Floral Booth at a Bridal Show
Bridal Shows are a great place to meet, interview and book Wedding Vendors. As long as you have done some research into the wedding services you are planning to use in advance, you can meet, compare and screen all of the wedding professionals who will play a part in your celebration at our Bridal Shows. Most Bridal Fairs run from 12 to 4 and generally have between 60 and 80 vendors, with larger ones having as many as 120 vendors. There are even some giant Bridal Expos in metro areas with several hundred vendors.
Our Spring Central Coast Bride shows are just around the corner in San Luis Obispo and Monterey. At www.CentralCoastBride.com you can get details about these shows, along with a list of the Wedding Vendors who will be there, what Prizes are planned for the Brides, and how to buy tickets online to save time and money and be entered into the stage raffle. Here is an overview of our Spring Bridal Fairs:
Monterey Bridal Show
March 14, 2010
Noon to 4:00 pm
Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa
San Luis Obispo Bridal Show
March 21, 2010
Noon to 4:00 pm
Alex Madonna Expo Center (Madonna Inn)
Our Bridal Expos are full of great energy and fabulous exhibitors. Plan to arrive early since you may want to use all four hours of the bridal fair. Grooms attend at half price ($5), plus at the SLO show we plan to have a Man Cave where he can watch sports on a big screen TV! At the show, talk with as many vendors as you can – they have helped hundreds of brides, so they have lots of knowledge to pass on to you.
Bridal Shows are not restricted to Brides only – anyone may attend. Many Brides opt to bring along grooms, mothers, friends and/or brides maids. Most Bridal Shows charge a small entrance fee, usually around $10. Most shows also offer a price break if you bring your groom or if you register on-line before the show. Our Central Coast Bride shows charge a $10 entrance fee which is discounted to $5 for the groom. Or if you register on-line, the fee is reduced.
Bridal Shows are a terrific planning tool if you use them properly. What are your objectives at a Bridal Show? If your wedding date is quickly approaching, your objectives will be to find and book the few remaining services you need for your wedding. If your wedding date is still a year away, your show objectives may be more to book one or two key services and to help get yourself educated on what products and services are available along with their price ranges so that you can better plan the remaining aspects of your wedding. To make the best use of these events, remember three things: Pre Event Planning, Day Of Event Strategies, and Post Event Organization.
Pre Event Planning. Prepare a written set of questions in order to get as many answered as possible. Know which wedding services you still need and plan to visit those types of booths first. See if the producer’s website has a listing of what vendors will be at the show. If available, you can determine in advance which booths you definitely want to visit even if you don’t have time to visit all of the booths.
Day Of Event Strategies. Remember to bring a notebook and ink pens along with your list of “must see” vendors. If you are short on time, visit your “must see” booths first. Even if you have lots of time, visiting your highest priority booths first ensures that you talk with them early – in case you tire out or if you want to book them before their schedule fills up! Is your selected date available? If not, you will need to continue shopping for that service. Collect business cards or brochures and write notes directly onto them to remind you of specific points about each vendor.
Post Event Organization. While at the show, did you make appointments to meet with any show vendors at a later date? If so, be sure to post these dates and times in your calendar. As soon as possible after the show, review and summarize any important information that you learned. File brochures, flyers and business cards in the appropriate section of your wedding notebook.
The current Bridal Show schedule can be found in Central Coast Bride Magazine or on our website at www.CentralCoastBride.com See you there!
