About 400 people attended the 30th annual Leader Wedding Fair, held Sunday at the Corpus Christi Event Center at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial.
About 400 people attended the 30th annual Leader Wedding Fair, held Sunday at the Corpus Christi Event Center at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial.
“The turnout was terrific,” Leader publisher Peggy Scott said.
A line of brides-to-be and their guests were lined up around the event center parking lot when the fair doors opened at 12:30 p.m., and Grace Richardson, 20, of De Soto was the first in line.
She arrived at 10:45 a.m. for the event, and since she was among the first 50 brides to arrive at the fair, she received a tote bag provided by The Bridal Shoppe in Crystal City.
Her wedding will be held in August, and her mother, sister, grandmother and future mother-in-law and sister-in-law accompanied her to the fair, which had 40 vendors on hand to help attendees plan their nuptials or other celebrations.
“We had such a great mix of different vendors, so our guests could find all of the different things they need for a great wedding,” Scott said.
Richardson agreed.
“I’m a super big planner, so I need more ideas (for the wedding) as far as table decor and all of the little stuff,” she said.
Richardson advises other brides-to-be to take their time and enjoy the planning process.
“Take a whole year and try and enjoy it the best you can,” she said. “That’s what I’m doing. I like to do things month by month so it’s not all at one time.”
Party Paws Mobile Zoo lets Chelsey Flieg from Imperial try to hold the owl that delivers wedding bands for wedding ceremonies.
All ticket sale proceeds went to A Fighting Chance Foundation, which focuses on suicide prevention and provides mental health services.
About $2,500, from the wedding fair ticket sales and donations, was raised for the organization.
“Over the 30 years of the wedding fair, we’ve donated more than $50,000 to local charities,” said Katelyn Mary Skaggs, the Leader’s digital marketing manager. “We’re very proud of that fact, and every charity we’ve given to has had a great impact on the community.”
Caren Kelly, the founder of A Fighting Chance, said she appreciated the Leader choosing the group to receive this year’s donation.
The group had a booth there to provide brides-to-be with mental health and coping skills resources.
Models show off the final wedding dresses during the fashion show.
Wedding and event planner Shauna Ray Jackson, owner of aRay of Events, spoke at the fair and gave tips for organizing a memorable celebration and finding the perfect wedding planner. Another speaker, April Tapen with the Curated Travel Collection, offered information about honeymoon planning.
To cap off the afternoon, Clarice’s Bridal held a wedding dress fashion show, displaying new styles, with music provided by Complete Weddings and Events.
Kari Smallegan of Festus said she attended the fair with her fiance, Steve Robinson of Fredericktown, to wrap up their June wedding planning.
“We really enjoy coming to the wedding fairs,” Smallegan said. “We wanted to come and have some fun and check out all the new things for weddings.”
Scott said the Leader’s 31st wedding fair is set for Feb. 2, 2025, and will again be held at the Corpus Christi Event Center.
“The fair was a lot of fun,” she said. “We’re already looking forward to next year, and we’re talking with vendors about how to make it even better.”