Tips & Tricks For Attending Bridal Shows | Timeless Wedding Designs | Orlando Wedding Planners

If you are newly engaged, the idea of getting to attend your first bridal show can be so exciting! A few of my favorites include The Big Fake Wedding, the Perfect Wedding Guide Wedding Show, and smaller, local shows. Here are a couple of things that you will want to keep in mind for visiting your first bridal show, and I even included a cheat sheet of questions to ask potential vendors at the end!

H A V E   A N   I D E A   O F   W H A T   Y O U R   V I S I O N   I S

At most bridal shows, you will see a plethora of different styles of vendors! Most vendors cater to a niche market but will work with all types of visions, so keep that in mind when you are looking at booths. For example, when Timeless Wedding Designs did our first bridal show, we catered to the vintage market, but worked with all kinds of brides and grooms. I set up our booth to reflect what I had to offer to the market at the time. You will find that you are attracted to booths that match your vision, but remember to keep an open mind when you are wandering the lanes of vendors!


G E T   T O   K N O W   E A C H   V E N D O R ' S   P E R S O N A L I T Y

It can be overwhelming walking into a bridal show, like any trade show! Spend time at each booth, talking with each vendor and understanding their personalities; if you choose to work with this person, you will want to ensure that they are friendly and professional, and can conduct themselves in a professional way when being approached by several people at one time. In addition, the vendor's booth should be a reflection of who they are as a professional and the vendors themselves are a reflection of who they are as a person. A great connection could save you a ton of stress down the road!

G I V E A W A Y S   A N D   S H O W   S P E C I A L S

Because I was new to the industry when I did my first bridal show, I decided to do two giveaways: a gift certificate for a spa day at a local spa and percentage off of my Day Of Management package. Many vendors will do similar giveaways and show specials at their booths, so visiting each booth could save you some mega money in your planning process! It is important to follow the guidelines given when entering a giveaway, however, as vendors will check to ensure that the winner followed the rules!



C O L L E C T   B U S I N E S S   C A R D S   A N D   P A M P H L E T S

Remember to collect business cards and pamphlets from vendors that you really felt you connected with and organize them so you don't lose them later! This could save you sooo much stress later on when it comes time to choose!

Q U E S T I O N S   T O   A S K

• How long have you been [insert vendor-specific item, such as planning] weddings?
• How many weddings have you done?
• Is there a place where I can look for reviews of your past work?
• Do you have a portfolio that I could look at?
• What is the average investment that couples can expect to make on your services?
• Do you offer a complimentary one-on-one consultation? If so, how do I set one up?

Remember to keep your questions precise and not to ask too many questions, as the vendor will need to split their attention between the many guests to their booth! The final question regarding complimentary one-on-one consultations will invite the vendor to reach out to you and sit down for more in-depth questions later on if you are interested in their work.

Find out why wedding day coordination is a must have!