The United at the Union wedding exposition is getting prepped and ready for their event from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Held in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on Iowa State’s campus, the expo will showcase vendors and businesses that highlight all the newest wedding trends of the season.

Jessica Erickson, the Weddings and Special Events Coordinator at Iowa State spoke on where the inspiration for the Wedding Expo came from.

“You can get married here at the Memorial Union, you can get married out on central campus, you can get married in Lagomarcino courtyard,” Erickson said. “There’s just a lot of areas on campus that people weren’t aware you can use for wedding spaces.”

Erickson explained that bringing a wedding expo to Iowa State provides wedding vendors and the Ames community an outlet to make connections and showcase the university’s wedding opportunities.

United at the Union’s fall 2021 expo will exhibit over 15 vendors and catering options. ISU Dining is even making 250 cupcakes for the event (of course, all samples).

The expo is free of charge for the general public, and the event coordinators encourage all to come, engaged or not. VIP passes are available for $10 and open up more prize opportunities and exclusive experiences. Attendees are also able to sign up for vendor packages that vary based on the vendor’s services.

150 people have pre-registered, and Erickson expects that number to grow in the days leading up to the event. Pre-registration is not required, but it is encouraged as those who pre-register will be able to win door prizes and other giveaways.

Grace Hoins, Weddings and Special Events Assistant Coordinator, shared some things she found trending in the wedding circuit.

“There’s lots of photo booths scattered around the expo,” Hoins said. “We’re excited because we partner with ISU Dining and Catering here in the MU and they’re bringing a lot of their fun dessert options… They’re also bringing appetizers which is exciting!”

Erickson said that vendors are also gearing towards modern wedding trends like neon signs, designed tables, quality foods and stellar chinaware.

The coordinators also noted that the expo holds giveaways every 30 minutes. The giveaway prizes range from discounted tux rentals to small wedding goodies.

United at the Union has a mission to create a space where attendees and vendors feel welcome to create the wedding of their dreams.

“It’s not a bridal expo, it’s a wedding expo,” Hoins said. “We want to be inclusive to everyone who is getting married. So that’s something that we really have been striving to do within the past couple of years.”

Those wanting to attend the United at the Union wedding expo can pre-register on the event site and follow @muweddings on Instagram and Facebook for additional information.