On May 23 and 24, another awe-inspiring and successful Celebrations! happened at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.  The event, in its second year, proved to be a lot better in terms of quality of attendees and mix of Exhibitors.

A Chu-U-Yen Events’ masterwork, Celebrations! A Bridal Show & Special Events Expo displayed interesting showcases that followed the Organizer’s high standards in setting up booths with strategic arrangement.  The booths were definitely interesting in one way or another, each unique to their particular product or services being offered. The aisles were noticeably much, much wider than the usual provisions in other expos,  hence,  granting comfort and ease of movement to the people inside the exhibit hall.  There was enough room for attendees to stop  or even sit down and actually discuss with  the vendors without feeling harried or pressured to make way for others passing by. This was a great opportunity for vendors to explain their respective services and products further, make a sales pitch and eventually close deals.

Celebrations! was officially opened with a Festive Dragon Dance which is believed to usher in good luck and was an interesting sight to watch indeed!  There was a steady flow of visitors, mostly couples, in search of suppliers for their event.  A lounge created by 4Th Wall Production Design Studio inside the exhibit rooms and at the pre-function lobby were comfort areas where guests got to relax and enjoy the various drinks offered by the Wild Cocktails or coffee from Kape ni Juan while enjoying the performances of  musicians like La Bella Voce & Co. and  Filbert & Shanda, or delighting in the Live Mannequin Show featuring the works of wedding couturiers Linoi, Olan Roque and Sammy Amante, and brands Exclusively His, Onesimus, Bradford Shoes and Heelz Hobbo,  from time-to-time. Also viewed were the works of Danny Capistrano and The Body Shop.  In the said sitting room, attendees had time to go over the various flyers they collected and assimilate what the vendors had to offer for the two-day event before returning to their chosen vendor to book their services.

Discounts and freebies definitely were everywhere! Those who were lucky to receive the Coupon Book got on-the-spot cash discounts of up to Php 20,000.00 from a single vendor and even more cash discounts if they booked with those included in the Coupon Book promo. (This was a definite plus and welcome offer during these times of economic crunch thought of by the Organizers!) In addition to these discounts those who purchased on-the-spot were also entitled to win various customized Celebrations! gift items through the “Cake Pull Extravaganza” with a  giant cake set-up by Goldilocks.  Adding excitement to this fun-filled fair is the free photo op being given away by glamour photography specialist Great Image to all couples as they come in.  Those who want to strike wacky poses for souvenir photos go to the Foto Loco booth, on the other hand.
       
There were many new and seldom-seen  (in other expos) vendors who joined this year’s Celebrations! which made for an interesting mix of old & new vendors in the industry.   Plus regulars like the  NSO & E-Census booths, first offered by Celebrations! last year.  Here soon-to-weds were able to apply for their required NSO certified documents  onsite without the long queues and at regular fees too.  The Belo Medical Group offered free consultations and discounts for services and bridal packages with their “Be a Belo Beautiful Bride” promo. Don Robert’s  1933 Ford Convertible and Jaguar bridal cars were a definite crowd drawer as people posed and took photos beside these. VS&F’s food tasting area was filled with couples eager to sample the caterer’s food specialties and to get numerous freebies as they book on site.

This year’s Celebrations! A Bridal Show & Special Events Expo was supported by Belo Medical Group and VS & F Classic Food International, 4th Wall Production Design,  Banco De Oro,  Fotoloco, Goldilocks, Great Image, Onesimus, The Body Shop and Top Events, and media partners ABS-CBN’s 101.9 For Life, DZMM Teleradyo and DZMM Radyo Patrol, Lifestyle Network, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, WeddingABCs.com, Metro Weddings magazine  and WeddingsAtWork.com.

Of huge significance was the fact that the attendees were generally legit soon-to-weds, planners or people with events which meant that the target market was reached.  At the end of the day, a big plus was the feedback received from most attendees that there was a good mix of quality and reputable suppliers affording them better and relevant choices for their upcoming events without being overwhelmed with so many alternatives that can sometimes be confusing.  Celebrations!, certainly, is the expo that brings together the genuine “cream of the crop” of the industry – a midyear event worth looking forward to.