Old Town Helena continues to grow into a wedding district with the addition of several bride-friendly businesses.

New businesses include Monkey Basket, a gift basket business; Binding Commitment Inc., a stationery and custom invitation shop; Banquet Room, a reception area; a photographer and a videographer.

Joseph Habshey, who’s helping to plan the wedding district, said Old Town is also trying to recruit a florist and a jeweler. He hopes to have a florist available by June and a jeweler by August.

“We don’t have anybody committed yet, but we’re talking to about three or four of them,” he said. “We’re trying to get everything that goes along with weddings in one spot.

Ken McClure, owner of Binding Commitment, said his shop would open May 1. He already has a printing business on Highway 52, and plans for the Old Town store to be a comfortable retail location for brides.

“We wanted a place where people could go to pick up their invitations and favors,” he said.

McClure said business owners support the idea of a wedding district.

“That’s the direction I think a lot of people want to go,” he said. “It’ll be a perfect location. Helena’s a quaint, little old town, and it’s the perfect place for people to go.”

Habshey said he’s pleased with the progress on the wedding district, but that he hopes Helena residents will take note.

“People in Helena don’t shop Helena. They’d rather go somewhere else. People in the outside community are supportive,” he said. “We wish that people in Helena would start shopping with us.”