So he popped the question, and she said yes. Next is the laborious task of planning the big day. Fortunately, to assist brides and grooms-to-be, Wedding Faire is coming to Santa Clara again on Jan. 7th and 8th at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
“This year is all about creating amazing designs for weddings,” says Renee Monroe, show producer and creator of Wedding Faire. “At a wedding today, [you might see] walls of chiffon fabric, special effects lighting, luxury linens, and lounge furnishings. This event is about creating that effect for your own wedding and learning how the top designers create that.”
The Wedding Symposium, part of the Wedding Faire, will offer workshops for brides and wedding industry professionals. Industry professionals can sit in on three days of intensive workshops to learn more about the business and how to be a better designer. Brides who participate in the Wedding Symposium will have fewer workshops to attend.
Monroe reveals the big names who will teach the classes and offer private mentoring sessions.
“We have Preston Bailey, one of the leading event planners in the nation who has planned parties for the celebrities,” Monroe says. “Bryan Rafanelli is best known for putting together Chelsea Clinton’s wedding and for putting together Obama’s inaugural events. Sasha Souza is a very well-known Napa Valley wedding coordinator, and she does super high end events between L.A. and Napa Valley. Nikki Khan is the premiere South Asian wedding designer based in L.A. and she works all over the nation. Philippe Lee is locally based in San Francisco, but internationally known as a leading photographic artist.”
Monroe adds that attendees can also attend a special lunch on Saturday, Jan. 7 and hear a presentation by Sasha Souza. After the lunch, there will be a meet-and-greet and a book signing for Sasha Souza and Preston Bailey’s books.
During the Wedding Faire weekend, brides can also stroll through the hall and mingle with the many vendors to get information about their products and services. In years past, photographers, caterers, bakers, stylists, florists, site representatives, and entertainers were among the many vendors attending Wedding Faire. Santa Clara businesses attending the upcoming event include David’s Restaurant, the Biltmore Hotel and Suites, the Santa Clara Marriott, Plaza Suites, El Paseo Limousine, Freedom Hall and Gardens, and Citti’s Florist.
To see what kind of wedding dress and bridal party attire is in right now, brides can check out a fashion show hosted by Weddings & Dreams, a bridal boutique based in Fremont, and the Men’s Wearhouse. When the fashion show is over, brides can visit the design gallery which, according to Monroe, will showcase about a dozen galleries constructed by wedding designers in Northern California. These designers will show off their table settings, canopies, floral décor, and special events lighting.
“This event will be all about creating an amazing wedding experience,” Monroe says.
Expo hall and design gallery tickets are $15 each at the door and $12 each if purchased online. Visit wedding-faire.com and click on “Tickets” for information on additional fees for the workshops, mentoring sessions, and the wedding lunch