Our First Wedding Expo

Mr. Pug and I attended our first wedding expo at the Neil Blaisdell Center. Being new to wedding planning, it was quite overwhelming! We kind of just took everything in and collected brochures from almost every vendor there! By the time we left, we had a lot of pamphlets and a lot to think about!

Here are 10 tips for attending a bridal show (from the Brides Club website):

* Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. You'll be glad you did.
* Be prepared to register at the door. Be patient! This is well worth it.
* Bring preprinted self-adhesive address labels if you have them. Remember your name, address, phone, email, and wedding date. This will save you time and allow you to sign up for anything you want very quickly.
* Bring a pen and print very clearly when registering for anything.
* Bring your checkbook in case you decide to book services or hold dates with a deposit. Be sure to check on refund policies before giving any money, and read the contract carefully before signing.
* Collect any information you are interested in - take it home to look over again when you have some quiet time.
* If you cannot attend, send someone in your place to register you for prizes and collect information on services you need.
* It is nice if your fiance attends with you IF he is interested. Many guys attend, so he won't be the only one there!
* Arrive at least one hour prior to the fashion show. Seating is usually first-come first-served and you can use this time to rest your feet.
* Relax and have fun -- this is your wedding.

In addition to these tips, I would also recommend opening a new e-mail account prior to the event that is dedicated to your wedding planning. Vendors will no doubt be sending you tons of emails and promotions...even after your wedding. Having a separate account will make it easy to ignore the emails or delete the account once your wedding is done.

Any other brides attend a wedding expo? Did you find it helpful or just a waste of time?