I have been looking forward to attending my first Bride’s Expo. I was much too shy to do so when I was planning my wedding. I knew that I would be overwhelmed with all of the attention on me and that I would feel pressure to talk to each vendor. This time was different as it was all about my niece.  So when I was asked if I had already chosen a venue or had already registered, I could quickly point to my niece. This made the experience much more enjoyable for me.

I was introduced to a few local venues that had been recently renovated and since I have not been to any of these venues I won’t provide specifics at this point, but perhaps in the future I will visit a few and can share that information on this blog.

Each aisle had at least one photo booth, which seems to be one of the most popular things to have at a wedding or other event. These photo booths were different in that there was no enclosure, but instead the photo was taken in the open while the participants were looking into what appeared to be a mirror.  The mirror was actually an interactive “selfie” experience which allowed the participants to touch the mirror screen, choose animations, and even write on the photo.  I thought it was neat and it was a hit with the Bride’s Expo participants.  Here is a photo taken from my iPhone behind my niece and her fiancé that gives you a visual of this photo booth.

Aside from the photo booth vendors, there were vendors who specialized in wedding consultations, invitations, photography, entertainment, make-up, wedding dresses, tuxedos/suits, flowers, honeymoons, venues, and dessert stations.  I took a couple of photos of some of the displays that I thought might be incorporated into a future event or that simply caught my eye.

I believe that visiting a Bride’s Expo is a good first step in the wedding planning process because it gives the Bride & Groom ideas to think about when making the decisions about their wedding.  It also provides exposure to choices about various aspects of the wedding. Just be prepared for the crowds and the fact that as a Bride or a Groom you will be talking to a lot of vendors, which is a good thing, but can be a bit overwhelming.