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‘More reasons to celebrate’: Windsor Wedding Extravaganza returns

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The Windsor Wedding Extravaganza show returned to the Caboto Club this weekend.

Hundreds of couples and attendees took in 130 vendors and local businesses from nearly all wedding professions including photographers, decorators and entertainment.

“It's more vibrant. There's a lot more people out,” said David Webb with Studio RC Rentals in Windsor. “You know, people trying to get back to normal so it feels really good.”

Recently engaged couple Mike Malizia and Kallie Truant said they came to the event to prepare for their September 2024 wedding. 

“We're both Italian. So we're going to have a pretty big wedding as it is and COVID wouldn't have been very good for that.”

The pair said they were looking forward to meeting with photographers and decorators before meeting with everyone on their big day.

“Honestly, there's a lot of people in the family that you haven't got to see too much of since COVID, and some that live out of town and even out of country. So it'll be nice to kind of get everybody together in one big place and be able to celebrate with everybody together.”

“We've had a really great weekend,” explained show organizer, Nancy Campana. 

“The vibe is good. I mean, we're dealing with people who are excited for this you know, they're planning a party and it's fun!”

Campana said it was the first normal show in Windsor since January 2020, six weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting events.

“It was at a complete standstill. I mean, the event planning industry closed first and opened last for large groups,” she said.

Campana explained business has been busy since rules and restrictions eased in 2022, expecting things to remain strong throughout the next couple years.

“The Windsor and Essex County region is growing,” she said. “We have more people moving to this community. Populations growing, more marriages, more weddings. More reasons to celebrate!”

According to Campana, a lot traditional planning changed over the course of the pandemic for couples looking to tie the knot.

“Do it your way. You don't have to do things traditionally,” Campana told CTV News. “If you want to do a small, intimate wedding ceremony with your family and have a party a day or two after you can do that. If you want to do a backyard wedding, you can do that,” she said. “There's risks involved in that which I think a lot of people found out during COVID, you should be prepared for those risks, the weather risks, but you can do 150 in a banquet hall, you can do 800 in a banquet hall so anything really goes and the couples are getting married older and they are doing it their way.”

Campana noted many people are curious about what an acceptable gift is after the last few years as the rising cost of everything has impacted everyone’s budget.

“To cover a wedding and to give a little bit more to couples who are probably looking if you're giving a monetary gift, $150 a person when you go to a wedding. That's a question I get asked a lot,” Campana said. “With that being said, when you get asked to a wedding you give what you can give. You shouldn't ever feel pressured to give more than what you can give.”

Canada’s longest established wedding show wrapped up Saturday at 4 p.m.  

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