Congratulations on your engagement, couple-to-be! After you set your wedding date, you consult a wedding-planning checklist or countdown calendar to help organize your wedding. This calendar makes your life easier by telling you when to send announcements, visit reception sites, and meet prospective vendors. The best way to make your wedding-planning faster and easier is to attend a bridal show. Bridal shows are your one-stop wedding-planning places to be!

There’s even more to a bridal show than you expect! Every bridal show, bridal expo, wedding event has the following:

• Caterers and bakers
• Photographers and videographers
• florists, choreographers, designers, & planners
• DJs & bands
• Reception venues such as hotels, golf courses, banquet halls, etc.
• Travel agents & airline representatives
• Stores that offer gift registries
• AND SO MUCH MORE!

When you are at the bridal show, you will:

• sample cake-tastings
• view wedding fashion shows
• win prizes from vendors
• meet other brides and grooms
• walk away with your wedding, honeymoon, and future home planned!

Do not let this overwhelm you. There are many bridal shows that range in attendance and exhibitors. If you attend national bridal shows, do not be discouraged by the long lines—every exhibitor is worth visiting. If you plan on having your wedding in a smaller city or town, do consider going to the nearest bridal show. Many vendors will travel to your wedding location and you and significant other will have the ultimate wedding experience.

Couples, try to attend bridal shows together to take advantage of the numerous special offers ONLY available at bridal shows. However, if you are pressed for time or the both of you cannot attend the show together; do your research at home together in advance. Each bridal show should release a list of exhibitors that are going to be at that bridal show. Find exhibitors on that list that you want to meet after reviewing their portfolio or ratings online. Pick two or three choices in case your first selection does not work out.

What about life after the wedding? Bridal shows include honeymoon and gift registry vendors. You and your future spouse need to plan the romantic getaway. Speak with travel agents and airline representatives after you visit the wedding vendors’ booths. Travel agents offer great package deals and airline representatives offer credit cards where you can earn free flights. Want that perfect well-furnished home? Consult the stores that offer gift registries. Find out if they offer any additional perks such as discounts on gift registry items that you didn’t receive from your guests.

Overall, to save time and eliminate stress, attend a bridal show! EVERYONE in the bridal show and wedding industry wants you to have the ultimate wedding whatever your budget and preferences may be. So team up with wedding pros you meet at bridal shows. You will not go home disappointed; you will go home with a successfully planned wedding, honeymoon, and future home of your dreams!

To succeed in the wedding industry, you need solid strategies for breaking the barriers that keep brides from saying YES to your products and services.

So what gets in your way?

• Your competition?
• Yourself?
• Are you your own worst enemy?
• Do you lack confidence and/or experience?  Are you afraid to promote yourself?
• Do you cut your prices to get the sale?
• Are you intimidated by networking and social marketing?
• Do you create face-to-face opportunities such as attending bridal shows?

Here are some of the ways you can break business barriers.

Network and Find Leads

First, who do you already know in the wedding industry? Friends? Relatives? Wedding business owners you have collaborated with in the past? Strike up a conversation.  See how the both of you can help each other. Next, join local and national wedding associations if you have not already. If there are no associations in your city or state, consider starting one! Be proactive in your association(s) by attending events and contribute any way you can. Lastly,bridal shows are the quintessential wedding networking events—another (major) great reason to participate.

Create Face-to-Face Sales Opportunities

An important motto to remember: sell smarter, not harder. You can overcome roadblocks with face-to-face opportunities. Again, a great way to create these opportunities is exhibiting at bridal shows, bridal expos, wedding events, etc. You’re going to meet many potential clients and nothing succeeds better than eyeball to eyeball.

Turn Your Pitch into a Story

What inspired your wedding business? What makes you continue your wedding business day after day? Why do you love working with brides and grooms?  Create a lasting impression by using your pitch as a story to motivate your prospective clients. Then use your story through all of your social media marketing. Don’t expect negative results or reactions, but be ready for them. Ultimately, you want to build relationships, not just customers.

Write Contracts That Put You in Control

Write your contracts so that you are in control in your business relationships. First, define the relationships between you/your company and the wedding couple. This clarity of definition controls the relationship and removes speculation about what was agreed upon. For more guidance and support, consult an attorney in your area.

Provide excellent service 100% of the time

Be dedicated to service before, during, and AFTER the sale. In this economy the consumer expects a fair price and great service. Your past and current clients will refer your business to their friends, relatives, and coworkers because you provided outstanding service. Word gets around quickly through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs and more. Every social media you are using to promote your business, your clients will use to endorse or criticize your services.

