Surviving a Bridal Expo
Bridal expos are very helpful for wedding planning and can really be fun! You will meet tons of local wedding experts eager to help, you can enter drawings to win prizes, you can eat delicious food from catering companies, and my favorite part: cake samples from the bakeries!
Though wedding shows can be fun, they can also be overwhelming. If you have attended one, you know what I’m talking about. We have had our Jen Brazeal Photography booth set up at severalwedding shows and we can certainly testify that brides are left frazzled by vendor overload. If you have not yet attended one, read on for tips on how to survive a bridal expo!
1. Research the bridal expo ahead of time and arrive with a plan
- Online you will be able tofind a list of every vendor that will be at the expo. Look up their websites, get a feel for their style, see if it matches your style, and arrive ready withquestions for the vendors you are interested in. This will save you lots of time once you are there!
- On the expo website you will be able to find a map of where every vendor will be set up. You should also be able to find a schedule there and see if and what time certain prizes will be drawn.
2. Make adhesive address labels!
- These are genius. Not only does it make life easier for you and your fiancé, but also for all of the vendors! You can use these to give to vendors that you are interested in, and to enter prize drawings more easily. You will usually have your hands full so no need to get out a pen to write your email and wedding date a thousand times, just peel off a personalized sticker! These usually include you and your fiancé’s name, mailing address, email address, phone number, wedding website, wedding date, and wedding venue if you have chosen one.
- You can make them yourself on Microsoft Word using Avery labelswhich you can get at Office Depot
3. Purchase your tickets online
- They are usually cheaper online and you won’t have to stand in the registration line and fill out a bunch of forms when you get there
4. Wear comfortable shoes
- Even as vendors we learned the hard way the first time we wore heels for so many hours at once. You will be standing and walking the entire time so you will want to be comfy!
5. Bring your calendar and follow up
- If you are truly interested in a vendor, take notes and schedule follow up appointments. We want to meet with you and talk about your wedding!
