Wedding Show Case Study and Tips for Making it Successful

By Amanda Douglas, WPICC of Amanda Douglas Events

Our Bridal Show Design

With this bridal showcase, myself and my creative partners took on a different approach then the norm (or what’s normal on our area) and wanted to put together two different looks and price points for the brides attending.  We know that each bride comes with a different set of expectations, budget, and of course style, so we wanted to bring together one colour palette done in two very different ways.

For the high-end look we decided to go with dark rich tones that could be translated into summer, spring, winter or, fall (if done right). We went big (but not high) with the centerpieces and decided to go with the ever popular rectangular table. We decided to add tones of gold, bronze, rose gold, lots for purple, lush greenery and touches of beautiful baby pink and fuchsia.

For the low-end table we decided to take the same colour palette but do it in a lighter theme. We went with a light beautiful champagne matte satin tablecloth, lighter dishes (similar to what would come standard with any venue), but still running with the touches of gold, lots of beautiful purple tones, more whites and some greenery. You’ll notice that for this table we went with the more traditional roundtable, which most venues have standard. Some venues you have to pay to bring in rectangular tables, or extra if you want to do square tables (as it takes two rectangular tables put together to make a square). Usually this requires getting more linens as well, because most companies order to size the standard tables.  We went with lower simpler arrangements on this table, but tried to bulk up the table and spread the theme throughout with the candles, small decor pieces, and of course the fun wooden table number.  

Pricing (high end table):

Florals: High table: floral centerpieces ($350), chair swags ($80/pair), & candles (rental $2.50 each) =$450 per table
Stationery: Gold Foil Invitation – $5.75 Reply Card & Envelope (with address label) – $2.40 Accommodations Card – $1.50 Outer Envelope (with printed addresses) – $2.50 Custom Wax Seal – $2.75 Ceremony Program – $3.25 Menu – $1.50 Table Number (hexagon shape on a dowel) – $6 Place Card (with gold leaf detail) – $3.50 Total Cost for Stationery (based on a quantity of 100) = $2,375

Pricing (low end table):

Florals: Low table: floral centerpieces ($150), chair swags ($100/table) & candles (rental $2.50 each)= $275 per table
Bridal bouquets (model) $250, wax flower $125, roses $200)
Stationery: Invitation – $2.50 Reply Card & Envelope (with address label) – $2.35 Save-the-Date Postcard – $1.75 Premium Outer Envelope (with printed addresses) – $2.20 Painted Envelope Liner – $1.75 Menu – $1.50 Wooden Table Number (with gold leaf detail) – $9
Total Cost for Stationery (based on a quantity of 100) = $1,295 OR Substitute the premium envelopes for the complimentary white and omit the envelope liner and address printing for a total cost of $830.

Vendors:

Planning/Design – Amanda Douglas Events
Floral Design – Oak & Lily 
Stationery – Robin Egg Blue Design 
Hair – Randi
Makeup – Two Chicks & a Bag of Makeup 
Dress – Bliss Bridal 
Lighting – Event Light 
Linens & Chairs – Planned Perfectly
Model – Emily Belbas
Photography – Winnipeg Wedding Photography Collective

The Pros and Cons of Being in a Wedding Show:
I think it’s safe to say that everybody knows being in the wedding show is a ton of work.

There’s the expense of paying for your booth, and the design of the booth, and of course all of the stationery, brochures, and signage you need to get. Not to mention, we all want a new outfit for such a special occasion. But even with all that expense, I definitely wouldn’t list that as a negative or con.

A good bridal show is always an investment, not an expense. One thing to look at is what are your goals going into a wedding show? Are you doing it simply for brand recognition; maybe you’re new in the industry and you just simply need to get your name out there? Or are you going in it to book directly from that show? The starting point would be establishing what you want to get out of the show. That will help you hugely in deciding what show is right for you and how big you should go with your booth. If you’re like me, there are multiple different shows you can pick from in your area. I would start looking at the larger wedding shows, and maybe for your first year of business simply just attending the show to see what it’s like.

Pay attention to what the brides around you are doing, which booths/vendors they’re engaging with, and the overall feel, atmosphere, and stress level in the show. If you’re noticing a lot of people but not much engagement and your goal is to book off of the show, maybe that particular show isn’t the right one for you. In any case I would always suggest attending a few shows before deciding which one you want to be a part of. It really helps to see what the standard is, who sets the bar and how high, and it really gets your creative juices going on what you might want to do in your booth and how you want it to look when the time comes.

There are definitely many more pros than cons to being in a wedding show, BUT you need to make sure you’re utilizing the show, networking opportunities, and marketing experience at your disposal. Being in a wedding show is a great place to get your name out there, to meet new vendors, and maybe put a face to the name of the vendors that you’ve heard of many times.

Definitely plan a little bit of time, get somebody to watch your booth, and go meet some people that you’ve been meaning to meet.  Also, make sure that you utilize the vendor and bridal email lists that most wedding shows offer you. It’s a great way to get your name in front of the brides one more time.

Every time I’m in a wedding show I’m definitely inspired, challenged, and want to build more with my company. You could get really discouraged seeing that maybe you’re not at the place as some other vendors are, but try taking the other angle. Try and focus on what you could do more, what you could design better, put together more professionally, and simply take it as a learning experience. That is a huge pro in putting yourself out there and being in a wedding show.

We all see those TV shows of vivacious, outgoing, and personable wedding planners. Not all of us started out that way, in fact most of us don’t. I myself am an introvert by nature, so being bubbly and outgoing is something that I’ve had to work on over many years.

Being in a wedding show is also a great pushing point to get you outside your comfort zone. Nobody likes doing it, but it’s something that we all need to do.

After going to wedding shows, looking at all the other vendors’ booths, now we highly suggest getting down to the nitty-gritty. Maybe you’re not ready to invest that money into your company yet, or maybe you just missed it by a little bit and all of the deadlines have passed. It’s not too late to start thinking about what you could do for next year.

Take some time to challenge yourself and create an inspiration board of a booth that you would create if you had the chance.  Maybe have a few really great ideas, get them down on paper, do some drawings, and get your creative juices going so that when the opportunity comes up and you find the right show for you, you’re ready to move. Maybe by that time your designs are a little out of date, and not in trend anymore. That’s okay because you have the wheels greased and you’re ready to go. Creating something new will be that much easier.

On a closing note, it’s important to remember that you’re not in it alone. There are many vendors that want to work with planners because usually planners are the ones that create the most beautiful booths.  Approach local vendors in your area that you know can accomplish your style, design, and esthetic and that you, in turn can represent well. In a lot of cases many companies will donate their services and supplies to be a part of your booth. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and approach different people, but be sure you go about it in a professional way; with an inspiration board and ideas in hand. This is a great way, when starting out, to get your name out there and show that you mean business.