If you’re going to go, you’ve got to be excited, explore it and enjoy it. I and a few hundred of my wedding industry friends just spent our weekend exhibiting our products and services at the 41st Wonderful World of Weddings at Wisconsin’s State Fair Park. This was my second time in this show and both times I have come away with a very positive feeling and positive results. Despite the cold of January, the weather was decent and we had very good attendance.
As a vendor I think it is so important to set yourself apart and show what makes you unique. For me it is my approach to wedding photography and my style of photography. Most all photographers these day say they do “wedding photojournalism” but when you look at their images it’s all posed. I make a specific point to hang only unposed images captured from various events. These images tell the story of my clients’ weddings as it happened and are not contrived, coaxed or created – THEY ARE REAL.
The albums I show are also quite different than most of the other books at the show. My books tend to be bold yet elegant, emotion grabbing and uncluttered. I tend to perscribe to the adage that less is more. I like my books to tell the story of a couple’s day without being cluttered – key images, carefully designed into a storybook layout. I feel that my books tell a wonderful and complete story without being busy or overwhelming.
Now my style is not for everyone. My style is neither right nor wrong. My style is however right for me, true to me and appealing to my clients and the couples at the show who saw something different in my display that captured their attention. I look forward to working with them in the coming years.
Our Albums for You booth was also more simple in its layout, but the focus there is not photography style, but informing brides that if they have a disc from another photographer, and no idea about how to put an album together, then we are here to help. We got a great response and great feedback from brides planning their wedding as well as friends and relatives of these brides who have their own disc and could use our services.
As a bride, going to these large wedding shows can be a bit overwhelming. But don’t fear it, embrace it. Embrace your wedding. Think about how wonderful your wedding day is going to be and enter these shows with open eyes and a curious drive to find the cakes, flowers, photos, music and gowns that truly speak to you and excite you.
Don’t be the zombie bride who just walks from booth to booth piling more brochures in her bag only to be overwhelmed again when she gets home and still has not idea who to pick for her wedding. Be the passionate bride who walks up and down each aisle absorbing each vendors booth presentation, makes eye contact and engages the vendors who truly interest her. Take notes. I see many brides take notes on my brochure to que them in to who they like or who offers something different. Use a rating system, that way when you get home you’ll know who to make contact with again and book for your wedding.
So what should you do at a wedding show? Enjoy it, embrace and make it the first step in building that special relationship between bride and vendor.
