Checklists in hand and either eager to browse or ready to make decisions, an estimated 300 brides descended on the Park Place Dome Sunday afternoon for the 14th Annual Downtown Bridal Show.
With 40 vendors offering everything to do with a wedding or reception, the packed room hummed with energy as brides — accompanied by fiancés, friends or mothers — worked their lists.
Emily Stark of Traverse City worked on her September 27 wedding, with an assist Sunday from maid of honor Adrienne Heymes. With the help of lists from bridal books and a motto of "Ahead of time is on time,” their to do items were: bridesmaid dresses, flowers and invitations.
"It's nice to be able to see a variety of things in one place,” said Heymes.
Stark, grooving on the future joy in the room, almost cried when she first walked in.
"It's so much fun, people getting together and talking about what will be,” she said.
With a budding tradition of reinventing tradition, modern brides choose the sights, sounds, styles and tastes of her wedding — instead of an etiquette book or the declaration "It's always been done this way.”
Even confections are up for grabs as a bride's preferences and taste trump custom. Move over white cake and piles of icing: chocolate is no longer daring, round does not rule and cheesecake is perfectly natural if a bride says so.
"It just depends on the bride,” said Lori Dawson, co-owner of the Underground Cheesecake Company, who showcased cakes in lively colors and innovative styles. "A lot of people are heading toward brighter colors, pink and green are very popular right now.”
Involved groom-to-be Michael Walden weighed in on the cake deliberations: tiramisu tops the list as a side offering for his July marriage to Melissa Claypool. While hitting a wall at the bridal show, where no one knew how to present the creamy and perishable dessert in a reception setting, he and his fiancée continued working through their list.
"We want to find a wedding dress that would suit her perfectly,” said Walden, who procured front row seats to the fashion show and remained determined to conquer the tiramisu gap.
Helping to plan their at-home wedding and reception is a natural for this take-charge guy, who noted the invitation list includes "a lot” of family from both sides.
"I have to be active, you only get married once,” he said, as Claypool chimed in: "Working together is easier than I thought it would be.”
While many attendees were shopping with a 2008 wedding in mind, Deborah Douglas, house manager of the City Opera House, noted that some brides who stopped by her booth asked about reception dates in 2009 with one inquiring about 2010.
"It's my own opinion, but the elegance of the building, the bride doesn't even have to decorate it, it just speaks for itself,” she said. "The bride becomes part of the history of the city.”
The venue of the ever-popular bridal fashion show, which packs the room and brings other activity to a halt, changed this year to allow viewing from all sides of the runway.
Enthusiastic models from the two bridal shops were represented, Bay Bridal Boutique and To Have and To Hold Bridal Boutique, as well as men from Captain's Quarters showcasing men's formal wear.
The bridal, bridesmaid and mother-of-the-bride models beamed as they glided down runways, swirling skirts and highlighting accessories, before hurrying away to change into another gown. Helping out friends or family members who own the shops, they were princesses for a day.
"It is fun, I love doing it,” said Jesse Emery of her fourth year on the runway for To Have and To Hold.