Bridal Fair Survival Guide

SLO's Spectacular Spring Bridal Show
Sunday April 15, 2012. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Madonna Inn Expo Center, San Luis Obispo, CA
Tickets: At the door - $10 per person, $5 per groom
             Online with code "lavender" - $7 per person, $2 per groom

4 hours of brides trolling for the best deals, services, and food.

4 hours of vendors lurking in their booths trying to snag any girl who makes eye contact long enough to answer "So, When Are You Getting Married?"

And of course, 4 hours of grooms wandering aimlessly from catering samples to cake tasting!

It's like a google search, in the flesh!

If you've already been to one of Central Coast Bride's bridal fairs, you know what we're talking about. If this will be your first stroll through the wedding mall, you might be reconsidering your trip.

But, you really don't want to miss this fantastic event. This is the best opportunity to get tons of your wedding planning done in one shot. So, to make your Sunday afternoon more fun, less stressful, and a lot more productive, here's 5 steps to not only surviving, but making the most of this truly fabulous affair!

Step 1: Make a Plan

The biggest and most common mistakes we see is going to the bridal fair "just to look". With over 120 vendors in one building "just looking" is terrifying. Instead, make a list of priorities. Even if you just got engaged yesterday, you still have an idea of what is most important to you. Pick your top three priorities (ex. location, cake, and coordinator). Plan on only visiting those vendors at the fair and be sure to clue in anyone going with you.

Bonus Tip: One of your top priorities is probably your dress. Feel free to swing by the bridal shop and dressmaker's booths to see if they have any deals or coupons, but don't spend too much time interviewing them. They all offer a wide variety of styles, so you'll really need to visit their shops in person.

Step 2: Choose Your Entourage

Our advice: Bring 2-3 people maximum. One should be your fiance so that he feels included (btw he WILL wander off to the nearest cake display followed by in depth chat with the DJs and a tour of the catering booths, so turn up the ringer on his phone before you start so you can find him again). The other 1-2 groupies should be people with excellent physical stamina and whom you trust unconditionally (you would trust them to care for your house, your dog, and your wine rack, all while tossing your entire wardrobe and buying you a new one.)

If you're considering taking your maid of honor, 3 bridesmaids, a flowergirl, your mom, AND your fiance along, keep a few things in mind. First, everyone will have an opinion (often conflicting) about every little detail you encounter. Second, over 500 people typically attend this bridal fair and trying to keep a large group together is both impossible and migrane-inducing! If you've already promised to take everyone, agree at the door to go your separate ways and meet on the other side, while you keep one or two patient and rational supporters with you. And whether you have kids, or one of your entourage does, try to leave them at home.  We have kids too, but it's like Black Friday shopping times 10 if you bring them.

Bonus Tip:  The Bridal Fair now has a full bar.  Promise to treat your entourage to a toast AFTER you've finished talking to vendors.  Trust us, you want to be clear headed when dealing with so many first impressions.

Step 3: Take Notes

Even with your narrowed list of priorities, the number of vendors available is overwhelming. For example, if one of your top three priorities is a photographer, you will have a choice of 20 photographers to see at the fair!

Make sure you take a notebook and your calendar with you. Make a list of 3-5 questions you want to ask each vendor and jot down their answers. Take note of something memorable about them so you can "put a face with the name" when you get home (frizzy blonde hair, or cool earrings!) and be sure to note whether you actually liked them! First impressions can be tricky at the bridal fair, but if you felt like you strongly connected with someone, or really didn't like them, write it down so you don't confuse them with someone else later! If you do connect with someone, schedule a time to meet or call them after the bridal fair. Finally, make sure you know who you actually spoke to. Many booths are staffed by sales reps, assistants, friends, family, and even other brides! These people can provide great insight into what a vendor provides, but nothing can replace the real thing!

Bonus Tip: To be extra efficient, check out the list of vendors ahead of time and browse their websites to narrow down your options before you even walk through those doors!

Step 4: Know Your Limits

This step has two aspects: your financial limits, and your emotional limits.

First of all, managing your wedding budget can be the most stressful part of planning your big day, but putting it off can be disastrous. If you don't have a definite budget set yet, at least get a general idea of what funds you have available and how many guests you want. Each vendor knows approximately how much of a wedding budget they take up, and they should be able to advise you about whether or not they will be a good option for your wedding.

Second, know your emotional limits. The bridal fair can be overwhelming, exhausting and downright draining.  If you're feeling claustrophobic, don't be afraid to take a step outside for a breather and some water before tackling the next aisle. If you're just plain overwhelmed but still have a lot of ground to cover, stop by our booth! We try to make our booth an escape for you because we know how overwhelming everything can be. If you tell us that you saw this blog, we'll let you relax for a few minutes before we even try to hand you a business card (trust us, you won't get this offer from any other booth!)

Step 5: Don't Feel Pressured

Hopefully this bridal fair will give you an opportunity to meet some great local vendors and narrow down your choices for your wedding day. As you meet and interview each one, consider whether they are worth a second look (and make a note!). Later in the day, go back and visit the ones who stood out to you.

Many vendors will encourage you to book with them during the bridal fair by offering special deals, incentives, and discounts. However, most of them will be willing to extend their deals if you ask to schedule a meeting with them during your second visit to their booth (remember to bring your calendar!). If they're hesitant, simply explain that you really like them but that you want to meet in-person in a quieter setting where you can really get to know them. Give them all of your contact info and your wedding date, and set a date, time, and place to meet. Make sure they know that you're serious about considering them and ask that they call you if someone else seems interested in your wedding date. If they still won't accept your request to extend the fair special, then they probably aren't very interested in providing you with the personalized service you deserve.

Planner's Secret:

The bridal fair has two stages. From noon to 2 pm is the "rush". This is a great opportunity to quickly peruse your "priority vendors" and get your questions quickly answered without feeling the pressure of the sales pitch. You may have to spend a little extra time trying to get talk to someone in each booth, but if you aren't thrilled with what you see, it will be easier to slip back into the crowd. From 2-4 pm things slow down a lot and this is your chance to revisit your favorite vendors to talk about their deals, ask extra questions, and schedule a meeting. We recommend that you try to attend both stages of the bridal fair since the booths may have someone different working during the two different times, and you may get a totally different impression of a vendor during their "rush" compared to the end of the day.

So follow our 5 tips, take a deep breath, and have some fun!  See you at the show!

Happy Shopping!
Valerie