In the area where I live, this weekend is the biggest wedding show of the year – The Seattle Wedding Show. There will be over 400 wedding vendors there. truthfully, it can be downright overwhelming!
Where do you begin? As a wedding professional and a former bride, I’ve seen weddings go from planning to execution. Here are some tips to give you a little bit of an edge:
1. Know before you go:
One approach is to choose your priorities for the big day in advance. You are, in essence planning, a VERY LARGE PARTY. When Eric and I were planning our wedding, we chose four things that were important to us. They spoke of who were as a couple and what we wanted our guests’ experience to be:
With a beautiful location, we knew we wouldn’t have to spend a lot on flowers or other decor. Don’t get me wrong, I love flowers. But we since we were paying for it, a lot of thought had to go into what we spent money on. Food is an important aspect of who we are and we didn’t just want something ordinary. So the location had to have that option nailed, which they did. Lastly, we love to dance. So having a great wedding DJ who know how to keep things fun was ensured when we made our wedding arrangements. As for the location, we chose Calamigos Ranch in California. The price for all of that ending up being the majority of our budget. But we KNEW that it would be just how we wanted it. For us, it was worth it. By the way, if you’re wondering about the the photography, I already had that in the bag since several of my good friends were wedding photographers.
So sit down with your fiance and nail some key points to base the event on. This will go a long way towards simplifying your day, you’ll save money instead of wasting it on little things that don’t matter (and frankly won’t
be missed) and spend it where it counts.
2. See the vendors you need to hire first:
From you list, you now have a plan of attack. Collect information, look at the displays, watch how they interact with others. Then if you are interested, schedule a consultation with them outside of the show environment. There is a LOT going on there and it can be challenging for them to always be attentive. After all, they are there to sell.
3. Bring address stickers with your contact info already printed:
If the show is using scanners, then this isn’t an issue. But to save from writing a lot, bring printed labels with your name, address and email.
4. Wear comfy shoes: It’s usually a big place and you’ll feel it later.
5. Organize:
Ok, so let’s say you didn’t have a chance to choose your key elements. It’s not too late after the show. Go through the material you have with your fiance and create from there! I’d still recommend making it about you and your betrothed. It’s easy for this thing to get spun out of control and out of your hands with too much outside input. The point is, keep it simple. This is a party to celebrate your love and the the beginning of your new life together.
There are lots of tools out there to help with the organizing part. If it really gets to much, it’s worth your time and money to hire a wedding planner. Even for just the day of aspects.
There you have it! I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy the show!