5 WAYS TO ROCK YOUR NEXT WEDDING SHOW - Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer Shawn Morrissey Photography
Congratulations…You just got engaged!!! Take some time and soak in all the excitement. Ok…if you’re reading this, you’re probably ready to begin planning your wedding (if you haven’t already started). Where do you start? There are so many things you need to figure out, people you need to talk with, businesses you need to book, clothes you need to try on, food you need to taste, and so much more!! If you’re one of those brides that wanna have a PLAN and make this whole process as efficient as possible, you MAY wish to consider attending some wedding/bridal shows.
Wedding shows are a great way to visit with, and try out, many different wedding professional services all in one place at the same time. You can chat with venues, photographers, dress shops, caterers, and pretty much anyone else you will need for your upcoming wedding. Though this may seem very convenient, if you are attending a wedding show for the first time…it can seem crazy and overwhelming. This quick little article will hopefully give you some helpful pointers on ways to make the most out of the wedding shows you attend. So…let’s get to it!!
5 WAYS TO ROCK YOUR NEXT WEDDING SHOW
1) MAKE A LIST
Before going to any wedding show, make a list of all of the vendors/services you still need to book and put them in order of importance to you. If you know you need a photographer, dj, and a cake put them in order of how important of a role they will play in your perfect wedding day scenario. If having amazing photos of your day is more important to you than what kind of cake you have…put the photographer at the top and the cake last.
This will help you come up with your plan of action once the doors open!
2) BRING EXPERIENCED BACK-UP
This is vital especially if attending your very first wedding show. Most brides-to-be go with their maid/matron-of honor, or their mom’s. Think about also bringing a close friend who may have recently been married and just went through everything you are going to experience. This ‘seasoned pro” can tell you who/what to avoid at the shows, as well as, give you suggestions on how to make your planning process so much easier (things you may not have even considered). Having an experienced trusted friend by your side can give you that extra advantage when heading into these uncharted waters!
3) THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM
You’ll want to arrive at the event BEFORE the doors open. If the show opens at noon…be there by 11:30 am. Why so early??? Do you remember the list you made from Tip #1 above?? Well, most shows provide a map of where all of the vendors are located. If you arrive early…while waiting for the doors to open, grab a map, and bring out your list. Remember that a photographer was top on your list? Well, find all of the photographers on the map. There may only be 1 or there may be 7. Either way, find one that you want to visit first. When the doors open and everyone else is piled around a table filing out registration forms, you make a B-Line right to your photographer.
Now you have their undivided attention and can have an actual conversation with them about what you are looking for for your wedding day. While the crowd is still piled up by the doors you should have a good 10 minutes to go to your most important vendors from your list before they get mobbed by the crowd. That uninterrupted 1-on-1 time can be KEY for choosing the right professionals for your wedding day. You can always go back to the doors and register, but you’ll never get such valuable alone time with these businesses for the rest of the show.
4) STICKERS
At most wedding shows, a majority of the vendors will have drawings for free items or services at their booths. To enter each drawing, you will have to fill out a separate entry form at each booth. If there are 50 booths…you do the math on how much time at the show you will actually spend filling out the same info over and over again. You will have a definite advantage over other brides AND you will save SO MUCH time if you order custom sticker labels with all of your basic info printed on them. Then when you go to a booth and they have a drawing for a prize you want, you just peel off a sticker, slap it on their form, and you’re on to the next booth while the other brides spend their time writing out everything each time.
The info each booth will require will be different but if you want to play it safe, here are the basics you should print on your sticker labels: Your Full Name, Your Fiance’s Full Name, Your Cell #, Your Email, Your Wedding Date, And Your Wedding Venue(s).
5) MAKE A DAY OF IT
A wedding show can be a bit intimidating. Knowing that you have this giant list of businesses you need for your wedding day and the thought of trying to figure that all out, let alone the money you will need to pay for everything…can get quite overwhelming. But remember…it’s all for your big day.
If you are bringing your girlfriends, your mom and your sister, or just you and your fiance…you should make it a day to remember. The morning of the show…schedule a manicure, pedicure, massage (or all of them) for yourself and whomever is going to the wedding show with you. After you are all relaxed and looking amazing…head to the show. There will usually be wine/champagne as well as food samples at the show…so be sure to indulge a bit. After the show, go out for dinner and drinks with everyone. That way, you can discuss everyone’s thoughts about the vendors you spoke with at the show. Make the day a fun adventure that you will look forward to instead of just another tedious task on your planning checklist!
There you have it! If you are planning on attending any wedding shows in the near future, you should have a “leg up” on all the other attendees and will make the most of your time at the shows. Remember that it’s part of the journey towards the most special day of your life…so why not make the most of it and GET THE MOST FROM IT that you can!