It is wedding show season and I am excited to go to my first one this weekend! I thought I would share a quick list of the best tips I've seen for any type of trade show, with a few wedding themed ones added in for spice.
Comfortable shoes are a must: Most convention halls, fair grounds, etc have hard concrete floors with no padding. There will probably be few places to sit and rest your feet too. Uncomfortable shoes will take all of the fun out of the fluff and finery.
Eat a light meal: Wedding cake vendors will provide the sweets, but food options will be limited on the show room floor. A good light meal will give you the energy you need to meet all of those vendors.
Bring Address Labels: Come prepared with peel off labels with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and wedding date printed on them. Otherwise, plan on writing your information quite often.
Create a Wedding Email Address: If you plan on signing up for prizes, most forms will ask for an email address. If you would like to limit the amount of emails from vendors you will receive long after you have the wedding, consider creating your own wedding email address. When the wedding is over you can simply cancel the account and avoid any further wedding related e-mail.
Bring Samples: If you have chosen your wedding colors, bring swatches of material or ribbons with your wedding colors on them. This will help florists, bakers, and other vendors make suggestions on what options they can provide for you.
Allow Plenty of Time: Vendors can be chatty and being rushed can take a lot of the fun out of the day. Allow four to five hours to be able to take your time.
Bring Your Family and Friends: While you certainly do not want to bring any little ones, bring your groom and a couple friends or family with you. The extra people mean a few extra signups for all of the giveaways. They can also provide a good sounding board to bounce ideas off of. Keep it to a small group though. You don't want to be pulled in too many directions.
Take Notes: If you have a wedding notebook, bring it with you to the show. Take notes if you see designers or ideas that you like. It will make it much easier to find the vendors or designer later when you are ready to place your order.
Collect Brochures: Take as much literature as you can from everyone. You might not think you need information on a string quartet or a consultant, but who knows, things have a way of surprising you. When you get home, put the literature from services you don't think you need in a box that you can come back to if the situation warrants.
Ask For Recommendations: If every wedding planner booth you stop by recommends the same dj, it is likely they are one of the best in the area. Don't be afraid to chat with the vendors, they really don't bite.
Bring a bag with straps or wheels: All of those brochures and magazines get heavy quick. A comfortable bag with straps will allow you to carry more. It also allows you to tuck a water bottle to bring with you.
Review the Information: When you get home after the show, sit down and go through the information you received. The quicker you go through it, the less of a hassle it will be to sort through the piles.
Contact Vendors Quickly: The best vendors are quickly booked, so if you see a vendor that really suits your needs, contact them quickly before your date is booked up.
Hope this helps your next bridal show go smoothly! Have more tips? Share them in the comments!
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