Hello! 

Charlotte here! My first blog post, how exciting! 

I chose to start my blog with what I hope is a timely post: what to expect and how to prepare if you are attending a wedding fair. I’m exhibiting at a wedding fair this weekend and I’ve noticed a number of wedding fairs starting to be advertised on Instagram and local Facebook groups, so it seemed like a good idea to give some information about them, especially if it’s your first time!

You may attend a wedding fair for a number of different reasons: you may be looking for wedding inspiration or you might be part way through planning and want to find local suppliers, or you are looking for specific suppliers and want to speak to them. Either way wedding fairs are a great place to speak with wedding suppliers and talk to them about what they do.

What to expect?

COVID has limited the number of people who can attend fairs but usually couples and their chosen guests can attend and visit booths or tables similar to any normal trade fair. Unlike a trade fair there is usually a bit more ‘razmataz’ because hey, it's a wedding fair! You’ll more than likely see demonstrations, catwalk shows, musical performances and have the opportunity to hear from some more than reputable industry professionals to give you hints and tips about the wedding process. For some of the larger wedding shows and fairs they can be in really large venues so could be a bit overwhelming, so I’d usually recommend a smaller and more local fair first just to get your bearings.

Are there other types of wedding fair? 

Sort of, yes. I think it is good to mention wedding inspiration days here. Some venues will host wedding fairs with other suppliers, but they are more than likely organised by a wedding events company. However, venues may also hold their own inspiration day’s to give potential and booked clients the opportunity to see the venue dressed for a wedding. I’d really recommend these, they are a great opportunity to refresh your memory of the space or see the venue for the first time so you can really visualise your wedding. The venue will usually invite some of their recommended suppliers to the event so you can see their handiwork for yourself and ask any questions if they are there.

5 tips to prepare for a wedding fair

1. Go in with a game plan and don’t sign up for everything! If you have specific suppliers in mind, go for them (at least first!) If you are looking for some wedding inspiration, still have an idea of your priorities because there will be a lot going on for you to absorb so speak to those suppliers who meet those priorities first.

2. You won’t find all of your suppliers at the wedding fair so don’t set that as an expectation otherwise you’ll come away disappointed. Just enjoy the experience and take the opportunity to ask loads of questions of each of the suppliers you meet.

3. Take someone with you. Whether that is your fiancee, mum, bridesmaids or a close friend it's a good idea to take someone with you to bounce ideas off. If you invite someone like your mum who might be financially contributing to the wedding it is a nice way for them to feel involved and invested in the process, even if it is just for inspiration.

4. Things to bring with you: flat shoes (just wear flat shoes, you’ll be doing a lot of walking!), some heels if you plan on trying on wedding dresses (some fairs give this as an option), some colour swatches you are thinking of having at your wedding or have chosen, a bag to carry all of the leaflets, a pad and a pen so you are ready if you need to write a flash of inspiration or an appointment down.

5. Prepare for emails after the fair! Your email will more than likely have been given to suppliers after the event and you will receive a deluge of emails after the fair. Therefore, it is always a good idea to get a wedding email address so you can funnel them into one dedicated place! 

BONUS TIP!

1. Now, prepare yourself, this might be a bit extra, but you might have to write your name, email address and wedding date quite a bit at a wedding fair (!) especially if that supplier has a competition or special discount just for the fair. To save you some time (especially if you are going to one of the larger wedding fairs), have labels ready (handwritten or pre printed) with things like your wedding date, name and contact details on. So all you have to do is attach the sticker to the contact details form the wedding supplier gives you and you can move on!

Are you attending any wedding fairs soon? Do you have any other tips to share? Comment below!

Speak soon! 

Charlotte