There are a lot of wedding events coming up in March and April and I thought it’d be a good idea to give you some tips on how to make the most of them.
1 – Find out which vendors will be there and check to see if they fit your price point. There’s no point in going to an event – and paying to get in – if you really can’t work with any of the vendors because they’re price range is higher than what you expect to spend.
2 – Bring a buddy. Your groom may not always be the best person to go with because he probably won’t get as excited at all the wedding details you’ll be seeing. Though he will probably enjoy free appetizers, cocktails and cake, you may be better off with mom, a bridesmaid or even a friend who's not in the wedding. She’ll be more interested in the details and you won’t have to worry that your mister will be bored and want to leave.
3 – Carry a pad and pen. There’s never a guarantee that the event producer will supply paper and pens for you to take notes so bring a planning notebook – not your whole wedding organizer – with you and jot down ideas and names of vendors you want to schedule an appointment with. You may also want to bring a small roll of scotch tape to tape business cards to the page you’re taking notes on.
4 – Goody bag and giveaways. Expect that you’ll receive a goody bag and that vendors will be passing out samples. The goody bag may not be yours until you leave the event so bring an easy to carry tote bag to put items that you collect in.
5 – This is a meet and greet event. Do not expect the vendors to spend more than 5 to 10 minutes with you. They want to meet as many brides as possible so don’t start going through your what to ask the baker, photographer, stationery and other vendor question sheets. Get the basic information and any samples and business cards so you can follow up with them later.
6 – Attend expert lectures. If the event features a wedding industry expert, go ask him or her questions and take time to sit through a presentation, lecture or panel discussion. You’ll get expert advice for FREE.
