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by Lisa Beth Miller Ready to start searching for your dream dress? Of course, you are. You may notice some bridal salons advertising “designer trunk shows.” These mysterious in-store events may sound like a confusing concept, but a trunk show could be the key to you finding the perfect wedding gown! So how does a trunk show work? A designer may decide that some unique designs are not getting quite enough attention. The dresses may be cutting-edge styles that bridal boutiques were afraid to purchase, dresses in alternative colors, or dresses at a different price point than typically featured in a shop. Sometimes trunk show dresses are brand new designs that literally no brides have seen yet! The designer ships the collection to a bridal shop for a limited time (usually in boxes, rather than in a trunk, but you …

by Lisa Beth Miller Local bride Andrea Gillis, a former wedding professional herself, knew the importance of being super-organized about planning her wedding to her fiance, Marty. The worldwide health emergency known as COVID-19, however, offered an unprecedented challenge to her meticulous plans. “We wanted to get married in our neighborhood, at a beautiful manor home, which is actually managed by the local city government. Due to all of the virus-related closures, the facility has cancelled all weddings up to May 4th. Things kind of started to unravel on March 18th. After speaking to my location’s representatives, they offered us a refund. With everyone pushing back their wedding dates 3-6 months out, I just couldn’t reschedule for a later date. I was afraid all of my vendors would cancel on us,” Andrea explained. Venue and caterer were the two biggest …

Provided by FNP Events Visit Loudoun and FNP Events announce a new wedding event designed to connect couples to Loudoun County venues and wedding professionals. “Love Loudoun: A Wedding Showcase” will be hosted at West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia, on March 15, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., with the first hour open to VIP ticket holders. “The wedding industry contributes more than $118 million to Loudoun’s economy annually and continues to grow,” Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson said. “With everything from historic settings and vineyards to modern ballrooms, Loudoun has one of the most diverse offerings of wedding venues in the D.C. region. This Wedding Showcase will give couples a chance to meet with dozens of wedding vendors all under one roof.” The Love Loudoun Wedding Showcase will feature almost 100 …