Event attendance doubles
Posted On: Monday, Feb. 1 2010 05:39 AM
By Don Bolding
Killeen Daily HeraldFrom noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, more brides-to-be had registered at the fifth annual Killeen Daily Herald Bridal Extravaganza than attended all afternoon last year, Herald advertising director Tiffany Muller said.
"We're really pleased with it," Muller said. "We planned it so that people can get everything they might want to prepare for a wedding. We have more vendors from a wider area than ever before, including many from Austin. Our vendors are learning how to present their goods and services, year by year, and people are coming in really wanting consultation, not just looking. I'm blown away. I don't know yet how we'll top this next year."
About 90 vendors had signed for booths, filling the floor of the Killeen Civic and Conference Center.
They included photographers, musicians, caterers, print shops, bakers, cosmeticians and skin care specialists, event planners, flower shops, fashion designers and many others whose goods and services are necessary or can be useful at weddings.
David Roland of David Roland Designs of Little River, which plans and designs "events of elegance, class, style, and affordability," according to his signs, said he had been pleased by the number of people who had talked to him.
"If even one hires me, it's worth being here," he said. "A lot of people have picked up information and even taken pictures of my displays." He said this was his first time to try any marketing besides word-of-mouth, and he was pleasantly surprised by the response.
Lynn Browning of Skin Deep Clinical Skin Care and Day Spa, a specialist in makeup and skin care, had a booth at the extravaganza a couple of years ago but skipped last year.
"We cater to brides and bridal parties," she said. "It's busier this year. We're getting a lot more interaction with the people attending."
Among prospective brides, Heather Coster of Killeen, the fiancee of Wes Hamilton, had just finished getting a sample hairdo. Their wedding date isn't for another year, but "I'm getting a lot of ideas about things to do and collecting a lot of business cards," she said.
A couple from Temple, Trey Bourland and Lori Lorenz, are looking at a wedding date in August.
Several companies held fashion shows on a stage designed by Confetti Rentals, with Ann Farris of Texas A&M University-Central Texas as master of ceremonies.
Muller said reservations are open now for vendors to secure space at next year's extravaganza, scheduled Jan. 23, 2011. The Web site for the show is idokilleen.com.
Contact Don Bolding at
dbolding@kdhnews.com or call (254) 501-7557. Follow him on Twitter at KDHbusiness.