Congratulations, you’re engaged! The excitement has not gone away, but the reality of planning a wedding has set in! Martha Stewart and The Knot magazines are sitting next to your desk, you’ve searched Pinterest and have been completely swarmed by choice of colors, dresses, hairstyles, centerpieces, invitations, and wedding etiquette and that is just the beginning. I completely understand how this can be, well, a bit too much to handle at once. My best advice is to search online for a local bridal expo or bridal show where you can meet local vendors and get to know what you’re planning a little better.

1. Go in with a plan! If you just got engaged and

   don’t have a date set but can’t wait to jump into the role of Bride it’s best to have a plan going into a bridal expo. There will be a lot of noise, talking, and vendors trying to get your attention ( I mean that’s why everyone is there). Take it all with a grain of salt and have an action plan. Newly engaged brides-to-be should attend to collect information, and listen. Grab some girlfriends or Mother’s of the Bride and Groom and make a fun afternoon out of it everyone will love to feel included and can relax! For those whose wedding date is fast approaching it is a good idea to bring the Groom that way you can ask some important questions of your potential vendors and go home to make your final decisions!

2. Register a “Wedding Day” email. Admit it, we all have an email that just accumulates junk and is great to use when you want to sign up for a store account or coupons! Make one specifically to keep up with wedding information that is also professional sounding. This way you can keep track of all things wedding in one place and not have to worry about getting coupons after the big day has come and gone.  It can include your names and the wedding date or year of your wedding, or just be as simple as your future last name!

3. Plan ahead and make pre-printed address labels. I can see how you’re reading your computer thinking this girl is crazy we don’t know where we are going to live after the wedding, or jumping at the computer saying well which address do we use. Before you go, stop at your local office supply store or pharmacy, and pick up blank address labels. Go home on your computer and make a label with all your important wedding information a vendor will look for and ask. Personally, I always ask for a bride or the couple’s names, wedding date (if known, even a year helps), and best contact information. This way you can just stick the label on each vendor’s sign up sheet. I assure you I have seen these at many bridal shows and they save time and energy. You can look, listen, and watch how the vendors interact and listen to the opinions of the people you have with you instead of writing down your information 100 times over!!

I hope these tips come in handy while you navigate your next bridal show!! Go in with a plan, think ahead and use great tools on your computer to make your life easier when you get there…then the hardest part will be picking which cake to taste!!