[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Bridal fairs are not new to me and my fiancé. Before we got engaged in 2015, we have attended a few while we were organizing his brother’s wedding in 2010, which is why I can say that we kind of knew what we want for our wedding even before he proposed.

Couples who are planning to wed may scope out the wedding industry by visiting bridal fairs to benchmark how much they should spend for the most necessary supplier down to the littlest detail needed (or wanted) for their big day.

Let’s admit it, some suppliers who are very visible online don’t come cheap, while some suppliers have little to no online presence at all, making it hard for soon-to-weds to see their sample works. A number of these suppliers take advantage of bridal fairs to showcase their products and/or services, and that’s where you and your partner should be to see their actual work.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”http://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/BridalFairBlues5.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Bridal fair organizers usually announce their event at least three months before the actual date, so couples can plan their trips accordingly. Part of the planning process you need to do is to pre-register online. Why? While the door charge on the day of the event is minimal, you are still letting go of your hard-earned money. As I would say in Filipino, “Hindi ka makakabuo ng isang milyon kung kulang ka ng piso,” so save that for your wedding budget and pre-register!

It is also important to know what you need before you go to the fair. Event organizers usually post the list of participating suppliers on their Facebook or webpage. If it’s not posted, you may send them a message on Facebook or e-mail to ask.

If your goal is to scout for hair and make-up artist, have a look at the list of suppliers participating in the bridal fair and research about them. If you are interested to get to know about a particular HMUA, send her a message before the fair and ask for her regular rates, and compare her bridal fair rates to see if the deal’s a catch or not, so you can move on to another supplier. After all, you are given a day to think, compute, and research further to decide if you are going to push through with the booking or not.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”http://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/BridalFairBlues2.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Now that you are ready to go to an upcoming bridal fair in your area, heed these tips to make your trip just like a walk in the park:

• Bring your pegs: If you are looking to inquire about invitations, cake, or event stylist fees, it would be best to prepare your pegs so they can give a quote based on your requirements. You may print it or save it on your mobile phone or tablet for easy access.
• Bring an extra bag: Be it in canvas, paper, chic plastic bag, or an ecobag (because we love Mother Earth), this will help you store the brochures you will be collecting during the bridal fair. Some fair organizers give these away for free or with a minimum purchase, but it won’t hurt if you bring your own. After all, it won’t take too much space in your purse when folded!
• On brochures: If you have a goal in mind, get only the flyers from suppliers you are interested in transacting business with. If you are looking for photobooth suppliers, concentrate on getting flyers from these businesses. You may refuse suppliers giving out these promotional materials POLITELY, because it takes a great amount of effort and money to produce these, only for you to dispose of it. Don’t worry, it’s okay to say no if you say it in a nice way, and don’t forget to say thank you!

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″][/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

• Ask for rates: Some suppliers don’t have their price list on their flyers or brochures, and some give additional discounts on top of the promo price, that is if you haggle nicely. If you are reaaaally considering to book the supplier but still need some more time to contemplate or have a chat with your fiancé(e) whether face-to-face or online, have them jot down the deal you are about to close on their available stationery with their logo, or on the promo mat they gave you. Don’t forget to ask for the name of the person you spoke with, and write it on the same paper that he/she wrote on so you can have it as proof that you already transacted with them previously, whether in the event or after the fair.
• Do the 3 Ts: Track, Talk, Think. Bridal fairs are usually a two-day event, so you usually have two days to do the 3 Ts.
  First, track down your shortlisted supplier. Search for reviews on Google or on Facebook, and sift through the million messages sent on WeddingsAtWork Yahoo Groups or Facebook Groups. If you don’t find any reviews, start a thread and ask your fellow w@wies for supplier reviews. The last two T’s are Talk to your fiancé(e) and Think together and do the pencil pushing and the decision making together.
• Before booking: As soon as you sit down with your prospective supplier to finalize things, lay down all the cards you have and discuss what you have previously agreed on. At this point, some suppliers may suggest upgrades or say that they will charge this sum for this and that on top of the previously agreed price. Listen to your supplier and read the fine prints carefully before signing the contract and handing them your reservation fee or down payment. If you are not satisfied with this last step, don’t be afraid to back out politely.
• Book! This is the final stretch of your supplier-hunting sojourn. As with any supplier dealings in and out of bridal fairs, make sure your supplier gets all the details, the production timeline, and your contract and acknowledgement or official receipt with you for filing. Scan and convert your documents to soft copy when you get home so you still have it on digital file in case you lose it. And while we’re at it, PLEASE DO NOT LOSE YOUR RECEIPTS AND CONTRACTS AND HAVE IT IN A SAFE PLACE UNTIL THE WEDDING IS FINISHED, OR UNTIL THE OUTPUT IS DELIVERED!

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”http://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/waw-logo-fair-2.png” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]With the innovations in today’s technologies, almost everything can be done online! Watch out for WeddingsAtWork’s second installment of the Bridal Fair Online on September 5-10, 2016. It’s like participating in a typical bridal fair, only that you could be sitting comfortably in the comforts of your own home, with your husband- or wife-to-be! What’s more, the online event will last for five days so you have a lot of time to do the 3 Ts.

Are you ready for your next bridal fair?

Read more of Kassy Pineda’s Bridal Blurbs at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/bridal-blurbs/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″]About Kassy Pineda:

When not engrossed with her day job as a Digital Media Manager for a utilities company, Kassy muses about her thoughts on wedding preparations and her future married life with her fiance.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]