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I Sez

What I sez about Bridal Fairs

So you have never been to a bridal fair before? Why should you go, what should you expect, what should you bring? Let me help!

Bridal fairs are a gathering of vendors from all areas of wedding planning. From flowers to limos, invitations to wedding dresses, you can pretty much find it all in one place.  If you are just starting your planning, bridal fairs are great places to get started because you can gather information from a large number of vendors at one time.  If you are a little further along in your planning, bridal fairs can be a great place to get ideas. Vendors will have samples of decor, flower arrangements, cake displays and more. This can help you finalize some of the creative elements of your day. It can also serve as a great way to get your fix of wedding planning! Your best friend, sister and co-workers cringe every time you break out that wedding binder, but here you are among hundreds of other like minded men and women.

So what should you expect? Each vendor will have their own booth space at the fair. Some will have elaborate displays of the product or services they offer. Some are simpler but typically they are all manned by one or more people there to answer your questions and give you information about why you should choose them.  Some offer drawings for free products or services. Vendors that deal with catering or cakes often have samples. Some vendors give out little tokens - pens, stress balls, key chains, etc.

So you're convinced you want to go, now what? Check advertisements or call the party hosting the Bridal Fair to find out if there is cost to get in. Some are free, some aren't.  Many that do charge often offer discounted rates if you purchase your tickets ahead of time. Since many vendors offer prizes and drawings, it's worth it to print up labels that include information such as your name, phone number, address, email, and wedding date so you don't have to fill out all that information at each booth.  Simply stick your label on the entry form and you're done!

Who to bring?
If your spouse-to-be is all for helping you out with the planning process, bring them along of course.  But there are some of you who know that your schnook-ems would rather have an arm amputated than to walk around wedding world for a couple hours - it's best to leave them home. But always ask your loved one what they want to do!

I know it seems like a good idea to bring your mom, soon-to-be in-laws, siblings, best friend, and next door neighbor with you, but I advise you to re-think that. Bridal Fairs are often crowded and the vendor booths aren't all that large. If you come with a big entourage, many of the people in your group won't be able to get in and hear what is being said by the vendors anyway and traveling from booth to booth with a bunch of people is only going to frustrate you as well as other people there. Having that many opinions flying around about who likes what vendor, may just drive you up the wall.  That doesn't mean you have to come alone if your hunny can't be there! Bring a close friend or parent if you want to, just try to limit it to a couple people.

Free Stuff
Enter the drawings for things you want to win. The gift certificates and prizes can be very valuable to you, but you should pay attention to what you are putting your name in for and what companies the drawings are for. If you aren't interested in their prize or services, don't enter. You are signing yourself up for their mailing list whenever you enter yourself in a drawing. This isn't deceptive or wrong; it's a way for vendors to follow up on a lead after the bridal show. If you do end up getting calls from companies you are not interested in a polite "No thank you" should be enough to end their calls. Vendors aren't bad people, they are just trying to do a job like everyone else. However, there may be others who are more persistent and offer you to-good-to-be-true prizes or rewards. Just remember that things that are too good to be true, often are.

Fashion Shows
The fashion shows are neat and usually very entertaining. And if you are still struggling for dress ideas, you might just find what you are looking for. I have nothing against the dress shops or the organizers of these events, but if you already have a dress, skip the fashion show! Most people will go to the fashion show, so if you can skip it, you are pretty much guaranteed a chance to really talk one on one with the vendors!

Keep Notes
You are going to get handed a hundred different fliers, brochures, and other items from all of the vendors. When you go home later, it's going to be a real challenge to remember who you liked. Grab a pen and make some kind of symbol on their literature if you like them or jot down a couple key things that made them stand out from the others. You aren't going to have time to thoroughly interview most vendors so keep track of who you want to call back later!

Be patient
If you really want to talk to a specific vendor, try to be patient. When hundreds of people are constantly going by, it can be difficult to get in and meet some of the vendors. You might have to wait for others to finish talking before you can get in and meet with them. They want to talk to you just as much as you want to talk to them!

Lastly - have fun! You can be overwhelmed and frustrated after a bridal show or come prepared beforehand and enjoy your day! You get to talk to a lot of people and get a bunch of ideas to make your wedding the very best. Enjoy it to the fullest!