Finding hands to tie the knot

Boston Bridal Lounge, scheduled to open on Newbury Street next month, aims to help couples cope with the $61 billion wedding industry by bringing together 75 specialists to create a kind of one-stop shopping and research center.

“It’s an overwhelming process,’’ said co-owner Eleni Granas. “You don’t know who to trust or where to turn.’’

Need invitations? A photographer? How about a Botox shot before the big day? Granas and Kerri Esposito-Bruneau said they have culled all aspects of wedding planning, from lighting to lingerie, and put them under one roof.

But unlike wedding planners, who handle all the details and are present during the ceremony and reception, Granas and Esposito-Bruneau act more like curators.

“We are not going to help you make your guest list and guide you through every single step. We put you in touch with vendors who can,’’ Esposito-Bruneau said. “We realize couples are busy. We set up appointments for them, and they can meet here.’’

To tap into Boston Bridal Lounge’s network, couples will pay $250 to be matched with professionals who are paying the network between $1,500 and $10,000 a year to be represented and showcased.

Ted Winston, owner of Winston Flowers, with six shops in the Boston area, said a concierge-style wedding service is needed. He signed up with Boston Bridal Lounge months ago.

“For many, it’s the first time they’ve ever [planned a major event] and this is a comfortable place to get questions answered,’’ Winston said. “We’ve had brides come to us that could have benefited from something like this.’’

Like other industries that rely heavily on discretionary spending, the wedding business took a hit during the recession, but it’s on the rebound. In the first half of 2010, the average amount spent on a wedding was up 22 percent to $23,867.

Shane McMurray, founder of the marketing research firm Wedding Report, in Tucson, predicted continued growth.

In Boston Bridal Lounge’s second-story showroom, couples can research vendors, sample cakes, sniff orchids, and check out ornate china from Versace at several mock table settings.

Bryan Rafanelli, the event planner who designed Chelsea Clinton’s wedding last summer, is participating. His Boston-based Rafanelli Events has designed a table to let potential customers better understand his style.

“We want people to taste, touch, and smell everything,’’ said Esposito-Bruneau, who stepped down as associate publisher of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine, published in Rhode Island, to launch the lounge.

Similar bridal resource centers are popular in New York and Los Angeles, and the idea is not new in the Boston area.

Yolanda Cellucci opened an event center in her Watertown boutique, Yolanda’s Bridal Salon, in 1998. The bridal gown queen allowed tuxedo, travel, and limousine companies to set up shop on the premises.

“A bride could try on her dress and run downstairs to get her hair done and have her picture taken,’’ said Cellucci, who closed her business in August 2009 after 41 years.

But while Cellucci had 12 vendors in her store, Boston Bridal Lounge represents six times as many.

“It’s a different time. Things that work now maybe didn’t before. I think it’s great to offer referrals,’’ she said. “A bride doesn’t know the steps to take.’’

Wedding industry vendors say Esposito-Bruneau’s reputation convinced them that her company would help their businesses.

“People are coming to her because they want to get real information, and she is trusted,’’ said Linda Matzkin, owner of Hopple Popple, a 30-year-old event planning company in Newton.

Because recommendations are like currency in the vows trade, such endorsements are critical, marketing specialists say.

Winston has a staff that handles weddings, but he needs help getting customers in the door.

“When it comes to flowers, people have a preconceived notion of what we do,’’ said Winston, whose shops have a reputation for extravagant bouquets. His floral arrangements for weddings can fetch up to $300,000.

“We want to get that message out that we can accommodate all budgets,’’ he said.

Many wedding vendors are independent contractors who work out of their homes, so having access to a strategic spot on Newbury Street — steps from dress boutiques such as Vera Wang — will provide a boost, say some in the trade.

“It expands my world in a way it wouldn’t otherwise,’’ said Faxon Green, a Watertown florist. “I don’t see how I can lose on this.’’

Kathleen Pierce can be reached at kmdpierce@gmail.com.