The Wedding Expo - where wedding dreams come to life!

"The standard of The Wedding Expo® this show was the highest yet! I am so proud to be associated with the amazing calibre of exhibitors who showcased their products. The Wedding Expo® is definitely a trendsetter and the response we have had from all the visitors to the show has been overwhelming! Brides and grooms came in their thousands and left the show inspired and their weddings planned down to the smallest of detail," says Amanda Cunningham, Managing Director of The Wedding Expo®.

A definite highlight of the August show was the presence of international celebrity wedding planner Sarah Haywood who hosted an exclusive workshop for brides-to-be and wedding industry players. Sarah shared with the audience her journey to becoming one of the most recognised names in the wedding industry worldwide! Planning a wedding is a daunting task but with Sarah's tips and step by step planning model, the bride's left inspired and well equipped to plan the weddings of their dreams!

Haywood was also on the stand judging panel for the show and a record number of Awards of Excellence were handed out. A total of 21 stands received this prestigious award: A2Z Wedding Planners, Anne Grace Photography, Annica's Designer Cakes, Avianto, Avondale Films, Best Day Ever, Bobbi Brown, Faber & Allin Inc Attorneys, Faircity Roodevallei, Garnish, Jem Catering, Oxbow Country Estate, Pronovias, Renata Kuzak Couture, Ruby rain Décor and Tableware, The Blades, The Brown Table, The Forum Company, The Perfect Wedding Company, Wedding Emporium and Why Concepts.

"I was extremely impressed by the standard showcased at The Wedding Expo®. The South African wedding industry is definitely on a par with the UK in terms of wedding trends. I saw some really beautiful things and clever ways of showcasing products and concepts. I also saw some very new and innovative ideas that I will take away with me and hope that this visit to South Africa is the first of many more to come," says Haywood.

The eight bridal fashion shows displaying top local and international talent were a hit with the crowds, as too was MC Katlego Mabo. The admiring audience was privy to a preview of the latest collections by local designers Garnish Couture, Gerald C, New Romantics, F Wilson, Niku Singh (Kenya) and Biji Couture; and international ready-to-wear ranges by Olivelli, Maggie Sottero, Bride & Co, Eurosuit, Pronovias, Eve's Bridal, Palesa Bridal, Enzone, Eurobride.

Brides and grooms flocked to the show to submit their entries into the popular bi-annual Win Wedding Prizes competition in association with the Beeld newspaper which will award one lucky engaged couple with over R250 000 worth of wedding prizes. This competition was sponsored by: ABIA, Awesome Photos, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Cake Extreme, Candy Corporation, Casa Lee Country Lodge, Dermaworx, Diamond Depot South Africa, Elegant Entertainment, Harvey World Travel, in association with Holiday Factory, Lilly Young Design, Merav Wedding and Events, Prestige® Housewares, Sealy Posturepedic, Toadbury Hall and Wedding and Suit International.

Now in its third year this competition has grown to an even higher level with nearly 8000 entries received. A Wedding Expo® record!

"We are thrilled with the success of our August show and plans are already underway for another spectacular show on 6th and 7th April 2013! The Wedding Expo® just keeps getting better and the South African wedding industry keeps growing! We are definitely setting trends and are extremely pleased to see how many visitors we had from our neighbouring countries and we hope in the coming shows that we can grow these numbers and make South Africa the bridal capital of Africa," concludes Cunningham.