Tips for attending Bridal Shows – Superbowl of All Bridal Shows

Tips for attending Bridal Shows – Superbowl of All Bridal Shows
Did he put a ring on it?
Did he put a ring on it?
shotgun wedding
Does planning your wedding make you feel like you are staring down the barrel of a shotgun?
tips for attending bridal shows
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming to say the least. It’s hard just to figure out where to get started. The good news is that it is Bridal Show season!
gettaway car for wedding
Because the majority of engagements happen during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, it makes sense to have Bridal Show Season begin in January. The first and biggest bridal show of the year is the Sounds of Music DJ’s Superbowl of All Bridal Shows. This bridal show is a two day event this Saturday and Sunday, January 10th and 11th, from 1pm-5pm. It is so large that it is at two separate venues, The Stranahan Theater & Great Hall and The Premier Banquet Complex. Both venues are on Heatherdowns (across from one another) and transportation is provided between the two venues, so you only have to park once. Tickets are good for both days AND both venues. Over 125 vendors will be in attendance with hundreds of brides and grooms coming out to meet the vendors and to get information and ideas, and to book their favorite wedding specialists. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $8 at any Anderson’s Store, 2B Bridal Boutique and J. Foster Jewelers; or you can purchase them at the door for $10.
bridal show photo booth
I will be there with my Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes green screen photo booth and my Kurt Nielsen Wedding photography. I will be at The Premier and located at the back wall which is directly across where you will be entering the venue. My vendor booth is next to the Sounds of Music DJs booth. We will have my full photo booth set up and ready to show you how much more fun a green screen photo booth can be. Plus, you and your bridal show companions will each get to take home a free 4×6 photo from the photo booth. For a sneak peek at my Bridal Show Specials, please visit my website at: http://www.kurtnphoto.com/toledo-bridal-show.asp. Don’t forget to sample our special treat courtesy of our friends at Hit of The Party Ice Cream Machine Rentals!
old time wedding photos
Times have changed and so has wedding planning! One of the best and easiest ways to plan your dream wedding is to attend a bridal show. However, attending a bridal show can be extremely overwhelming, especially if this is the first one you have gone to and it is so big, like this weekend’s Sounds of Music DJs Superbowl of All Bridal Shows. Hundreds of brides, like yourself, will be in attendance. It will be crowded, it will be loud, and it will be confusing! But have no fear, we’ve got you covered! Here are some helpful tips for attending bridal shows to help you through the day.
chalkboard signs for wedding
Pre-Register! Not only will this save you time in line at the door, but for this show, you will be entered to win a great prizes. You can get information on how to pre-register on the Sounds of Music DJs website at: http://www.soundsofmusicdjs.com/bridalshows.html. You can also look at the list of participating vendors and get the layout of where everyone is located. The list will show you who will be there and you can check out their websites and reviews before you go which will help you in your decisions for planning your dream wedding.
getting ready photos for wedding
Show up early! Not only will this give you a head start on the other brides, but it will give you more time with the vendors before things get too crazy. Since this is a four hour per day show and it is for two days, you can always go back and talk more with your favorite vendors if you start early!
country wedding photos
Bring an entourage! Bring your mother, your maid of honor, your bridesmaids, and your groom; whom ever will be helping you plan your dream wedding. Not only will they be able to help carry things for you, like the information and your coat, but they may be able to see and hear things that you may not pick up on. They can also help you make decisions.
wedding banner
Make up address labels! This is very important to help you save time. Most of the vendors will have some sort of drawing for prizes and having the labels ready will save time and prevent your hand from cramping. Make sure you include your name, phone number, email address and wedding date as these are the things most of the vendors will want to know.
photo guest book for wedding
Bring a notebook! This is a great way of keeping track of what you like and don’t like. You can write down notes to yourself about the vendors or ideas you get from speaking with them.  You never know what you will need it for, and you don’t want to forget the great ideas that you get from the show!
toledo free press photo booth
Bring a camera! If you see something you like, like a centerpiece or even a vendor you want to remember, you can take a picture to help you remember.
Sounds of Music DJs Superbowl of All Bridal Shows Vendor Layout
Gather as much information as you can! Most of the vendors will have some sort of hand out to give you. Whether this is about pricing, services or both, getting that information now can be extremely helpful and can cut down on time spent researching later. You should receive a bag at check-in to keep all of your information in. This bag will get heavy so it’s a good idea to let someone else hold it for you while you talk to the vendors. If you come late, bring your own tote bag just in case they run out. It’s also a good idea to look over the information that you receive as soon as possible after the show while the conversations are still fresh in your mind.
wedding-Photo-Booth-IMG_0087
Bring your checkbook and/or credit card! Almost every vendor will require some sort of deposit to hold your date. However, not all of the vendors will be able to take credit card payments at the show. That’s why it is important to bring your checkbook, or even cash (not advised!). However, if you must make a credit card payment, the vendor may be able to write down your number and info and run the card at their office, or they may schedule you to come in that week to take care of it in person. {Be sure their bridal show offer will still be valid if you need to schedule an appointment!}
save the date ideas
Bring your calendar! As I said in the previous tip, you may need to schedule an appointment to speak to the vendor more at length than you can at the bridal show. Having your availability ready to schedule an appointment will be a huge help in planning for both you and the wedding vendor.
wedding champagne toast
Know your budget before you go! You will be soooooo overwhelmed and see things that you really like and want, but will you be able to afford them? Remember, deposits are usually non-refundable and booking something or someone you cannot afford is never a good idea. However, going with the cheapest vendor to save money is not necessarily a good idea either. That’s why you want to set some sort of budget so you know how much you can afford to spend on each of the details of your wedding day. The five major costs will be the venue, the caterer, the DJ and/or band, the photographer, and the florist; not necessarily in that order. They are also the most important aspects to book early because they book out several months or even years in advance! {I have several events booked for 2016, some late in the year!}
Dinosaur chasing wedding party
Don’t get pressured into booking someone that you are not ready to book! The wedding vendors are there to attract clients and show off what they do. A few of the vendors will try to pressure you into booking them instead of their competitors. Checking out the wedding vendors before you go is a great way to prevent this. Make sure you read their reviews on TheKnot.com and WeddingWire.com to see what their past clients think of their services! There will be a lot of brides attending the show that will be ready to book, but most of them are just collecting information. However, because some will be ready to book their favorite vendors, it is important for you to be prepared to be flexible in your decisions, just in case your favorite vendors are already booked for your dream wedding date.
cupcakes instead of wedding cake
Eat before you go! Although some of the vendors will have some type of food or dessert, including us, you will only be getting sample sizes. Even if you eat all of the samples that will be there, it will still probably not be enough to fill you up, especially since you will be walking a lot. It is also a good idea to bring a water bottle of other liquid refreshment. You will be talking with so many new people that you will definitely become thirsty. In the past, the venues have had their full service bar available, but they will charge you for their drinks.
wedding flip flops
Probably the most important tip of all is to wear comfortable shoes! You will be doing a lot of walking and standing. Because of how many vendors and brides to be will be in attendance, there is no room in either venue for chairs for the participants to sit down and relax. Therefore, wearing comfortable shoes and clothing becomes even that more important.
wedding reception party photos
I hope these tips for attending bridal shows help you prepare yourself for this weekend’s Superbowl of All Bridal Shows, and any other bridal show you might attend. If you are coming to this weekend’s show, be sure to stop by my booth and say hello and have your picture taken in our fun photo booth! Don’t forget to sign up for my give-away!  Good Luck and Happy Planning!
formal church wedding photos of bridal party
For more information about Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography, including pricing, please visit my website at: www.kurtnphoto.com.