Have a Plan

Plan for next month. Plan for the next six months. Plan for the next wedding season even. Long-term planning gives you and your team a schedule to work with. Incorporate your wedding association events, local bridal shows, and bookings all together. Be constantly on the lookout for more clients but give yourself some breathing space to meet all these future clients.

Grow Your Team and Your Business

When is it time to hire more employees? When do you need to handle the jobs yourself? Take these questions into consideration as you plan the future of your business. When managing your staff, keep everyone on the same page because you cannot break business barriers alone.

You need to do these things to break business barriers.

Research suggests that two people in love, and about to get married, have just under a 50 percent chance of getting divorced in the future and of those who remain married , only 50 percent claim to be happy.

Fortunately, Pre Marital Education is reported to reduce the chances of participating couples divorcing, by 30 percent, and enrich their relationships.

communication and conflict resolution

There have been many good books written about the importance of communication, conflict resolution, and gender differences, in maintaining happy marriages and relationships, such as “Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus.” and “Why Men Don’t listen and Women Don’t Read Maps.”

These books are based on some very solid research on marriages and relationships. Based on this research, Pre-Marriage Education teaches couples how to communicate and resolve conflict more effectively. In addition, couples are taught how to manage important differences between themselves such as culture, religion, morals, values and expectations, which have been found to cause marital problems.

concerns about pre-marriage counselling

Some people don’t wish to participate in Pre-marriage education, due to fears that the course may damage their happy relationship, due to exposing difficulties, and extreme differences between themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pre-Marriage Education, helps couples to deal with these issues, so the issues don’t damage the relationship in the future.

It is a positive learning experience, which is about strengthening, and building, happy, loving relationships.

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The warmer months can present a challenging time for your tresses. Added heat and moisture can turn your beautiful bridal do upside down if care and planning is not implemented.

Here are some common concerns that you need to consider to ensure your hair is picture perfect on your special day…

sun damage

Most people know about the importance of using SPF on your skin, but what about HPF (Hair Protection Factor)? UV rays are as damaging to the scalp as they are to the skin and can leave your hair completely dehydrated and lack lustre. Protect your hair and scalp now with a simple spray-on product or leave-in conditioner that will protect your tresses from the rays.

fighting frizz and fly-aways

Whether hair is straight or curly, it might be hard to style in the summer because of all that humidity. Many brides-to-be are faced with daily frizz, and fly-aways. It’s best to not fight with your hair, but instead treat it with love and care. Smoothing conditioners will seal the hair cuticle and prepare it for styling, while smoothing serums will tame stubborn fly-aways. There is no point in piling on product that will leave your hair oily and limp. Less is more is key for maintaining your style throughout the day, and a little hairspray will be sure to keep your tresses in place.

long vs short hair

It’s an all too common occurrence that brides-to-be desire a change, and more common than not, resort to the chop without considering the consequences. Depending on the length of your hair, possibilities can be endless, as long as you decide on a wedding hair stylist well in advance of your big day and schedule a series of hair trials so that you’re comfortable and confident that your hairdresser will create the wedding hair of your dreams. 

A pixie cut can look amazing with proper styling and treatment. If you’re after a quick-fix of longer hair for your big day, then consult an experienced hair stylist in hair extensions. The last thing you want are extensions that don’t match your hair colour and type. If you are confused as to whether you should have hair up or down and have the long tresses to work with, consult your stylist and bring photos of your dress, veil and hair accessories so that your hair will compliment your style. 

Be sure to check out our wedding hair stylists in your state and book in a consultation well in advance for peace of mind before your wedding day.We also have list of wedding accessories suppliers on Bride Online to make your wedding day hair look more gorgeous.

hair accessories

Depending on your hair length, hair accessories can add a touch of style and sophistication to your overall look. Some brides long after wearing a veil and complete the look with a hair comb or tiara. 

If a veil is not your thing, and you are after a 1940s wave or long cascading locks, the addition of a fascinator, diamante encrusted headband or hairpins will complete your look. Once again, be sure to take your hair accessories to your hair trials so ensure that you’re happy with the overall hairstyle

BridesClub.com would like to present:

C.I. Shenanigans is hosting an Open House for future guests to visit our facilities.

We will have many offerings available throughout the evening to showcase our cuisine. The Banquet Sales Director will be available to answer questions. Vendors will be joining us to help you visualize the full potential of our space.

- Event Professionals Available for the Evening
- Light Hors d’Oeuvres
- Cash Bar Available

Please RSVP by calling 253-752-8899 or email bqtacoma@primedine.com