Sunday's bridal fair looks to build Sapphire Coast as a wedding destination

Are you looking for a laid back wedding with a stunning beach or bush backdrop?

Then look no further than the Something Blue Bespoke Wedding Fair, this Sunday (May 26) at Robyn’s Nest in Merimbula from 10:30 am.

The fair is the result of five small business owners banding together to combine resources and lift one another up to highlight the Sapphire Coast as a wedding destination.

“The idea for the fair came about in the back room of my shop last year,” says Carla Ellwood, owner at CC Bridal in Pambula “Kara Luimes, of Evoke Style and Hire and I were talking and decided we wanted to create a community of local wedding business.”

Local celebrant, Jess O’Donnell, one of the five South Coast Wedding and Events committee members says that the fair is “such a great way to meet all your vendors face-to-face in one day in one place, saving couples lots of precious time and making it so much more enjoyable than hours spent looking at websites!”

Along with Jess, Carla and Kara – Claire Mudaliar, with her vintage catering van Peisley’s and Samantha McManus, of Theresa Films, make up the committee so far.

Wedding talk aside, the day is set to be a cracker with live music all day, a free jumping castle for the kids as well as a kids zone, plus four fashion parades, and over 25 vendors showcasing their wedding-related wares.

Every adult attendee will be greeted with a glass of bubbles and everyone is welcome. Jess says her own 2017 wedding went so well partly because her best mates knew what was going on, so bring your whole wedding team!

“Grooms can win some brownie points with their wives-to-be by turning up and will also be in the draw for our amazing major prize!” Jess says “four nights at Robyn’s Nest with Moet & Chandon and Oysters on arrival.”

“And,” she adds with a laugh “I am sure the fellas wouldn’t mind tasting some of the samples from Eastwoods Bermagui or A Pinch of Yum either!”

Carla Ellwood, owner at CC Bridal in Pambula, says she has plenty of Canberra brides and an increasing number from Nowra, Wollongong, and inland NSW and Victoria.

“Destination weddings are becoming more common and here on the Sapphire Coast, we have a magic combination of beautiful natural environments and affordability. This area is largely untapped, it is not over-commercialised.”

Customers come to Carla’s bridal boutique for warm, friendly service and her laid-back approach to weddings, she says.

“I don’t have a time limit for my appointments,” she explains “or a limit on how many dresses you can try on. If it takes three hours, it takes three hours!”

Whilst Carla and I are chatting, she is setting up for the fair with the other four committee members, whom she refers to as their acronym – SCWE, which is especially cute because it sounds like the sound you make when you’re excited – “Sqqquuueee!”

In the long-term, Carla explains, the group would like to give each other and other small business’ as much exposure as they can through SCWE, all understandiing through their own experiences how hard it can be to pay for advertising with a new business.

In the meantime, come along to the wedding fair on Sunday and support these enthusiastic business women!

Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be for sale on the day. No ATM is available onsite.

Tickets to the Something Blue Wedding Fair are $10 per person and include a glass of bubbles, a free bridal tote bag and entry into the lucky door prize, drawn at 2:30 pm.

Kids under 16 are free.

For more info, check out Sapphire Coast Wedding and Events. Pre-book tickets to the event here.