To contact Kurt to schedule your FREE Wedding Consultation, please call the studio at:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560
419 885 7153

Feel free to make comments below and/or share this blog post on your favorite social media site. Pin your favorite images to your Pinterest board!

Superbowl of All Bridal Shows – Toledo Bridal Show

Superbowl of All Bridal Shows – Toledo Bridal Show
toledo proposal photographer
Did he get down on one knee and pop the question?  Now is the time to start planning your wedding! The best way to gather information is to attend a bridal show! Come join us on Saturday, January 10th and Sunday, January 11th, 2015 for the Toledo area’s biggest and best bridal show!  The Sounds of Music DJs Superbowl of All Wedding Shows!
superbowl of all bridal shows information
We will be at The Premier Banquet Complex from 1pm until 5pm both days with my Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography and my Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes green screen photo booth! We will be located directly across from where you enter the room! Just look for the big green screen!
bridal show map of vendors
Make sure you check out my photo booth and get an ice cream treat from Hit of the Party (ice cream and frozen drink rentals). Don’t forget to sign up for my give-away during the show! We will also be having great bridal show discounts! Here is a sneak peek of my offer that is exclusive for the brides in attendance!

toledo bridal show discounts

Don’t forget to pre-register to save time!  Keep watching this blog for tips for attending this bridal show!  Hope to see you there!

 

For more information about Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography, including pricing, please visit my website at: www.kurtnphoto.com.

To contact Kurt to schedule your FREE Wedding Consultation, please call the studio at:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560
419 885 7153

Feel free to make comments below and/or share this blog post on your favorite social media site. Pin your favorite images to your Pinterest board!

