The free expo showcasing local talent all under one roof goes down this weekend.
The question is popped, the ring is on, stars are in your eyes…but now what? With so many tasks to take care of and details to arrange, planning a wedding can seem overwhelming.
Enter, the wedding expo. Wedding and bridal expos are the perfect way for couples to get a taste test of what is available to them and the suppliers that they can tap into locally, plus there’s something special about making personal connections with those playing a part in your big day and the get-in-my-face cake samples!
But don’t take our word for it: the Geelong Wedding Guide is hosting its annual wedding expo this weekend and it promises to be one of the events of the year. Even if you’re not getting hitched, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had – and there’s no harm in familiarising yourself with what you may like for the future.
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Created by boss babe Dani Fontana of Geelong Wedding Guide and Boutique Event Co, this year’s expo is taking over the Deakin University Waterfront Campus on Sunday, January 22 2023 from 10am to 2pm.
A brand built on celebrating local love, the Geelong Wedding Guide is both a directory to local suppliers as well as a hub for future couples to search for inspiration and wedding tips and tricks. Combining both these things, the Geelong Wedding Guide’s wedding expo gets the wedding inspo flowing for local brides and grooms as to what’s available in their backyard, as well as the chance to sample foods and cakes, shop for gowns, and win amazing prizes.
“Geelong Wedding Guide started when we realised there wasn’t anything specific to the Geelong region online for weddings,” Dani previously told Forte. “There are a few Victorian-wide blogs, however, nothing really targeted Geelong, especially the real weddings of Geelong (not just your insta-worthy weddings).
“We found that the existing expos were lacking something, we weren’t really sure what exactly but we wanted to make it an expo that brides and grooms actually wanted to come to and stay. When I was getting married we went to one, paid $15 each to enter and left about 10 minutes after arriving because nothing took our fancy.”
Combating that, Dani has created a wedding expo that you never want to leave. Run by wedding vendors who live and breathe the wedding industry, their Wedding Expo is all about celebrating the community and making it a fun and stress-free environment for couples to meet suppliers with friendly ‘no pressure’ conversations and get a heap of killer inspo for their big days.
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First, there’s the amazing list of local vendors. You’ll find amazing venues like Curlewis Golf Resort, Jack Rabbit and Rocklea Farm; wedding gowns from Foreverness Bridal Boutique, And The Veil, and Embrace Bridal; celebrants including Angele Jones Celebrant and Geelong Celebrant Collective; and there will be an area with some kick-ass outdoor displays you’ll want to feature at your wedding.
There will also be a bunch of food vendors, grazing table experts, bakers and cake makers including the likes of Natacakes, Platter Co and Boxed and Boards, alongside a bunch of stylists, florists, photographers, musicians, videographers and more, all conveniently located in one location.
You’ll even come across vendors you completely forgot you would even need when planning your perfect wedding day including The Collective Hub who takes care of bra fittings, The Little Love Signs for signage, Ballroom Baby who provides dance lessons, and Bonza Booths for photo booths.
And you can even bring along the kids. The team from Geelong Lawn Game Hire will be there with their entire range of Lawn Games that you can get the little ones to test out ahead of the big day.
You’ll also find interactive sessions hosted by the wonderful Jessie Belle Celebrant where you’ll hear from the likes of Dani herself, Zac from Ballroom Baby, and the team at Jack Rabbit Weddings, among others, alongside a host of interactive displays, live performances and bites and coffee to purchase on the day. Plus, the team at Boutique Event Co will be serving delicious mocktails from their caravan bar.
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If all that wasn’t enough, there’s also thousands worth in prizes to be won and the Geelong Wedding Guide team have prepared 50 goodie bags valued at over $1k, including discounts, special offers, samples and freebies from this years awesome vendors. First in, best dressed, so set your alarms. Plus, every single attendee will receive a copy of the second-ever Geelong Wedding Guide Magazine.
Best of all, there’s no entry fee! Weddings are expensive enough and the beautiful people at Geelong Wedding Guide don’t believe they should be adding to your costs. Bless.
So who can come?
“Absolutely everyone,” Dani says. “Even non-wedding related attendees. If you’re an event planner or are the token person to organise events for your workplace, you’re bound to find heaps of vendors that can assist you in pulling together an amazing event.”
The Geelong Wedding Guide Wedding Expo will be held at the Deakin University Waterfront Campus on Sunday, January 22 2023, 10am – 2pm. Entry is free. More info is available here.
