Thousands of people are set to head to Coventry Building Society Arena next month for a major national wedding show – and one lucky couple will get the chance to win their dream wedding worth up to £20,000.
The National Wedding Fayre is expected to attract up to 6,000 people when it is held on Saturday, February 18 and Sunday, February 19.
It marks the ninth year that the show has been hosted at Coventry Building Society Arena, with the show expanding every year and this year set to welcome 130 exhibitors.
For the last four years the show has featured a popular competition for couples to win their wedding with the proceeds of entry fees to the wedding competition donated to the show’s chosen charity.
Last year the competition raised in excess of £1,500 for Nerve Tumours UK and since its inception it has raised £10,000 for charitable causes.
Kathryn Peach and Jamie Krumins won the 2022 competition and enjoyed their big day at Brandon Hall Hotel and Spa.
This year the National Wedding Fayre has partnered with Ansty Hall Hotel as the venue for the competition winners.
The show attracts exhibitors from across the wedding planning industry, ranging from bridal experts, suit specialists, venues and travel experts to support with couples planning a honeymoon abroad.
Two 25-minute fashion shows will take place each day in the afternoon, with the winner of the wedding competition announced at 3pm on Sunday.
Wayne Littlewood, from Coventry, is the event organiser behind the show and runs a string of smaller shows around Warwickshire and the West Midlands in the lead-up to the showpiece Coventry event.
He says that there is a clear shift this year in the wedding industry seeking to provide more cost-effective solutions for couples looking to get married in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
Wayne said: “The cost-of-living crisis is certainly having an impact on the wedding industry, and we know that many couples are planning for 2024 or 2025, which has resulted in less weddings planned for this year.”
“But this has meant that wedding organisers, venues and the industry as a whole have been thinking outside the box in how they can provide cost-effective options to help couples enjoy their dream day this year.
“Our Win a Wedding Competition has been a huge hit in recent years and raised thousands for charity, and this year it could provide an incredible prize for a couple when finances may be tighter than usual.
“We’re proud to have hosted the show nine times at Coventry Building Society Arena and look forward to continuing our growth here in the coming years.”
The National Wedding Fayre was first held at Coventry Building Society Arena in 2013 and has more than doubled in size since its debut. A deal has been signed for the show to continue to be held at the Arena until 2029.
A new VIP lounge has been launched for the National Wedding Fayre this year, with a dancefloor, bar, photo booth and canapes.
To find out more about the show, its wedding competition, and to purchase tickets, visit www.nationalweddingfayre.co.uk