Who is the Fair "est" of them all?
Bridal Fairs, Wedding Fairs, and Wedding Venue Open Houses
Why it's important to attend them after you say "yes".
It's fall and that means bridal fairs, shows and open houses are in full swing. Have you checked Facebook and Instagram yet? Maybe you've been bombarded with Ads already. Some people think they should go to bridal fairs and open houses to shop. For some it's a place to gather ideas. Others may find the shows overwhelming and that's exactly why we are going to break it down for you.
A Bridal Fair is traditionally a large collection of vendors in 10ft x 10ft (ish) spaces where they set up a snapshot of what it's like to work with them. A bridal fair is similar to if you walked into the pages a bridal magazine and you got to actually speak with the vendors there and touch, taste, smell the products they produce. The larger ones have tickets that are sold to attend them but they usually have sampling, fashion shows, and food for purchase available along with the vendors that are there.
Often times all of visuals can feel like a wedding on steroids and can be very overwhelming for brides trying to understand and grasp the idea of what their wedding is actually going to cost or what it can look like.
This was a fair that Adore Productions took part in.
The Pros
*Interaction with large amount of vendors in one space.
*Sampling of Products /Services ( however will be minimal and not really indicative of who they are as a service provider in total).
*A great way to get you in planning mode if you didn't know where to start or what you want yet.
The Cons
* You have to pay to attend usually ( unless a vendor gives you a free ticket) and have to pay for parking because the fairs are usually in convention center or larger metro areas. Plus it's a whole day type of event so you will likely go out to breakfast and lunch too. Maybe drinks after to decompress.
*Large crowds so it can be harder to get a feel for a vendor personality in that setting because they are being bombarded
*Not many smaller niche businesses at this type of event because it does cost quite a bit to vendors to be there. many smaller businesses that may work better for a certain style or budget wouldn't be found here.
This is a show booth Adore Productions Designed for a catering company. The wall is made of carved ice diamonds. It's important to vendors to stand out at these events which is why Adore Productions consults with many businesses about their show booths for events.
Word of advice. While it can be very fun to be at this immersive event you likely are not going to find "deals" at a Bridal Fair. There are some vendors that will run a show special but it's not usually a discount as much as added value. Additionally it costs the vendors a good amount of money to showcase at the fair so they may give buying incentives but you aren't likely to get a collection of dream wedding vendors for $15,000 at a Bridal Fair. So... if you know your budget is below an average budget for your area, go the larger fair with the expectation of going to find the little things. Maybe the makeup and hair portion or gift type items of your vendors and not necessarily the bigger purchases. No matter what your wedding budget we encourage you to go to several events and keep all types of vendors in mind.
Wedding Venue Open Houses
As more and more smaller business owned event spaces open, the more Wedding Venue Open Houses have become popular. These are more intimate events to showcase a new or existing event space and essential give you an inside look without having to schedule a tour PLUS (and this is a big plus) ... There are wedding vendors there! Since more and more barns, warehouses, and homes are being transformed into event spaces this type of an event once thought of as a trend is now a staple in the planning/booking season ( from October to Feb).
We are not at all saying these types of events are for budget brides either (As wedding venue prices in major cities cost in the $3k- 10k range on average) but we can say that you can get a better idea of smaller vendors possibly more willing to work with budgets and even very unique vendors that you may not otherwise find or get lost in the sea of wedding marketing. Additionally you can expect that a wedding venue owner typically aligns with other vendors that compliment their space both in style and likely in pricing. Therefore you will get a idea of the types of vendors based on what type of venue is having the Open House/Showcase.
Pros
* Usually no cost to attend or nominal compared to costs of going to a bigger fair.
*Small and mid size business usually involved giving you a lot more range in pricing options or even unique offerings.
*Sampling is often had and some venues that do their own catering offer full meals at some of these events.
*You get the chance to tour an actual event space that you may even end up booking or liking.
*No large crowds to contend with when asking questions or getting to get a feel for a vendors personality and level of service.
* You can be in and out in an hour if you want and it won't take up your entire day.
Cons
* Not as many vendors as at the larger fairs
So you are in for a treat because we have a great event to invite you to if you a local to the Minneapolis St Paul area or are planning your event in MN.
*Click the link below to RSVP for the FREE to attend Wedding and Event Open House and showcase https://www.facebook.com/events/656620368787861
A hot new venue was just constructed in the Northwest suburbs or Minneapolis called Mississippi Crossings. We have been working with the owners (The City of Champlin) on the planning of this event for months and are happy to invite you and whom ever you'd like to bring on your fun adventure to this gorgeous venue over looking the Mississippi River. The views are breathtaking the space has everything you could ask for and what it doesn't have, we have brought to you. We have curated a selection of fantastic vendors for you to meet with, see and experience their products or services and enjoy.
Additionally we are in the process of planning a Brides On the Go Wedding planning workshop which is basically a crash course in planning a wedding and making high end looking weddings accessible. I you are interested in attending that event as details come, please sign up for our newsletter or shoot us and email.
For wedding , celebration and party planing tips and trends don't forget to check out Adore Magazine or any of Adore Productions services and products .