Expo offers ideas to help future brides

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Sharon Yaht, left, and her daughter Kimberly Campbell, who became engaged on New Years Eve, try the strawberries from the chocolate fountains at the Dip Chicks booth.

By Ashley Livingston

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 | 2:07 p.m.

Bridal Expo

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The buttercream-iced tiered cake and flower-decorated cupcake samples flowed freely while on the stage at the South Point Exhibit Hall; and well-toned male dancers ripped off their shirts in time to the music.

Presenting brides-to-be with options on everything from the bachelorette party to the reception, the Las Vegas Bridal Expo was held Saturday.

Vendors, who were among the more than 200 wedding professionals present at the expo, tempted the large room full of women with dresses, makeover services, flowers and photography as well as some unique products.

Susan O'Hanley and Jealeta Spears of Lasting Keepsakes showed the will-be brides how to turn their bouquet and other mementos from the wedding into wall art.

The two women help preserve the memories by placing items in large glass-enclosed decorative frames.

O'Hanley said they've encased everything from high-heel shoes to costume glasses.

One of the more unique ones, Spears said, was when a woman who got married on Halloween asked them to cover her bouquet and everything else on the inside of her case with spiderwebs.

On the other side of the hall, Christine Juss of Paper City displayed party favors in the shapes of seashells and various other items that were made out of cotton and wild flower seeds and would grow when planted.

"People are becoming more and more environmentally conscious," she said. "They just want to contribute to that."

Bride-to-be Megahn Lydon who, along with her mother Melodee Lydon, happened to be visiting from Los Angeles and staying in a room at the South Point the day of the expo, said she thought the grow-able party favors were awesome, but that something else also caught her attention.

"Without a doubt the coolest thing was the photo booth," she said of a vendor offering to rent out a full size photo booth for receptions.

Las Vegas residents Erin Hajovsky and Judith Luna, who both plan to tie the knot in June (Hajovsky in 2009 and Luna in 2010), said it was the first time either of them had been to a bridal show and that they both came away with a lot of great ideas.

And perusing all of their options will come in handy for them both as they said they're both graduate students on a budget.

Hajovsky said she didn't realize exactly how expensive things would be and that a lot of her decisions have consequently been monetarily based; while Luna said she plans to cut costs by doing a lot herself and buying a lot of things separately rather than get a packaged deal.

Future bridal shows include the Summerlin Bridal Show at the JW Marriott April 11 and the Green Valley Bridal Show at the Green Valley Ranch Sept. 5.

Ashley Livingston can be reached at 990-8925 or ashley.livingston@hbcpub.com.