618 EVENTS

Event Planner Blog Posts

Curious about what events 618 EVENTS has planned in the Champaign-Urbana area? Check out the details here.

Inspire Your(R) Wedding Showcase

My dear friend Amanda with Inspire Your(R) had a dream of re-creating the wedding showcase. Instead of an expo type event with rows and rows of booths she wanted something much more interactive and inspiring to both the vendors and the couples.

I was totally honored to help her make her dream come true this March at Carmons in downtown Champaign!

We started the planning process in late 2021 with a dream and a plan (we are planners, of course). We hit the ground running to get vendors on board to participate along with promoting the showcase to local businesses and couples.

What makes the Inspire Your(R) Wedding Showcase unique? Amanda created 6 designs of a small ceremony and reception set up that a team of local vendors put together at the showcase. Teams included florist, rentals, photographer, baker/caterer, and a bride and groom look. So guests could walk around and see a real set up to gather ideas for their own wedding. Each design was based off a specific region of the USA with the 6th design being Pantone’s colors of the year.

There were also some vendors that opted for a “booth” option but we worked with them individually to ensure it was more than just a table with flier. We brought their business to life at their table.

Lastly, Amanda really wanted several “pop up” experiences. For example, signature drinks are really popular so we had a bar serving two samples of signature drinks. Lounge furniture and photo booth set ups are really popular so we of course had both of those. Lastly, couples easily get overwhelmed when choosing table linens so we had a pop up experience where they could “play” with different colors and textures to see what they liked. Appetizer samples and champagne were the cherry on top.

It was a HUGE success and it was only the first one! We cannot wait to host another event like this for vendors and couples next year and make it even better.

Vendor Teams

Midwest Design Team:

  • Florist- Joyce Anne’s

  • Baker- RegCakes Gluten Free Bakery

  • Photographer- K Darling Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- CU Flower House

  • Table Rentals- Hall’s Rentals

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Michelle’s Bridal and Tuxedo

West Coast Design Team:

  • Florist- Flora Design Studio

  • Baker- Pan and Cake Catering

  • Photographer- Lisa Schreffler Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- Elegant Events CU

  • Table Rentals- Elegant Events CU

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Suit Shop

Southwest Design Team:

  • Florist- Create A Scene

  • Baker- Hunny Bunny Bakes

  • Photographer- Karen Shoufler Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- Create A Scene

  • Table Rentals- Create A Scene

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Suit Shop

South Design Team:

  • Florist- Fancy Florals by Nancy

  • Baker- Pan and Cake Catering

  • Photographer- K Darling Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- CU Flower House

  • Table Rentals- Herriott’s

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Michelle’s Bridal and Tuxedo

East Coast Design Team:

  • Florist- J. Blu Designs

  • Baker- RegCakes Gluten Free Bakery

  • Photographer- Karen Shoufler Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- Herriott’s

  • Table Rentals- Herriott’s

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Suit Shop

2022 Pantone’s Colors of the Year Design Team:

  • Florist- A. Hunt

  • Baker- Hunny Bunny Bakes

  • Photographer- Lisa Schreffler Photography

  • Ceremony Arch Rental- CU Flower House

  • Table Rentals- Hall’s Rentals

  • Bride & Groom Stylist- Michelle’s Bridal and Tuxedo

Maggie Farchmin