The Dreaded Bridal Show

  So it's getting close to your wedding, and you're wondering, "There is a bridal show coming up, should I go, or should I sit this one out?" You will find commercial on top of commercial advertising how much bridal expos can save you on your big day. But in actuality the statistics add up to a different number altogether. Admission to the average bridal show is anywhere from 10-20 dollars a person. You may be thinking, 20 bucks isn't bad, you just won't buy that scarf you've been dreaming about. Your coat looks fine without it! But now think about this: how many brides are going to go to a show by themselves? I know I wouldn't! Of course not; you're looking at 3 bridesmaids, a sister and a mother of the bride. So that 20 dollars easily becomes 100 dollars. Now you're giving up more than a scarf, but you don't really need to pay your electric bill this month right?
  Are all bridal shows a waste of time? Absolutely not. However, bridal shows are a way for venues to advertise themselves in a more personal way. For a bride such as myself, who has her venue booked, her cake paid for, her flowers picked out, and her dress in alterations, a bridal show is a very expensive waste of a weekend. Advertisements will tell you that you're behind schedule if you haven't been to a bridal show yet , but don't be fooled! Bridal shows are actually much less popular than they were even 5 years ago. Weddings today are all things modern and the more unique the better. This to say, brides are digging deeper to get in touch with their creative sides and they're making their weddings more of an expression of themselves. Brides aren't as keen on using a Bridal Show's generic ideas if the possibility is there that Bride A. is using those same ideas.
   If you're looking to generate ideas I would suggest picking up some wedding magazines in the grocery isle. You'll spend a fraction of the cost of an expo, and you'll see a much larger variety of wedding styles and venues. And even more bold advice, if you're looking to make your wedding one of a kind: don't look around at all! It's called Impulsive planning, and in my opinion, it's the only way to guarantee a wedding that's custom made for you.
  However, for the bride that just began planning and wants to get some ideas, you'll want to pencil in some room in your weekend plans. The Second Annual Bridal Crawl is going on this Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at The Diamond Room in Springfield, Mo. They will be featuring venues such as Karl's Bridal, Celebration by Sonja, Simply Delicious, Flower Merchant, Just One More Song, Preston Dial Photography, SB Bon, Please RSVP, Bartenders in Time, The Bride's Maid, and The Pampered Chef. Admission is Free, so newly engaged brides, shop on!
  Just one word of caution to the Expo Bride: Only one bride will win that dream honeymoon to Tahiti, and nine times out of ten: There's a catch...