Article Four

British Bridal Exhibition returns to Harrogate
ONCE again the British Bridal exhibition returned to Harrogate and hundreds of excitable brides flocked to purchase their dream dresses. From the 13th-15th September the exhibition was held at the Harrogate International Centre where many top wedding dress desi9gners exhibited their new collections.
The exhibition is organised by the Ocean Media Group Limited who acquired the rights to the British Bridal Exhibition in Harrogate (BBEH) in 1999. The event takes place twice a year and is timed to meet the rush for summer and winter weddings which are the most popular timeslots for weddings. Over the years the event has expanded in both exhibitors and visitors, it has quickly become an international event with thousands visiting Harrogate to attend.
In March 150 exhibitors showcased more than 220 collections over 10,000 square metres. It attracted around 2500 unique bridal buyers. The event this time round in September saw 220 exhibitors showcase more than 330 collections in over 13,000 square metres of space, attracting over 3600 buyers. It was a huge event which had a lot of publicity and press.
Claire Parish, a visitor said “The dresses I’ve seen today are absolutely stunning, and I have found the perfect dress for my wedding. If it wasn’t for events like these I would be stuck looking at bridal magazines and not see the beauty and elegance of the dresses for myself.”
The event also offered blushing brides the chance to view bridesmaid collections. There was lots of support from staff recommending colour schemes and decorations. The men were certainly not left out. They had their own personal shoppers who helped to pick and tailor suits for the soon to be grooms, which would compliment their weddings style and theme.
As well as organising these magnificent bridal events, Ocean Media Group Limited also produces the Bridal Buyer Magazine which is the main source of bridal industry news in the UK. The company were said to be ‘thrilled’ with the turnout and success of the event and have said “The bridal market is continuously growing. There has never been a dip in the market which goes to show that the recession doesn’t dampen a bride’s enthusiasm.”
Tiffany Jackson