Newly Engaged? 6 Ways to Prepare for Bridal Shows
My my - ladies (and gents), it has been BUSY around here!
The Music City Events teams have been hopping with the summer season. Lovely ladies in whites and creams, handsome men in fabulous suits {you know how much we love a good suit!}, stunning decor with perfect lighting, handcrafted signature cocktails with custom stirrers and perfectly executed introductions and first dances don't just happen by themselves you know! ;)
Summer is quickly fading into fall and with fall comes not only another set of ridiculously beautiful and fun events, but BRIDAL SHOWS!
It all starts this Sunday with the Pink Bride Show at the Convention Center in Nashville, followed swiftly by the Perfect Wedding Guide Show in September and a sprinkling of other open houses (including one for The Bridge, Nashville's newest downtown venue that IS AMAZING! It has not opened yet and we already have an event booked there. Trust me, Nathaniel knows what he's doing, and I cannot wait to see the finished product).
Anyhoo - here are a few tips and tricks to ENJOY any bridal show you attend and how to get the most out of it.
- Go in with a plan It's easy to get lost or overwhelmed at a bridal show. So, make a plan. Go to the right, stay to the right. Go to the left stay to the left. Go up and down the aisles or make a circle, starting from the center and moving out. Whatever your plan, make one and STICK to it. This ensures that you will not skip over any professionals at the show - and potentially missing out on that one "aha!" element or service.
- Bring stickers
Print your name, address, e-mail, wedding date (if you have it. If not, "summer 2013" will suffice) and groom's name on address labels and bring several sheets with you. Trust me, it will make filling out any paperwork for more info from key pros MUCH easier. Peel and stick and voila!
- Create a new e-mail This really should be 2.5. :) Signing up for more info from these pros will get you just that - more info. Sometimes a lot of it. For a long time. You can, of course, unsubscribe to newsletters once you no longer want to receive them, but I have found it better to create a new e-mail for wedding planning only. This also allows you to stay uber organized, something we love here at MCE. (Insider tip: try not to make it ridiculously long - i.e.: MrandMrsScottandSarahsummer2013@blahblah.net. Something fun that will catch a pro's eye is always an awesome choice - i.e.: WeddingRookie@blahblah.net will make us chuckle AND remember you in a great way).
- The Fewer, the Better
Trust me, this is just like wedding dress shopping. The more people you have with
you the more opinions you will be given and the more directions you will be pulled.
(photo courtesy of National Museum of Dance) - Be You. If you want to rock it out in heels and a hella cute scarf - DO IT! Same goes for tennis shoes and jeans. Whatever makes you comfy, because if you are comfy you will be much more likely to enjoy this. And that's really important for the next one.
- Take Notes + Pictures Pay attention to the things that capture your attention {BUT DO NOT abandon Rule 1, which is make a plan and stick to it. If you see something cool, be patient. You WILL get to that booth. :) }. Once you get to Uber Cool Display, snap a shot of the booth and jot a note on the brochure/postcard/what-have-you that they are giving out. This will help you match the company info to the booths you love. When you see 30-50 in a few short hours, it can be difficult to recall which were which 5 days later.
That's it! Take it all in, enjoy it and remember this is a FUN and EXCITING time in your life.
Happy perusing!
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