San Diego’s first GLBT commitment and reception resource event, held Jan. 9 at The Center, drew just over 200 attendees to an evening that included a fashion show, a vendor showcase, workshops focusing on domestic partnership, family planning and commitment counseling, and notary publics onsite certifying domestic partnerships.

This was the first tradeshow put on by new GLBT wedding planning company Commitment Expo, started several months ago by local wedding planner and caterer Andrew Haddock.

“Things went absolutely beautifully,” Haddock said. “Everything we hoped for happened. It was great. We had a fantastic amount of attendees. It was wonderful. I’ve been getting e-mails back from all the vendors; they’ve been really happy, too.”

Haddock said that several event sponsors have already had a substantial response from the expo.

Forty-seven vendors attended the expo, representing a wide range of services in the wedding industry — ceremony and reception sites, hotels and accommodations, hair and make-up, floral arrangements, wedding coordination and planning, gift registry, specialty linens, party rentals, party favors, cakes, photography and videography, catering, restaurants and rehearsal dinners, internet services, DJs, musicians and entertainment, financial services, counseling, fashion, officiates and transportation.

Three workshops were held during the event. “All three workshops were well attended,” Haddock said. “We had space for 30 people and about 25 showed up for each.”

A.J. Davis-Defeo, director of public policy at The Center, led two workshops for individuals and couples interested in learning more about domestic partnership registration. The workshops discussed the benefits and details of registering as domestic partners in the state of California, and outlined the rights and responsibilities of domestic partnerships regarding employment benefits and compensation, times of family crisis, adoptions, tax benefits, health insurance and disability. Also covered were common problems and concerns when registering, recent amendments to AB 25, and implementation of AB 205 legislation in 2005, which grants an additional 16 rights and responsibilities to registered domestic partners.

Dr. Heather Berberet of Walden Family Services led a workshop entitled “Preparing for The Big Day,” which covered the problems and conflicts that can arise while planning a wedding, and the stresses that these issues can have on a couple’s relationship. The workshop emphasized that stress and conflict are natural, and focused on how to work with differences of opinion regarding extended family, legal and financial responsibilities, children and family planning, sex, name changes and religion and spirituality issues.

Commitment Expo will hold another San Diego event in June. For more information, call (619) 255-1691 or visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com and click on this article for a link to the Commitment Expo website.