Last year I had the opportunity to share with you a bit about my first ever experience attending a bridal show. and some of my thoughts prior to attending. At the time I had been dating my boyfriend for about four years, and we had been talking about getting engaged, and taking the next steps in life. Well, a few things have changed since then and I am so happy to share with you that we got engaged just before Christmas.
With engagement season in the air (something about Christmas, New Years and Valentines' Day!) and a newsfeed full of pretty sparkly rings, there is no better time to give some thought to wedding planning! While some people can find is stressful, personally I am loving it (even though my "real life" job has gotten quite busy!)
I will admit that last year when I attended the National Bridal Show that I really did not know what to expect. I mean sure, it would be a trade show, but really, I was walking in blind. I figured I would be bombarded with information. Today I want to share with you some of my tips on how to ace your big show.
Create A Wedding Only Email
(Almost) every booth will have a giveaway, or a take home, or some sort of discount for leaving your email address. To help keep all of your information in the same place, and to help you not get bogged down with emails after the wedding planning ends, leave a wedding only email (such as smithwedding2018@gmail.com)!
Bring A Bag
You will be more than lightly get some sort of free tote bag at any wedding show you attend, but don't rely on the bag to be as big and strong as you would like. I suggest bringing a quality tote bag jut in case!
Only Take The Info That You Are Interested In
While all of the pamphlets may look pretty and glossy, and on their own they don't weigh much, your shoulder will be pretty sore by the end of the day of lugging those around. Rather than grab everything, be selective and only take the information that really interests you. Vendors will thank you (that stuff costs money to print!) and you will thank you when you get home and start going through it.
Go With A Friend
Make a girls's day out of it, and enjoy the show with a friend, like a bridesmaid, your mom, or another bride. Grab lunch, chat about the pretty things you saw, and enjoy the whole process!
Ask Questions
Ask lots of questions about cost, timelines, contracts, and more. Ask photographers if the engagement session is included. Ask wedding and day-of planners how they approach issues. Ask dress shops what their timelines and size selections are. Ask everything and anything on your mind so that you can make the best decision for you!
Keep Your Budget In Mind
When I attended the National Bridal Show last year I was pretty frustrated that it felt like none of the decor companies could give me an idea of what things would cost. "It all depends on....". Have an idea of how many people you would like to invite, and what your budget is, and then try to frame questions in terms of "if I had X for decor for Y number of people, what could I expect?".
AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
In partnership with the National Bridal Show and Glow Academy I am happy to share that I am giving away four pairs of tickets to the National Bridal Show and four gift vouchers for a manicure & pedicure ($70 value). That's right... four lucky winners!
The giveaway will end on Saturday February 2rd at midnight! This giveaway is open to anybody, however please keep in mind that both Glow Academy and the National Bridal Show are located in Toronto!
Bridal Show!
Good luck!!!!
The National Bridal Show runs February 2-4 2018 at the Enercare Centre in Toronto.
This post is sponsored by the National Bridal Show. Opinions are my own!
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