Nice day for a white wedding

McALLEN — The bride-to-be perused table after table of wedding planning services without her fiancé.

But Kimberly Mackie, 30 of McAllen, understood his absence. The Dallas Cowboys were playing the New York Giants in the NFL playoffs.

So Mackie trekked without him to the Rio Grande Valley’s largest bridal event, held Sunday afternoon at the McAllen Convention Center. At her side was a neighbor from down the street, Kay McLaughlin, 53. The pair scoped out banquet halls, catering services and musicians. They were kicking off the preparations for the couple’s spring 2009 wedding.

For the fourth consecutive year, the wedding event featured more than 100 exhibits in McAllen. And though it fell on the same day as the playoffs, hundreds attended.

The services on display ranged from the traditional — David’s Bridal — to unique and non conventional — Lany’s Chocolate Fountains.

David’s Bridal handed out information. Lany’s Chocolate Fountains flowed sweet chocolate from fountains as attendees dipped wafers into the dark, sweet decadence. Both businesses aimed to recruit clients.

Organizers said the event helps patrons and businesses. The vendors can appeal to a large group of brides and grooms in one place. People planning weddings can browse a number of services in one building.

Jason C. Honeycutt, 29, bypassed the Cowboys game to take his 26-year-old fiancé, Liliana Cruz, to the event. The couple became engaged three weeks ago, and are on a fast track to their wedding, set for May 31.

When they walked into the fair they only had a church reserved for the event. By day’s end the couple had secured a photographer and florist.

“It’s nice, and you get to see the best of what there is,” Honeycutt said.

Normally, Honeycutt would have had to spend a whole Saturday driving to five different places, looking for maybe a cake or musician. He paid $10 to enter the bridal fair and saved himself the time and gas, he said.

The vendors appreciated it the ease of the event, as well.

Lou Ann Gramann and Janna Cantu play music for weddings, birthday parties and other events.

They started their business, Duo Classical, in August. They said they noticed most musical options in the Rio Grande Valley involve either mariachis or disc jockeys. Their business offers harp, violin and piano music.

They’ve had much interest since starting out last year, and events like this give them a chance to pluck strings for an even wider audience, Gramann said. Her booth sat just inside the doorway to the event.

On the other side of that door, a pair of security guards for the event listened to football on the radio. The San Diego Chargers had just triumphed over the Indianapolis Colts, and in moments the Cowboys would start their bid for a Super Bowl shot.

The guards listened as the wedding planners filed in and out of the event.

Maureen Caballero organizes these fairs from her San Antonio-based firm. She coordinated and attended Sunday’s fair. Watching those guards gave her an idea.

The event already sells beers. Next year, she said, she might set up a television.

That way, the soon-to-be grooms could kick back a cold one and watch the Cowboys, while

already making their future wives happy.

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Zack Quaintance covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.

A sample of wedding planning web sites and phone numbers:

 Maureen Caballero www.weddingfairevents.com

 Lany’s Chocolate Fountains (956) 424-7344

 Duo Classical www.duoclassical.com

 David’s Bridal 682-5151