Saturday, Feb. 17, is a date brides and grooms will want to block off in their calendar. It's the date for the upcoming Ultimate Wedding Experience at 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville. Now in its 4th year, the evening is an upscale wedding event to showcase not only 21c, but also premier wedding vendors in the area.
What makes this event so special, you ask? The Ultimate Wedding Experience isn't a bridal expo — it's a carefully curated evening giving brides the opportunity to connect with the best of the best in Arkansas wedding planning in a fun and collaborative environment.
"We host a high-end fashion show and develop a mock reception," says Claire Thompson, event sales manager for 21c Museum Hotel. "This way, couples can see how these vendors would be the day of their wedding."
What can brides expect?
21c will be set-up as a mock wedding reception designed by the one and only Amanda Reed of Amanda Reed Weddings. Reed has developed an entire theme and design for the event, as she would for a couple’s wedding. Miles Witt Boyer will photograph the entire event, and Brock Entertainment will be DJing the "reception." The event partners with only one vendor per category, (for florals, wedding planning, wedding gowns, etc.), to create an exclusive experience.
The party starts at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour/vendor meet and greet. Then, She Said Yes presents their fashion show at 7 p.m., followed immediately by the reception. Giveaways will begin around 8:30 p.m.
"[Brides] will be greeted with champagne and a beautiful fashion show from She Said Yes bridal boutique," Thompson says. "Immediately following, they will be whisked away to a gorgeous wedding reception set-up, where they can interact with numerous local wedding vendors and see what they do first-hand. We will have numerous demonstrations by vendors, rocking entertainment, and thousands of dollars in giveaways, all while they sample hors d’oeuvres and cocktails from the Hive at 21c."
Participating vendors include:
- Wedding Planner: Amanda Reed Weddings
- Hair and Makeup: Bo Senesomxay and Keith Caudle
- DJ: Brock Entertainment
- Videography: Dave and a Camera
- Rentals: Eventures
- Photography: Miles Witt Boyer
- Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
- Bridal Boutique: She Said Yes Bridal
- Paper Goods: Shindig Paperie
- Jeweler: Diamond Center
- Florist: PIGMINT
- Lighting/Audio-Visual: avad3
- Food and Beverage: the Hive at 21c
The night is sure to be one to remember. Thompson says each year they've held the event has been even stronger than the last, and we expect this year will be no different.
"Pictures are always helpful, but to see a vendor in action, see a space designed, or taste the food and drink, this puts the couples at ease as they make some of the most important decisions regarding their wedding day," Thompson says. "It is also so fun to meet the brides and grooms, and to hopefully have the opportunity to work with many of them over the next several months."
