As a couple, you’ve come a long way! You’ve got engaged, you’ve set a date, and you’ve got the ball rolling on the plans for the wedding. Or perhaps you’re just looking for a little inspiration to get you started. Either way, the wedding fayre is an excellent way to kick things off.
Wedding fayres (or wedding fairs, for those about to object to the spelling) are an excellent way to see what really goes into a wedding but also to have a fun day out with your spouse-to-be. Here’s what you can look forward to when you start visiting them together.
See the venues at their best
Many, but not all, fayres take place in venues that are also open to weddings. If you go to see a wedding venue on your own you can get a good look at the space available. However, you only ever really see it when it’s empty.
When the venue is decked up with all the vendors showing their wares and dressed to impress, you can get a much better impression of how it might actually look on the big day. You might end up booking it right there and then!
Snap up some inspiration
Some couples are able to plan by the seat of their pants and simply choose whatever stands out when they see it. Others are like architects, they need all the plans in place. Those plans often start with a little inspiration and there simply isn’t anywhere better to get it than the fayre.
Attend your first fayre with an idea of simply seeing what’s on offer. If photography is permitted (as it usually is) then take your time snapping shots of whatever you like. Don’t forget to get the vendor’s contact details for what stands out above the rest.
Those snaps can help form the foundation of a planning board that helps you collect and curate the best-looking décor, food, and more for the wedding so that when it comes time to make a decision, you have plenty of material to help you choose.
Meet and greet a bunch of suppliers
Great services are even better when they come from great vendors. Wedding fayres are just as important for them, so it’s worth paying attention to who makes the effort to get out there and meeting soon-to-be-married couples.
These are the vendors who truly love their job and are eager to help couples put together the most important day of their lives. It’s a great chance to chat with them, learn more about their services, and save plenty of contact details. They know first impressions count so they will be there to impress!
Watch models strut their stuff
Looking for a little direction on your wedding outfit? You might just find it up and down the catwalk. Plenty of fayres feature modelling shows that display the best of local dress shops and dressmakers. It can be a lot more helpful to actually see those dresses on real human women rather than on rails. What’s more, women of all ages, shapes, and sizes tend to be featured, so you’re not just looking at models that all have the same body type.
There are plenty of opportunities to see guys decked out in wedding suits, as well, so you can both get started on finding the right outfit for the day.
Eat your fill
Walking from vendor to vendor is going to help you work up an appetite. If only there was tons of free food on offer to keep your energy levels up. Oh wait, there is! Caterers, Cake designers, and food-makers of all stripes attend fayres with samples to offer in the hopes of winning a place in your wedding.
Besides the chance to chew on professional calibre food, there are simply no better opportunities to have the chance to compare and contrast so many tastes at once. If you need wedding food, then a wedding fair is the best place to get an idea of what’s available close to you. If you’re looking for a fast, convenient lunch, you can usually find a burger bar or mobile pizzeria at the venue, too.
Make those pennies count
If you’re looking to make that wedding budget stretch and stretch and stretch, then you’re going to be on the lookout for deals. But did you know that the most competitive deals are consistently and easily found at the wedding fayre?
A lot of suppliers, vendors, and service providers offer “Book on the Day” deal that’s exclusive to those that meet them at fayres. While you shouldn’t sign on the dotted line before you’re 100% sure it’s what you want, if you spot a vendor, you’re happy to work with at the fayre, it pays to make your decision then and there.
Slim down your schedule
Planning a wedding can be a messy business. There’s a lot to get ready in time for the big day and if you’re inefficient, you can end up eating through the schedule. You don’t want to be left panicking and trying to find suppliers when the wedding is only a couple of weeks away.
Bringing vendors, venues, suppliers, caterers, photographers, stylists and much more together, the fayre is the perfect opportunity to explore multiple markets all on the same day. If you decide to book more than one of them on the same day, that puts you ahead of the average schedule. Hit two (or even three) birds with one stone and visit wedding fayres instead of trying to find each supplier and provider one at a time.
If you want to keep the engagement fun and get as much help as you can in the lead-up to the wedding, it’s wise to visit as many wedding fayres as you make time with. Wedding Fayres Yorkshire makes the much easier by helping you keep track of which are coming up next, so check out our List of Yorkshire wedding fayres and see which party you and your partner can hit up next.
