Now that I’ve had a few months to recoup from the chaos of the National Asian Wedding Show and reflect, I can tell you exactly what you need to do to tackle a wedding expo and make the most of your time there.
Here’s the breakdown of your average wedding expo:
Pros:
- Lots of vendors. Lots and lots of vendors.
- So many things are happening at once.
Cons
- Lots of vendors. Lots and lots of vendors
- So many things are happening at once.
Overall the experience is chaotic – with vendors left and right trying to cajole you into their stall, women walking past in luxurious saris and clownish makeup, runways happening in the back, dance shows in the front, and the odd auntie walking too slowly to let you squeeze past.
It will be hard to know where to look first. Sure the expo has a schedule – but was it better to go to the event planned or to take the time to go through the stalls while everyone was distracted? And then, the pressure of being the only person looking through a photographer’s gallery or the caterer’s cakes means all the attention is on you – it’s like you need to take a card, a pamphlet, a catalog, and sign up for the newsletter so you don’t look rude.
If you have a plan, if you know exactly what you’re looking for – like a photographer or a wedding planner or a boutique – you’ll fare better than if you just wander in to look around. An expo is not exactly catering to the casual wedding planner who is just looking for ideas or a place to start – the noise, the crowd, and the vast amount of stalls to look through is a bit daunting and more than a little exhausting. But you will definitely still stumble on amazing services, so don’t feel like having a plan will restrict you – it’s just about easing the process.
Wedding expos can be wonderful – you’ll see items you never considered including in your wedding (like a professional tea party-planner. Um, does that come in chai?) or trends you weren’t even aware of (who thought velvet look so good?). But it takes the right sort of mindset and all the patience you can muster to push your way in and make it a productive time.
So, to help those considering attending a wedding expo, I’ve put together an easy guide to get through it:
1. Know what you want. What service are you looking for? Is this going to be the only place you’ll look? How much patience are you willing to invest? Are you looking for a quick-fix or are you willing to spend time thinking about the service/item first?
2. Make a point to talk to any vendor that interests you. They will be distracted by the constant flow of possible clients, but if you like their work or have questions you have to make your voice heard. You may not remember them after.
3. BUT only spend time on the things that compel you. You may feel obligated to sign up for newsletters or chat to the auntie running her daughter’s boutique, but if you engage with those you’re not going to buy from you’ll just be wasting your time and theirs.
4. Don’t let anyone talk you into something you don’t feel strongly about. You’ll see lots of kooky ideas and it may take you time to wrap your head around the strange concepts, but if it’s not something you’re instantly drawn to don’t let the smooth-talking vendors pull you in. You have only a few hours for the whole expo and only a few months to plan your whole wedding.
5. Don’t try to buy everything at once. Take your time mulling over the services. It’s tempting when everything is one place, but it may be that the bakery across town does a better mango mousse. An expo should be only a stepping stone or one check off your list, not everything at once.
South Asian wedding expos are popping up everywhere and it’s up to you to figure out how to utilize them the best way. They won’t be a one-stop shop for you and you have to enter with a plan. Best of luck!