Wedding Expos and Fairs are a great way to help plan your wedding. You can easily compare wedding services, connect with vendors face-to-face, and get a ton of ideas and inspo for your big day!
But they can also be:
Overwhelming
Painful
A waste of time…
…and leave you with a terrible case of comparison-itis over all the things you “can’t” afford.
But with a few intentional tweaks & mindset changes you can make the most of your wedding expo experience and walk away feeling inspired, instead of overwhelmed.
1. Have a wedding-only email address
Before you go, create a wedding-only email address you can give expo vendors, where *ONLY* wedding-related info is sent. That will cut down on a lot of the “digital overload” hitting your usual inbox, and if you’re really into being organised, you can sort the messages you receive into folders labelled for each element of your wedding, ie, flowers, stylists, transport, etc.
2 . Dress for comfort
You’re going to be on your feet for a long time, so dress appropriately: comfortable shoes, layers (because expo venues can be freezing!), and a stylish backpack can make it easier to carry your freebies & swag while leaving your hands free!
3. Use your phone to take notes
Use the Notes app on your phone to help you keep ideas in order and stay organised. Snap pics of business cards, you can create categories for each service here too, and take photos of exhibits that stand out (but always ask first so I can hit a cute pose for you, ha!).
4. Have a Game Plan
There are lots of different types of wedding services available for you to explore at an Expo. Go in there knowing which ones you want to research, check the map on arrival, and make a bee-line for your faves. It’s a bit like going to the supermarket without a grocery list - you end up just wandering the aisles and picking up random bits and pieces, without really achieving anything truly useful.
5. Follow up with vendors
There’s always the chance that you’ll meet an expo vendor you really connect with and that’s great! My advice is to grab a coffee, talk it over with your group, and maybe look the business up online for a few reviews. If you’re still feeling the pull toward that vendor go back with your diary out and make a time to meet with them for a 1:1 consultation where they can take the time to give you a personalised proposal. There will be hundreds (and sometimes thousands!) of people at the expo and we vendors tend to take lots of bookings in the following weeks. You want to make sure to ‘get in first’ before your favourite vendor books out on your wedding date!
And last of all, be sure to HAVE FUN! Bring your bridesmaids and make a day of it, or get your partner involved and take the opportunity to meet vendors together.
We would love to make your special day as dreamy as you’ve envisioned. If you’re searching for the perfect wedding planner and/or stylist for you, we’ll be at the Wedding Expos Australia event at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday 7th of May.
Click here to book your free tickets to the event and we’ll look forward to seeing you there! xo
