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Weddings with style, grace ...
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| Keokuk’s 2006 Bridal Fair Sunday featured a bridal fashion show in the afternoon. S & K Bridal of Keosauqua and Premiere Bridal & Prom Boutique of Mount Pleasant showed a variety of gowns, most in white and ivory. Devin Dornbush of Carthage, Ill., was one of eight tuxedo-clad escorts. Tuxedos were supplied by Royalty’s of Carthage, Ill., and Johnson-Schmidt and Big River Rental, both of Keokuk. |
By Cindy Iutzi/Daily Gate city Staff writer
Several hundred people looking for the latest in bridal fashion and services found gowns, tuxedos, accessories and vendors-a-plenty Sunday in Keokuk.
Keokuk's 2006 Bridal Fair sponsored by the Daily Gate City and Big River Rental drew prospective brides, grooms, best friends and family, as well as the curious, to the sold-out event. The show attracted brides from states as far away as Virgina, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Cites in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri also were represented.
In addition to the Tri-State Area, registering brides came from Jacksonville, Plainville, Springfield, Mount Sterling, Mendon, Pittsfield, Quincy and Griggsville, all in Illinois; Memphis, Canton, Luray, Kahoka and St. Louis in Missouri; and Fairfield, Coralville and Sioux City.
S & K Bridal of Keosauqua and Premier Bridal and Prom Boutique of Mount Pleasant staged the bridal fashion show at the east end of the mall, while hundreds of people had their questions answered at booths arranged in the mall's common area.
Anchored by the bridal show on one end, a Big River Rental tent and display on the west end and Fantasy Limousine Service, Inc., at the front entrance, vendors set up their wares in booths designed to maximize accessibility.
Vendors and brides appreciated the opportunity to interact with potential customers and service providers.
Sonia Stookesbury, owner of Village Cup and Cakes, Keosauqua, had a busy afternoon at her booth. She was located at the intersection of the entrance and main mall.
“We like our location,” she said, handing out brochures and fielding questions about wedding cake styles. “It's been a very good show, one of the better ones. I like the way it's laid out and the really good traffic flow. We do three to four shows every year, but January is the time we like it.”
Jill Buford and Troy DeRoos, both of Donnellson, will marry in August. Gazing at the lavender-accented table setting display in the Big River Rental tent, Buford is beginning to see some of the elements of their wedding come together. The couple has booked Top Dogg, another vendor at the fair, for the their wedding music.
“It's really been helpful,” she said of the event.
A comprehensive variety of vendors and displays provided information about honeymoon travel, bridal party gifts, music, photography, rental halls, tents and accessories, limo service, catering, tuxedo rental, jewelry, lodging, engagement and wedding announcements, makeup, kitchen furnishings, flowers, video services and wedding gowns.
Getting on shoppers' radar was one of the shows pluses for many of the vendors, who watched their names get written on the “To Do List” on the back of the bridal fair program.
Shelly Walljasper, representative of the Kingsley Inn in Fort Madison, said that although she hadn't been able to book any weddings, “it's been pretty good. People are watching the video and taking brochures. We're getting our name out. At least people will know we're there.”
A stretch Humvee limo and a luxury customized bus, both provided by Fantasy Limousine Service, Inc., West Quincy, Ill., were parked outside the mall entrance wowing people even before they entered the show.
Amy Flesner of Quincy, Ill., and Ryan Shirey of Carthage, Ill., will be married on Sept. 9. The couple's eyes were shining as they sat in the “Hummer,” but their smiles were as bright as their eyes when they saw the interior of the bus. They gazed at the sparkling crystal on the bus bar, sat together on the leather-like seats and looked content to stay there for a while.
Fantasy limo service owner Dave Smith enjoyed the splash his vehicles made in front of the mall. Although he typically doesn't get bookings at the shows he attends, a few weeks later people who have seen the fleet call to reserve a vehicle for their event.
“I think it went well,” Smith said. “We had a lot of good questions and answers. I feel better about getting a booking here, because there was a little more excitement up here.”
