It’s bridal show season, and that means some of you will be receiving lots of emails over the next few months. If you are like me, you probably find an overloaded inbox to be both annoying and overwhelming. Here are some tips to stop the madness before it happens:
1. Have a plan – Don’t waste time talking to every vendor at the show. Make a list of the vendors you still need to book, find out the location of their booths on the map and focus on talking to only those vendors.
2. Go when it’s slow – The least busy times at a bridal show are typically the beginning and the end. The time in the middle is when the most brides will be trying to talk to the same vendors you want to speak with. If you don’t want to wait in line to ask your questions, go as soon as it opens or 60-90 minutes before it closes. If you must go at the busiest time, skip the fashion show and talk to the vendors while most of the other brides are watching the show.
3. Be strategic about who you bring – To maximize your time, only bring a friend or family member if you welcome second opinions and think a “helper” will allow you to cover more ground. What you don’t need is someone who is easily distracted from the task at hand and is more interested in tasting the free cake samples than in helping you make good vendor choices.
4. Don’t register for every “door prize” – If you see a door prize you can’t resist, bring labels with your name, email and wedding date pre-printed. This email address should be one you create and use just during the time you are engaged. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and others offer this type of email account for free. Best of all, you can cancel the account when you get back from your honeymoon. Beware – you may still get unwanted emails, but at least they won’t be flooding your personal or work inboxes.
The biggest complaint we hear from brides about bridal shows is feeling worse after attending than they felt before they even walked through the door. The number of vendors can feel overwhelming, and the crowds of people can put even the happiest bride in a bad mood. If you take steps to focus on only the vendors you need and attend when the crowds are lightest, your experience will be a lot more beneficial and fun.
BONUS TIP for Brides who HATE bridal shows
Of course if you still feel overwhelmed after a bridal show, the best thing you can do is visit us at the i-do Boutique. In fact, many brides we work with prefer to skip the bridal show crowds and visit us instead. We’ll work with you one on one to help sort all of your options and create a plan to put you on the path to wedding planning bliss! Call 513-871-6400 today to schedule your free consultation!
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