How to Navigate a Bridal Show

Happy New Year!!!

I am sure someone out there was surprised with an engagement.  Congratulations!!!  Now it is time to start planning what could be the biggest party you will ever host in your life.  This will definitely be your first party as a married couple.  After you have announced your engagement to your parents, relatives and close friends, it is time to pick a date/season, hire a wedding planner and head out to a bridal show or two.

Some bridal shows are small and intimate, some are huge and can be very overwhelming.  You definitely want to have some address labels printed up with your name, contact info, and potential wedding date.  These will come in handy when you are walking up and down the aisles.  This will save your hand and some time so you are able to talk to the wedding vendors.  I suggest that you pick a couple of key important areas of your wedding to focus on at the bridal show and take the time to talk with the vendors.  It is okay to pick up flyers to refer to later but you won't get a complete picture of their personality just from a flyer.  You are going to be spending a lot of money and time with the vendor, make sure their personality matches well with yours.

Another tip for you is to have some idea what kind of budget you are going to try to work with.  You will see lots of beautiful things and ideas.  If you go knowing that you have $10,000 to spend on the entire wedding, you can bypass a vendor that is going to take half of your budget for one area of your wedding and celebration.

Here is a listing of some upcoming bridal shows -

Bridal Fashion Debut - Jan. 7th and 8th at the Phoenix Convention Center - this is the largest show, where comfortable shoes and bring a tote bag on wheels.

Bridal and Celebrations Show - Jan. 22 at Wyndham Garden Hotel, Prescott, AZ

Celebrate ARIZONA 100 years" Fashion Show & Bridal Expo 11 - Feb. 12 at the Windermere Hotel & Conference Center, Mesa, AZ

Sedona Bridal Fair - Feb. 18th at the Poca Diablo Resort, Sedona, AZ

The Great Bridal Expo - March 4th at the Phoenix Convention Center

The Phoenix Bridal Show - March 4th at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel

You can check out The Wedding Wire for a listing of more events that are scheduled.  Congratulations, good luck and have fun at the Bridal Shows!