Wedding Expos are overwhelming… So many wedding vendors will be competing for your attention – it’s loud, it’s crazy, but it’s so productive!! Why endure the chaos? Because it’s easier than googling all the vendors in the area. If you go into a wedding expo with the right tools and attitude, you could get the majority of your wedding planning done within a few hours! Here are some tips to make your expo experience as productive as possible:

Before

1. A lot of booths will offer a giveaway! Instead of writing all of your information pen to paper over and over, you should print labels that have your name, number, email, wedding date and venue. You’ll save a tremendous amount of time, and you’ll be entered to win all the free goodies!

2. The vendors receive your email address (and all of your other information) after the expo, and you’re going to be flooded with emails! Set up a wedding specific email address so they can be contained in one area. Make sure to check those emails – you never know what kind of deals the merchants will offer!

3. The best deals happen when you book at the show. Take a moment to set some goals and do some research. Let’s say you’re specifically looking for a venue – Take a look at the expo website to see what venues will be there, look at their websites and socials, and get an idea on who you’re interested in. When you’re speaking to these venues at the expo you can see who’s available for your date and who you vibe with – and book it! You can save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars if you’re willing to sign a contract at the expo, but you’re not going to want to pull the trigger without doing the research first.

During

4. If you go to the expo early enough you’ll receive a bag to put all the vendors information in (you might bring your own just in case) You’ll be handed flyers, booklets, and coupons by the dozen and they should all go in that handy dandy bag! You should also bring a notebook to jot notes on your favorite vendors so they aren’t lost in the shuffle.

5. Take your time and ask questions. There will probably be a lot of people there, and it’s easy to be swept into the crowd… But those wedding merchants are there for you and want to have a conversation. Don’t be intimidated, you’re finding your wedding dream team!!

6. Wear comfortable shoes. You can totally be dolled up in all your bridal accessories, but your feet are going to ache when you’re done! If you’re bringing kids with you, bring a stroller or wagon to make it easier and more enjoyable.

7. Bring your people, but not too many people. If your parents are helping with the wedding budget, bring the decision maker. If your maid of honor has great taste and sees your wedding vision, bring her too! What’s not helpful is all 8 bridesmaids and 2 mothers all walking in different directions and pulling you with them. Be strategic when you ask for company.

After

8. By the end of the show you’re completely exhausted and totally overwhelmed. Now is not the time to look at all the information you collected. You should take a day… or two… or three… to sort through your bridal bag. The first step is to go through the literature (and your notes from the handy dandy notebook) and narrow down to your top 2-3 vendors in each category.

9. Between sorting through information for your top 3 vendors, and booking appointments to meet them, make sure you’re checking that wedding email for extended show deals 😉

10. Now it’s time to reach out for that next step. For venues it would be a venue tour, for caterers and bakeries it would be a tasting, and for photographers, planners and DJs it would be a meet and greet. When you have that one on one time with a business owner you can ask every question and really get into the planning of your big day, and creating your dream team!

My best advice is to have fun! Wedding planning can be very stressful, but it’s one of the biggest days of your life and should be all about you and your partner. Don’t lose sight of the master plan! If you’re coming to the Metropolitan Weddings Expo we’d love to meet you! If you’re looking for a photographer for your big day, I’d love to chat about that too <3