Bridal Show - Madison Hotel

cinderella+red · May 2012

Hi Ladies,

Is anyone going to the Bridal Show at the Madison Hotel next monday?

I just registered....it will be the first show I attend

Anyone have general feelings on these events? Helpful? Waste of time? etc?

I'm hoping that I'll get to meet a bunch of vendors in a short period of time and possibly make quick judgments on whether or not to follow up.........

Chobot · May 2012

Congrats~ Shows are fun but pretty much the same if they are under the same organizer.I suggest comfortable shoes, a purse to hold swag, and a friend to accompany you.

The vendors are pretty pushy to make you sign on the spot...I suggest you take their buisness cards and perhaps bring some address labels, it is a pain to write your name address email over and over..

However, lot of the negotiating was done on the phone and in meetings outside the event, well for me it was . I got quotes from limos at an event in Short Hills, did some research, bounced quotes off vendors, and booked with another company.

Good luck, make sure they have appetizers. No food, no go. lol

jcg98 · May 2012

If you haven't already, create a wedding specific email address to give out to vendors. It's easier to control the flow of information, and the spam, that way. Also use it to register for the shows, because the show sponsor will give it to all of their vendors, regardless of who you visit at the show. Try to avoid giving out your phone number to individual vendors. I would write "email only" on the phone section of the vendor sign in sheets. Otherwise, have fun! I enjoyed going to bridal shows, I got lots of ideas and inspiration, if not actual vendor booking.

niolani21 · May 2012

So far, I've found them helpful. I don't know that we've selected even one of our vendors through them, but it's a great way to see a lot of vendors very quickly which educates you on what's out there and what's possible. Armed with that knowledge, we went and found vendors ourselves.

Giaspo · May 2012

I went to a show at the Madison Hotel last year and it was good. They had good food (lol) and a lot of vendors. If anyone is interested in this venue - they were making great deals last year if you showed interest at the bridal show.

Good luck and have fun!

missbhelp · May 2012

I'm having my wedding at the Madison but never attended a bridal show there. Being from NJ I didn't want to have my wedding at a bridal mill banquet hall or any place with guady sculptures, no matter how many five star reviews it got! I'll be there on Monday with my fiance, mom and maids. Luckily I already booked my vendors using word of mouth and reviews on wedding websites. So just remember if you give out your email expect a million emails from vendors. The Madison has a list of approved vendors that will be there so I would email and ask for the list so you can do research before hand. This way you spend your time only with those vendors you are interested and not get pushed into services you may not want.

dalm0m · May 2012

I hated the one bridal show I went to before I made decisions. The vendors were so pushy.

You will not have to make any decisions about following up with vendors b/c if you give them contact info, they will hound you. That is why you were given the suggestion to create a wedding specific e-mail.

Despite my horrid experience, I did go to the bridal show at the Madison Hotel at the suggetsion of my coordinator b/c that was where we had our reception & he wanted me to be able to taste the food, especially the various cakes. I walked through the vendors but didn't actually speak to a single one. Then we just went in the ballroom & ate which was fine.

JoanE2012 · May 2012

My advice is to create a separate email just for wedding stuff. Or if you have one just for spam, give that one out. You will be bombarded with emails by vendors from the show and ones the company sells your info to and you don't want that going to your regular email.

Also, I found that often the truly good vendors don't go to these shows because they don't have to. They have enough word of mouth recommendations to keep them busy. I booked almost all of my vendors through heavy research and recommendations from others on TK, not from the bridal show I attended.

teachergurl2002 · May 2012

I got married this past February at the Madison and went to the bridal show there just before in January. I had already booked all my vendors but we went just for the free food, which of course, was amazing. The show itself was pretty standard for bridal shows. Majority of their vendors at the show were all the vendors they endorse. And none of the vendors I had booked were any of theirs. I did all my vendor research through Knottie word of mouth which proved to be the best! I did book my entertainment through another bridal show in Parsippany. That show was pretty subpar but my entertainment was amazing and they were the only part of that bridal show we enjoyed and found valuable.

cinderella+red · June 2012

Thanks everyone for the advice!!!! I'm excited

RMMJS · June 2012

I am also going to this show. Were the deals they offered for a wedding at the Madison (if you showed interest at the show) decent?

mymissingpuzzlepiece · June 2012

I'll be there

I've been to one other bridal show and it was very helpful and fun, so I'm excited to go to another one!

cinderella+red · August 2012

Totally random follow up.....I have since gone to a couple more shows and the Madison Hotel was by far my favorite.....Future brides going to shows - definately try to get to this one!!!

Bridal Show - Madison Hotel

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