It's a one stop shop for many as you have the opportunity to see vendors of all types that are there to showcase their talent and skills and show potential clients the latest trends when it comes to hosting the event of their dreams. (well,... mainly for the bride).
I had been at a bridal expo before but on a much smaller scale and before I invest my money to serve as a vendor, I wanted to get a glimpse of the experience. Yes, I am in the wedding business as a wedding planner/coordinator. I run my business (Devoted to Your Event) part time and have a small clientele. I don't make enough money to maintain my lifestyle but I am in the building and learning phase. My business is not a hobby but a passion of mine that I strive to one day pursue full time serving both social and corporate level events.
Once I arrived, I noticed many ads luring potential clients to their booths. I barely signed in and was snatched up by a David's Bridal consultant trying to get me to enter into a free give-away. It was too late, I got sucked into the madness and my assistant and I pretended to be brides. Why did I play that role? The lure to get me to another table and another table did not stop. I honestly felt uncomfortable at the convention center. I was afraid to look at people because it was almost like their way of saying your ready to be sucked into my table.
After stating that my budget was low, it did not phase the vendors, they were ready to put me on payment plans and convince me to take on endless debt. It made me think that this is really for the average low to middle class bride because wealthy brides, don't bother to attend these types of events, they just hire someone to do it for them. When you have a lot of money, shopping is a more enjoyable experience.
From Photographers, to bakers, to caterers, and Deejays, to travel agents, to stationary specialist and decor companies, all the avenues were covered. I saw two lonely looking wedding coordinators and I felt bad for them, they were practically begging someone to show them attention and I thought "wow, I don't want to look sad like that".
This experience made me rethink the investment of a minimum $900.00 for this privilege to meet potential clients. This is not a guarantee but you could potentially earn the fee back in one wedding. I enjoyed it, especially the free food samples, drinks and cake. I shared the opportunity with my classmates but at this time, I will have to wait to build some more equity in my business before participating.
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| L-R: Michelle, Rebecca, Tracy, Daniella, Daphne and Mix |
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