Wedding fairs look like they
will be reopening soon – with special measures in place of course – which means
that potential brides and grooms and get back to the serious business of
wedding planning. For some people they
will go to the next in a series of wedding fairs, for others it will be their
very first.
How do you make the most of
a visit to a wedding fair?
Go to as many as you can/as
many as you like
There are dozens of wedding
fairs in all areas. Some are put on by
big organisers, some by the venues, some by suppliers. Some will be huge, some quite small. Maybe there is a specific supplier you want
to see, maybe it’s the venue you want to see, maybe it is just convenient for
you. There are no rights and wrongs of which to go to. At the early stages of wedding planning it
can be just a nice day out! It isn’t costing you anything (or rather, it
shouldn’t be!)
Talk to everyone.
Don’t think that it is just
about selecting an actual supplier – a wedding fair is just as much about
getting ideas. Unless you talk to the suppliers
exhibiting, you may miss out on services or ideas that you didn’t know about,
or hadn’t thought of. Generally,
suppliers are wedding professionals and love nothing more than to talk about
weddings! Pick up leaflets, make notes – carry a notebook (we call it “The Book
Of Power”)
But if you are
looking for suppliers
Consider the person behind
the services
The wedding fair is your
chance to meet the individual who may be helping with your special day. For some suppliers you need to get on with
them on a personal level – photographer, wedding planner, DJ etc. Gauge their passion, and whether you can be
on the same page as each other. Ask if
the person you are meeting will actually be the one at your wedding – find out
if you are in fact dealing with a large company or an agency rather than an
independent, personal professional
Be Honest
A plea from an
exhibitor! We totally understand that
you may be just browsing, recently engaged – but we may talk to you in a
slightly different way. In my case that
means I am way more relaxed because it is just a chat, not an attempt at “a
sale” – while I love what I do, please remember I am also there to try to get
bookings! If you don’t want any follow
up, please say so – it is quite frustrating when people give incorrect email
addresses – I honestly don’t mind if you don’t want me to approach you, but
please just say so!
Be Prepared
Every exhibitor wants to
talk to you! (Ok, some will just sit behind their table and wait for you to
come to them. Make up your own mind
about their passion!) Please be prepared
to be asked who the bride is, when your wedding is, where it will be… yes, you
will answer the same questions at every stand, but please be ready and willing!
I asked expert wedding fair
organisers Diva Wedding Fayres for their one killer tip
Take your time looking around, talk through ideas and enjoy the day!
The more we talk, the more
we can find out, discover and learn – and that works both ways!
