Do you ladies go to any bridal shows?

MamaBear904

I went to my first one yesterday (as a bride). I used to be a vendor, so I've definitely been to them before. . .

It was pandimonium! I dont know if its just chicks checking out free food and drinks or if there are legitimate brides looking for vendors, ideas and deals.

Do you ladies go to any bridal shows? What are they like near you?

jmozul01

I"ve been to a bunch already.  There are companies around here that specialize in bridal shows and they are the ones that tend to be the worst. There are wayy too many people and the vendors usually aren't that good.  The better ones have been random ones that I find out about through vendors I'm already using.

Carson386

I went to a few and had no luck. Unfortunately for a tourist town, we only have 1 time for bridal shows and it's usually the first 2 weeks of March. When I went last March, they told me it was too soon to be looking because i was over a year away, by next March it will be too late since I'll only be 2 months away.

ameliah19

I went to two when I first got engaged. The first one I got a deal on FI and the GM's tuxedos. The second one I went to I got a deal on my catering and got a free wedding cake thrown in just for attendng the bridal show. They have been beneficial to my budget but I won't be going to anymore. To many people and there really isn't anything else I need that a bridal show will offer

melb2013

Nope, they all seem to be when I'm working

vchan4

The big shows in my city are usually in Jan and Sept (I guess they figure people get engaged a lot in the winter so that January ones are pretty popular).

I went to one pretty shortly after we got engaged so it was very overwhelming - we had no date, no clue. 

Now that we're got most of our stuff planned, we might go to another one in the fall to try to win free stuff

SSaltzman87

I went to a local one a few months ago, it was really fun and at that one my best friend got her BM dress for $10. There's a huge statewide one that happens about 2-3 times a year that's at the convention center that I went to when a former friend of mine was getting married. I'd NEVER go to that as a bride, it was way too big and so overwhelming.

MamaBear904

What I found helpful was that I was looking for a few specific things... Flowers, Cake and DJ. Because that was my focus, I was able to get through faster and get the info I needed (sample some cake too) and get out of there! LOL

zubrod1

I went to a couple but didn't really find them helpful at all!  The vendors aren't prepared to talk about pricing and just want to flood you with brochures and fliers; I came home with sooo many I can't even remember who was who.

Danny&Mel2003

I went to two. One was organized and insightful the other unorganized and I wanted out as fast as I got in. It did help me pick my DJ company an my photographer has gone to them before but I feel like there not as helpful to me at least. We don't have much left now so I won't be going but I keep getting tons of email info on them.

rswans

I went to a couple and had varying opinions. Two of them were so packed you could barely move (one of which we went to just to book the DJ/photobooth who we'd already selected and then just got the heck out). 

Another one was in a large enough convention center that it was useful and not claustrophobic. Since I was just looking for photo, DJ, and maybe flowers, it was easy to navigate and not get overwhelmed. The last one was at my reception venue and only had a few vendors, but it had each room set up as for a wedding with food and bar tastings, so it was definitely worth it. 

TogetherPerfect

I have been to 3 so far and haven't gotten much out of them except for a lia Sophia i think that's what its called... Lol necklace as a door prize. It was exciting to win, but I don't see me wearing it cause its super nice, but is too much for my dress. FI has been to all of them with me and loves the free cake tastings lol. Now that we have all of our major stuff out of the way, they are pretty pointless for us anymore. But around here they aren't too crowded. The big ones are in big convention centers and the smaller ones at venues usually don't have as many people at them so it works out.

[Deleted User]

I went to one a mont or two after we got engaged with my mom and sister. We all enjoyed it (didn't win anything though!) but now since we're having a DW, I'm not going to anymore.

HeatherC21

I've been to two and planning on going to another in a few months, (it's at a casino so my FI will prob go lol).  At the first one I decided on my photography and DJ.  And at the second one I found transportation and I also won a hydrafacial treatment as an attendance prize.  Unless you are willing to book on the spot though I don't think you get that many deals.