Kaleidoscope of colour invades white wedding

With some retailers reportedly forking out up to $6500 to exhibit, lavish designer gowns weren't the only wallet pinchers at the annual Sydney Bridal Exhibition recently. Opting to buck tradition, exhibitors filled booths and runways with technicolour frocks that featured heavy brocades, semi-precious embellishments and bristly crepes. Alongside the daily haute couture parades, buyers also saw the latest designs for bridesmaids, mother of the bride and groom, bridal lingerie and even kilts for cheeky grooms.
Held over two days at Sydney's Town Hall, the event was organised by Australian Bridal Service and attracted more than 170 exhibitors including Tinaa Innovations, nationwide retailer Ferrari Formal Bridal and Sydney's Zoe Marie Couture.
Although the exhibition is the largest bridal event of its kind in Australia, designer Zoe Marie said the event was less about trade and more about providing retailers with good publicity.
"It's not about sales, it's more of a marketing ploy so people get to know who you are and what you sell. It's about putting a face to the name and selling yourself so that people get to know who you are."
Cacoon Bridal owner Sue Sinopolis said while it was still "early days", the feedback from buyers had been positive. "It was superb. I was extremely happy with the models, the set-up and the service provided. It's still early days but I've heard back from a few interested brides and we'll see what happens when they come in at the end of the week."