Bridal shows are a great way to find all of your wedding vendors in under an hour. However, they can be very overwhelming! Stick to these tips so the bridal show doesn’t consume you.
1) Go in with an agenda. What do you want to accomplish with this show? Are you just getting started and seeing what’s out there? Are you close to being done and you only need to book a DJ or a Photographer?
2) Know what you want out of the service you’re looking for before you go to the show. For example, do you want a band or a DJ? If you want a DJ, don’t talk to the bands. Do you want albums with your photography package, or do you want the negatives instead?
3) When you talk to a wedding vendor you really like, put their business card in your pocket. Place the rest of the literature in a bag, which you will get at the show when you check in. That way, you’ll remember the ones you really liked.
4) Shows will offer you a lot of on-the-spot deals. Make sure you do your homework on a vendor before booking them. Check with the BBB and wedding surveys to see how the vendor measures up. Saving $50 may not be worth all the headaches you could encounter later. However, make sure you call them within the week of the bridal show — the best vendors book up quickly.
5) Create an email address that you will only use for wedding planning. When you go to the show, you will be asked to fill out forms about the services you’re interested in and the date of the wedding. This information will be provided to every vendor at the show and they will contact you. This way you can keep all your wedding-related solicitations separate from your personal emails.
6) Based on my client’s experiences, don’t sign up for a registry at a bridal show. I had a client once who “pre-registered” for a store. The sales lady took it upon herself to register her for all these things she never wanted and she ended up getting them at her wedding. My client didn’t even know she was registered at the store until after her shower — her family members informed her. Needless to say, she was upset and had to return everything to the store for store credit. You can easily sign up for bridal registries online — my favorites are macys.com, bedbathandbeyond.com and homedepot.com.
7) Encourage your friends and family to be guests on your wedding day instead of working at it. That’s what professionals are for.
UPCOMING SHOWS
January 3-4, 2009, 10-5, Cincinnati Convention Center, Wendys Bridal Show
January 3-4, 2009, 11-5, Dayton Convention Center, Dayton Convention Center Bridal Show
January 10th & 11th 2009 from 11am to 5pm, Cincinnati Wedding Showcase, Sharonville Convention Center
January 17th & 18th 2009 from 11am to 5pm, Dayton Hara Bridal Gala, Hara Arena
January 25th, 2009, 11 am to 4 pm, Dayton Marriott
Sunday, January 25, 2009 12-5pm, Courtyard by Marriott (McClure Productions, Dayton)
January 28, 2009, 6 to 9 p.m., Veils and Cocktails, The Covington Madison,
Saturday January 31st, 2008 thru Sunday February 1st, 2009, BridalRama, Cincinnati Convention Center
Sunday, February 22, 2009 12-5pm, McClure Event at Hilton Garden Inn, Beavercreek
Sunday, March 1st, 2009 : 11AM - 4PM, Cincinnati Mariott at Union Centre, Cincinnati's Premier Bridal Expo
Happy Planning!! :-)
