The Best Wedding Show Tips

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.

Destination Spot: Gatlinburg, TN

I just spent the past week up in Gatlinburg, TN and I have to say I was impressed with the romantic atmosphere of this little town!  Cute shop after cute shop lines the main street through town and most are geared at couples and young families.  There were half a dozen shops that specialize in the old timey dress up photos.  A cute idea for a unique couple or honeymoon shot!  There were also Moonshine tastings (as shown in my picture) and whiskey.  Ice Skating and Skiing are available with a quick trip up the mountain.  Best of all, the entire city is decorated from head to toe for the holidays.  I wasn't able to get any good photos of it, but there are many light displays spread throughout town.

The cabin we rented was in the Arts and Crafts Community.  This area featured tons of shops with hand made goodies to peruse.  We also gorged ourselves at the many local restaurants.  We stayed the week after New Years, and the traffic was minimal.  We were warned though that during peak seasons this is quite the destination spot.  I've got a couple of good articles planned about some of the great wedding chapels I saw.  If you are looking for a small destination spot that is not too far, Gatlinburg may be the place for you!