Still, the Canton woman had no plans to attend the Brides-to-Be Show Sunday afternoon at Summit on the Park – until the florist she hired for her wedding gave her free tickets. Nowicki went, knowing it was an opportunity for her to see the florist's wedding arrangements. While she was there, luck intervened and she ended up winning the grand prize raffle.

With her fiancé on duty in Cheboygan, Nowicki and her mother Darleen Nowicki bundled up and drove to the Summit.

Her prize package included free engagement photos, a groom's ring made of tungsten, a tanning session for the bridal party, a makeover, chair rental and three hours' limousine service.

The Nowickis and hundreds others, including future brides, some with fiancés in tow, mothers and female members of the wedding parties, sampled wedding cake; strawberries dipped in chocolate flowing down a tiered fountain; perused booths offering table settings; travel arrangements; photographs; and watched high-energy fashion shows dedicated to attire for the male and female members of the wedding party.

Jennifer Nowicki, who turns 21 on Tuesday, even sat down for a professional make-up session toward the end of the show. Moments later, her name was called in the grand prize drawing.

Kristin Boyko, 25, of Plymouth, picked up a few prizes, too. Engaged to Johnny Szlinis of Canton, Boyko attended the show with her mother, Corinne Boyko of Plymouth Township, future mother-in-law, Thekla Szlinis of Canton and fellow bride-to-be, best friend Jacqueline Schultz, 26.

Schultz, engaged to Steve Bammert of Flushing, lives in Chicago. She and Kristin Boyko are best friends and have matching bridal planners.

Boyko's prizes included a bridal cuff bracelet and discounts on chair and tuxedo rentals as well as $1,000 off services from Bak Photography.

Corinne Boyko and Thekla Szlinis have each been married for more than 30 years and said a lot has changed since their own weddings.

"We had no limos. We had a town car that came with the hall," said Boyko. "We had a photographer and flowers and that was it."

"We didn't have DJs or video," Szlinis said.

"No, we didn't," Boyko replied, laughing. "We had live bands."

Charissa Glaze, 35, of Ypsilanti arrived at the Summit with another modern-day innovation, choreographer ShaRonda Holly of Canton.

"She knows wedding talk," Glaze said. "She's been in a lot of weddings, organized weddings."

Glaze, an assembler for Ford Motor Company, said she also has a wedding planner. But she relied on Holly to wrangle bridesmaid dresses, a photographer and help pick the perfect cards for invitations. Glaze, whose wedding is set for Sept. 24, plans to have her reception for 150 guests at the Summit, which she said, "had everything I wanted at a price I could afford."

Emily Lee, 34, of Plymouth, Summit on the Park's sales manager, answered questions about the space as well as the Summit's food service company, Continental Catering & Events. She encouraged visitors to try two kinds of wedding cake samples provided by Plymouth-based Sweets 21:  vanilla cake with white crème and a white chocolate icing and chocolate cake with a light chocolate mousse filling topped with dark chocolate icing.

Lee said she reminds brides to focus on basics while planning receptions: food, drink and service.

"A lot of them are worried about centerpieces," she said. "I tell them the decorations aren't what people remember from the reception, unless you have something huge."

At one booth, DJ Marlena invited visitors to fill out forms for a small raffle she had. She said the wedding trend she's noticed lately (besides that people "either love or hate the Chicken Dance song") is "that weddings aren't just for the summer months any more. People get married year-round."

Jamie Denton, 26, of Canton, is planning her nuptials for Feb. 4, 2012.

She and fiancé Edward Winnie, 27, picked the date in part because they'll save more than $500 on a honeymoon trip to Nassau, she said. Plus, the February date is perfect for her plans for red bridesmaid dresses.

Denton said the bridal show is a good chance to think about what other elements she wants to include in her wedding and reception. "The photo booth is a good idea. My sister had that at her wedding and I had forgotten about it until I saw the company here," she said. And, after sampling treats at the chocolate fountain, she's added it to her "must have" list.

Nowicki said despite her big raffle win, she still has a long bridal to-do list.

"I need a hall, a church, transportation, wedding photographer," she said. "I definitely still have plans to make."

The next Brides-to-Be show is Jan. 30 at Laurel Manor in Livonia.