Marshall University’s second annual Bridal and Special Event Expo showcased the many facilities and services the school has to offer on Sunday afternoon in the Memorial Student Center.

The event included vendors and businesses from all over the Tri-State, almost all of which raffled off prizes to attendees to promote their products.

William “Tootie” Carter, business manager for student center operations, said this year’s event featured more vendors and had a better turnout visually than before.

“We book anything non-academic on campus (for the Expo),” Carter said. “Whether it’s this building or otherwise: the lobby, classrooms, the plaza, really anything.”

Carter said he wants to get the word out that Marshall’s campus can be booked for many different events, from wedding receptions to reunions.

The event also provided free food to guests, catered by Sodexo Catering, Marshall’s premier caterer.

Toril Lavender, owner and photographer of Lavender Photography and a returning vendor, said the event was publicized very well and that she hopes the repeated exposure will bring in new clients.

“I think it’s just nice to be visible in the community and different places,” Lavender said. “You know, people see you enough times and they’ll see you the last time and it finally clicks.”

Other vendors included RoseTree Boutique, Spurlock Flowers, Sun Tan City, A to Z Rentals and Suzcatering, along with several travel agencies and DJ’s.

Sophomore Chesney Poole said she is newly engaged, and the event made it easy to picture her wedding as a whole.

“It was nice to have everything in one place,” Poole said. “I think it can be confusing and hard to picture an entire wedding coming together, but this way I could see everything that’s offered at once.”

Poole said she was unaware of and pleasantly surprised with the facilities and services that the university has available to rent.

“I didn’t realize Marshall’s campus had such a nice place to hold an event or possibly a wedding,” Poole said. “I really liked the fact that each vendor would talk to you and kind of make it personal. One woman said she wanted to treat all her clients like family.”

Hanna Pennington can be contacted at penningto131@marshall.edu.