Toledo Wedding Photographer – What to do After the Bridal Shows

So many Bridal Shows!  So many Vendors!  So many Ideas!  So MUCH Money!
SO OVERWHELMED!
Now What?
How in the world do you sift through all of this information and choose?  Start with the basics!
 
Wedding planning is a long and complicated project and may be a lot more work than you realize, or can even handle by yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.  Ask friends that have been recently married or even a wedding planner to help you.  Some of them even have plans to just help you get started or do everything all the way through to the big day if you need them.
Probably the first thing you need to do is set a realistic wedding budget.  How much are you going to be able to spend and then how are you spending it?
Next, organize your information into categories.  The main things you need to book once your wedding date is set, are the ceremony site, reception hall, photographer, DJ, and Caterer.  These are also the most expensive parts of your wedding day and the things that will need to be booked long in advance.  Once you have these booked, you will know how much you will have left for other expenses.  But how do you choose?
If you attended a bridal show, you probably met a lot of vendors that were more than willing to help you so they could acquire your business.  They all had beautiful displays and may have been overly friendly.  But do you really remember each vendor with whom you spoke?  Probably not, especially if you attended more than one bridal show.  However, I am assuming they did give you information on their services and pricing to take home.
Now you need to “investigate.”  Check out their websites.  Compare their pricing.  READ THEIR REVIEWS!  While doing this, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Remember that serving Filet Mignon at each table is a lot more expensive than a buffet style baked chicken and mashed potatoes dinner.

The same is true with photographers.  I have noticed that the new trend in photography is a second photographer.  I have always been alone when I have photographed weddings, and have been able to catch every moment of the day.  I also have (believe it or not) been a guest at weddings that have had two photographers.  Do you know what I noticed?  While one was shooting, the other was “on break.”  They did both shoot the wedding, and the cake cutting, first dance and bouquet and garter toss at the reception, so basically, you are paying for two people to do the same job, (that your friends and family are also doing for you for free).  Yes, it is different angles, but basically, the same things.  Plus, sometimes, the second shooter is an intern or new photographer that is just learning the business of wedding photography.  Some photographers even “contract” other photographers and overbook themselves just to get the business.  Just because you spoke with the “main” photographer, doesn’t mean that person will actually be photographing your wedding.  So be careful when you decide you want a second photographer or a photography business with multiple photographers and find out who will be photographing your big day and just what exactly the second photographer will be doing, if you hire one.  I’m not saying that all wedding photography businesses that offer two photographers work this way, I’m just letting you know from my experience in the business that this does happen.  Be very careful so you are not disappointed with the end results.

As I said previously, I usually do work alone.  However, there may be instances where I feel a second photographer would be beneficial.  If this does happen, I could pull from my extensive list of photographer friends that I have worked with over the years that do have the knowledge and professional experience to capture the important moments of your wedding as I would.

Another trend is to give everything on a disk.  This is another thing that you really need to find out what is really included.  Most of the newer photographers are doing this just to get the business.  But what do you really get?  Do they do any special effects or are they just the raw images that have been edited?  (deleted the blurry ones, color corrected the ones with the bad lighting, etc.).  Do they add any vignettes (gradual darkening or softening of the edges)?

Do they add regular effects (black and white, sepia, etc.)?

Do they add any other special effects like this one?

 

When they say they are high resolution, does that mean full resolution where you can print at any size or just up to a certain size like an 8 x 10?  These are all questions that need to be answered so you do not become disappointed with your choice.  If they give you the disk, do you get the copyrights to all of the images, or just a select few?

Plus, assuming you are getting the disk of images so you can make your own album and get your own prints cheaper than going through the photographer, you also have to take into consideration how much time and effort and the actual expense of doing your wedding album yourself, and the quality of the album and prints that you are able to access.  Yes, you can get good quality items fairly reasonable, but they usually are not standard professional quality.  Once again, do not become disappointed in your choice.

After your wedding day, the memories that you created and your photographs will be all that you have left to tell the story of your wedding day.   Be an informed shopper and choose wisely.  Meet with more than one vendor and make sure that you are comfortable with your choice.  Ask to see examples of their work and compare it to what you can get somewhere else.  Read their reviews, talk with other brides that have worked with them.  And don’t hesitate to even check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints against the companies you are considering.  Don’t be pressured by the vendors.  Make sure there are no hidden costs and you are getting exactly what you are expecting to receive  Definitely don’t expect everything for free or at an extremely discounted rate.  And most importantly, remember, you get what you pay for!

Good Luck and Happy Planning!