Mane Event Bridal Boutique @ the Hard Rock Hotel

There comes a time when a deejay, like myself, steps away from focusing on a dance floor and ventures into something slightly different. If you think I'm going to talk about bungee jumping or log rolling, please do think again! My reference is to bridal shows. As its title suggests, these events gather vendors into one space to promote themselves and sell their wedding wares to brides—and husbands—to-be. The Mane Event Bridal Boutique gathered over twenty of Chicago's finest vendors into the spacious and classy Fender Room at the Hard Rock Hotel, and Fig was definitely part of the action.

The mighty Fig team consisted of seven talented individuals who all performed their jobs quite well. My partner Alvin was the deejay of the afternoon, handling music cues and spinning a cool, ambient mix of Latin and downtempo house. Emily handled photography and the main video camera simutaneously, never missing a beat. Brian was the main photographer and live photo editor of the day, who happened to receive accolades from some of the ladies who were at the boutique. (Go get 'em, tiger!) Melissa was the "video deejay" of the event, who ran the video mixer and produced a number of slideshows and wedding videos. Our producer of the event was Jon Hood, who did a great job networking with other vendors and keeping his team informed and motivated with his constructive feedback. Andrew, our revered sales manager and coordinator of the event, presenced himself at the event for moral support and to enjoy all the boutique had to offer. Lastly, yours truly took the role of emcee, welcoming guests and making announcements, as well as a little deejaying on the side. Together, we made the event shine with our teamwork, energy, and creativity, providing the live sounds and visuals for all to see.

Along with the lovely Virginia, the main coordinator of the Mane Event boutique, we worked with a number of vendors that afternoon, including Equinox Fitness, David Barton Gym, Design on a Budget, Arbonne, and I Do! I Do! The events of the day included a number of raffles, as well as a fashion show featuring a breathtaking array of wedding gowns and couture from the Le Sposé di Angela and Jenny Yoo collections. Captivatingly so, there was also a woman dressed as—and get this—an exquisite dinner table, complete with edible treats! She was donning an Elizabethian powdered wig, dress, and a fan made of eating utensils. Live entertainment; none the finer.

The only disappointing factor of this event is that there were not many couples there, which lessened the opportunities to get contacts and make business with new people. As I have learned from the past bridal shows I have participated in, some of the key relationships made in this kind of environment are those with the other vendors. In any case, this was Fig's opportunity to present our capabilities, as well as allow its choice members to share their talent. And yes, this was more exciting than bungee jumping or log rolling—and a heck of a lot safer, to boot!

- Brent Rolland, resident deejay