If you’re engaged (congratulations!!), I hope you’re planning to attend at least one of the wedding shows this winter. They’re a great resource for meeting all sorts of vendors, and finding some inspiration. We’ve put together a few tips to help you get the most out of your day at a show.
Come Prepared
I highly recommend buying tickets in advance. Standing in a long line just to get in the door is not the most fun way to start the day.
Talk about your budget ahead of time. Even if you don’t have all of your exact numbers ironed out, having a rough idea of your budget will make your day easier.
Make a list of vendors you still need to book. Focus on vendor categories that you know you want to book, but haven’t yet. Or, if you’re just starting your planning, focus on those that book up the fastest (venue, planners, photographers, DJ/band)
Wear comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water, and carry a tote for a notebook and the brochures you’ll collect.
Stay Focused
Make sure you take notes. At the end of the day, the last thing you want is to get home with a bag full of business cards and no way to remember key points about the people who handed them to you.
Snap photos. Again, it can be hard to remember everything you’ve seen throughout the day and a picture is worth a thousand words.
Choose your crew wisely. I recommend bringing no more than two people with you for support. Wedding shows are noisy and it can be hard for a large group to all be part of the same conversation with a vendor. It’s also crowded and larger groups have a hard time maneuvering the aisles together. And, just like anything else with wedding planning, too many opinions all at once can do more harm than good.
Remember to drink that water you brought! Take a break – don’t be afraid to step outside for a moment if you feel like you need to mentally regroup.
Remember: you paid to get into these shows, so the goal is to have fun with it!
We hope to see you there!
