Wedding Shows - Beneficial?

Wedding Shows can be beneficial if you are prepared. That said, if you have everything booked for your wedding and are not interested in the door prizes, fashion show etc, then this type of event may not be for you. Having recently participated in a wedding show there are a few things I have noticed and feel the need to pass along.

Things you can do to be prepared for a bridal show:
1. Dress appropriately:

• Wear comfortable shoes as you will be standing A LOT!
• Leave your jacket in the car - it will be hot and cumbersome to carry around. Besides you will need your hands free to sign up for all the free stuff and try all the goodies.

2. Contact information:

• Having labels printed with your contact information (Bride & Groom Names, Wedding Date, Telephone #, email address) will save you time at each booth and avoid hand cramping. Bringing 20-30 of these is a good plan. Each exhibitor will want this information for draws, follow-up etc.

3. Know what you need/want:

• Go to these vendors' booths first. People do book vendors at these type of shows so if you really want someone it's good to be prepared to put a deposit down or schedule an appointment.
• Realize that the exhibitors are there to meet as many brides as they can. If you want to have some time "just for you", book an appointment. Most vendors would be more than happy to do so.
  

4. Door Prizes:

• What are they? - Do you even want them?
  
• What time are they? Do you need to be present to win? - If the prizes are all drawn at the end and you need to be present to win - are you prepared to be there all day?
• Are they conditional? - Do you need to purchase anything to be a valid entry?

5. Make a day of it:

• Bridal shows run for a good part of the day. It is a good idea to pack a bottle of water and a small snack if you are staying for the entire event.
• Take your bridal party with you. This is a good time to spend together and get their input on things. They can carry things for you too! Usually there is a room set up for the groom so feel free to bring them along as well.

6. Fashion show:

• If you want to see the fashion show, reserve a seat by getting there early - have a member of your party sit there to save it or toss a jacket across the seat.
• If you don't care to see the fashion show, go back to get some 1-on-1 time with those exhibitors you liked - they won't be doing anything during this time and would be happy to talk with you.

Wedding Shows are a great way to get a lot of information at once. Some vendors will follow-up with the information you give them, others will not. You may even find services you didn't know existed.
Do you need to go to all the shows? Probably not but, if you have nothing else planned for the day you may learn something and have some fun while you're at it.

Oh, and since it's my blog.....
The wedding show of the season will be Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at the Fredericton Inn.

Cheers!