We love a good wedding fayre, and get to see quite a few in our line of work.
I don't know what it is about them which makes everyone (apart from grooms-to-be it seems) a fan. Maybe it's the anticipation in the air that all the lovely ladies milling about the hall are about to experience one of the best days of their lives. Maybe it's the free cake! Whatever it is, I do enjoy attending as many of them as possible and seeing the ones which work well and the ones which are a bit of a flop.
One of the ones which falls firmly into the first category is the etc Wedding Show which took take place yesterday in Darlington. Held at a five-star hotel, over 250 brides-to-be turned out to view everything on offer for their big day. It was the second time that the event has been held this year, and was a huge success. So, what made it a good fayre?
Well to start with, there were thirty handpicked exhibitors - some shows go overboard and cram as many companies in as possible. This just means that you have loads of the same stalls advertising the same things and it can get boring - as well as creating a rubbish atmosphere among stallholders who are all competing for the same business. The stalls were relevant to the industry - I visited a wedding fayre a couple of years ago were a lady was exhibiting her crocheted tea cosies...I kid you not! The fashion show was great - all styles and budgets catered for, not just overpriced designer dresses which nobody could afford. There was also a men’s formal wear section which isn't always catered for at events such as these. The icing on the cake (pardon the pun!) was a goodie bag and glass of champers - surely a staple of the wedding fayre circuit, but not always done. And let's not forget the organisation of the event (
including table plans to let you know where to find everything). It's a must so please don't forget it if you are organising an upcoming event.
Wedding stationery is one of the areas not often catered-for at Wedding Fayres, so if you're like to shop for your wedding stationery (including
table plans) in the comfort of your own home, take a look at The Card Gallery for beautiful designs at great prices.
