding come to life.
“Most people say that it’s every little girl’s dream, getting married and having that special day,” Milani said. “There’s a lot more offerings out there now and it really is a lot of fun. People are very creative. I think people really enjoy what they’re doing.”
The fair included several fashion shows that provided a glimpse at some of the newest looks for men and women. And while gowns and shoes are always a focal point at any wedding, the cake can be its own star.
Jennifer Riley, owner of Cakes by Jennifer Riley, was showing her six-tiered cake during the show, which was featured in Cake Master’s Magazine and inspired by her mother who recently passed away.
Riley’s cake was completely made by hand and is entirely edible.
“I love designing,” she said. “I love being creative and getting lost in the moment and I love helping people and brides on the day and making things less stressful.”
Riley added that wedding cakes are more than just dessert, they are a special part of the celebration between two people, and really allows for a lot of creativity.
“It’s very important to me,” she said. “It’s not just cake. A lot of people are doing the smaller cakes or cupcakes, so it doesn’t’ have to be a huge cake.”
Jazmyn Balfour and Steven Barney’s wedding day is a little less than a year from now, but they said that a little planning ahead of time never hurt anyone.
“We both lead very busy lives, so it’s important, just for peace of mind, to have the major components of your wedding planned so it’s not so stressful and spread it out evenly over time,” Balfour said.
Barney said that looking through the different exhibits and talking with local businesses, the two will be leaving the fair with a lot of good ideas.
“The fashion show was very interesting to see,” Balfour added. “The gowns are absolutely gorgeous. It depends on what type of style you are looking for, but they showed a wide range of styles to really peak people’s interest.”
Balfour was not able to say what she is looking for when it comes to her own dream dress, not because she doesn’t have any ideas, but because of an old wedding day tradition.
“He’s standing right here so I can’t really say!” she said.
But Balfour said that it doesn’t matter what dress she or any bride wears when walking down the aisle, because it’s not about what the dress looks like, but how you feel while wearing it.
“As long as you’re wearing it and you feel beautiful and confident, that’s what’s important,” she said.
