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The holiday season has passed and it’s highly likely you know someone who got engaged during that time. It’s even more likely that they will be attending Wichita’s Bridal Expo this weekend. I often talk to brides who have high hopes about the bridal fair but walk away feeling overwhelmed with the crowds or underwhelmed by the number of vendors they chose to work with. I have even had brides tell me that they had such high hopes going into the Bridal Expo, but felt completely lost in their planning after leaving because of all of the options they had in front of them!

Can I take a minute to encourage you? Take a deep breath and repeat after me; It’s going to be fine!

I promise you are going to get through the highs and lows of planning your wedding day! Bridal Fairs are an amazing opportunity to meet many vendors face to face and see if they might be a good fit for you. Opportunities can be seized, or they can be passed up. I want to help you seize every bit of opportunity this weekend by sharing 7 tips with you on how to have the best experience possible!

1.) Create A Wedding Email Address

As you walk from table to table and chat with vendors, they will likely ask you to fill out a contact information card so that they can follow up with you. Instead of using your personal email account and filling that inbox, use one that is designated for wedding planning. This also helps you keep all of your wedding emails in one convenient location!

2.) Actually Talk To Vendors

One of the biggest mistakes Brides make is just going by a vendor’s table and taking a pamphlet. If this is your strategy, save your time and find this info online. I get it, it can be scary to start a conversation with someone, but this is the best way for you to see if a vendor is a good fit for your big day! Were they pushy or unprepared? Pass. Did you hit it off with them and were they knowledgeable about their industry? Ding Ding Ding! You have a great lead on a potential match. In person conversations are the best about Bridal Shows!

3.) Cheapest Does Not Equal Best

This is a mindset shift that you should try to make before you show up this weekend. It will be tempting to just book vendors based on price, but you must consider so much more than that. The lowest price might not get you the service or quality that you are looking for.On the flip-side, a vendor with lower than average prices does not automatically mean that they are not good at their craft. Every wedding has a budget, the trick is finding a team of vendors that can deliver the quality you are aiming for at a price point that fits your budget.

4.) Know The Basics Of Your Wedding

It’s going to be difficult to book vendors if you don’t have some basic details nailed down for your big day. The two most important details are:

-Your wedding date
-Number of guests

Without these two pieces of info, it’s going to be difficult for vendors to let you know if they have your date available. Booking catering and a venue will be tough to figure out as well if you don’t know how many guests you are expecting.

5.) Bring A Bag (Or Tote)

Vendors go all out for Bridal Shows! They will be giving out all sorts of free swag and pamphlets with all of their pricing info in it. Bringing a bag is a MUST if you don’t want to be holding pamphlets, pens, and other swag throughout your time at the Bridal Fair!

6.) Don’t Procrastinate

Over a weekend, its common for thousands of brides to pass through the fair. There will be other brides with your exact same date talking to the same vendors that you are talking to. If you hit it off with a vendor and are vibing with them, don’t wait weeks to book them! Dates go fast this time of year, so if you feel good about someone. Book them! As a vendor, it feels terrible to have to let brides know when you are no longer booked for their wedding date.

7.) Have Fun!

Bring your maid of honor, another friend and your mom along. You will all enjoy the cake tasting and the endless supply of BBQ samples! Being engaged and going through the wedding planning process should be filled with laughs, smiles, and good times. Good luck!