Engaged pairs walked through a maze of 87 vendors at Sreese Productions’ fourth annual Emerald City Bridal Show, held at Lane County Fairgrounds on Jan. 19-20.
The bridal show provided couples with an opportunity to acquire information about cake decorators, photography, wedding attire, floral shops and other wedding accessories provided by businesses in the surrounding area. Sreese Productions has produced bridal shows throughout Oregon for 15 years.
“I am getting married next Christmas, and I think this is great. They have a lot to offer, and it is very helpful. The people here are wonderful and will sit and talk with you about your questions,” Albany resident Carlye Haima said.
Vendors featured at the show, such as Sweet Home-based Chafin Farm Carriages, provided brides and grooms with the option of choosing elegant or Western-style carriages for their weddings. Chafin has wagonettes and hitch wagons that can carry from as few as two passengers to as many as 35.
“All of our carriages are pulled by Belgian horses weighing 2,000 pounds apiece,” owner LaDonna Chafin said. “We have carriages for all occasions.”
Out of Hand, located in Eugene, is a home-based business that designs wedding invitations. All invitations are hand-made by Qlara Regan and printed from a laser printer for distribution.
 
“I sit down with the bride and groom, and I have a book that they can look through for ideas, or they can come to me with their own,” Regan said. “I encourage them to show their individuality and pick what they want.”
Southtowne Bakery makes all its cakes from scratch and can design them to look exactly like a drawing or picture a customer brings in. The cakes are generally four layers high with three layers of filling.
“We make soy and sugar-free cakes for those following a diet, and our most popular flavor is chocolate raspberry,” said Dawn Hills, manager of the Willamette Street Southtowne.
Southtowne Bakery has three stores in the Eugene area and one business in Cottage Grove.
Eugene’s Artistic Photography specializes in photographing elements within a wedding that other photographers may overlook, such as candles, flowers and rings, to create a more memorable wedding day, photographer Mia Baki said.
“Basically, what I try to do at weddings is capture moments that will show off the couple’s personality. I try to take pictures that tell a different story about the day,” Baki said.
Artistic Photography also provides couples with the option of having black-and-white photographs taken throughout their wedding day.
Bridal shop Bellamissa, also located in Eugene, is owned by Bess Noble, who has 20 years’ experience in design, custom sewing and fitting. Noble works with brides-to-be on codesigning their own personal wedding gowns as well as customizing their veils. Noble designs a bride’s gown in four fittings and uses silk and synthetic materials.
“If someone comes in with an idea for a gown with a picture or drawing, my wife, Bess, will make it from scratch,” Barry Noble said. “It is pretty unique.”