Philly Wedding Vendors Are Joining Forces for a COVID-Safe Mini Wedding Expo

The Creative Weddings During COVID event takes place Saturday, Sept. 12th, at Location 215 and two other Philadelphia venues. Photo by Jillian Guyette; florals by RAM Floral; hair and makeup by Jessica Pineda

Planning a wedding amid the pandemic has made many couples think differently about what matters most in their Big Day (and surrounding celebrations), and how to even pull it off in a style suited to their personal tastes. But the reservation-only Creative Weddings During COVID event, set for Saturday, September 12th, wants to make it easier for you — and support female-owned Philadelphia wedding businesses and the community in the process.

“We tend to attract a very creative, non-conventional type of couple,” says Location 215 owner Jennifer Blauvelt, who dreamed up the event (dubbed “an exhibition of inspiration and innovation for celebrating the creative couple”) alongside Michelle Mazer, vice president of Eventsful Inc. “So we wanted to be really thoughtful about having an experiential event for people to come and see female-owned businesses.”

Set at three different locations (the aforementioned Location 215, the Viaduct and Love City Brewing in the Spring Arts District) and taking place between noon and 5 p.m., the afternoon features more than 15 businesses and is designed to be part speed dating-style expo and museum walking tour, according to Blauvelt. (Temperature checks will be required for entry, and mask-wearing and social-distancing will be mandated.)

Here’s how it works: Guests will register for one of three time slots, which last about an hour and a half. (There is a 25-person max for each segment, with no more than 75 attendees throughout the day.) You will be separated into groups of no more than six with your own Matchmaking Concierge (dressed in Location 215 masks with lavender-scented hand sanitizer at the ready), who will lead you through the six exhibits, ranging from Bachelorette Party to a Beer and Dessert Pairing. (You will also get a map.)

Among the participants who are showing off their skills (as bakers, culinary pros, stationery experts and more) are Jen Carroll (of Bravo’s Top Chef fame), whose Carroll Couture Cuisine will dish it out in the Micro-Wedding exhibit. Forget Me Knot, a flower repurposing company, will help you make bouquets for front-line workers at Jefferson Hospital; see the bloom expert in action at the Interactive Experience showcase. And DJ Jane Elizabeth, owner of local DJ biz Stylus, will be setting the tunes at the Photo Display. (See the full list here.) The vendors’ goal: to show you that you don’t need to compromise on the aesthetics of your celebration — or sacrifice safety.

Tickets cost $25 each and reservations are required in advance. (Click here to reserve your spot.) All proceeds will be donated to the Women Against Abuse’s COVID-19 Fund. (Food and drink will be available for purchase.) “We want to be sensitive to the fact that people have lost family members and lives, and people have family on the front lines,” finishes Blauvelt. “We wanted to make that a part of what we are doing: giving back.”

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