ROSE HALL, St James — Organisers, exhibitors and patrons have given the fifth staging of the Jamaica Bridal Expo held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James from September 23 to 25, the thumbs up.

The three-day event opened on Friday with a wedding conference, featuring a panel of highly respected industry experts speaking on wedding planning, destination weddings and securing and expanding the business of weddings.

“We were very excited to be a part of the expo this year. We took the opportunity to showcase our Indian wedding theme, as that segment within the destinations wedding market is growing. Overall, the experience has been great. People were able to see themes from exhibitors and they got a chance to see the emerging trends and how they incorporate textures and moods in their offerings,” Lorraine Yapp, the wedding coordinator at the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa in Hanover told the Jamaica Observer West.

Director of weddings and romance at Sandals Resorts International, Marsha-Ann Brown, also gave positive feedback regarding the expo.

“I have found it extremely beneficial, not just to me, but I have gotten the same feedback from others, the entire line- up of speakers was fantastic. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, the interaction and integration between suppliers, vendors and guests was awesome,” Brown explained.

Speakers on the first day of the expo included Angela Profit, event and productivity consultant; Jacqueline Vazquez, international master wedding planner; Kylie Carlson, CEO, The Wedding & Event Institute; Tom Curtin, special travel advisor to Bridal Guide Magazine, and Brown.

The expo segment was opened the following day and saw over 80 exhibitors showcasing products and services for all needs related to weddings. Exhibitors included Sandals Resorts International, Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa, Jewel Resorts, Tai Flora, Exclusiv, Vantage One Event Rentals, Bliss Bridal Boutique and Earl’s Fashion and Tailoring.

Patron Kerry-Ann Thompson expressed delight with the offerings of the expo and the opportunity it provides for persons planning to get married.

“It is excellent for brides-to-be, everthing is in one place, and it helps you to find the service providers in every aspect. It’s just good and I’m happy to be here,” said Thompson.

Jamaica Bridal Expo event director Peter Shoucair spoke of the volume of business that destination weddings bring to the Caribbean and the importance of the event.

“Destination weddings now account for $4 billion of the wedding market in the Caribbean. The event is a big plus for Jamaica as we seek to fill the rooms and take advantage of that market. We promote extensively overseas and we also take Jamaican exhibitors with us to North America to promote brand Jamaica,” Shoucair explained.