10 Tips: Preparing to Attend a Bridal Fair | The Weducation Series

Attending a bridal fair feels exciting and scary and confusing and like 5.million.things.in.your.brain all at the same time. Want to get the most out of it?

We have 10 tips to get you started in the right direction:

1. Have an action plan. Are there any vendors you still need? Make sure to check out the vendor list beforehand and do some research. Pick 2-3 and stop by each.

2. Bring a notebook, pen and a tote bag. You’ll want to take notes. Take your time and jot things down after you visit a booth that caught your eye. You’ll also probably be getting a lot of stuff. That tote bag will come in handy. Seriously, BRING A TOTE BAG.

3. Bring address labels. Make sure they include your name, your partner’s name, your wedding date and your email address – you will want to enter a lot of giveaways, but it’s not worth getting writer’s cramp over.

4. Bring cash/credit card. If there is a vendor that you fall in love with, you’ll want to take advantage of their show special. The best vendors book up fast, so you won’t want to wait.

5. Bring a couple of people with you that totally understand the vision of your wedding. Not their idea of what your wedding should be. Have them give you their honest feedback about vendors.

6. Sleep well the night before and eat a good breakfast and a light snack before you go in. These things are exhausting. I’m not joking.

7. Don’t get bummed if someone seems to be out of your budget. Most vendors offer payment plans which can help you get what you want.

8. Don’t feel like you need to stop and look at every booth. If you feel “over it”, that’s ok. Don’t overwhelm yourself. This is supposed to be fun.

9. Look for personality as much as skill. You’re going to be working with these people a LOT. You should like them as humans, not just as businesses.

10. Plan something fun afterwards. Something thoughtless and lighthearted. Your brain will thank you.

BONUS TIP thanks to a reader comment below:

Create a wedding email address to give to vendors so your normal in-box is not overwhelmed with emails from potential vendors.

Are there any other tips you think we missed? What was the best thing you’ve done to get the most out of bridal shows? Share with us in the comments.

Kate of GSquared Weddings Wedding Photographer & Certified Wedding Coordinator

Wedding photographer, certified wedding coordinator, and the Type A half of GSquared Weddings. Kate has been behind a camera since 1997 and has documented 640+ weddings across Seattle and Snohomish County since 2011. With a background in marketing, business management, and wedding coordination, she brings more to your day than just great photos — she brings 15+ years of knowing what's about to go sideways and quietly fixing it before you notice. Kate is a passionate advocate for Color Integrity editing because your skin tone and wedding colors should look like they actually looked. Featured in HuffPost, Style Me Pretty, PNW Weddings, and Print Media Centr. Runs on coffee and an unreasonable number of browser tabs. GSquared Weddings is a husband-and-wife wedding photography team based in Snohomish, WA with 170+ five-star reviews on WeddingWire, 200+ Facebook recommendations, 90+ 5-star Google reviews and 11 consecutive WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards. Typical investment is $4,500-$10,000.

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