Herald Neighbors

Abride’s Wedding Showcase makes Nautical Mile debut

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The Queens Village friends, Denise Cetin, 30, and Alex Coupet, 30, perused a book filled with dozens of bridal gowns. Though she is practically one-year from getting married, Coupet said she started planning her wedding almost immediately after getting engaged. By attending the Abride’s Wedding Showcase, AWS, on May 19, at The Factory on the Nautical Mile in Freeport, she hoped she could get ideas for her big day.

The Factory welcomed hundreds of brides, like Coupet, looking for wedding ideas and deals. This was AWS’ first year on the Nautical Mile and is hosted by L&M Pary Productions’ Wedding Coordinators. Owner Lindsay Covello from Plainview said she loved the beauty the Nautical Mile had to offer and wanted to share it with the attendees.

“My job as a wedding planner is to ensure that all brides know the details,” Covello said. “This showcase is to help them understand; see and touch the wedding dresses and hear a DJ.”

Covello’s company is a full-service party planning organization and has hosted four other shows in an effort to support Long Island business owners in the wedding industry. Throughout the event, there were over 30 vendors offering services that included entertainment bookings, DJs and a live event painter alongside a number of local business like The Bridal World from South Freeport, Merrick’s Beautiful People Salon and Beach Fit from Oceanside. The wedding show is unique as it provides brides with a full day of interactive vendors and experiences.

While brides got their hair done, others played Black Jack for a shot to win a honeymoon.

“We try to make it as interactive and fun as possible,” Covello said.

The highlights of the day were the models walking and talking with brides in wedding gowns, hair and makeup trials and “bridal boot camp” fitness class.

Coupet openly shared the kind of dress she didn’t want to wear was a relief to see the different style of gowns at the event.

“The dresses were nice,” Coupet said. “I really got visualize what it would be [like for me in person].

The afternoon closed with a honeymoon giveaway, a cake cutting and tasting and additional raffles.