Featuring the Fall Bridal Showcase

Excitement was contagious inside the  on Wednesday night during the Fall bridal showcase.

A wedding day is one of the most important days for many people. The time and effort invested in planning can seem overwhelming and quickly get time consuming. That is one of the reasons why The Inn hosted the 2011 fall bridal showcase -- trying to take away the hassle and travels by bringing the vendors to the bridal party.

Every season The Inn hosts a slightly different showcase depending on the trends of the time. For many families, the opportunity provides them with local resources and advice to help plan the big day. The unique showcase was one of the largest turnouts which featured more than 38 vendors.

“All of our vendors really plan to showcase the best they have to offer,” said Sales Director Linda Dinatale. She explained that the night “is all about the brides.”

There was just about everything you would need to plan a wedding: from the invitations, gowns and tuxedos to the floral arrangements, music and jewelry options to wear on that special day. 

The set up closely followed how a wedding would be set up. Inside there was music similar to the cocktail hour, champagne before entering the main room to get you in the spirit, an open courtyard for hors d'oeuvres and even different table options in the ballroom.

While many vendors exemplified traditional wedding planning, there were some unique twists to fit this day and age.

Digital place cards add a new technological twist to the wedding day. Couples can have the option of preserving paper when it comes to table seating cards. The days of waiting on line and anticipating who you are sitting with is over. This relatively new alternative calls for a computerized seating plan where guests can search by last name for the table number and also find out who will be at that table ahead of time.  

Other enhancements were showcased including a cigar rolling table, Viennese buffet and even a photobooth to capture pictures as a souvenir of the special day.  

Elise Messina was among the future brides that booked at the Inn. Although she is not getting married until next year, she was at the showcase to scope out prices, trends and get a head start on planning.

“It’s like surreal, I’m just happy to be here,” she said with a smile. “We are looking around and open-minded to see what’s out there.”