Everything a couple needs before and ever after

Like that popular copy of a famous cigarette ad, weddings have come a long way. In this age of colored wedding gowns and pre-nuptial agreements, a lot of couples deviate from traditional wedding practices and incorporate their own personal touches into the ceremony.

Wedding industry suppliers like Bernie Pasamba who heads a music consultancy outfit tell of weddings where a bride sang while walking down the aisle. We have heard of six-foot tall wedding cakes and have seen one reception where butterflies were released to flutter around the banquet hall.

Special needs such as these have given birth to an industry where services of a wedding planner, music consultancy and even feng-shui experts are made available to would be couples. Bridal shows are now staple events in hotels and upscale malls.

But the latest twist in bridal shows however, opened last July 11 at Automatic Centre@Ayala and Blims located at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Herrera streets in Makati City. For a whole month, the latest in appliances, furniture, trends in wedding preparations are featured in The Wedding and Home Show. In three spacious showrooms, various appliance showcases shown as they might appear in the bride and groom’s new home. Side by side with these are stations where aside from displays like wedding gowns, cakes and photo galleries, wedding suppliers are on hand to answer questions or provide assistance to couples intending to marry.

The participating wedding specialists are The Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt Regency and Boracay Regency hotels, fashion designers Pepsi Herrera and Edwin Tan, Audio Compulsion, Wave Station, Danny’s Salon, Cakes by Carla, Island Peach, Red Ribbon, Sugarcraft Creations, 1816 Flowers Company, D’Flower Faÿade and Gift Shop, Flower Craft, Royal Flower Shoppe, Dream Republic Invitations, QP design Enterprises, Ocampo’s Gemologists and Jewelers, Lito Sy Studio, Nelson Villarica Photography, UR in Focus, Bernie Pasamba Music Consultancy, Compass Travel and Tours, Dominican Travel and Tours, Echolac, Mediavision Plus, Silver Secrets, Celebrations and Events Specialists and Union Motors.

Information seminars and sessions are also being conducted throughout the one-month event.

Among these are Wedding Planning 101 with Gigi Bautista (July 21, 28 and Aug. 4 at 2 p.m.), Bridal Fashion Consultation with Pepsi Herrera and Edwin Tan (July 18-20, 24-27, 31 and Aug. 1-3, 7-10 at 5-7 p.m.) Decorating Your New Home (Wednesdays and Fridays 4-7 p.m.) and Feng Shui Sessions with Joseph Chau (Daily up to July 18 at 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.) Other seminars include wine tasting, pre-nuptial agreements, cooking for two and many more. To make reservations for any of the above-mentioned activities, contact Gigi Bautista and Associates at 750-03-14 or 750-88-88.

With the Wedding and Home Show, Automatic Centre@Ayala is a must place to visit for couples-to-be. After pre-planning and the wedding proper, they need to go on a honeymoon then shop for home furnishings and appliances. It’s a one-stop shop for everything a couple needs before and ever after.