Tonight, Las Vegas brides and grooms, the Bridal Spectacular bridal show will open its doors and unveil a world of wedding planning dreams come true! With Las Vegas wedding vendors to meet, décor themes to peruse, fashion styles to see, and unique opportunities to seize, this weekend’s bridal show gives brides everything they need to make their weddings their own!

bride in bridal fashion show
I saw this gorgeous gown at Bridal Spectacular’s fashion show.

Brides, I learned this from personal experience. When I first attended Bridal Spectacular’s bridal show, I only had six months until my wedding date. As I quickly learned, that’s not much time to coordinate a wedding’s many details. Fortunately, a friend recommended the Bridal Spectacular show as a one-stop shopping experience that could reduce my planning time and help me find my vendors. Brides, I’m happy to say she was right!

At Bridal Spectacular’s bridal show, all my worries dissipated. I was able to actually enjoy wedding planning! I scouted wedding vendors, sampled cake flavors, discovered creative centerpieces, found the perfect place to look for my ideal bridal gown, finalized my wedding colors, and even sipped some champagne.

Once I arrived home, I realized I had received so much planning information! Also, I had it all conveniently stowed in my pink tote bag, which Bridal Spectacular had given me for free at the registration booth. But if I hadn’t taken time to review the many brochures and business cards, then I wouldn’t have progressed much in my wedding planning at all.

Brides, it’s all what you make it! To make the most of your bridal show experience today, take a look at these post-bridal show tips. Then you’ll know what to do with the information you receive too!

1. Snap Photos, Scribble Notes.

Create a way to take notes at the bridal show to remember what you most liked. I asked for business cards from vendors. Then once I left their booths, I used a pen to draw a heart for “love it,” a star for “like it,” and an X for “leave it.” Drop the business card in the bag, and it’s on the next booth!

2. Get a Little Help from Friends.

Invite your groom, family, and friends to the bridal show. My groom and I bought tickets for my sister, my mom, and two bridesmaids. Then everyone felt included and I had more people to enjoy the experience with me! My friends helped at the show too. One bridesmaid took photos of my favorite décor ideas. My sister scouted for booths that offered free gifts, and my mom wanted to be the one to place our bridal show mailing labels on vendors’ interest sheets.

3. Organize, Categorize, Prioritize.

Sort through every item in your pink bag. After the show, I created stacks for each wedding planning category: venues, florists, invitations—you get the idea. Then I reviewed these stacks to find vendors I loved. With the bridal show meetings in mind, I narrowed my options to one to three favorite vendors for each category. Then I placed their business cards in my wedding planning binder.

Ally and Anthony at wedding
Embrace the moments that matter!

4. Call those Vendors, Baby.

Contact your favorite vendors and schedule appointments. One week after the show, I opened my wedding planning binder, reviewed my favorite options, and made a few calls. Soon I had scheduled several consultations. Through these appointments, I quickly decided which vendors best fit my style, listened to my ideas, and made me feel confident and comfortable about my upcoming wedding!

5. Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

Celebrate the progress you’ve made in one weekend! Thanks to the Bridal Spectacular bridal show, I found which vendors I wanted to book and I discovered countless ideas for fashions and décor. Six months later, I enjoyed a Las Vegas wedding ceremony and reception that reflected my groom and me exactly!

Brides, tonight you have the opportunity to experience the best way to plan your weddings. Visit Bridal Spectacular’s bridal show at Cashman Center, and embrace all it has for you! Then after the show’s end, review what you collected in your pink bag and make the most of this incredible wedding planning opportunity!

Author: Allyson Siwajian © 2012

Photographs: Allyson Siwajian of Bridal Spectacular, Jamison Frady at Quiet Art Photography © 2012