Wedding planning can be be stressful…which is a bit of an understatement.  Bridal shows can be a great way to get a jumpstart by meeting tons of vendors and getting some great ideas all in one afternoon.  That being said, bridal shows can be stressful and overwhelming.  Here are a few tips I have to help you get the most out of your next bridal show without as much hassle:

 

Before the show…

1. Make a wedding specific email address  |  If you haven’t yet, make a new email address to use specifically for the wedding.  This way you can have one place to check when you’re ready to think about your wedding, and then you don’t have it all mixed in with your normal email.  Also, after the big day you won’t have to worry about a ton of wedding related emails continuing to flood your inbox.
2. Be prepared to sign up for things  |  Before the show, print your names, email address, and wedding date on address labels so when you move from booth to booth you don’t have to write this information over and over.  This trick won’t work for every vendor, but it will make signing up for information and giveaways a lot easier!  Also, most vendors will ask for your information this is good because it means they only want to send information after the show to people who might be interested instead of the giant list given to them by the show itself.
3. Make a game plan ahead of time  |  Depending on where you’re at in the planning process, certain vendors will be more important to check out than others.  Have an idea of which types of vendors you need to focus your attention on so you get less overwhelmed.

 

During the show…

1. Take a deep breath  |  The moment when you first walk into the show it’ll be a whole lot of hustle and bustle.  You just have to take a deep breath, pick a direction, and go for it.  You’ve got this!!
2. Don’t be afraid to actually talk to vendors  |  They are there because they want to talk to you.  I know it can be scary because people can be pushy, but remember the type of people you want to hire for your wedding won’t be!  If you find someone that you connect with, make sure to make a mark on their information so it doesn’t get lost in your bag of flyers and business cards.  I’ve heard of some brides even bringing a folder with them so they put any information from vendors they loved in an easy to find location.
3. Be cautious when booking  |  There is nothing wrong with booking a vendor at the show, but be weary of show specials and too much excitement.  It’s not crazy to think you might find the perfect vendor at a show, but don’t let yourself be pulled in by show specials…only book someone at a show that you would otherwise book outside of it.
4. Re-evaluate at home  |  Once you get home and get some space, go through the information you collected (especially those that you loved) and reach out to those that you’re interested in learning more from!

 

I hope that these tips help you when you venture out to your next bridal show.  Have some tips of your own?  Let me know in the comments!!!

 

For those in the KC area, I will be at the KC Weddings Bridal Spectacular on January 5th, 2019…come say hi!

 

SaveSave