Wedding fairs-worth it?

mdhughes03

I am thinking of going to a wedding fair tomorrow (on my on cos it is £7 a ticket if H2B goes with me!) Just wondering if people have found them useful or not? We're on a very tight budget so wondering if I'm just going to go and tempt myself with things I can't afford!!

sal-ad_daze

Haven't been to any of the 'big' ones that charge admission but have to some smaller local ones.
From what I've read on various forums it can depend; some are glorified cattle markets with so many people there you don't get the opportunity to browse at your leisure, you're sort of herded along with the crowd. I've also heard of unpleasant experiences trying on dresses, lots of people, little room then high pressure sales pitches.
However some girls have sung their praises and actually found inspiration there, even found their dress.
In my experience it's a good place to look for inspiration but anything we saw that we liked we visited the shop at a later date.
Sorry not much help I know.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't go on my own, do you have a freind who would go with you (and pay their own admission) it can be information overload otherwise.

clareyPINKfairy

Hi mdhughes03,

me and OH were at a wedding fayre today (in Brentwood, Essex - it was £7 admission)
some quite good stalls.
Tbh i went for ideas. i am making stationary and cake myself, but we are in early stages of planning so was good to see all things weddingy!
on entrance i got a debenhams goody bag with some perfume samples, sweets, and a few other samples plus debenhams leaflets/mags on their wedding services - personal shopper, gift list etc.
i didnt go near the dress stalls - my mum is coming down to visit in october so we are going to look at dresses and see what suits me, then i'll be ordering from landy/milly. dress stalls were giving out leafets though.
cake stalls were beautiful and gave me ideas on how to do my cake - they also give samples sometimes - yum.
few chocolate fountain stands and they gave samples too.
every stand was giving away leaflets/brochures so that woud be realy good for you if you've not made too many descisions yet.
i enjoyed it because it was my first fair, and got a few little freebies, but i've made quite a few descisions already so nobody could sell me anything lol - i just wanted to see if there was anything i missed from my planning

so if you dont have many ideas yet, it would be a lovely place to go and start gaining ideas, collect leaflets, watch the fashion show etc.

enjoy it if you do go xx

paulies_nixie

You have to pay to go in????

I'm sposed to be going to one this morning.
I aint flipping paying for the privilege tho!!!

lindaatno9

We have a few local ones but they are free. I wouldn't pay £7 to go into one, think you can find just as many ideas on the net.

chaosweddings

The next wedding fair local to me charges for entry, i think it is £3. It is in a large conference/music arena and it is in the same place i saw westlife many years ago,
at the start you cant move but after about a hour it gets easier to move around , i think they charge as there is a lot going on, 2 catwalk shows and lots of demos

i go to everywedding show i can get to , as that the business i am in

hth
chaos

Leo2020

If you are going to a small/medium sized local wedding fayre paid or not you will see the same faces. Most business will exhibit at several fayres, so even if you miss them at one you will see them at another. That is why I wouldn't pay get into any wedding fayre, I only visit the free ones.

Some of the paid ones will have a website telling you who will be exhibiting. If you then check on the suppliers website you likely to see that they will be exhibiting at other free fayres.

I suppose it might be worth it if you was going to a really big fayre where suppliers from further a field were attending. Perhaps exhibitors you wouldn't normally be able to see otherwise unless you travelled a long way.

I don't think it is fair to charge just because a lot is going on. They charge the stall holders as well. One in my area was charging about £180 for the cheapest stalls, most expensive ones were £720. I think they wanted a 100 stalls (although I believe they got less than 70) plus they charge £7 entry.

hunnycat

i went to one yesterday which was paid entry however i won the tickets from a local radio station so i got in free, if i had paid in i would have been not very happy as it was rubbish!!

theres a big wedding show in 2 weeks and uts £11 on the door and it was very good the last time i went, i never paid into this either as i won tickets but if i dont win them this time we will be paying to get in.

it all depends on what you want to get out of it, there were a lot of bands at the shows and its good to meet up with them. also the fashion shows are good as saves you rifling through loads of rails;)

freebiequennie

we only went to local ones which were plenty big enough and were FREE, one was charging £2 but if your pre-booked got free parking which was great as would have cost more than that to park in city centre anyway.

pink_phantom

I think they are a great source of inspiration and often there are ideas there you would never have thought of or didn't even know existed! Also, some suppliers offer discounts or special offers if booked on the day. I got my hairdresser at a wedding fayre at a fantastic rate and my harpist and I'm really pleased because I would not have know where to look otherwise!xx

Also it's a great day out!

frannyann

We went to a free one today, great for ideas and we ate loads of free cake and chocolate LOL! Got a magician for evening do too, never would have thought of that, but will be a great way to warm up the early evening 'do' and got a good deal with a bit of haggling