PARIS – Kelly Gagne of Paris went to the Oxford Hills Spring Bridal Show Saturday looking for flowers for her upcoming wedding in April. By the end of the afternoon, she not only had an appointment with a consultant at Littlefield’s Flowers and Gifts, but ideas about who to go to for hair, nails, and favors for the reception.
That’s just what Sharon Buffington was hoping for when she organized the event. “You don’t have to go to Portland to have a perfect wedding,” said Buffington, event coordinator at the Four Seasons Function Center, which hosted the show. More than 30 local businesses were showcased, offering services ranging from photography and videography to gift registries and even chocolate fountain rentals.
Brides- and grooms-to-be could browse for a place to hold their wedding and reception with the help of representatives from the All Souls Chapel at Poland Spring, the Bethel Inn Resort, Deering Memorial Church and the Four Seasons itself. Cyndi Robbins, owner of the Poland Spring Resort, said that the All Souls Chapel hosts about 50 weddings each year. Since the chapel was built in 1912, a lot of changes have been made to wedding protocol.
“The family pet has become a part of wedding ceremonies,” Robbins said. She has seen the family dog play the role of best man, and has seen a number of female best men as well. Not only that, but the children of the couple are often included in the ceremony.
A bridal fashion show by A Formal Affair featured styles for children in addition to the usual wedding fashions. The crowd oohed and ahhed over gowns for the bride and bridesmaids and nodded their approval of suits for the groom and groomsmen. Five-year –old Caliegh Gallant stole the show, though, when she strolled out onto the runway in a white organza dress with pink button roses, escorted by four-year-old Patrick Paine. After polite applause, Gallant grabbed Paine by his pink lapels and rather forcefully escorted him back to the dressing room.
Perhaps because of changing families, with couples having children before getting married or being married again after a divorce, Beth Hoover said she has seen many prospective brides trying to plan a wedding on a tight budget. “A lot of people feel that they can’t afford to get married with the whole nine yards,” she said. The owner of Beth’s Bargain Boutique began buying store samples of wedding attire and selling them at her shop. She also offers handmade veils and wedding favors.
As for Kelly Gagne, she’s having a hard time staying within her budget, but doesn’t see any way around it. “I suppose if I weren’t so busy, I could do my own flowers or make my own dress,” she laughed. At least now she can find what she needs close to home.
Comments are no longer available on this story