How to navigate a Wedding Show?

If you plan on attending the 2012 West Coast Bridal Showcase or the  Seattle Wedding Show in which Elegant Affairs is a participating vendor: here are some helpful hints on how to best navigate such a wedding show.

• Who to bring to the wedding show? A wedding show is really not the time to have your whole family and/or bridal party to attend. Wedding shows can be overwhelming for any bride and groom so a good rule of thumb is for the bride and groom to attend and one or two other people (Mother of Bride and Maid of Honor are ideal people to attend).

• Pre-determine what vendors you want to stop by and visit. If you already have selected vendors then when going up and down the aisles these vendor booths can be the ones that you skip. There is no point in wasting your time and/or that vendor’s time if you have already contracted with a vendor in that category.

• Set-up separate wedding e-mail account. No doubt during the show you will register and sign-up for raffles, special deals or to be on vendors mailing lists. By creating a separate e-mail account it will help to keep your regular email free of unsolicited email. You can also use it down the road, when offering guests a way to RSVP to your event.

• Print out address labels. Most vendors at bridal shows want to collect your information. Save yourself time and writer's cramp by printing up address labels at home prior to arriving. Some wedding expos offer this service when you arrive, but coming prepared will save you money, too. Each label should have the names of both the bride and groom; the preferred mailing address information should be sent to, the wedding e-mail account and your wedding date. While you may consider adding your phone number, keep in mind that this gives the vendor permission to call you. Save yourself from unsolicited marketing calls by adding your phone number only if you are truly interested in hearing from the vendor by phone.

• What to bring? Heavy tote to hold all of the marketing materials, color swatches, notebook and pen and a CAMERA to capture great ideas or for a way to remember which booths you visited that you are interested in using their services.

• Wear comfortable clothes/shoes. Be prepared to walk a lot. There are hundreds of vendor booths to look at and it could take several hours to see everything.

• What to do when you arrive? If you go to the show right when it opens, head to the back of the room so that you can avoid the line of people chatting with the vendors in the front. Of if you are attending when it’s time for the Fashion Show and not interested, this is a great time to take advantage of the short lines at vendor booths.

• Eat a good meal before the event. While there may be some concessions available at the bridal show, consider bringing with you a small snack or two and a bottle of water for each person attending with you. This will help you save money and avoid long lines for something to eat.

• Two-Bag Buddy System. Every vendor wants your business, and they'll be prepared to hand you a remarkable amount of promotional material. Bring one large tote bag to store all of the information in which you are truly interested, and have a friend bring another. When you receive information from a vendor who doesn't offer something you'd like to learn more about, put it in your friend's bag. When you get home, you won't have to sift through a large amount of ads. You'll already know which stack should head right to the recycling bin.

• To book or not to book at the Wedding Show. Wedding events can be really exciting and open your eyes to a world of wedding possibilities. Look for money-saving deals, but be cautious when making deposits on services at events. Make sure you have allowed proper time to sort through your budget and what the company can realistically offer. If you are certain of your decision, always get a receipt and the name of the person you worked with at the event.