What is a Wedding Expo and Should You Attend One?
Many couples choose to visit a wedding expo during the early stages of the planning process. Here's a bit more about what these are and how you can make the most of attending one.
So your partner's put a ring on it and now there’s a wedding expo (also known as a bridal expo or bridal or wedding show) coming to town—should you go? Maybe you’re wondering if it’ll be worth your time, or whether there will be any vendors you’re actually interested in. But with today’s wedding shows bringing you the latest and greatest for everything wedding, including the honeymoon and beyond, our answer is a resounding yes! If you’re lucky enough to be within reasonable traveling distance of a wedding expo, you should definitely plan to go. You’ll have a blast, and possibly check off a bunch of to-dos as well. And who knows? Maybe your name will be called for that luxury honeymoon raffle!
Here are some of our favorite things about wedding expos. So if you happen to be on the fence about attending one, give these a read before you decide!
See the latest trends.
Today’s expos aim to showcase the latest trends in the wedding world, from fashion to flowers, bridesmaid gifts to wedding manicures. So if you’re eager to put together a trendy affair, you’ll love making your way through a wedding expo. It’s an excellent way to get some serious inspiration for all aspects of your wedding. And who knows, maybe you’ll find that something you thought you wanted isn’t really for you after all. That’s normal too—seeing decor set up in person is completely different from reading about it in a magazine.
Get inspiration for your unique vision.
From that unique escort card display to those amazing bridesmaid tees, you’ll find things at a wedding expo that you could only dream of. You probably have a vision in your mind of your perfect day—and that’s great! But it can only help to keep an open mind and learn new things. Having a tough time nailing down exactly what you want? A wedding expo might be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing!
Score lots of freebies and deals.
Are you working hard to stick to your wedding budget? Maybe you’re afraid a wedding expo will cause you to want lots of add-ons that you may not have known you were missing. Well, we can’t say that’s not a valid concern, but often, attending a wedding expo can save you a ton of money too! How? Lots of vendors have show-only rates; discount rates that they only offer to couples attending a wedding expo. Not only that, you’ll find tons of giveaways, prizes and raffles to enter or take advantage of. And consider this—if you come across your dream vendor at a wedding expo, you can always inquire about a discount even if they’re not advertising one. It can’t hurt to ask, right?
Meet lots of vendors in one place.
Especially if your engagement period is short and you’re wondering how to pull a wedding together fast, attending a wedding expo is a great way to do a little one-stop shopping. With pretty much every vendor you could possibly need all in one place, you really can’t go wrong. Imagine the time and gas money you could save! And not only that? Where else can you meet face-to-face with a florist, a baker and a photographer—all in one place?
Have fun!
And finally, wedding expos are tons of fun. You’ll see bridal gown fashion shows, table after table of delectable treats for sampling, and giveaways galore. With all that, why wouldn’t you want to attend? And remember—you’ll most likely only be engaged once, so now’s your time to live the #engagedlife to the fullest! So strap on your most comfy shoes, bring your pals, and get ready for a long day of wedding fun!
