WE tv Wedding Mall Tour

Today the WE tv Wedding Mall Tour came to Streets of Southpoint Mall in Durham. Mark Ingram of WE tv was in attendance, shaking hands and offering tips to brides-to-be.

I met several awesome local vendors at the event as well. The first was David Cox of Arthur Murray Dance Studio. David recommends that couples begin taking dance lessons six months before their wedding days. The studio offers classes of all kinds of dance from the Argentine Tango to the Waltz. And dance classes aren't just for the bride and groom. The professionals at the studio are happy to help parents prepare for Mother/Son and Father/Daughter dances also.

I also met Theresa Syros of Celebration Photobooth. I had seen photo booths in bridal magazines before, but never been able to try one out. It was really a blast! The company offers photo booths for all kinds of events, including weddings. Someone from the company stays with the booth all times to troubleshoot any problems, so no one misses out on the fun. Guests can take photos in the booth all night long and post them to a memory book with their well wishes to the bride and groom. Celebration Photobooth is also available for birthdays, anniversaries, fundraisers...and just about any other event.

Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique

I went to the Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, yesterday. This was the first time I'd ever been inside the Franklin Hotel. The hotel itself is beautiful! The lobby is inviting

The expo featured some of the area's best vendors. I sampled foods from Saffron of Chapel Hill, an Indian restaurant in Chapel Hill. It was AMAZING! The flavors were astounding and really popped. I was shocked at variety flavors, spices, and just plain deliciousness of their dishes. I didn't expect so much flavor to be packed into such a small bite. Saffron offers catering for weddings and is willing to travel. If you don't use them for an event, definitely try out their restaurant. I'm sure you'll like it!

For desert I sampled cupcakes from The Chocolate Door on Franklin Street. I tried the Mayan truffle cupcake. SO delicious! The Chocolate Door can take any of their chocolate truffle flavors and turn them into cupcakes. They can also do truffles in a variety of colors to create favors for events.

The best thing about Saffron and The Chocolate Door, as well as almost all the other vendors at the Franklin Hotel Bridal Boutique? They're all local. What better way to add a personal touch to your wedding than by buying local and supporting your town?

Elegant Weddings Gala

I went to Cary Magazine's Elegant Weddings Gala on Thursday, March 4th, and I have to say it was really a treat. The atmosphere was wonderful and relaxed. The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, where it was held, was beautiful and the hotel's staff were incredibly helpful and polite. I loved this bridal vendor event because the event's atmosphere made me feel like me and the brides I represent were the most important people at the event, as though the wedding I am currently working on was the only one that truly mattered. For all you brides-to-be out there, I really recommend going to this event next year. You'll be very pleased!

Triangle Bridal Showcase

Today I went to the Triangle Bridal Showcase in Durham. I was very impressed with both the quantity and quality of vendors in attendance!

Sugarland Bakery in Chapel Hill had some of their incredible cakes on display. They were amazing! They also offered tasty treats and lots of great advice.

I was also very impressed by R. Fox Photography. His photos were very unique and artistic, but still captured the heart of the wedding. He is extremely willing to work with his client's budget. I loved his enthusiasm for his work - he raved about an obscure Russian camera he picked up in his travels and loves to use at events.