Battle Creek's brides and grooms tend to go their own way. Neither trend-setters nor followers, they prefer something individualistic -- even unusual -- for their big day.
That was the take-away at the Wiser Productions 2012 Bridal Show, held Sunday at Kellogg Arena, which appeared to live up to the hopes and expectations of those who'd bought tickets.
Lynsee VanHorn of Homer came to the annual show seeking something a little different for her May 2013 wedding.
VanHorn said she was considering a vintage ballroom-style cheap wedding dresses that would reflect the past, although she hadn't settled on a specific period.
"It's fabulous. I'm looking at everything," VanHorn said as she glanced around the vendor-packed arena. Her assessment included the wedding-dress styles she'd found on display.
VanHorn had come with her mother, Michelle Brubaker, also of Homer, in the hopes of collecting some useful ideas for the wedding.
"What's wonderful is that there are four to five of everything here -- photographers, planners," said Brubaker.
As VanHorn probably discovered, many of the fashion experts at the show were poised to respond to her dreams -- and even had anticipated them.
"It's the bride's choice," said Peggy Smurr of Battle Creek, who owns a Battle Creek-based wedding-consultant service, Peggy's Sewing Etc. "Some are going back fully traditional, looking for something special such as outdoor themes, even cowboy themes complete with cowboy hats. They're getting more imaginative."
In fact, she said, national trends don't seem to be particularly hot at the local level.
"I don't like the big fashion designers," she said. "I don't see the girls in the area looking for those styles."
That view was echoe
d by Stacy Shipley, owner of Images Formal Wear in Battle Creek.
"I don't hear girls say, 'I saw this at the Grammys, so I want this,'" Shipley said.
Individuality appears to be the key, and sometimes the trend can be extremely local -- such as men's black tuxes worn with a camouflage-fabric vest and tie. That's a hot Michigan look, Shipley said.
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