Most brides-to-be hope the most perfectly planned wedding will be their own, but for the past three years, that distinction has also belonged to a wedding that's not even really a wedding.
"The Not Wedding," launched in 2008 by Atlantan, Callie Murray, has all the elements of perfection from the food to the flowers to the music... even a happy couple, who just happen to already be married.
Murray, 25, a wedding photographer, was seeking to promote her business when she had the idea to throw a fake wedding. "I thought we could just put on the ultimate wedding and invite engaged girls," Murray said. "It's like dinner theater."
It takes about six months to plan the event, which features one to three vendors in several wedding appropriate categories. Each vendor has the opportunity to flaunt their goods and services to a captive audience as the event unfolds. Guests receive a program with vendor credits and have the opportunity to meet with vendors when the show ends.
"My best clients were the ones who had been at weddings that I had photographed," said Murray, who reasoned that a staged wedding would be a much better show of skill for vendors than camping out for a weekend in a booth as they do for traditional bridal shows.
Tickets include a full dinner catered by Sun in my Belly, wine and cake followed by a dance party. A few surprises are also in store and the event includes special treats like the food truck from Westside Creamery giving out free ice cream as guests arrive.
Atlanta brides have already turned the Not Wedding into an adjective (as in, "that is a Not Wedding bride," Murray said) and next month, the event will reach brides in cities including Orlando and San Diego.
Murray, who had a simple church wedding that featured a wedding march by Phil Wickham ("Divine Romance") and Krispy Kreme donuts in the church basement finds it funny that she has created a much-hyped event in the wedding industry, but also notes that it gives her a unique opportunity.
"It is important for me to remind girls that a wedding is a huge deal and fun to plan, but after the wedding comes a marriage," Murray said.
Event Preview
The Not Wedding
Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Thursday. $40.
Ambient Plus Studio, 585 Wells St. S.W. Unit A.
www.thenotwedding.com. 678-775-8261.
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