Last week, WhereBridesGo.com gave you 5 Tips For Getting Ready to Attend a Bridal Show, and today we've got 5 more tips for you that will come in handy once show day arrives. This is when all the fun really begins! By the end of the day, you should have a lot of questions answered and some fresh new wedding planning ideas brewing in your head.
Get Packing
Taking the following items with you to the bridal show will help you stay organized and have a more successful experience.
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Datebook
You won't get a lot of quality time with vendors with all of the other people trying to talk to them too. Have your calendar handy to schedule one-on-one meetings with the best ones that you want to get to know better and possibly hire. - Checkbook/Credit Card
If you happen to find a wedding vendor that you absolutely have to have, put a deposit down right away before someone else books your date. - Spending Money
Even with all of those samples being given away, you may get hungry or thirsty. There should be stands to buy meals or snacks, and possibly a bar. Have cash handy in case that is all the smaller stands accept. - An Extra Bag
You may be given a bag to hold all of the goodies that you will be collecting at different booths (fliers, business cards, promo items, etc...) but it's always better to be safe than sorry. An added bonus if you end up having more than one bag is that you can put your VIP information in one and extra items from vendors that you don't like as much in the other. Don't throw away anything until you have for sure booked your vendors though. That way, if you don't go with your first choice for some reason, you'll still have contact information for your second choice. - Your Bridal Binder
Whether you keep track of your wedding planning with an actual in-hand binder or you catalog everything digitally on your computer or mobile device, have it close by. You can add important information to it while everything is still fresh in your mind plus you'll have all the details you've already nailed down close at hand.
Dress Comfortably
Comfortable walking shoes are an absolute must at a bridal show. You will be doing a lot of walking all day long, and when you're not walking, you'll most likely be standing. Some shows provide a seating area but most have very limited seating available in an effort to keep everyone moving and shopping.
Proudly Boast "I'm the Bride!"
Vendors will want to know which person in your group that they should be speaking to. Also, this day should be all about you and the planning of your very special day, so let yourself enjoy a little extra attention! Many bridal shows will give you a "bride" sticker to wear when you arrive, but just in case they don't, maybe treat yourself to a special tiara, button, or t-shirt to show off your newly engaged status.
Left or Right?
The tendency of most people at an expo is to head to the right when they enter. If you arrive at the bridal show at the beginning, do the opposite and go left or straight to the middle. That way you will be first in line at the booths that the crowd hasn't reached yet. If you show up later in the day, it's probably a better idea to go right because the bulk of the crowd will have moved on from those booths.
Don't Be Shy
Today is the day for getting a lot of your wedding planning questions answered, so come in with a list of things you need to know and ask the experts. When a vendor says something you like, make an appointment to talk to them in more detail at a later date. Don't be afraid to ask about discount pricing too. Many vendors will offer bridal show-only deals and you may not know if you don't ask!
Bonus Tip #6 - Have Fun!
Last but certainly not least, have fun with it! Planning a wedding can be stressful but this is one of the times that you can "play" while you plan. Enjoy the extra bridal attention, be inspired by the great ideas you see, and talk to the other brides. If you brought your bridal party along with you, this might also be a great time to brainstorm about any upcoming bridal showers or bachelorette parties!
Another way to enjoy your wedding planning is to do it from the comfort of your couch, your bed, or anyplace you happen to be when you're in the mood. Our online wedding store is available to you 24 hours a day and can be viewed from anyplace that has internet access. Best of all, it's full of incredible items that can be personalized and in most cases, shipping is free! The easier you make the planning process, the easier it will be to truly enjoy yourself on the wedding day.
~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Post by Deanna Powell, Certified Bridal Consultant