DE Campus Life Editor

Patrick Claybook and his fiancee Judy Almon came to campus Sunday in search of a wedding photographer for their upcoming nuptials.

Claybrook was enthusiastic about finding an array of merchants in one building.

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This is pretty convenient, Claybrook said. We don’t have to drive 100 miles to see all of these people.

The seventh annual Bridal Extravaganza assembled 35 local merchants in the Student Center to help engaged couples such as Claybrook and Almon plan the perfect wedding with ease.

An estimated 500 to 600 people attended the event, which was sponsored by the Student Center, the Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau, B & A Travel Service, Mr. Tuxedo & Bridal, the Zimmer Radio Group, the Southern Illinoisan and Ruthie’s Ltd.

David Coracy of B & A Travel Service said the large event began as a way for the area’s independent merchants to reach couples who were planning a wedding. Although the nature of the businesses vary, once a year they are able to cater to the same market by participating in Bridal Extravaganza. Vendor space for the popular event usually sells out in November.

Coracy said his business usually gets a big boost each year at Bridal Extravaganza. Last year about 900 people attended the event.

We usually end up with two to four dozen couples in our honeymoon registry, he said. The number of couples has doubled in the last three years.

Coracy said attendance was probably down at this year’s event because of the spring-like weather over the weekend. Still, the event’s featured presentation had a standing-room-only audience.

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Fashion On The Runway attracted most of the eventgoers with its elaborate display of wedding fashions for everyone in the wedding party. In all, 106 wedding fashions were modeled as a string quartet serenaded the audience with the soft strains of Here Comes the Bride.

Delmarcus Collins, a senior in education from Chicago, was on hand for the fashion show. He said Bridal Extravaganza ’98 was only a preview of wedding festivities he is looking forward to this year.

My best friend’s getting married in March, and my parents are celebrating their 25th anniversary in December, he said. I think this event was nice for me to come to.