Photo from June 2022 bridal expo at Factory Street Brewing Company in South Boston, VA.

Did your friends invite you to a bridal expo and you have no idea what to do or how to prepare? Are you engaged and have heard of bridal expos, but never really knew what they were like? We have your back, bride-to-be! We’ll fill you in on all the need-to-know so you’re prepared and can get the most out of bridal expos!

Often, there is a small fee for a ticket, but it’s such a good investment! Bridal expos are all about forming connections with possible vendors and you can often get great offers by attending!

Bridal expos can seem a little overwhelming, but remind yourself that all these vendors are here to help you have the best day! Already have your photographer booked? Don’t feel pressured to visit photography booths! Does your sister have a gift for baking and is making your cake for the wedding? Don’t feel the need to visit dessert booths (but sometimes they have cake samples!) Visit booths that’ll best serve you! Often, when you visit a booth, they will hand you tickets to enter giveaways for vendor door prizes!

As you visit different booths, you can make connections with the owners and managers of that business. We love the personal touch of bridal expos. They are there to answer questions and offer their services to you! And don’t worry, you don’t need to commit to a vendor that day! You can pop your name on an interest form and exchange info with the vendor and they will follow up with you later. Don’t feel pressure, this is just a way to find out different options. Meeting vendors face-to-face gives you so much peace of mind and will allow you to relax a bit on the big day because you know each vendor’s face and that they are on your team.

The door prizes are always super generous! With Church Street Bridal, we often enter a door prize that is a HUGE discount off a wedding dress. Other vendors, like florists, may throw in a free bridal bouquet when you purchase your wedding party florals with them. Vendors love making life a little easier for the couple, so we get super excited with door prizes!

Bridal expos are just so fun and it’s definitely one of our favorite parts of our job!