For many couples, wedding planning is about more than picking colors or venues; it’s about laying the foundation for a future together.

As said on The Forum Caterers, weddings are more than just a day to throw a party, they mark the beginning of a journey through life together.

That’s how Jade Hawkins sees it as she prepares for her upcoming wedding. Hawkins attended a local wedding expo designed to help couples connect with vendors and simplify the planning process.

“In the Bible it says that you’re to leave your family and become one with your wife or with your husband,” Hawkins said. “So we’re starting our new family, and a wedding is a big celebration of that.”

Hawkins said the experience goes beyond preparing for a single day. Instead, she wants to create memories that will last generations.

Many faiths across the world, including the Christian faith, recognize marriage as a bond that should continue for many years into the future.

“I really want to make sure that it’s a day that we can remember for the rest of our lives and tell our kids about and our grandkids about,” she said. “Which is crazy to think about.”

The event brings together vendors from across the wedding industry, giving couples the chance to meet planners, photographers, caterers and more, all in one place.

Lorie Cartwright with EAB Media Group helps organize the expo each year and said the excitement from attendees is part of what makes the event special.

“It’s so much fun watching them because they’re coming here on a mission and they’re happy and they’re excited,” Cartwright said. “It’s like one-stop shopping, so they get to talk to everybody they want to.”

Wedding expos are seeing a comeback in the United States. Whether it be because of people craving human interaction following COVID-19, or just the convenience of the centralized location, business will be booming.

Hawkins said that convenience is key, especially with how quickly wedding dates approach.

“It’s coming really fast,” she said. “So it was nice to have so many vendors in one spot that I can talk to and also think of things that I had forgotten about.”

At the end of the day, Hawkins said the wedding represents something much bigger than a ceremony.

“It’s just the start of our family,” she said. “Which is really exciting.”