The Leader Wedding Fair is a different animal in 2021.
For more than a quarter century, it was a one-day event at which prospective brides and grooms, their families and friends could come and interact with vendors who offer wedding goods and services. Thanks to the coronavirus, however, an in-person event was out of the question this year.
“We’d love to be face-to-face, but since we can’t, we have come up with what we think are some great other options,” Leader assistant publisher Peggy Scott said.
The Leader Wedding Fair has taken to the internet, becoming a months-long opportunity for those planning weddings to have many of the same experiences, but at a safe social distance.
Visitors to the Leader website at myleaderpaper.com may access a comprehensive list of vendors, complete with maps and links to websites and Facebook pages. It’s a one-stop shopping experience for planning a special event – whether that’s a wedding, a retirement party, anniversary, birthday or housewarming.
Each month, one vendor will supply a prize to be awarded to a random visitor to the virtual Wedding Fair.
This month the prize comes from the newly renovated Fredericks Banquet Center, an intimate venue in Festus.
There are actually nine prizes to be awarded. One lucky winner will receive a free four-hour rental of the hall, four more people will win a half-off rental and the last four will win $500 off any rental.
There is a limit of one entry per person. Registration closes on March 31, and the drawing will take place April 1.
To register, go to myleaderpaper.com and click on the Wedding Fair contest icon at the top of the home page.
“Visitors can turn right around and sign up again for the following month’s prize,” Scott said.
There are still opportunities for vendors to take part in the virtual Wedding Fair. For more information, call the Leader office at 636-931-7560.