Bridal Shows 101—Surviving the Chaos

Unless you enjoy burning high-dollar gasoline to run halfway across the region to explore wedding merchandise and services, the well-organized bridal show is the ultimate one-stop shopping place! Whether you’re planning a simple ceremony and no-frills reception or you plan on splurging on every little luxury, you’re bound to pick up ideas at the bridal show.

Among the vendors you’ll find:

Formal Wear Shops (Attire for the bride, groom, mother of the bride and other wedding party members)
Wedding Venues ( Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels & Convention Centers, etc.)
Caterers (from low-key backyard B-B-Q to high-end filet mignon and lobster tails and everything in between!)
Florists (A killer funeral arrangement does not equal a great wedding display!)
Entertainers (String Quartets, Harpists, Bagpipers, Bands, Disc Jockeys and yes, even the occasional dreaded wedding singer!)
Others (Ice sculptures, balloon sculptures, gift registries, limosenes, horse-drawn carriages, etc.)
The choices are almost limitless. Your tastes and wedding budget are the only limitation to what merchandise or services you may utilize on your wedding day.

Many vendors will offer a chance to register for free prizes. For many vendors, this is a marketing ploy to obtain your contact information. Although most bridal shows offer this service, vendors who collect this information on their own gain an advantage over the competition that waits on the bridal list from the show organizer. As you visit each booth, here are some do’s and don’ts:

Registration Slips: DO print legibly. Better yet, have address labels with ALL your contact information. Print these from your own computer. It saves time as well as spares you from writer’s cramp.
DO be honest. Provide your CORRECT address (snail & email) as well as phone numbers. Vendors WILL use this information to contact you. Some vendors offer post-show savings, others use the opportunity to pitch their services or merchandise. DON’T fill out a registration form at a booth if you have absolutely no intention of using that vendor’s service. (It wastes the time of both you and the vendor.)
DON’T expect to discuss in great detail your wedding plans with a vendor during the show. Pick up a brochure or business card from the vendors who impress you, then examine the materials later. DO plan on sorting through the information within a couple of days after the show. Poor printing quality is one tell-tale sign that the vendor was on the cheap while preparing for the show. Another sign: look for phone numbers scribbled out with a Sharpie or new information scribbled in. A vendor who is too cheap to buy marketing material with updated contact information is probably not a vendor you want for your wedding.
DO ask the vendor if they are offering a “Show Special”. If you are in the market for that vendor’s merchandise or services, this will offer some savings for doing business DURING the show. Some vendors won’t offer a “Show Special” because they fear it will result in less time being spent marketing to other potential customers. All things considered, it never hurts to ask.
DON’T let the first thing to roll off your tongue be “How much do you charge?” Each vendor displaying at the show may have distinct advantages over others in the same profession. Without digging deeper into their qualifications (which will require post-show calls, emails or consultations), you cheapen the vendor’s product or service to a “lowest price denominator”. As a wedding vendor, if you only want me for one thing (lowest price), it makes me feel sleazy…and I’m not THAT kind of guy!
DON’T be shy! Spend as much time as needed collecting information from vendors who interest you. After you’ve sorted through the brochures, cards and such, DO beat the vendor to the punch by contacting him/her before they have a chance to contact you. Popular dates book fast…and in any given calendar year, there are only 52 weeks. Your preferred vendor has limited availability! DON’T allow another bride from the same show to steal away your preferred vendor.

Bridal shows are beneficial for brides as well as those who serve in the wedding industry. Prepare before attending the show and you can reduce the stress associated with planning your special day.