With upcoming winter bridal shows, here is the first half of the Top 20 Tips for Attending a Bridal Show.
#20: Prior to the bridal show, research vendors that will be exhibiting at the show www.thepremierbridalshow.com as well as a layout/map of where the vendors will be located, if this is provided before the show. This will help you make the most of your time and organize the best questions to ask those specific vendors in which you are most interested.
#19: If you’ve already selected your wedding dress & bridesmaids dresses consider skipping the fashion show & using that time to talk with the vendors you’re most interested in, like the sponsors of the Expo. Since the attendees will be eyeing the fashion show, vendors will have more free time and you’ll have a quieter atmosphere in which to openly talk.
#18: If you’ve already selected your wedding colors / bridesmaids’ dresses, ask your retailer for swatches from the material and bring them with you to the wedding show. Many wedding vendors, (bakers, florists, wedding cake, invitations…) will use your colors to make appropriate suggestions for your wedding.
#17: Bring a notebook and a pen. A wedding show can be a great resource of “Information”, unless you bring a notebook and write in it your goals and details about all your favorite wedding vendors that you meet. Bring a camera and make sure you take a picture of what you find. That way you don’t have to try and explain in later.
#16: In addition to reserving the day in your schedule for attending the wedding show, also reserve a couple hours “After” the show to go to a coffee shop and review all the brochures & materials you received. Many brides, after a wedding, show put their big bag of brochures in their closet and then forget which vendors they liked at the show.
#15: WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES and bring a snack or two. You will stroll many aisles as you seek out the ideas, people, products and services you’ll soon need.
#14: If you are going to be out of town during the day of the wedding show, send mom or a trusted friend/bridesmaid to collect information on services you need and register you for prizes. OR create another email address to use just for the wedding planning time period.
#13: PRINT NEATLY – when you register at the door or for prize drawings at the booths, make sure all your information is legible & complete. You just may walk away from the show with a very useful prize or gift for your wedding day .
#12: Bridal shows are for brides, family and friends. Many do not allow strollers for safety reasons for both the children and others in attendance. Find out ahead of time. Preferably, leave the children with a friend or get a babysitter. That way you can truly enjoy the show and not worry about your child wandering off.
#11: When comparing wedding services at a wedding show, be careful to compare “Apples to Apples” and not to Oranges. “The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Read The Bridal Guru on Monday, January 5, for the last 10 tips.
Check out the upcoming The Premier Bridal Show which will be Sunday, January 11 in Jackson/Sunday, January 18 in Tupelo/Sunday, January 25 in Biloxi. Pre-register and save: www.thepremierbridalshow.com
The Premier Bridal Show, proud member of BSPI, Bridal Show Producers International: www.bspishows.com