3/15/04
The Courier News
By Rhianna Wisniewski
Staff Writer

One-Stop Show for couples headed to the altar

Standing steadfast, as if a beacon of the Northern suburbs, sits Medieval Times, a castle full of bawdy knights and filthy wenches. But for one day last week, the castle was full of brides-to-be searching for ideas and vendors to complete their bridal plans.

More than 70 vendors packed the walls and aisles of Medieval Times last Tuesday evening in hopes of being picked by a future bride at the 2004 Bridal Expo/The Wedding and Home Show

This is a castle full of romance, and it’s a great place to have a wedding expo,” said Bill Brennan, president of the bridal shows. “It has an atmosphere conducive to a bridal expo and it’s our most popular place. Most people know about Medieval Times.”

A product of The Signature Events Group Ltd., the expo at tMedieval Times is by far the largest in the Midwest. In its ninth year at the venue, the expo attracts a record 15,000 people each year.

Bride-to-be Jennifer Lukehart and her mother came to the expo from Peoria in search of bridesmaids dresses, accessories and a videographer.

“They don’t have an expo like this in Peoria,” Lukehart said.

Lukehart is getting married on Dec. 18 of this year, and while most vendors were from Chicago or the suburbs, she hoped to gather ideas for the rest of her wedding.

An excited glow came over Sarah Walz as she tried on headpieces and tiaras at the Wedding Details booth. A Barrington resident her entire life, Walz and her fiancé, Ryan Tommer of Elgin, will be getting married on Sept 11. Walz and her mother, Ann hoped to find a tiara and hopefully a wedding dress.

Making their way through the crowded aisles and excited salespeople were Karen Brandt and her fiancé William Enzenbacher. One of the few grooms-to-be who braved what is typically thought of as an all-female free-for-all, Enzenbacher and Brandt came to the expo in search of inspirations. They will tie the knot in April 2005 and were hoping to jumpstart their wedding plans by attending the expo.

Brennan believes bridal shows harbor a misnomer-people believe they are only for the bride. But for the grooms, who typically take care of travel and transportation plans, the expo had plenty of vendors, including local businesses like Cary Travel Express.

“It’s basically a one-stop shopping environment,” Brennan said. “There are 70 Vendors here tonight, and it would take weeks to drive all over Chicago land to each of these vendors.”

The Milk Pail, Prairie Rock Brewing Company, and Shelley’s Bridal Couture were among other local businesses with booths at the expo.

One of the most revered parts of the bridal expo is the fashion show, which was sponsored by Shelley’s Bridal Couture, located in West Dundee. On a runway set up in the midst of the crests and sandy floors of the Medieval Times auditorium, male and female models worked the runway wearing the latest bridal fashions from Shelley’s, Modern Tuxedo, Gingiss Formalwear, and Gentlemen’s Quarters. Also a big hit was Chocolate People, Choclate fountains, a business based out of Elk Grove Village. Is tables featured white and milk chocolate fountains for dipping desserts, which executive Chef Will Rogers and sales manager Dawn Tomczyk explained could take the place of a sweets table. Chocolate People, Chocolate Fountains will be opening a store in Algonquin, in May.

While the evening seemed to run smoothly for all parties involved, Brennan said the challenges always come before the attendees arrive.

“We want to spread out the categories of business,” he said. “We don’t want businesses on tope of one another.”

Brennan hopes the brides-to-be found what they were looking for, or at least walked away with a lot of information and some good ideas.

“The brides that are here today are on a mission and a deadline,” he said. “Their mission is to use the best vendor for their wedding, and most are 12 months out from their wedding.”

As for the service to the brides, in search of that perfect vendor, Brennan, who was an event party planner for eight years before coming to work with the Bridal Expo, suggest booking early. He cites that there are 60 to 70,000 couples in the metropolitan Chicaoland area looking for vendors to use for their wedding, so start early before your wedding date is taken.

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