Here comes the bridal show
<p>Lindsay Allen models one of the wedding gowns on display from Storybook Bridal during one of the Inland Northwest Bride Expo fashion shows held Thursday, February 27, 2013 at The Hagadone Event Center in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE — Hearts will be aflutter on Valentine's Day, but the fluttering won't stop there.
The 2016 Inland Northwest Bridal Show, presented by The Coeur d'Alene Press, is taking place from 4-7 p.m. Feb. 18, in the Hagadone Event Center.
More than 30 vendors will be on site to provide services, ideas, products and much more to help brides-to-be plan their perfect weddings.
"There’s the sheer fact that young women have spent a great deal of time attending their friends’ weddings and, also, daydreaming," said Kari Packer, Press sales manager. "There's a large number of engagements that happen over the holidays, and the next logical step is brides start planning their weddings. The process for planning a traditional wedding is at least eight months. A lot of the gals that we’ll see there are planning their wedding for this summer or next summer."
The event will feature two fashion shows, one at 5 p.m. and one at 7 p.m., where models will show off bridal gowns, formal attire, menswear and flower-girl dresses. Attendees will have opportunities to win prizes at vendor booths as well as a chance to win the grand prize.
"We’re really excited about our grand prize this year," Packer said. "It’s going to include a night and honeymoon suite at The Coeur d'Alene Resort with rose-petal turndown service, champagne and breakfast in bed served by room service. In addition to that, Cameo Bridal has offered to add a free bridal gown."
The Inland Northwest Bridal Show's main sponsor is The Coeur d'Alene Resort, with Cameo Bridal, Epic Vibe and the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel also serving as sponsors.
"Coeur d’Alene is a destination wedding area, so we have a lot of people from outside of the area who plan weddings in Coeur d’Alene and come here, have the event and live in a completely separate place because of the opportunities," Packer said. "There are so many beautiful places to have a wedding. And bridal industry is big here to our local economy, in a lot of regards. It drives tourism, it drives retail business."
Tickets to the annual Inland Northwest Bridal Show are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. To purchase tickets, call The Press at 416-5175 or The Coeur d'Alene Resort at 765-4000, ext 21.
The Hagadone Event Center is located at 900 S. Floating Green Drive in Coeur d'Alene.