Valley vendors unite to create bridal network

By ASHLEY LUTHERN

WARREN — It’s the biggest party that you’ll ever throw for yourself: a wedding.

“This is really all about a huge celebration, and we’re going to help you do it,” said Lori Dubasik, owner of Evaline’s Bridal Boutique, which has been in downtown Warren for more than 55 years.

The “we” that she’s speaking of is the Mahoning Valley Wedding Network, a local organization of wedding vendors that includes everything from photographers to florists.

“We’re with you from when you say ‘I will’ to ‘I do,’” Dubasik said of the comprehensiveness of the group.

The Wedding Network was created in June and has grown to include 15 businesses.

Founder Laurie Dagan, who also owns The Flower Garden Florist in Warren, said that the network will benefit local businesses and their clients.

“The whole idea is for wedding vendors to get to know each other so that we can all give qualified referrals to people that we trust,” Dagan said.

The network is not the first organized effort to have businesses work together in the Valley, but it is the first time that businesses in the wedding industry are coming together officially, she said.

The group’s Web site, www.mvweddings.net, is set to launch today. When visitors go to the site, a list of members will appear, divided by business type and then individual businesses are listed alphabetically. Each business has a short history and link to its own Web site.

Even though Dagan came up with the idea for the Wedding Network, her florist shop is not advertised higher than any other florist.

“There is more than enough business to go around,” she said. “This network is to help people new to the wedding business learn from professionals and for the established businesses to learn new trends from each other.”

Youngstown has a strong tradition of family weddings and even couples who have left the area return to get married, leaving no shortage of wedding work, said Tom Gregory, owner of Gregoryfilms Inc., who said that with 42 weddings, 2008 has been his busiest year.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.