Bridal shows can be completely OVERWHELMING for a bride. There are so many other brides, so many booths, everyone is trying to get from point to point and it can really get crazy. In this special edition of my ezine I’m going to give you some savvy tips and tricks for hitting the bridal fair with style and sass!!

Wear Comfortable Shoes at the Bridal Fair – Miles and miles of walking from one booth to another on a hard floor with those stilettos, are you kidding me? You wont last long at the bridal fair. So make sure you put on comfortable shoes. But that doesnt mean you go there wearing your gym shoes. Wear stylish and comfortable flats.

Tip #2: 1000 Brides Gather In 1 Place – You think it might be a bit of a mob scene? Well then you’re absolutely right! If you really want to get some valuable one on one time with the exhibitors I recommend planning the timing of your visit to the Fair. When the fashion show is taking place the booths slow down significantly. This is a great time to chat with an exhibitor or try on dresses at the gown sale. I also recommend first thing in the morning (especially if you want your pick of all those frugally priced gowns).

Take Sheets Of Labels To The Bridal Fair – Why sheets of labels, you might ask? Well, thats because exhibitors offer prizes at their booths which will require you to fill out your complete details. But with so many booths, you will be wasting so much of your precious time by filling out the same information again and again. So before you leave for the bridal fair, get a couple of sheets of labels and on each label write down your details such as your name, your groom’s name, your wedding date, your address, phone number and email. At the bridal fair, you can just peel off one of the labels and paste it on the form. Now isnt that a great idea?

Tip #4: Watch Out For Bridezilla! – I often see the dreaded bridezilla at the Bridal Fair. You know her… she’s the girl that pushes your Mom aside so she can get a better look at the booth, she criticizes your wedding colors when she overhears you gushing about them, she muscles her way to the prize box while telling the exhibitor she doesn’t want any information (just the prize!) and she complains loudly about how expensive everything is…. Oh yes… Bridezilla always makes an appearance at the Bridal Fair. But don’t let this kind of bride ruin your good time! She has a bunch of BAD karma surrounding her so just IGNORE HER and have some fun!

Tip #5: Be Patient & Be Nice ” Be the opposite of bridezilla. The exhibitors at the show have brought some really great deals with them… some that you won’t even know about unless you talk to them! It’s true!

This kind of mentality will get you far with other exhibitors as well. I find myself giving extra nice brides FREE advice! I know other exhibitors do too!! (because we all want to work with nice brides)

Take Your Water With You to the Bridal Fair – Thousands of people and the heat are definitely going to get to you. And water at the bridal fair isnt going to be free. So bring your own water and stay hydrated. It will prevent you from running away from the show without getting anything out of it!

Be Confident While Making Your Choices – At the bridal fair, you will find lots of exhibitors, lots of brides and lots of confusion. But dont get overwhelmed with it. You dont have to make a choice right there. Here are some tips which can help you make the right choice:

Look For What You Want – If you know what you want, just look around at the bridal fair. As far as the rest is concerned, just have fun! All your vendors dont have to be picked right there. You might like some vendors and you may just not like the others. Get in touch with the ones you like and forget about the ones you dont.

Be Prepared For The Sales Pitch – Well, you are there at the bridal fair to buy something and the exhibitors are there to sell you exactly that. So of course there is going to be a sales pitch. So be calm when you approach an exhibitor. If someone is giving you info you dont much care about, just politely ask them to stop and fire away with your own questions.

Thanks But No Thanks – If you’re not interested thank them and walk away. Don’t take the flyer and load up your bridal bag. Guess what? You’ll quickly rifle through that bag ONCE after the fair, pulling out the vendors you connected with… and then it’ll sit in your closet to be found on your 2 year wedding anniversary!