As the wedding industry continues to boom, a group of dedicated women have struck out on their own to keep business local.
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After the cancellation of this year’s New England North West Wedding Expo, local business women have come together to launch A Day For Two wedding fair on August 11 from 10am-3pm at the Tangaratta Vineyards.
The inaugural event was born out of a need for brides to have a “one-stop shop” to find out what’s available in the north west and to provide local vendors with a platform to promote their businesses.
Tamworth business woman Jane Brennan is part of the team behind the concept and said it’s an important initiative.
“I’m pretty passionate about it because I own a business in that industry and if we don’t continue to provide a platform for local engaged couples then all the business is going to outsource to bigger metropolitan centres like Newcastle and Sydney, which happened a bit already,” Ms Brennan said.
“It's a great platform for businesses to get in front of the clientele that they can actually service.”
Ms Brennan said the team aimed to “pull something together that’s going to bring [wedding expos] into the 21st century”.
The fair will feature vendors for photography, wedding styling and hire, florists, makeup artistry, cakes, hair styling, videography, catering and celebrants. There will also be a pre-loved wedding dress stall and a “groom room” with ideas for bucks parties and honeymoon destinations, with beers on hand. There will also be local entertainment, food vendors and a kids area.
“We’re trying to give it a bit more of a relaxed vibe – spend the day, eat lunch, listen to live music and organise their wedding at the same time,” Ms Brennan said.
Almost 40 vendors are already on board, with applications closing today.
“All the local businesses have been really supportive so it’s been great,” Ms Brennan said.
"We couldn’t have asked for a better turn-out for our first year and the fact that we’ve organised it in eight weeks too.”
Former Gunnedah woman and photographer Rachel Deane is part of the organising team and said the fair would be “something new and unique for people of the north west”.
“The main drive was that the brides need this. It’s for the brides,” she said.
“Tamworth is the hub of the whole of the north west… With such a vast area out here, it’s so disappointing not to have something on offer.
“It’s nice for brides to support local vendors and you get more of a personal touch to your wedding day because you get to come and meet us face-to-face and see how we as local vendors can help you.
“A lot of the time, mags are picking up on the big top-notch names from Sydney and they don’t realise how many great vendors we have locally.”
The main drive was that the brides need this. It’s for the brides.
- Rachel Deane
Ms Deane said the fair would be interactive and “very wedding-focused”.
“We’re trying to make it like a day out,” she said.
“Bring your fiance along, bring along your mum, bring along your bridesmaids, bring along your friends.
“It’s a one-stop shop.”
The first 300 brides to enter the fair will get a swag bag with pamphlets, information and a copy of the latest HOORAY! Magazine. Entry is $10.
For more information, visit https://www.adayfortwo.com.au