Show coordinator Carla Rhodes of the Daily Gate City was well-pleased with her third annual bridal show. In addition to the event being sold out, she enjoyed the attraction of the Humvee out front.
“I enjoy working with all of the vendors and seeing everybody there happy,” Rhodes said. “I look forward to doing it again next year. I believe we'll have it again on Sunday. It works best for the vendors because they don't have to close early to come to the show. I think there was a good mix of vendors and services there. I can't think of anything else I would have wanted there.”
Keokuk's 2006 Bridal Fair sponsored by the Daily Gate City and Big River Rental drew prospective brides, grooms, best friends and family, as well as the curious, to the sold-out event. The show attracted brides from states as far away as Virgina, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Cites in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri also were represented.
In addition to the Tri-State Area, registering brides came from Jacksonville, Plainville, Springfield, Mount Sterling, Mendon, Pittsfield, Quincy and Griggsville, all in Illinois; Memphis, Canton, Luray, Kahoka and St. Louis in Missouri; and Fairfield, Coralville and Sioux City.
S & K Bridal of Keosauqua and Premier Bridal and Prom Boutique of Mount Pleasant staged the bridal fashion show at the east end of the mall, while hundreds of people had their questions answered at booths arranged in the mall's common area.
Anchored by the bridal show on one end, a Big River Rental tent and display on the west end and Fantasy Limousine Service, Inc., at the front entrance, vendors set up their wares in booths designed to maximize accessibility.
Vendors and brides appreciated the opportunity to interact with potential customers and service providers.
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“We like our location,” she said, handing out brochures and fielding questions about wedding cake styles. “It's been a very good show, one of the better ones. I like the way it's laid out and the really good traffic flow. We do three to four shows every year, but January is the time we like it.”
Jill Buford and Troy DeRoos, both of Donnellson, will marry in August. Gazing at the lavender-accented table setting display in the Big River Rental tent, Buford is beginning to see some of the elements of their wedding come together. The couple has booked Top Dogg, another vendor at the fair, for the their wedding music.
“It's really been helpful,” she said of the event.
A comprehensive variety of vendors and displays provided information about honeymoon travel, bridal party gifts, music, photography, rental halls, tents and accessories, limo service, catering, tuxedo rental, jewelry, lodging, engagement and wedding announcements, makeup, kitchen furnishings, flowers, video services and wedding gowns.
Getting on shoppers' radar was one of the shows pluses for many of the vendors, who watched their names get written on the “To Do List” on the back of the bridal fair program.
Shelly Walljasper, representative of the Kingsley Inn in Fort Madison, said that although she hadn't been able to book any weddings, “it's been pretty good. People are watching the video and taking brochures. We're getting our name out. At least people will know we're there.”
A stretch Humvee limo and a luxury customized bus, both provided by Fantasy Limousine Service, Inc., West Quincy, Ill., were parked outside the mall entrance wowing people even before they entered the show.
Amy Flesner of Quincy, Ill., and Ryan Shirey of Carthage, Ill., will be married on Sept. 9. The couple's eyes were shining as they sat in the “Hummer,” but their smiles were as bright as their eyes when they saw the interior of the bus. They gazed at the sparkling crystal on the bus bar, sat together on the leather-like seats and looked content to stay there for a while.
Fantasy limo service owner Dave Smith enjoyed the splash his vehicles made in front of the mall. Although he typically doesn't get bookings at the shows he attends, a few weeks later people who have seen the fleet call to reserve a vehicle for their event.
“I think it went well,” Smith said. “We had a lot of good questions and answers. I feel better about getting a booking here, because there was a little more excitement up here.”
Show coordinator Carla Rhodes of the Daily Gate City was well-pleased with her third annual bridal show. In addition to the event being sold out, she enjoyed the attraction of the Humvee out front.
“I enjoy working with all of the vendors and seeing everybody there happy,” Rhodes said. “I look forward to doing it again next year. I believe we'll have it again on Sunday. It works best for the vendors because they don't have to close early to come to the show. I think there was a good mix of vendors and services there. I can't think of anything else I would have wanted there.”
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