About Us

Wedding Festivals owners Marc and Colleen Wheeler have been producing bridal trade shows since 1990, and produce 9 shows a year in the Upstate of South Carolina, Charleston SC and Western North Carolina.

Wedding Festivals has earned several International Awards including the Directors Cup Award, Best of Show Decorations award, Social Media and Advertising awards, and the Trailblazer award from Bridal Show Producers International.

Colleen graduated with two degrees in Theater Production from North Greenville University and Anderson University in 1992 and says her training in this area has helped to make their shows unique. She also grew up in her family importing business which included wedding supplies and industry wholesale expositions, Colleen’s mother Janette Thompson, was one of the pioneers of artificial flowers and started designing and importing in the 60’s. As a child, Colleen spent a lot of time with her mother visiting factories in China and playing in the floral showrooms in their Hong Kong office in the 70’s and 80’s. Many of their importing and design customers included, Hollywood and Disney.

For over 30 years, Colleen and Marc have worked on every level of the wedding industry. Working with brides through the retail side and serving the wedding industry in bringing brides and businesses together. Colleen served on the Board of Directors for Bridal Show Producers International for six years. Marc served four terms on the board and became director during covid.

Wedding Festivals works with over 400 wedding related businesses each year and assists over 3,500 brides per year in planning their weddings. Their website, weddingfestivals.com is very popular among local brides in assisting them in planning their wedding.

Marc and Colleen Wheeler are also the co-founders of The Upstate Bridal Association.

The Wheelers and their daughter Kennedy Kapanzhi also produce over 150 complete package weddings per year at their 2 wedding venues: The Gassaway Mansion a 1920’s 22,000 square foot mansion in Downtown Greenville, SC and their Victorian Greenhouse Conservatory in Taylors SC at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kennedy has grown up in the wedding and bridal show business and adds a younger perspective to the their marketing and fashion shows. Kennedy Received her Bachelors of Marketing from Regent University in 2020.

Bridal Show Producers International Directors Cup Award

In addition to other International Awards, Wedding Festivals has been recognized by BSPI for their outstanding work.

The Director’s Cup is the highest international industry award given to a bridal show expo company. The award recognizes the industry’s single most outstanding bridal show producer who demonstrates professionalism, character, integrity, and performance.