A Bridal Show Alternative in the Form of a Big Fake Wedding

About

The Event

Complete with dinner and drinks, an emotional vow-renewal ceremony and a dance-party reception, The Big Fake Wedding (formerly known as The NotWedding) has become a killer alternative to a bridal show.

The Big Fake Wedding was the first event of its kind when it was founded in 2008, creating an experiential opportunity for wedding vendors to showcase their products and services to shopping brides and grooms just as they would at a real wedding. Ten years later in 2018, The Big Fake Wedding is still the most uniquely curated and most far-reaching bridal show alternative in the nation, attracting over 6,000 attendees and 1,000 vendors annually across 30+ events in 25 cities. The hand-selected vendors perform their services as they would at a real wedding, and the “wedding guests” get to hear the music, taste the cakes, and smell the flowers… while enjoying a night of great food, dancing and surprises, leaving brides-and-grooms-to-be saying “I want my wedding to be just like that!” For brides and grooms, the event serves as a source of inspiration, a resource in finding trusted wedding vendors and an emotional reminder to plan for what comes after the wedding: a marriage! For participating wedding vendors, the event exposes their business to new referral sources, while also exposing each vendor to a wealth of inspiration, resources and confidence to take their business to the next level.

The History

In 2008, aspiring wedding photographer Callie Murray was looking for a way to effectively build her new business. With the goals of promoting small businesses, inspiring brides and grooms, and encouraging solid marriages, she rallied her wedding industry friends together to create the ultimate wedding experience: a perfectly planned “wedding” where brides- and grooms-to-be could actually see vendors in action. The inaugural event was a hit, and it became an annual event in Atlanta. Callie has since been joined by an amazing team of people who have helped bring The Big Fake Wedding to cities across the country.

The Team

Interested in joining our gang? Click here to see a list of our current job openings.

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Before Jennifer was our CEO, she was our first ever surprise real wedding! Since then, she and her husband have become the owners and stewards of The Big Fake Wedding. With their experience in growing and expanding business internationally, they make the perfect team to carry out our vision and mission.

Jennifer Ammons

CEO

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Austin is in charge of bringing on stellar vendors in a number of our cities, as well as managing our incredible sales team. She is also overseeing our first ever baby show, Swaddle + Swoon. Austin and her husband live in Columbia, SC with their four little ones!

Austin Hubbard

Vice President of Sales

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Say hello to Ashleymae – you can take the girl out of California but you can’t take the California out of the girl. If her love for escape rooms gives you any indication, she’s always up for an adventure. One of Ashley’s main strengths is woo (winning others over), so she makes the perfect Production Manager.

Ashleymae Elmore

Director of Production

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Abigail is a born and bred Georgia Peach and Berry College Grad! In her spare time you can find her sipping on wine with her family, listening to murder-mystery podcasts and hosting themed dinner parties for her closest peers. One day she hopes to have a bed & breakfast in Franklin, Tennessee!

Abigail Collins

Director of Marketing

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Jamie started on our team back in The NotWedding days and eventually worked to bring our event to the northeast, specifically Cape Cod. Jamie owns a wedding planning business, Cape Cod Celebrations, but loves being a part of The Big Fake Wedding team where she gets the chance to produce events all over the country.

Jamie Bohlin

Sales Manager

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Jessica is our Minneapolis-based production manager! Her biggest strength is optimism and flexibility is practically her middle name. If she isn’t curled up with a good book (suspense is her current genre of choice), she is out on the town exploring the newest and prettiest place to get her prosecco fix.

Jessica Pickering

Production Manager

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Callie started The Big Fake Wedding (then called The NotWedding) in 2008. After eight years of growing both the business and her family (they’ve welcomed three little girls in that time!), she has moved from her title as Owner to Founder. Callie is now the Director of Growth for Lasting: an app that makes marriage counseling accessible to all!

Callie Murray

Founder

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