Bridal Show Boot Camp

Last night, New Orleans Bride held its third Bridal Booth Camp for the wedding professionals who will be in attendance at the June 7 New Orleans Bride Magazine Bridal Show. Now that the vendors are prepped and ready, we wanted we’d offer up a few quick tips and some advice for blushing brides and grooms (and their wedding squads) so you can gain the most out of our show too.

1. Know your budge and stick to it: Keeping your budget in mind is crucial when speaking with vendors. Furthermore, discussing the numbers with the professionals is a time saver, because they will know right away if they can help you with your wedding or wedding-related events and you won’t be disappointed when something you have fallen in love with is not in your price range. This is one time in your life when talking about money isn’t taboo.
2. Make a list: Go through the items and vendors you have secured already and write down what’s missing. Keep a close eye on all New Orleans Bride social media posts with the list of vendors. This way you can match your must see vendors with your still need item list. (It’s also a great way to see which vendors are offering prizes, giveaways and discounts.)
3. Bring personalized cards or labels: Most of the vendors will ask you for your contact information. Instead of cramping up from writing your name over and over again, print out cards or sticky labels with your name and preferred method of contact. It's much easier to hand a card to your favorite vendors or stick the label on a signup sheet and you don’t have to stop the flow of conversation.
4. Take notes: Entrust someone in your squad with the task of writing everything down. It is a whirlwind event and you are sure to miss something. Having someone writing down what you liked, what you didn’t like and the names of the vendors will make it easier to process once the show is over.

The New Orleans Bride Magazine Bridal Show is 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown New Orleans. Click here for all of the information you need, as well as to purchase your tickets.