Grace Flynn and Lily Griffiths, part of the weddings team at Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa in Woodbridge, Suffolk, explain the perks of attending wedding shows, fairs and events
Wedding shows offer couples a wonderful opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ while suppliers benefit from meeting their audience face-to-face. But the perks don’t just end with racking up sales.
From fashion-forward gowns to blooming bouquets and twinkling tiaras to kooky cake toppers – a wedding fair brings all the beautiful elements of a dream day under one roof. Blushing brides and gushing grooms can peruse all that’s on offer: sample menus, browse photographers portfolios and even listen to wedding bands.
But do they just try – or will they buy too? That is a question lots of suppliers ask when considering attending a wedding fair. And it’s absolutely understandable. After all, if you are giving away thousands of cake samples, offering up freebies and wasting your precious time with no return on investment, what’s the point?
Meet your clientele
First of all, this is a golden opportunity to talk directly to your target audience. Everyone who attends a wedding fair is looking to spend money eventually. And meeting face-to-face boosts brand awareness, raises your profile and allows you to explain why your product or service is going to be the icing on the (wedding) cake when it comes to the nuptial to-do list.
Get networking
Trade shows are a great way to meet potential new customers, but they are also a perfect opportunity to make links with other suppliers. Collaboration is a powerful weapon in the wedding industry and can lead you to new business opportunities and business growth. A bride and groom will be looking for a variety of different businesses to create their dream wedding and will often look to suppliers as a trusted source and ask them for their recommendations.
If you build up a network of contacts who are recommending you to their clients, you are going to see some great results.
Wedding shows are also a good chance to suss out your competition, checking your pricing strategies and see what trends are popular. But if you meet someone who has a similar business to yours, don’t necessarily see it as a rival. You may be able to share tips and advice with one another; you may even be able to pass work on to them if you are already fully booked (or vice versa).
The venue counts
Across the UK there are plenty of wedding shows held in a range of different venues but key to meeting the right people, is choosing the right fair to attend.
At Ufford Park we attract a number of local businesses catering to a wide range of wedding budgets – from a simple event right through to the more elaborate affair.
But some destinations will feature only the very upmarket brands so if you see yourself as an affordable option, this might not be your preferred choice. Positioning yourself as an option among similarly-priced businesses will make you a viable contender to win customers. It will also help you network with suppliers who want to cater for the brides and grooms you also want to target – increasing the chance of collaboration.
For more information on Ufford Park Hotel and its shows, visit uffordpark.co.uk/weddings/wedding-shows.
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