Wedding fairs can begin to feel a bit outdated in the age of the internet where you can find a whole host of vendors online. They’ve gotten quite a bad reputation in recent years for essentially being a bunch of salespeople ramming samples down your throat. For couples who are just starting to plan out their big day, heading to an exhibition hall and being caught up in a whirlwind of leaflets and sales gusto is hardly going to calm those nerves. This is not to say that they are not worth attending however, but it can be important to approach them with a level head and a goal for what you would like to get out of the wedding fair.
Before blindly stepping in to the first exhibition nearby, do your research and find a wedding fair which fits with your aspirations for your wedding. There is a ridiculous amount of fairs out there from boutique wedding fairs, quirky wedding fairs, luxury wedding fairs, budget wedding fairs and many more. They are located all across the country, so before signing up for 10 to attend in the next few months, try and pick out a few which you feel that you will be able to find value in. It’s also worth noting the size of the exhibition you are looking at. The quantity of vendors is never indicative of quality, in fact, large exhibitions often feature national companies who are more focused on signing up as many clients as possible.
This is why local wedding fairs can be treasure troves for delightful vendors who share in your passion for the wedding. Attending an exhibition is more about looking for inspiration, what flavour cake to have, the type of flower to display on the tables or whether your DJ has the ‘cha cha slide’ in his playlist, seriously, stop it. If a vendor literally jumps on you, cramming leaflets in your hand while reeling off the same spew you overheard just a minute ago, it’s quite probable that their goal is the money in your pocket, not making your wedding day as special as possible. Remember, there is no pressure for you sign on the dotted line on the day, take it as an opportunity to absorb the kind of services that vendors can provide and if there are a few who really catch your eye then feel free to take away their contact details.
There are perhaps two things that you should be looking for when you are walking around the show floor. The first rather obviously is that the service they provide matches your vision for how your wedding day should look. The second is a bit harder to spot, but try to gauge whether the vendor is on the same wavelength with the overall theme of your wedding. When you are speaking to them, try and explain what you have planned as well as how you want to achieve this. In many cases, an honest vendor will be able to give you their opinion whether the service they provide will be able to live up to the standards which you expect.
The one tangible benefit of attending a wedding exhibition is that you are able to see, hear, smell and taste the services which are on offer. While planning your wedding online can be more convenient, it only takes one dodgy vendor to tarnish your day. Considering how much you can be expected to pay as well, there is added benefits in getting to meet the people that will be servicing your wedding and experiencing the kind of job that they perform. Just remember to enter the wedding fair like a sponge, absorb all of the information possible and take it away with you. So when it comes to finalising the details, your mind can rest easy in the knowledge that you know the cake will be fantastic, the flowers complement your theme and that you wedding day will be truly special.