When Attending Wedding Fairs
Follow our 5 Top Tips to ensure you make the most out of the wedding fairs you will visit as part of your planning process.
Tip # 1
Do your research!
How do you work out which wedding fairs and venue open days are right for you and are therefore worth attending?
Well firstly, you need to know what’s going on and where! Make sure you visit theweddingguideuk.com diary pages for the most up to date information about the different wedding fairs taking place. Alternatively look in wedding magazines or start following wedding venues and suppliers on social media.
In order to narrow down your list of options think about the following;
- Where are you getting married…?
- What time of year…?
- Your wedding style…?
- What suppliers / inspiration are you looking for…?
Once you know what’s going on and where, look to see who’s exhibiting, whether there are any practical classes, demos and / or catwalks and whether there is a champagne / cocktail bar.
Tip # 2
Buy a ticket…
For larger national wedding fairs buy your tickets beforehand. The last thing you (and your wedding party) want to do is queue to get into a wedding fair
Don’t forget – you may also have to pay more for tickets on the door.
Tip # 3
Make a plan…
Use wedding shows to your advantage – go prepared, make a list of what you want to achieve and stick to it. Decide on a realistic number of aims and then set out to achieve them i.e. find a florist, decide on a style of wedding cake and choose a photographer.
At some of the larger wedding fairs it will be difficult to get around all of the stands so before you attend try to get a floor plan or list of exhibitors and prioritise who you want to see and take note of where they are situated within the wedding fair.
The same also applies to any demonstrations or masterclasses that may be taking place. You don’t have the time to attend them all, so work out beforehand which ones are most relevant to you and ensure that you are there at least 15 minutes before they start to guarantee that you and your wedding party get a seat.
That way you will come out of the wedding fair feeling a greater sense of achievement and are less likely to become distracted, overwhelmed or run out of time!
Tip # 4
Plan what to wear / take with you…
Remember to take the following items with you (especially if you are attending a national wedding fair):
- Flat shoes!
- Blister plasters (for anyone that forgets to wear flats!)
- Suitable clothing and a pair of heels if you are trying on any dresses
- Labels printed with your contact details on – these are great at wedding shows when everyone is asking you to fill in your details
- Swatches of your colour scheme and fabrics
- A bag (to carry all of the leaflets, samples etc. you will be picking up)
- Cash and a credit / debit card
- Your diary (so you can schedule appointments there and then)
If possible, try to limit the number of people you take with you. If you take too many people then too many opinions may end up confusing you and blurring your ideas of what you actually want! The key thing to remember is that you want to spend the day surrounded by people who are just as excited as you are!
Tip # 5
Have a glass of Bubbles!
You’ve bought you’re ticket, made a plan, prioritised and you’re rocking the flats! Now it’s time to visit your chosen wedding fair / open day!
If the show is big enough to have a bar then towards the end of your visit make sure you take time out to have a glass of bubbles! This is the point at which you can sit back, reflect on the day, decide if you need to see anyone else / go back and see an exhibitor for a second time AND get excited about your Big Day.
After all, a wedding fair isn’t a wedding fair without a token glass of bubbles!
If you need any further advice about wedding fairs, including which ones to attend, then please do get in touch…
To see which wedding fairs are coming up see our Wedding Fair Diary
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