[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="177" caption="The first bride in the amazing gown."]
[/caption]A new wedding gown in bridal shop can be beautiful. And an old wedding gown worn by someone you love? Far more.
One of the most remarkable displays of the latter that I have ever seen was presented at The Special Event 2006 in Dallas at the Wedding Luncheon. Initially, the event team wanted to showcase the latest bridal fashions. But when that plan fell through, they switched instead to a straightforward display of the wedding gowns worn by their own mothers. The result was unforgettable.
In a similar vein, my hat is off—or, make that my bridal veil—to Wendy Anderson and her team at WOW Events for the outstanding event they just created for the 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival in Los Angeles.
The event included the story of a wedding gown worn by a Japanese-American bride during World War II who at the time of her wedding was incarcerated at the Manzanar Relocation Center in southern California. That same dress was worn by five other brides. Finally, the dress was worn at the festival by the great-granddaughter of the original bride.
I love special events with headline entertainment, top-flight decor and cutting-edge special effects.
I also love special events that use event elements so thoughtfully chosen that they pack an undeniable emotional wallop.
And the 2012 Cherry Festival is one.