Couples who attend local bridal shows and expos will find an excellent way to get a handle on the wonderful world of wedding planning. The planning starts at least a year in advance. The average engagement in the United States is between 12-15 months. If you leave yourself plenty of time in advance of your wedding, you will benefit greatly from the time you spent at the bridal show.
Recently engaged couples who are in the early to mid stages of planning a wedding can meet and speak directly with many wedding event professionals – all in one place! Wedding expos feature the latest trends from cakes to limos to photography and video. Many bridal shows will have live band and DJ performances and/or fashion shows featuring the latest in bridal and tuxedo fashions. This is your opportunity to get ideas, gather information and compare services and prices.
Most bridal shows offer free magazines, prizes and honeymoon trips. Individual vendors may also offer discounts only available to bridal show guests. Going to a bridal show can be a lot of fun. Bring your mom, the groom and a bridesmaid or two…
How do I find a bridal show in my area? Most bridal expos will be listed in regional magazines. Bridal Show Producers International is the trade association for bridal show promoters. This directory lists bridal shows nationwide.
Whether you’re a first timer or a seasoned veteran, the following tips will help make your bridal show experience both productive and enjoyable. Have a great time at the show!
1. Be prepared to wait in line to register. Please be patient! This is well worth it. Your registration may entitle you to win door prizes and will allow vendors to get in touch with you after the show. Pre-registration on-line is offered by many wedding expo promoters, who usually give you a discounted ticket price pre-show.
2. Ask your fiancé to come along. It is much more likely that you will be able to make a decision and book a vendor, if accompanied. The groom’s participation in wedding planning is growing. Today, about 30% of grooms accompany their brides to wedding shows.
3. Plan to spend a minimum of three to four hours in order to see all the exhibits and the fashion show.
4. Be prepared to wear a “Bride-To-Be” or “Groom” sticker to receive special attention from the vendors.
5. Remember to bring a pen and notebook to take notes and make certain to write clearly. In addition to a pen and paper or notebook, bring along a clipboard to serve as a solid surface for you. It will be better than leaning on a friend’s back. If there is room, the best place to write notes about a vendor is right on the literature he or she gives you. It will help you after the show to keep the vendors from melding into one another.
6. If organization is your strong suit, bring a binder with envelopes and file tabs for each kind of vendor (caterer, photographer, florist, etc.). Before you leave a vendor’s booth, file the business cards and brochures. This will save you lots of time later.
7. Bring along a Palm or appointment book to record meetings you set up with vendors.
8. A lightweight tote will work well to carry all your goodies.
9. Come with an open mind. One of the best things about a bridal show is that it gives you an opportunity to see what’s new and exciting, things you may not have thought of or considered.
10. Don’t be embarrassed to ask lots of questions. That’s why you are at the show. Professionals are happy to share what they know with you. Be gutsy . . . taste the cake and smell the flowers. Cut to the chase to save time. Your first question to a vendor should be: Are you available on this date ? If you get a “NO”, move on.
11. Collect information from every vendor. Take it home to look over when you have some quiet time. During the course of planning your wedding you may not have thought you wanted certain things, like a harpist or freeze drying your wedding bouquet.
12. Bring along color swatches. They may prove helpful in getting suggestions from vendors, such as bakers, florists, and balloonists.
13. Bring preprinted self-adhesive address labels if you have them. You will be asked for your name, address, phone number and wedding date countless times before the show is over. This will save you time and it will allow you to sign up for many of the prizes that will be given away. If you are out of town, send your mother or a friend to collect information on services you need.
14. Bring along bridal show buddies. There’s plenty of territory to cover, between you and your friends, you’ll be able to locate the hottest booths and the best deals.
15. Wear comfortable shoes. For the better part of the day you’ll be standing and talking to vendors. The only opportunity to sit down is during the fashion show, and even then, seating is limited. The bridal fashion show is often the highlight of a show.
16. Make certain to arrive early enough to get a really good seat. If you have already selected your wedding attire, you may wish to skip the fashion show in order to spend more time with the vendors.
Donna Ennis
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/best-bridal-show-tips-679941.html
November 11th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Tips for going to a bridal show?
I am planning to visit several bridal shows soon, do you have any tips for me, what should I take with me? What questions to ask? any preparations hints to to get ready?
November 12th, 2009 at 12:54 am
You should have an idea of what type of dress you’re interested in. By that I mean, the cut (princess, strapless, empire, etc.). You should also bring some sample pics of gowns that you liked from magazines just so they can narrow your choices down and save you time when you arrive. 🙂
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November 12th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Yes, take a note pad and pen w/ you. They’ll probably have little tote bags there so you can fill your bag w/ business cards and brochures. Taste the cake samplings, ask the DJ’s if they’re open on your date, and prices. It really depends what you have yet to plan for.. Register for the prizes.. Bring one of your bridesmaids along… and have fun!
