A trio of Canmore businesses took top prize for destination weddings at a recent bridal fair in Calgary.
Photographer Michael Buckley of Photoflow, Elements Floral Design owner Vicki Hum and Sweet Occasions owner Angela Schrempf teamed up in January to present a booth at the Wedding Fair.
“What we are trying to do is promote the Rocky Mountains as a destination for weddings,” Hum said, adding the booth’s theme was Getting Married in the Rockies. “We are putting resources together to bring more brides to the valley.”
Schrempf, who is a wedding planner, said by combining the services she offers with a florist and photographer, the group represents a one-stop shop for all resources needed to get married in the mountains.
“We are Calgary’s beautiful backyard and this is a huge market,” she said. “With every bride we bring in, we bring in at least 50 additional people, which increases tourism in town… weddings stimulate the local economy.”
Cross-promoting each other’s businesses was a first for all three and the wedding show on Jan. 23 a first for Buckley and Hum.
“It was incredibly intense,” Buckley said. “It was nice to receive the award because it is basically recognition for all the hard work we put into it.
“It was a bit of a marriage between the three of us.”
Other destination wedding booths included Fernie, Invermere, Panorama, Fairmont, Golden, other Bow Valley businesses and sun destinations.
For Schrempf, it also marked the launch of Sweet Occasions offering sun destinations and event rentals to the public.
“For me it was a milestone,” she said. “As my business has grown I am able to display the quality of work.
“People do not have to rent from Calgary anymore, that is a new resource locally.”
The booth was 400 square feet and Hum said with an open concept there was a lot of interaction between all the different elements.
She added there was also a mock-up of a reception table with settings from Stonewaters that incorporated flowers with a natural theme.
“It spoke of the Rockies,” she said.
