Onslow County rates first in number of marriages among counties in North Carolina, which makes it big business. To capitalize on that unique demographic, the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Onslow County Tourism, the city of Jacksonville and Digity Media will hold the second Bridal Expo “Engaged Onslow” from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Feb. 21 at the American Legion building, 146 Broadhurst Road, Jacksonville.
“Because we are a military community, many couples are married at the Justice of Peace, but when the military member comes back (from deployment), the couples often hold a destination wedding here in Onslow County,” said Dawn Jensen of the Chamber of Commerce and coordinator for the Bridal Expo. “They are new to the community so we want the Expo to be a one-stop shop where couples and their families can see and meet at one venue the businesses that serve Onslow County.”
According to statistics provided to the Chamber of Commerce by the Onslow County Register of Deeds, Onslow had 2,772 marriage licenses issued in 2012; 2,762 in 2013; 2,599 in 2014, and 98 marriage licenses have already been issued for the month of January, Jensen said. The Chamber chose Jensen who is an experienced wedding and event planner to coordinate the Bridal Expo. Jensen, a military wife and mother, has been doing weddings in Jacksonville for 13 years and has worked as an event planner for Marine Corps Community Services and the Chamber of Commerce. She is also the military affairs manager for the Chamber.
Early results from last year’s Bridal Expo indicate that couples are responding. Julie Keoho, sales director for LBA Properties attended last year’s Expo where she handed out brochures and information about the three hotels that LBA operates, Townplace Suites by Marriott, Home2 Suites by Hilton, and Fairfield by Marriott. Over the course of this year, wedding guests produced about $50,000 in bookings, Keoho said. This year, LBA is partnering with other businesses to offer spa parties and makeup artists that come to the hotel for the wedding.
“I am really excited,” Keoho said. “It is a great opportunity to partner with other businesses.”
The idea for a Bridal Expo in Onslow was born in 2010 when former Chamber president Mona Padrick and Theresa Carter, director of Tourism, attended a workshop in Wilmington. At the workshop, the speaker included statistics of number of marriage licenses issued in each county to promote bridal expos. The bar on the chart representing Onslow far outstretched the other counties. Padrick and Carter had no idea and realized the county was missing a great opportunity to serve the population, Carter said. Work began then to make Onslow County not only the first in marriages, but also the first in weddings, particularly destination weddings held on Onslow’s pristine beaches, in barns in the lush countryside, at the Country Club or on the water at Marston Pavilion at Camp Lejeune. The first bridal expo was held in 2014. The 2015 event is shaping up to be bigger and better, Jensen said, with some new ideas such as the Ultimate Bridal Package giveaway.
The Ultimate Bridal Package should include a dress or money towards a dress for the bride, a tuxedo for the groom, limousine service, a DJ, flowers, a cake, photographer, and a wedding planner for the day. To win, brides must register by calling (910) 347-3141 or on the website engagedonslow.org; must be present at the Expo to win; and the wedding must be held in Onslow County.
Several vendors have already signed up to be part of the Ultimate Bridal Package such as Crystal Coast Tent and Event rentals, Coastal Petals, Charmed Events, and Margolis Men’s Store. Vendors can register to be part of the Ultimate Bridal Package and/or to attend the event by calling the Chamber or at the website engagedonslow.org.
Admission to the Expo is $7 for brides. The first 100 brides to register for the Expo will be given an “engagedonslow” tote to collect materials and information during the Expo.
“We want them (couples and their families) to know that we care about them, that we want them to come back and have their wedding here with us,” Carter said.
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