Planning a wedding can be stressful. Trips to the caterer, photographer and dress shop, not to mention the thousands of details to be considered, can leave a bride and her family feeling flustered. But on March 6, Brentwood merchants will help relieve some of that stress with A Bride’s Day Out a one-stop, all-inclusive free bridal fair designed to show brides – and grooms – that everything they need for their Big Day can be found locally.

“Part of the purpose of this event is to show people that they don’t have to drive Vasco Road or sit on Highway 4 anymore to shop for their weddings,” said Annette Beckstrand, owner of His and Her Formal Wear in Brentwood and one of the organizers of the event. “When people realize that everything they need is right here, it becomes a more pleasant, fun undertaking and much less stressful.”

This is the second season of A Bride’s Day Out – supported by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce – and this time around additional merchants and local vendors have signed on, allowing the fair to expand its reach to include more than 30 local businesses and vendors such as photographers, florists, caterers, limousine services and spa specialists.

And of course, bridal gowns. Melinda Torgersen, owner of The Catwalk Boutique, an upscale, resale consignment shop on Oak Street, believes her selection of consignment – as well as new garments – is popular with brides, bridesmaids and mothers-of-the-bride alike.

“This is my second year participating in A Bride’s Day Out and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Torgersen. “Last year was a great turnout and this time around all the merchants are just so excited to be doing this again. The vibe out there is really great.”

Tena Parish, owner of TLCakes in the Sunset Plaza Shopping Center on Brentwood Boulevard, participated in the event last year and said she was impressed with the community turnout. This time, she expects an even larger reception.

“The truth is that everything you need for a wedding is right here in town,” said Parish. “It’s convenient for a bride to not have to run all over. And in my business especially, which has perishable products, it’s nice not to have a long travel time. I’m excited for this year’s event; there has been a lot of support.”

But in case quality merchandise, great prices and convenient shopping aren’t enough, visitors to A Bride’s Day Out will also have an opportunity to win a $1,000 gift card good for use at any one or a variety of businesses participating in the bridal fair.

“The big thing this year is the Blackout Bingo,” said Beckstrand, referring to one of the fair’s featured attractions. “If you visit every merchant (participating in A Bride’s Day Out) and get your card stamped, you can enter it in a raffle to win the gift card.

“Last year you couldn’t even walk through our store, there were so many people, and this time we have even more vendors and prizes and discounts. So we expect a great turnout. It’s a wonderful community event.”

A Bride’s Day Out will be held March 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. For a complete list of participating vendors, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 925-634-3344 or visit www.brentwooddowntown.com.