What happens when you put thousands of women under one roof with one common goal of having the dream wedding? Chaos.
My friend Melissa and I went undercover to the Arizona Bridal Expo as recently engaged and both a planning our weddings, leaving the fiances at home! Before we even got inside the Phoenix Convention Center there were vendors handing out fliers and pamphlets on weddings. Then once you walk inside, well… it was a whole other story.
I won’t lie to you; I walked in those doors into the first room and thought I was in the only room. It was gorgeous and hectic all at the same time. There were jewelers and wedding displays and food and as we walked through I realized this was nothing…. We hadn’t even handed our tickets off yet to get into the Arizona Bridal Expo. We walked to a door, one of many and entered into a glamorous fashion show of beautiful wedding dresses. It was a run as typical fashion show and the MC was great! In between designers he would hold contests for free stuff and I tell you, I have never seen hands rise so quickly for free stuff. Before the MC could even finish his sentence 500 hands would shoot up in the air and waive around for something free.
We watched the bridal show for 15 minutes or so and then decided to keep on and walk to the room across the way. We walked into the bridal gown room. There were hundreds of dresses in that room with try on stations, mirrors, veils, accessories… it was bridal heaven, but I won’t even mention the line to try on the dresses! My advise to you if you want to try on gowns… get there early and when the doors open… RUN to the bridal gowns.
Eventually after a good 10 minutes or so of gawking over the dresses we entered the vendor room. This ladies is the room people are talking about when they say you are crazy for wanting to go to the Bridal Expo but trust me once you are in there you have a pretty great time! I think for most this is the room that really helps future brides put their weddings in perspective and imagine what it is they really want. All the displays and pictures, cake and barbecue, wine and champagne make it all seem real. After walking through the 20 or so aisles of vendors I left with a bag of goodies filled with fliers, discounts, magazines, picture books, raffle tickets, and I even passed on some stuff!
Going to the Bridal Expo in Phoenix at the Phoenix Convention Center really is a fun experience. I will admit it might not be for everyone but it is worth trying because there is nothing else like it.
Belle