Wedding photographer Karen Segrave, owner of Photography by KES Weddings and bridal show veteran, shares her insider tips with with us so you can make the most out of your bridal fair experiences.
So if you attend this weekend’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Bridal Show (12:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at the Statehouse Convention Center, Markham and Main streets, Little Rock) or one of Arkansas’ many other wonderful bridal events happening this year, her tips will have you well equipped to handle the crowds, the cake samples and copious sign-up sheets.
Do you have a pen handy? You’re going to want to write Karen’s tips down …
1. Don’t bring your fiance.
It’s crucial that you (try to) include your fiance in your wedding plans. It’s his day too, and his opinions absolutely matter. But do you really want to drag him to a bridal fair? In my years as a vendor, I’ve seen countless grooms-to-be at bridal fairs and more than half look absolutely miserable. This Sunday is the NFL divisional playoffs and taking him away from the game to the bridal fair may not be a good thing. So unless you are 100 percent certain he cares about the flowers, what flavor of cake you have or the paper style for invitations, leave him at home. You’ll both be happier.
2. Be there when the doors open …
… if you don’t like crowds. Or go later, say around 3:30 p.m. The peak times, between 1-3:30 p.m., can be extremely hectic and very crowded. Last year during these peak times I had seven to 10 people at my booth at any given moment. If you go early or late you’ll get more one-on-one time with the vendors.
3. Make address labels.
Lots of vendors offer private giveaways, myself included. Do you really want to fill out countless forms to enter all of them? It takes a lot of time and your hand will hurt after a while.
The solution is return address labels. Simply peel them off and stick them on the forms. These are easy to print off at home. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail. That way you don’t have to fill out a single form, and it gives us vendors your info in a legible manner.
4. Wear comfortable shoes.
Enough said.
5. Have a plan.
The bridal fair takes up the entire lower level of the Statehouse Convention Center. If you’ve never been there, it’s a huge space. A day or so before the event, peruse the free vendor map available online. Don’t wait until you walk in the doors to figure out where you want to go. Hundreds of other people will be doing the same thing.
6. Come hungry.
Two years ago my booth was directly across from Mickey’s Special Affairs and the scent of their cakes was intoxicating. With all the tasty fare there is to sample — cakes, cupcakes, reception catering, chocolate fountains — you could easily eat your way through the bridal fair.
7. Bonus Tip: Stop by booth No. 97 and say hello to me, regardless if you’ve chosen your photographer. If you’re still looking for a photographer, let’s talk! 😉
