Wedding Shows are a lot of fun and a great place to start your wedding planning! With countless vendors in one place, you can check off a lot of things on your planning list in just one day...perfect for today's busy bride and groom. But, like all things involved with planning a wedding, wedding shows can be a bit overwhelming so we've come up with a list of tips that could help make your day a lot more enjoyable and less stressful:
1. Make a day of it. Plan to spend the majority of your day at the show and cut out enough time so you're not rushed. Make it fun by planning a lunch beforehand or dinner/happy hour afterwards.
2. Dress for the occasion. You will be doing a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes! Also, consider your space. If the show is in a big convention center it may be hot or cold, so wear layers.
3. Have a plan. Before you go, sit down with your fiance and review what you need to do still and what things you want to accomplish at the show. Then, when you go to the show, stick to your plan! Don't waste your time comparing what vendors you already have booked to others.
4. Bring a notebook. We suggest bringing a notebook and pen so you can write down important notes when you are talking to different vendors. You will meet so many that you most likely won't remember who said what!
5. Labels. Probably the most important thing you can bring to a wedding show is pre-made address labels with the following information on them: Bride's name, groom's name, address, email, phone number and wedding date. Many vendors will have "Register to Win" opportunities or drawings and you don't want to get a hand cramp writing down your information 50 times.
6. Set up a specific email address for wedding information. Many vendors from the show will contact you afterwards with discounts, coupons, etc. so instead of filling up your current email box with all of these offers set-up a free email account simply for your wedding information.
7. Don't book anything the day of the show. We know how easy it can be to get caught up in the excitement, but we recommend not booking anything the day of the show. You will be on information overload, so go home, relax and revisit what you saw/learned in the next couple of days and then make a decision.
8. Enjoy yourself! Most important tip of all is to enjoy yourself. The event should be fun and you shouldn't let yourself get overwhelmed. Everything will be perfect on your wedding day so try not to sweat the small stuff.
The Wedding Distinctions booth was a huge hit at the St. Louis Wedding Show this past weekend, August 10th, at America's Center in downtown St. Louis. The Wedding Distinctions team had a ton of fun at the show and were excited to meet a lot of newly engaged couples. The most popular 2009 wedding date at the show was October 10th, which goes to show that a lot of people are planning far in advance for their weddings!
If you weren't able to make the show, check out our website www.WeddingDistinctions.com to see some of the items we featured at the show.
Happy Planning!
