When developer Rocco Termini decided to tackle The Lafayette Hotel project, he knew that he needed to create an environment that would be conducive to weddings. That’s why all of the businesses within the hotel, in one way or another, are able to capitalize on the building’s wedding traffic. One of the businesses that jumped at the opportunity to move into the hotel was Ali Eagen of Anatomy (see story here).
Fast forward six months and clothing designer Ali is on the move again, but in quite a different way. This time she is looking to shake up the bridal industry in Buffalo. Ali and photographer Erica Eichelkraut Zilbauer (Main Street Studios) have decided to showcase some of the best bridal talents in Buffalo, in an relatively intimate setting – something that Ali and Erica feel will elevate the bridal scene in Greater Buffalo for those looking for a truly special wedding planning experience. “Erica and I got together to talk about a photo shoot recently,” Ali told me. “We began to talk about the brides that we were meeting, and felt that there were select services available that needed to be showcased. Of course there are those readily available services that maybe are lacking in uniqueness, which is fine for some brides that don’t have the time to research alternatives. When we started to discuss the local vendors that we were both working with we suddenly realized that there was an opportunity to provide an elevated experience for brides – with professionals that we both recommend and trust. We are looking to put together a more exclusive and intimate boutique bridal party, bringing our preferred choices together in order to reset the standard for a Buffalo wedding.”
*The Boutique Bridal Party is a creative cocktail party which will cultivate an intimate and personal environment for the brides to meet a curated collection of wedding artisans, specializing in hand-crafted products and specialty services. The Boutique Bridal Party guests can enjoy signature cocktails and complimentary hors d’oeuvres, as well as
boutique displays, accessory and jewelry trunk sales, fashion shows, musical performances & more. The event will
showcase vendors in bridal attire, accessories and jewelry, photography, videography, hair and makeup, invitation
design, catering, floral arrangements, planning and gifts. There will be party favors, as well as large prizes from each
vendor and the first 75 brides in attendance will receive a complimentary bridal tote bag. Brides are encouraged to
grab their favorite cocktail dress, their girlfriends and head downtown for evening of fun at a bridal show like no
other.
Tickets are only $8 per person, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Compass House, a non-for-profit
organization assisting WNY homeless youth. Tickets are available online at www.boutiquebridalparty.com and
at the door (as this is a smaller bridal show, it is recommended that tickets be purchased in advance to guarantee
entry).