Tips for Attending a Bridal Show

Bridal shows and expos are a wonderful resource for brides and grooms who are planning their big day. They offer one-stop shopping for most your wedding needs. These shows provide attendees access to anywhere from twenty to hundreds of vendors all in one convenient location. Attending a bridal show will allow you to save countless hours of thumbing through phonebooks, googling vendors, and driving all over in search of the perfect wedding day vendors. Make your bridal show experience as fun, stress free, and successful as possible by following some of these tips:

Dress Comfortably

Bridal shows and expos are usually held at hotel venues and banquet facilities, so dress accordingly. As a guest at the show, you  will be spending anywhere from two to three hours visiting vendor booths and viewing displays; therefore, you might want to consider trading your high heels for a pair of comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing in case you get too hot or cold.

Bring a Guest with You

Attending a bridal show should be a fun and exciting experience. Your husband-to-be is a perfect partner candidate since you will be making most of the wedding decisions together. However, if your husband is unable or unwilling to accompany you, bring your mother, maid of honor, or other members of the bridal party. Most importantly, make sure whomever you bring is almost as excited about your wedding as you are since they’ll be helping you plan for the big day.

Take Notes

Sometimes the number of vendors at a bridal show is overwhelming, and it may be difficult to distinguish one vendor from another and keep track of which products and services each offers. Don’t forget to take breaks during your visit to each vendor to gather your thoughts and jot down information and ideas. You may even want to have two bags with you: one for the exhibitor materials that don’t interest you and one with the materials that do. If possible, take a camera along as well. You can take photos of the things you like, just make sure to also capture the exhibitor’s name so that you can keep track of who is who and who offers what.

Set up a Wedding Email Account 

To help you stay organized during your wedding planning, consider setting up an email account through a free, online email service such as Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo. Using the bride and groom’s names in the email address is a nice touch (i.e. SarahandJohn@hotmail.com). Or, if you would prefer not to use your names, use your wedding date (i.e. November22009@hotmail.com). Separating your regular email from your wedding email will be very convenient in the long run. This account will also allow your guests to RSVP to upcoming wedding events.

Print Labels

Nearly every vendor at a bridal show will ask you for your contact information, whether it is for a discount offer or for special gifts and prizes. Save yourself time and energy by bringing pre-printed address labels from home. Each label should have the names of the bride and/or groom, their mailing address, the wedding email address, expected wedding date, and, if you wish, telephone number. Some bridal shows will offer this service to you. Check with the bridal show coordinator to see if this service is available.

Bring Your Books

While visiting exhibitors at the bridal show, you may find yourself making appointments or setting up meetings. Stay organized by bringing your date book. This will save you time, as you will be much less likely to double-book appointments and need to reschedule later on. Also keep in mind that many in-demand vendors will be booked quickly during wedding season. Don’t take a chance on losing a vendor that you love; bring your checkbook or ATM card. Many vendors require small deposits to reserve their services for your wedding day. With some luck, they might also offer on-the-spot discounts and specials.