[GALLERY] The Enchanted Bridal Expo At Millennium Durham Hotel Delight Couples
Durham, NC – Here Comes The Bride! Brides, grooms, mothers of the bride…they all came out for the Enchanted Bridal Expo on Sunday afternoon Oct. 21 at the Millennium Durham Hotel. Designed to afford couples the opportunity to plan their entire dream wedding in a single day, the expo featured fifteen professional wedding vendors.
Bruce Davis, Millennium Durham Hotel, Catering & Convention Service Manager Millennium Durham Hotel, sponsor of the Enchanted Bridal Expo, says he wanted to put a wedding expo together for the local brides. “As a catering manager of Millennium Durham Hotel, we participate in many wedding expos taking place in Raleigh but very few in the Durham area but we wanted to host one ourselves. We also wanted to showcase our newly renovated hotel to all the future brides and grooms. Our end goal was to build a relationship with other companies/vendors who cater to weddings, which was accomplished. The wedding venue is the first stop for a bride. We like to help direct the bride and groom in the right direction by sending them to businesses our hotel have done business with and trust.”
Keosha Joyce, Owner/Lead Coordinator of Enchanting Events & Designs, who assisted Davis with the planning and facilitation of the event, agrees. “Durham is a unique and thriving market with many wedding venues on the rise! Even with all of the exposure Durham is receiving, there is a lack of connection and accessibility between Durham vendors and couples. My hope is to fill that void by bringing a series of wedding events to our city. Our couples deserve an experience that doesn’t require them to travel to Raleigh, Greensboro or Charlotte!”
Having a bridal expo gives couples a chance to not only meet vendors but build connections with the people responsible for making their dream wedding a reality. Vendors also get the chance to network with other vendors to build lasting business relationships.
The Enchanted Bridal Expo used all three floors of the Millennium Durham Hotel. The Alumni Room on the first floor was set up as a small reception area serving hors d’oeurves, wine, beer and champagne tasting. On the second floor, the Greenbriar Ballroom was dressed for a formal wedding reception and included music by DJ Smooth Jazz. The third floor was filled with vendors, as well as Chamber H set-up as a Ceremony Area.
Participating vendors were:
- Beer: Harlem Brewing
- Bridal Gowns: McKay Bridal Fashions
- Calligraphy: The Gilded Mandarin
- Custom Tuxedos: SF Tailors
- Design/Decor: Profound Elegance
- Desserts: Becky Jane’s Sweet Treats
- DJ: Royal Entertainment
- Florist: Flowers by Gary
- Photo booth: Glass Eye Photo booth
- Photography: One Vision Photography
- Rental Company: Marsh’s Rentals
- Travel: PlanNet Travel
- Wedding Planning: Enchanting Events & Designs, LLC
- Wedding Styling: Sparkle with Paula
- Wine: Shoe Crazy Wine
Presentations by wedding professionals were also in Chamber H. Hope Venetta, owner of Stress Free Bride, conducted a seminar on “Stress Management Tips For, During & After the Wedding.” Paula Green Jones, owner of Sparkle by Paula, presented “Accessory Styling for Brides & Bridal Party.”
“I believe the Enchanted Bridal Expo was able to bring people together to accomplish our goals and I’m so grateful that I was able to be a part of this event,” says Joyce.
Photos: Qiana Hendricks
