Cumbria’s reputation as the ultimate rural wedding destination is continuing to grow, with the return of the Lake District Wedding Fair – a two-day event for brides and grooms to meet around 80 local wedding venues, suppliers, attractions and activity providers.

The region is increasingly regarded as one of the UK’s most scenic and inspiring wedding destinations and weddings are an important part of Cumbria’s £3 billion tourism sector.

This year’s inaugural Lake District Wedding Fair welcomed around 1000 visitors from around the UK, meeting face-to-face with businesses from all corners of the county.

For February 2020, there will be a range of new additions, including a ‘Natural Wedding Zone’ where visitors can discover more about going green on their big day. The new theme is tapping into the growing desire for eco-friendly weddings, which is expected to be a big trend in the New Year.

Natural Cumbria Weddings Manager Annabel Candler is one of the event organisers. She says, “As with other areas of life, people are becoming more aware of their actions and the consequences for the environment.

“This movement is getting stronger each year and 2020 will see a huge rise in this for the industry. It has taken a while for the domestic issues to be altered but now recycling, reusing and reducing is more popular in the home, weddings follow!”

In total, the Lake District Wedding Fair is expected to include around eighty exhibitors from across Cumbria, from bridalwear, cakes and flowers to photography, entertainment and specialist vehicle hire.

There will also be live entertainment, the ‘Look’ fashion show, street food vendors and a series of special workshops to help couples plan their big day.

Annabel says Cumbrian businesses have a great opportunity to tap into people’s desire to get away from their day-to-day pressures for their big day.

She comments, “One glance at the horizon or across a serene lake side and you know why Cumbria is continuing to gain popularity as a location for weddings. Couples want to escape a manic city life and retreat to the fells as often as they can. This then creates a happy place for them which automatically links with a loving celebration.

“From a business point of view, wedding suppliers in our part of the world are uniquely placed to offer unique experiences intrinsically linked to our world-famous landscape. “

The event is being held in association with Cumbria Tourism and Head of Marketing and Sales, Rachel Tyson, believes it’s important for businesses to remember that weddings aren’t just about one day.

She says, “Hen and stag dos, mini-moons and honeymoons all provide new opportunities for businesses. Many couples who marry here will also continue to return to the same venue year after year, to reminisce on their special day – so our wedding-related businesses genuinely can inspire repeat guests for life.”

The Lake District Wedding Fair takes place in the Exhibition Hall on 22 and 23 February 2020 at the J36 Rural Auction Centre near Kendal.

For more information about exhibiting or visiting the event, contact: www.lakedistrictweddingfair.co.uk.