We arrived a couple hours before the show started to set-up my booth. Thankfully my amazing hubby had set up the large items the day before when I was busy shooting a wedding :) This made the day of set-up super easy. It was so fun to see my booth vision come to life. I know my branding and had a good idea of what it would look like (after doing a test table set-up) but seeing it all together was something different. I was so excited about how it all blended together- my photos along with my branding decor. I was so happy with the results!! I thought ahead of time there would for sure be some feeling of, I should have done that or this differently,etc...but there really wasn't.
My booth was ready to go a hour or so before the show started, so I spent that time walking around looking at the other booths, socializing and "networking" with other vendors...while munching away on my Jack in the Box breakfast sandwich. That's right people, I eat Jack in the Box! Well...sometimes. It was really one of the only places open that early and I was hungry!! ;) ANYWAYS, I headed back to my both and made sure everything was just right before 11am arrived. The whole morning I was just SO excited, not nervous at all. I thought maybe the nerves would hit a little bit that morning with it being my very first big bridal show and all, but that didn't happen! I was just SO excited and pumped and ready.
The announcer announced that it was 11am and the show was now open! Like most things, no one wants to be the very first one to arrive....so for the first 15mins or so there really wasn't anyone there. I chatted with the sweet people in the booth next to me. A few people started to arrive and pass by my booth and I all these thoughts started whirling through my head. "What if no one stops at my booth, what if they just walk by, what if I'm standing here the whole time, what if this was a waste of money and time, what if no one enters the contest, and so on..."! I had never ever done a big show before and I really didn't know what to expect, just being honest! ;) Those thoughts quickly left my head has brides started rolling in!
I started chatting with more and more brides and from about 11:30am till the very last few minutes and didn't stop!! TONS of people started swarming by booth, brochures flying off the table, brides everywhere! I did my best to talk to as many of them as I could. I wanted to give the bride right in front of me my full attention, so if a bride arrived when I was in the middle of a conversation, I told her about my contest and to be sure to take a brochure and continued chatting. It was more important to me to give brides my undivided attention and get to know them and hear about their wedding, then have quick 5second conversations with a TON of brides. It was important to me to connect with them. I loved every minute of it!
I realized after the show how much energy I gain from being around people and being social! It was amazing! I think part of that is just knowing I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be, doing what I'm suppose to be doing. Doing what I was made to do. It makes me come alive. I am meant to be doing something artistic and working with people and being a photographer is just the perfect combination of this!
I met the sweetest brides! Seriously, I loved so many of them! I loved all the questions they had. I was so incredibly flattered when some of them were already fb fans and knew me before arriving there. That surprised me and I didn't expect that! I also got to see a couple already booked brides for next year and that was so much fun! I just love the brides that I get to work with...they are so sweet!
One thing I was SO happily surprised by was how many brides are picking dates other then in June & September!! I feel so many brides pick those months and often the same exact dates. Nothing is wrong with those months (I am a June bride myself), but it makes my job WAY easier when the dates are spread out throughout the year and not on the same date. More of me to go around, haha. I was even surprised by the amount of dates on fri or sunday's and not just saturday's!
I rank my first Bridal Show experience a 10! It went beyond my expectations. What an amazing way to get to connect with brides in one place. I've always thought that the one thing my business needed was to do a big bridal show to get my name out there a little more and I think it did just the trick! I've been in business almost 4years and had no problem booking weddings, but the show just allowed me to connect better with brides that are a perfect match for me and my style and branding. It's SO important for me to be a match with my brides in order for it to be a successful experience on both ends. So whether you hire me or a different photographer, make sure you most importantly LOVE their style AND connect with them. Having those two things lined up will almost guarantee a happy bride and photographer! ;)
Thanks to all you lovely brides who stopped by my booth! I LOVED meeting you and chatting away about your weddings. Cannot wait to talk to you more and meet up for coffee! Happy Wedding Planning! With that I leave you with a pic of my booth...sorry just a crappy phone pic (lame, I know!) ;)
Katelyn :)
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