Bridal Expo Questions

ejsp21213 · May 2013

So I keep getting these invites for different bridal expos & complimentary tickets. My question is how many of you have attended bridal expos?? Did you feel like you got anything out of it?? & going to it, do you have to purchase things?? Thank you!!!!

manateehugger · May 2013

I went to a couple. I didn't think much of them. I didn't really find anything I couldn't have found online I think. I did get tons of vendors emailing/calling me for months afterward though.

Some people might have had better luck than me.

staar987 · May 2013

I went to a few. They are nothing exciting. I liked the free cake samples. I hired a DJ that I found at one. Other than that, don't give them your phone number or your phone will ring off the hook for at least months. I still get phone calls from the ones I went to February 2012 and I've been married for about 5 months. Also set up an email address just for these shows because you will get a ton of spam emails about wedding vendors.

You don't have to purchase things. All that happens is you walk through a room filled with tables and booths of wedding vendors trying to get your contact info and business.

ejsp21213 · May 2013

Thank you for your opinions I think I might just pass on them then....I am sure it is all stuff I can find online if need be & I have Pinterest lol...

QueerFemme · May 2013

if you have no idea where to start and you are completely wedding clueless, they might be helpful, but generally, I found that it was nothing but spam emails, fliers, phone calls, etc. trying to sell me stuff or tell me about the amazing prize I won, but I would have to sit through a 4 hour cookware presentation to get it, etc.

libby2483 · May 2013

I actually found the bridal expo I attended very helpful in getting coupons and deals. Through special offers from the bridal show, we saved 40 percent on our tuxes, 10 percent on our cake, and free booking of our honeymoon with a travel agent. Not to mention, there were like 15 different cake samples!

AddieCake · May 2013

I had to change my email and turn the ringer off my landline for a month after I went to one.

RebeccaB88 · May 2013

Don't give them your phone number and give them a fake email address. You'll get stuff from vendors that weren't even there, so obviously your information is shared. I told them I wasn't comfortable giving out my address and they didn't push me for it.

MoonlightSilver · May 2013

A waste of time unless your local wedding board here on The Knot is completely 100% dead.

Gustafson28 · May 2013

I have won about 2000 from bridal shows lol. It can be worth it!

wittykitty14 · May 2013

I went to one with my mom and FI. I ended up winning a free manicure and some skin products, cool. We also got some decent coupons.

The expo gave me a lot of ideas, but I didn't do anything with those ideas. The best thing out of it was meeting the person who had a company that uses soft-touch roses for anyone who doesn't want live flowers. We ended up contracting with her, and it's been a wonderful experience. She's gone above and beyond all other vendors I've worked with.

Other than that, it's just been nothing but phone calls and emails. I'm so sick of wedding spam. Between people at the expo and people that DB has sold my number to, it's ridiculous. If you have a lot of things figured out already, I'd stay away.

kerbohl · May 2013

I used them to meet up with vendors that I had already researched on the internet. I found that very helpful. Look at the list of people that will be there, and if you want to ask them more questions than you can find on their websites, then it is worth it.
I went for ideas, but other than connecting with vendors that I already knew I wanted, I didn't use any ideas. A lot of the stuff they are selling is a bit over the top.

gmcr78 · May 2013

I went to a few. I kind of had a game plan when I went to them, though, so they weren't awful. We met a few vendors we've either already contracted or plan to soon, and got some info we wanted. Don't give out your email or phone number, though. You'll never stop hearing from them.

AJuliaNJ · May 2013

The first 2 we went to were wonderful. They were held at venues we were considering and had a bunch of passed hors d'oeuvres and food stations, as well as complimentary wine and champagne. They did fun things like make-overs and contests and had great music. We met a lot of great venues. We had such a wonderful time.

Then we got an invitation for another local one and it cost money. We were like, okay, that must mean it is going to be a super-fun day with the best vendors ever, and we paid the money. It was awful. No food. Cash bar. Crappy vendors. And in the days following, we got tons of e-mails and calls from vendors we never even gave our information to (apparently, the people who run the bridal expo just give it to everyone). We did this about 3 more times trying to recreate the magic of the first 2 shows. They were all awful. One charged $20 and only had about 10 vendors, none of which were interesting to us.

In the end, we did not book one vendor from the shows, not even from the 2 shows we thought were good. I don't think any of the really talented vendors go to those things. It is mostly the mass wedding-factory type vendors and people just getting started. You might luck out with someone who is talented, but just getting started.

WinstonsGirl · June 2013

I went to a few, mostly ones that I won tickets to, so I could eat free samples of cake, chocolates and win door prizes. Make a fake/wedding e-mail account to give out and don't give them your phone number, as everyone else has already said. I actually printed up labels with my name, wedding e-mail and city to stick on prize draw forms so I wouldn't have to fill them all out.

Go in knowing what vendors you are looking for and zero in on them. We probably would have booked several of our vendors that way if we hadn't decided to have a DW

alyssaglane · June 2013

My FMIL took me to one tonight. Never been to one before and the only thing I felt I got out of it was being able to hear the DJ my FI wants.

Peledreamsofrain · June 2013

Treat bridal expos like real-life Google. Don't give you your personal information, and browse it for information. If you DO feel the need to give out an e-mail, then create an acct just for this purpose so your real acct doesn't get spammed.

I found the bridal expo that I went to to be extremely helpful, and I ended up finding my venue that way.

MaryGraceRich · June 2013

I think I am in the minority here but I like bridal expos. I find them fun. But I have always loved weddings so maybe that is why.

I do agree about making an email JUST for wedding stuff like that. You get a ton of ads. Some of them are useful. Most are not.

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