Innovative Bridal Show Returns to Houston on August 29th

NATIONAL WEDDING ETIQUETTE & STATIONERY EXPERT MARJORIE MAXFIELD TO MAKE SPECIAL APPEARANCE

HOUSTON, TX – August 20, 2009 – The Houston Wedding Showcase, a partnership representing bridal show producers with a combined 25 years of experience, returns to the area on August 29th, sponsored by WeddingWire.com. Brides-to-be will be on a mission to find the wedding professionals best suited for their wedding day.

With spectacular runway fashion shows and aisle after aisle of exhibits from the area’s most trusted wedding professionals, couples will find everything they need to make their wedding day extraordinary without the hassle of driving from place to place. The event producers have handpicked the best and highest quality services in the Houston/Harris County area to appear at the show, and have integrated the best ideas from bridal shows around the country to bring unique features to the event that have not been seen in Houston before.

“Our goal has always been to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to weddings and celebrations,” says Marc McIntosh, one of the country’s top bridal show experts and a Co-Producer of the Houston Wedding Showcase. “We take a fresh approach to every aspect of wedding planning based on the needs of today’s couples by adding new categories and laying out the show in ways that challenge a more traditional approach.”

McIntosh says that brides and the industry in general love interactive contests, and so the event teamed with WeddingWire and MIX 96.5 FM in a quest to find Houston’s most deserving bride and give them a wedding worth over $20,000 in a contest which ended this week (http://www.mix965houston.com/Win-a-Wedding/4954848). He’s also invited Houston-based author and national wedding etiquette and stationery expert Marjorie Maxfield (“The Write Stuff: A Modern Guide To Personal Stationery & Weddings”, MMM Signature Press) to present special workshops on the personal writing that is so much a part of the wedding process.

“Even in this age of email, Facebook, Twitter and text messages – maybe I should say especially in this era, the personal writing you need to do starting with the engagement process straight through the thank you notes after the wedding is a very important part of the process,” says Maxfield, whose book came out in June of this year. Maxfield argues that writing is now very “in”, and if approached in the right spirit, is a richly rewarding part of the experience that should not be taken lightly. “If you want your words to linger a while longer, write it down on a fine piece of stationery or a personalized note or card,” says Maxfield. “The current trend today has to do with people having a sense of the importance of the special time that is the wedding, and realizing that the nature of electronic communication is fleeting and impersonal.”

McIntosh’s partner Sonja van Florestein recruited The Billie Ledbetter Orchestra to perform live during the show’s two fashion shows at 12:30 and 3:30 , something generally not done at bridal shows around the country. McIntosh also participates in economic impact and trend studies in relation to the bridal industry, and frequently does presentations to industry groups about the impact of the current recession and where the industry is going. He is available to talk to the Houston media this week to address these trends and provide outlines of the most current research with regard to spending patterns, and the role of the internet in revolutionizing wedding planning.

“Our partnership with WeddingWire is one of the innovations we bring to this show and numerous other bridal shows across the country,” says McIntosh. “WeddingWire is truly the best online resource available to brides today.”

WeddingWire is proud to be a sponsor of this fresh and innovative bridal show in one of the country’s largest bridal markets. As the nation’s leading wedding technology company, WeddingWire was developed to offer engaged couples the opportunity to stay organized and in control of their wedding planning. The partnership with the Houston Wedding Showcase offers yet another outlet for couples to save time and money in their quest for the perfect wedding.

Whether you are just starting your planning, finishing up the details or anywhere in between, you will find exactly what you are looking for at the Houston Wedding Showcase. Tickets are $8 if purchased in advance through their web site http://houstonweddingshowcase.com. Tickets are available at the door for $10.

About the Houston Wedding Showcase
The Houston Wedding Showcase is co-produced by Sonja van Florestein, who has 10 years of experience as manager of one of the largest bridal shows in the country, and Marc McIntosh, who has produced top shows and national bridal event marketing programs for 15 years all over the country. The Houston Wedding Showcase is a one-stop wedding planning experience for engaged couples. The show features a fresh look and unique features that are new to the Houston bridal show market.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, was designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding venues to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools at www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.weddingwire.com.

Contact Information

Richard Matthews

Public Relations

Matthews Communications

Contact via E-mail