Wedding shows are an amazing opportunity to see tons of awesome vendors across a wide variety of categories, all in one place. While it can be fun to make a day of it, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. With so many people to see and talk to, how do you make the most out of the wedding shows you decide to attend? Here are my top 8 tips for maximizing your time at the next wedding show you attend:
1) Dress for Comfort: Comfy shoes are a must, because it would be a bit of a bummer to have to tap out early due to aching feet. It could potentially be a few hours on your feet, so keep that in mind when selecting your wardrobe.
2) Get there early: These events can get pretty packed and at some of the larger events, you'll want the opportunity to pace yourself and allow enough time to see all of the potential vendors you are most interested in meeting.
3) Consider pre-printing your info: Create cards or paper slips with your name, wedding date, and contact information to save some time as you visit each booth. Many vendors offer great prizes to those in attendance, and it's much easier to hand a favorite vendor a card with your information versus jotting it down on a scrap of paper each time you meet someone that you click with.
4) Don't feel bad about snagging a Swag Bag: Most wedding shows offer some sort of tote bag when you arrive to check in - definitely take one! You'll hopefully be gathering tons of information throughout the day, and a tote bag is a lot less of a hassle than holding everything in your hands and juggling as you move from booth to booth.
5) Sort as you go: As you're taking information from the many vendors you'll meet, separate out those vendors that you absolutely love and that are "must haves" for your wedding day so you remember which ones you definitely want to reach out to. Also, don't feel weird about jotting some notes down - when meeting so many people, it's easy to forget names, special offers, or details of your conversations. You can even snap some quick pictures to reference later!
6) Ask Questions: The reason we're all there? To answer your questions and see if we are potentially a great fit for you on your wedding day! Some people come with prepared question lists so they can remember all of the information they want to gather. (For tips to help you pick out your perfect photographer, click here!) In the end, we're all really just normal folks, and we're truly there for you so don't feel weird about asking all of the questions that you have on your mind!
7) Follow up with your favorites: If you connected with a wedding professional that you’re interested in hiring, you don’t have to wait for them to reach out to you. Send them a quick email after the show, whether it’s continuing the conversation, requesting more information, or beginning the booking process.
8) Bring a friend (but maybe not the whole crew): It's a great idea to bring your partner, a friend, or trusted family member to help you hold stuff, fill out entry forms for some great prizes and giveaways (in case you skipped tip #3), and to bounce ideas off of as you go! Bringing the whole wedding party might seem like a fun outing, but it can quickly get out of hand if you'll need to be balancing your opinion and vision for your wedding day with the thoughts and opinions of tons of people. Yes, they mean well, but sometimes it can just be too much - so its ok to keep it to a couple of people instead of the whole entourage.
Hopefully these tips will help you maximize your time and energy at your next wedding show!
Interested in meeting us at an upcoming wedding show? Click below to see our schedule!
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