Today’s the day of the show! Now what to do AT the show!!

You’ve planned and prepped, you have your notebook and address labels, and are on your way to the wedding expo with a few of your favorite people. Get ready for crowds, noise, great food samples, and all the cake, cupcakes and dessert you can handle. It’s going to be an absolute blast, but there are some things you should do at the bridal show that will make it so much better!

What to do AT the bridal show

Have lunch right before you go

Many wedding expos can go on for four hours, and you’ll still have more to do! All that walking and talking will make anyone hungry, and the best thing you can do is have a substantial meal right before the show. This way, you can snack at the caterer’s booths, eat a TON of cake and maybe have a glass of wine as you walk and talk. You have a lot of big decisions to make in the next few days, and the last thing you want is to be hangry while doing so.

Don’t forget the bags!

I mentioned in What to bring to a bridal show about bringing two reusable bags to separate your “polite bag” and your “definitely follow up with” bags. If you didn’t have any at home or didn’t want to bring your own, head over to the David’s Bridal, Men’s Wearhouse, etc booths and get yourself two of these bags. Don’t worry about the size –  you’re going to be getting a TON of stuff!

Don’t fill out your own forms at the show (if you can swing it)

You want to be able to focus your energy on finding out if you and the person you’re talking to would be a good fit. You’ll need to be giving out contact information to a TON of people – have someone in your group be in charge of filling out contact forms, signing up for drawings, etc. You’ll be able to start the conversation right away without having to fill anything out first.

Take notes

Make sure you write down what makes someone stand out to you. Do they offer anything special at the expo itself? If you meet/book within a week? Two weeks? Have a page at the very beginning of your notebook for time sensitive information. I guarantee you won’t be able to remember everything and everyone you meet that day – you’re going to want to have notes to look back on.

Know your schedule for the show

It’s a GREAT idea to try and schedule a meeting with your favorites soon, so someone else doesn’t scoop them up first. I don’t know about other vendors, but I love being able to schedule consultations the week following a wedding expo. Knowing your schedule for the next two weeks will really help.

Take a break, then double back on the people you liked at the bridal show

Be sure to take breaks on occasion, have a snack, and talk about who/what you’ve seen so far. Is there anyone you’d like to revisit and ask follow up questions to? It’s not uncommon for someone to come back two or three times, and even book their wedding before they leave for the day. I wouldn’t recommend booking immediately, but if you’ve seen every photographer there, and one specifically stuck out to you, book them before someone else does. Taking the occasional short break to sit down, have a drink and a snack can really help the day go smoothly.

The Fashion Show

There are two different ways of approaching this time of the day. A ton of people will be attending, so if the fashion show is something you want to attend, have a seat 15-20 minutes early to make sure you get a good seat. If the fashion show is not up your alley, this is an excellent time to power through a bunch of booths. Most people will be at the fashion show, which means the crowds at the booths will be considerably smaller.

These were just a couple tips and tricks on how to not just survive a bridal show, but also to walk away with as much useful information as possible. Best of luck, and have fun! 🙂

 

nterested in checking out some wedding expos? Check these first:

Baltimore Wedding Experience

Maryland Bridal and Wedding Expo

Great Bridal Expo