Record-Breaking Attendance Noted At Wedding Road Show

Overnight stays, wedding banquets, after parties and all the services needed to help a happy couple obtain wedded bliss were presented during a self-guided tour of the wedding venues of the Long Beach Island Region last weekend.

For its fifth year, the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce along with its tourism branch - the LBI Region Destination Marketing Organization - collaborated with Wedding Industry leaders and almost 60 of their members to create a progressive party atmosphere that sells the region year round as a wedding destination.

Entertainment, passed hor d oeuvres,  photography, video, concierge services, floral and table displays, invitations, ceremony ideas, cake sampling, accommodations, even Stand up Paddle Board lessons for bridal parties were all options to soak in as wedding plans turned into reality this past Sunday.

More than 150 registered brides and their parties participated. Brides traveled distances as far as Burien in Washington State, Norfolk Virginia, Wilmington Delaware, White Plains New York, and across Pennsylvania including Philadelphia, and Yardley. New Jersey brides were also well represented coming from Princeton, Hoboken and Highland Lakes.

Local businesses played party host while booking dates, services and introducing new customers to all the area has to offer. The event was captured by E Video Productions, who for the past four years has been making a documentary video to focus not only on the location, but to showcase the wedding professionals and future LBI brides and grooms. 

"This event generates revenue, contracts are signed and deposits are made not only the day of the Wedding Road Show, but throughout the following year for our local businesses” said Lori Pepenella, Destination Marketing Director of the Southern Ocean County Chamber. "This allows brides and their families to explore our area and see first hand the possibilities of a one of a kind wedding, vacation or even a weekend getaway."

The  Southern Ocean County Chamber LBI Region Wedding Road Show is sponsored by Demetrios Bridal, Dante Zeller at Uniformity, NJ Bride, The Knot, NJWedding.com, Celebrations Magazine,  Jersey Shore Wedding Association, Magic 100.1FM, For The Bride Magazine, Ocean Tent, Trolley Tours and the NJ Division of Travel and Tourism. With a VIP Experience Prize donated by NJWedding.com, The Gables, Camllle Floral Designs,  Shining Star Limousine and A Sweet Memory whose winner Ashley Taluba and her finance Peter Gallagher hailed from  Roselle Park, NJ.

For more information on LBI-area weddings, visit the Southern Ocean County Visitor Center at 265 West Ninth Street, online at www.visitLBIregion.com and call 609 494 7211.