How to Get the Most out of A Bridal Show

Attending a bridal show is fun, but can be overwhelming.  There are so many choices of vendors, and they all have good information for you.  With so many qualified vendors, it’s  hard to make a choice.  Many of them offer multiple services.  Most will offer ala carte services, and do not require you to hire them to do every thing that they do.  Maybe you love that Event Designer’s work, but you don’t think you can afford their services.  You don’t know until you ask, and you might be able to use only certain parts of their services.

To enable you to have a more enjoyable and positive experience, without becoming frustrated and confused, here are a few tips that will help you to navigate through the event:

• Take a walk-through and get an overview of all the vendors, then come back to the ones that first caught your interest to ask more questions.
• Many of the vendors will have registration forms for you to fill out for door prizes and give-aways.  You will save a lot of time if you take along some of your return address labels and stick one of those on the forms, adding your phone number and e-mail address, or the way you prefer for them to contact you
• Inquire about their availability for your wedding date.  There’s no need to waste your time, or theirs, by asking a lot of questions when they aren’t available to do your wedding, and you could be booking another one during the time you are asking this one questions.
• You will know immediately if you click with a vendor.  These are the ones with whom you should have a more involved conversation. Popular vendors often get booked through an entire year at a bridal show, so go prepared to pay deposits, if you want to make sure you get the most popular vendor. If you can’t give them a deposit to secure your date at the show, give them your contact information, or make an appointment for a consultation.
• Take advantage of all the free information you will receive.  Don’t just take the bag home and lay it down somewhere…read the info!
• Secure a wedding planner.  They can save you more money than they will ever charge you, and will be the most valuable person to you on your wedding day.  Your stress levels will significantly decrease by hiring a planner.
• Allow plenty of time to see everything, and to talk to each vendor.  Vendors are happy to answer questions for you.  That’s what they are there for, so don’t be timid.
• Don’t shop price only.  You could ruin your entire wedding day by basing all of your decisions on price alone.  Decide what is priority for you, and cut on other things.
• Linens transform a ballroom, a barn, a church rec hall, anywhere you will be.  It’s foolish to put $$$$ into amazing centerpieces only to place them on a short, ivory or white, blah cloth.  Choose your linen before you choose your flower colors.  The linen professional, or event designer/planner can make suggestions that will blow you away…things you have never dreamt before.   The vision for your reception should start with the linens.
• Take along swatches of your colors, and pictures of things you like to show the florist, linen specialist, anyone who would be assisting you with decor and/or flowers. 

Bridal shows will get you excited about your wedding!  You will get ideas and inspiration for new ideas.  You will leave wishing your day was sooner.  Enjoy this season of planning, because it is over all too soon.

For those of you within driving distance of Johnson City, TN, the ultimate bridal show will be Saturday, February6th, at The Carnegie Hotel, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.  For more details about this show and the vendors who will be there, check out Tri-Cities Dream Weddings.