Bridal Expo – Hints, Tips and Advice

We share our top tips on attending bridal shows to help you plan your wedding. Talk directly with the professionals, see samples of their work and find out costs involved.

Are you thinking about attending any of your local bridal fairs?  (Also called bridal shows or bridal expos.)  We think that attending one of these affairs will absolutely help you enjoy planning your wedding and allow you to share this special time with friends and family who are close to you.

Bridal shows can be excellent tools to use as you plan your wedding. These shows are exciting, festive and can be great resources for unique or traditional wedding ideas. You get to talk directly with the professionals, see samples of their work and get an idea of what costs are involved. 

Bridal fairs are probably the most convenient way to learn about all of the many, many event options, from the newest and coolest gowns to the quirkiest cake topper. Bridal shows can help you make educated decisions in a time-efficient manner.These shows are also great because you actually get to see, feel, taste, and smell the options available for your wedding. You can’t get THAT on the internet!

Bridal shows are busy places, packed with amazing resources for you.  It is in your best interest to invest a little time into planning ahead to get more out of your bridal show experience. It’s a good idea to register for the bridal expo ahead of time.  This will save you time at check-in, and often offers a discount on the entrance fee.

First thing’s first. 

Make sure you have a list of the products and services you need the most. It is a good idea to check ahead to see what vendors will be at the bridal show. Try to concentrate on just a few vendors that you know you absolutely need and do your research ahead of time. Make sure you are very clear on what your budget will allow for each of the products and services. Now, when you get to the show, visit first those service providers who have what you need the most. You can also give them an idea of what you are able to spend. Some vendors may offer discounts on their services if you book them at the show. At the bridal show, gather info from other vendors too, but spend most of your time talking with the ones you researched.

Stick to that plan. If you can make most of your decisions while you are at the bridal expo, you can tick those right off of your planning ‘to-do’ list. 

Make sure to visit booths that have those services you still need. Don’t feel like you need to listen to sales pitches. Ask lots of questions, that’s what the vendors are there for. They want to help you and you are under no pressure to buy from them, so find out everything you need to know. If their product or service is one you need and they are busy talking with someone else, stand close and just listen. Get a sense of the personality of the vendor. You will most likely know pretty quickly if this is someone you would feel comfortable with and supported by during the wedding planning process. The vendors will want to spend time with you and answer your questions, but it may be hectic, or too noisy to engage in easy conversation.  It may be best to set up an appointment to speak with them at a later date.

If a vendor gives you information that you especially like you will want to separate that vendor’s info from the others in some way. Maybe you will put that information in a special bag, not with all the other items you will collect. Use your own lightweight bag to separate vendor information that is of special interest to you. Another idea is to bring a red pen and mark that vendor’s information so that you will know later to follow up. Make notes on business cards, the brochure or flyer for easy reference later.

Make sure that you bring someone you trust along with you to the bridal show. It’s helpful to have a different perspective on the offerings. Besides, you’re going to need someone to help you carry the magazines, brochures and other freebies the vendors will be offering you.

What to bring with you? If you decide that you want to book appointments, you will be happy to have a planner or datebook. How great would it be if you decided right there and then that you want to book services one of the providers?  Make sure to bring your checkbook or credit card. Swatches of material and ribbon in the colors of your wedding are helpful when speaking with florists, bakers, balloonists, gown shops and other professionals. Make sure you have a smartphone to take photos or bring a camera. You will want to remember a bunch of the ideas you see.

#1 Helpful Tip: (You can thank us later)

One of the most helpful tips we have come across when planning a wedding is to create a completely separate email address that you will use specifically for wedding planning purposes.  That will eliminate the avalanche of emails that will land in your everyday inbox.  Here’s another great tip: print out labels ahead of time with your contact info, including your email address. Helpful info for the vendors would include: your name, the groom’s name, address, wedding date & location, phone numbers and your e-mail address. If you don’t bring labels, print very clearly when registering for anything.  Just about all of the exhibitors at the bridal show will have drawings you can enter. It will be so much easier for you to enter these if you don’t have to spend the time writing out your info every time. Also, don’t feel that you need to give your information to every single vendor. You may find yourself bombarded with marketing calls, emails and mailings.

DOWNLOAD:  Heading to a Bridal Fair Checklist: 12 Tips To Make The Most Of Your Bridal Expo.

When it comes to catering services for your wedding, well, you can probably figure out what we’d say about that:

Whether you’re looking for a formal sit-down dinner with linens, fine china and glassware, or a casual feast with a more laid-back atmosphere, B&M can help.

From Classic Clambakes to our elaborate This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Traditional Wedding Menu to simple Barbecues, Brian and Mickey will help you make your wedding the memorable day it should be……. a true reflection of you and your unique style.

We will work with you to design a menu that fits your taste and your budget.  If you would care to talk in person or taste our cookin’, just let us know.  Our commissary is in Pawtucket, RI, and we would love to have you drop by.

At B&M, we price our full service catered events based upon the number of guests, the location of the party, and the time of year. We would love to send you menus and pricing for our full service events or bar services. Here is our easy “Request a Quote” form to get you started.  If you’d rather, just give Tim a call in the office. He has the answer to just about every event planning question you might come up with. (Seriously – just try to stump him!)

We have a number of Full-Service Catering Menus available for you to review. Please be sure to give our event planners a call to discuss your own menu preferences.