TC
-http://executivehomebody.com
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November 12th, 2009 at 12:58 am
Here is a list you might find useful while preparing.
http://nuptia.ca/budget-planning/expert-advice/tips-for-a-next-bridal-show.html
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November 12th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Don’t say "several" just yet. You’ll soon see that some of them are such a waste of time. Go there with an open mind though, and an agenda. Know what you’re going there to see. Take a little notepad if you want to make a note of the things/companies that you like and dislike, and why.
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November 12th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Take pre-made labels with your name an address, trust me you will get so tired of filling out forms you’ll you had them. There will be a ton of things to register and fill out and you will move through so much faster.
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November 12th, 2009 at 1:04 am
I’m not sure what you are going to them to look for. Choose before you go what you want to have a t your wedding (ie: band or dj, photographer or videographer or both). My suggestion is take someone with you (my fiance and I went together) and both of you pick up a bag. For each booth you choose to stop at, ask as many questions as you can. If you like the people and the quality, put that person’s service cards/brochures in one bag. If you don’t like that service, put it in the other bag. Like I said, be sure to ask as many questions as you can think of – google ‘what to ask a wedding photographer’, ‘what to ask a wedding dj’, etc. Then when you’re leaving, toss the bag that you put all of the services that you do not want and keep the bag with the ones you do want. Also, take a digital camera so that if you see a dress you like in the fashion show, you can snap a picture. Oh, and unless you want your mailbox stuffed with offers from everywhere, only give your information for things/raffles that you would really want to win. Best of luck and have fun!
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btb 11/8/08 – been to bridal expos
November 12th, 2009 at 1:06 am
You really only need to attend one, maximum two shows. They’re all the same. The same vendors go to all the shows so you’re not going to see anything different so more than once really is just a waste of your time and money (I went to 2 wedding shows and that was waaay more than enough). Now that I’ve said that, you should take samples of what you think you want (pictures of dress, cakes, etc). If you have one, take your wedding planning book. This is the one I got, it’s great because it has little folders inside for pamphlets in each section (attire, reception, food etc)
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Easy-Wedding-Planner-Organizer-Keepsake-Elizabeth-Lluch/9781887169097-item.html?pticket=ogucou55nsibvdfelvlbdmjiS4GP2%2buvkKwkZaY0z%2flExXxe%2fLA%3d
Other than that you should also maybe write up a page of questions you might have for vendors. For example for your baker you might want to know the difference between fondant and other toppings? I can pretty much guarantee they’ll have a tote for you to put all the stuff you gather in. What I did and what you’re probably going to end up doing is you go there, you walk around and visit every booth. Get all the business cards, pamphlets etc then go home and organize it all by vendor and then start making phone calls and setting up appointments with the ones that appeal to you. It will be pretty busy there so you probably won’t get a lot of personal attention if you are particularly interested in a vendor.
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November 12th, 2009 at 1:08 am
– Wear comfortable clothes and shoes – it’s a lot of walking!
– Carry a note pad and pen to take notes. Take photos if it’s allowed, to help you remember things.
– Have a list of types of vendors your interested in: dressmakers, hair/makeup, photo/videographer, limo, etc.
– If you have pictures from magazines of things your interested in, take them with you to show the vendors.
– Pre-printed labels are a must! For drawings, for guest books, all sorts of things.
– Start out early and take your time. I only went to 1 expo, but I went two days in a row because there was just too much to absorb in a few hours.
Questions to ask:
– photographer – Color or black and white? Digital or negatives? Can you buy the negatives to make prints on your own? Pre-set photo packages or ala cart? Do you pay for milage if the location is far away? Does he use an assistant? Payment policies
– Dressmaker or seller: Are alterations included in the price? What’s the turn-around time on alterations? Payment policy? Time frame to order?
– Caterer or cake: Payment policy? Does he work with your location or does he have his own? Time frame for giving headcount? Can you do a tasting before you decide? Mileage costs if location is far away?
– Makeup/hair: Can you have a test run? Will they go to your site or do you have to go to their studio? How early or late are they available? How large of a party can they handle?
– Site: Payment policy? How early should you reserve the location? If it’s outdoors, what is their foul weather policy or backup location? Are there restrictions on decorations like candles or flowers petals?
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November 12th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Print out sticky labels with your name, address, phone number, e-mail and wedding date (even if it is just a guess.) The best things about bridal shows are all of the raffles, drawings, and free stuff! The labels will save you SO much time and effort. I was so glad I did this for the bridal shows I went to. Congrats!
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