How to Produce a Bridal Show
Producing a bridal show can be an enormous undertaking, so it's important to plan each step of the way. Be prepared to work with city officials, vendors, media organizations and, of course, brides and grooms, in order to produce a spectacular event.
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Things You'll Need
- Venue
- Vendors
- City regulations
- Contracts
- Folding tables
- Chairs
- Sound equipment
- Lighting equipment
- Advertising
- Press releases
- Contract binder
- Prizes
Instructions
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Planning Ahead
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Choose a date and venue. These two tasks go hand-in-hand, because date availability may shift depending on the venue. When choosing a date, steer clear of major holiday weekends when brides, grooms and vendors will be busy spending time with family and friends. When booking a venue, think about the intended audience. A small, intimate bridal show may be overwhelmed by a gigantic convention center, while a big bridal show will need plenty of room. Hotels and fairground exhibition halls are popular choices.
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Check rules and regulations. Visit City Hall and find out if there are any applicable permits or liability insurance requirements. City ordinances might also have noise restrictions, parking rules or room capacity laws. Make sure every detail of the bridal show is in compliance.
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3
Book vendors who will be interested in renting a booth at the bridal show. Wedding planners, florists, caterers, wedding dress retailers, limousine rental companies and photographers should all be notified and invited. Vendors should sign contracts agreeing to set up and break down their booths within the bridal show's given time frame.
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Develop a floor plan. As vendors begin signing up for the bridal show, create a floor plan that takes into account visitor traffic, doors and booth sizes. Offer more "desirable" booths (such as those prominently located near venue entrances) for higher prices.
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Reserve rented equipment. Early on, reserve any folding tables and chairs, sound equipment, lighting and booth linens to be used during the bridal show. Keep all contracts and receipts in one binder for easy reference, and call within a couple weeks of the show to reconfirm delivery, set up and breakdown times.
Spreading the Word
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Advertise. Consider traditional advertising platforms, such as newspaper ads, radio spots and printed mailers. These can be expensive, so also consider online social media announcements and email blasts. Encourage vendors to help advertise by offering free booth rental to the vendor who refers the most visitors.
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Decide on entrance ticket prices for brides and grooms. TIcket prices augment revenue from booth revenue, but are not the main source of revenue. Plan to offer free tickets on local radio shows as a way to promote the event.
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Attract brides and grooms with free goods. Ask vendors to donate goods or services that can be raffled off as prizes during the bridal show. Goods could be tangible, such as a bridal garter, or service-related, such as a free consultation.
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Tips & Warnings
When establishing a booth rental fee, make the rate attractive enough so that vendors want to participate, but high enough to cover base costs for producing the show, including venue rental.
When booking a venue, ask whether potentially conflicting events have been booked at the same place. If the convention center has a motorcycle show booked next door for the same weekend, it might be a good idea to change the date.
Collect all booth rental fees prior to the show to avoid being shortchanged.
References
- Photo Credit bridal bouquet image by cherie from Fotolia.com
