Dream Big at Flower-Powered Bridal Bonanza

Not everyone can be like Prince William and Kate Middleton and have a team of wedding planners who work on their behalf to plan an upcoming wedding ceremony.

For those that have to do it themselves, is hosting its annual this weekend at the Best Western Sterling Inn.

"It's an opportunity to show off our work," said Marina Boddy, who works in wedding sales for the florist and is preparing for the coming wedding season.

While Boddy can coach brides on style and flower choices for their wedding, there will also be a large number of exhibitors who will be showing their wares from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Best Western Sterling Inn.

Viviano will show off dozens of bouquets, corsages and centerpieces, all to help brides-to-be dream, imagine and plan their big day.

Of course it won't all be flowers. Exhibitors will display their wares and services. Those who attend can meet and greet photographers, deejays, hairdressers, makeup artists and travel agents.

Attendees can sample cakes and other sweets. They can also pick up discounts on various services and supplies and get a chance at prizes, including $500 off wedding flowers.

But before the party there's the prep, and designers Thursday were plucking, snipping, spritzing and arranging flowers. Peter Viviano, president of Viviano Flower Shop, said the designers were working with specific color themes, but they do get to strut their creative stuff.

Sara Komasara, wedding department manager for Viviano's, said the designers had eight colors to work with: Navy, chocolate, tangerine, eggplant, kiwi, apple (green), black and pink.

Of course it's not limited to exactly Hershey bar brown or almost-black purple eggplant. Viviano picked up an off-white rose, a Mundial variety, that will be used in a bouquet.

He said he's been on a waiting list to get these babies, as they're a hybrid rose that grows like a garden variety. Basically that means they have the showiness of a garden rose, but the hybridization has created a longer vase life and more stability.

Information like that is one of the reasons the folks at Viviano hope you'll go to a pro for flowers. "Have faith in your florist," Viviano says. They can lead you to the blooms that are best for your tastes, your needs and the season in which you're tying the knot.

And at a show like this one, it's a good opportunity to start planning your dream wedding.

"We give lots of face time," Komasara says. People can linger, ask questions, get ideas, and so on–and not just for flowers, but for halls, the cake, photographers and beyond.

While attendees can enjoy the coziness of the bridal bonanza, businesses and vendors benefit, too.

John Richmond of Richmond Photography in Rochester Hills does about 50 weddings a year in addition to shooting other events. He says the annual show has been good to him. He enthusiastically described some of the setup he had planned:  a rich blue wall, custom shelving and a photo with spotlight shining down upon it.

"Wow-factor is key," he said.

Plus attendees can sample cake and enjoy the chocolate fondue fountain, he added.

Of choosing Sterling Inn, Viviano says they run a kind of "roaming venue." Last year the event was at San Marino Club, but this year the planners went for a more central location and a good size. But, he adds, they're not getting too big.

The size of the show keeps a more personal feel, he says. They're expecting about 500-600 brides to show, and a total of 1,500-1,600 to attend.

Viviano says people who attend the show can take home bouquets at the close of the show–one per person, he stresses.

It's definitely an incentive to stay until the end.