What To Expect From A Virtual Wedding Fair
Hands up who’s managed to attend a virtual wedding fair?
If you’ve seen them pop up on your feed and dismissed them because you have no idea what they are, then this post will help (and maybe give you the confidence to join one!).
I took part in a virtual wedding fair as a supplier in 2020 and, I’ll be honest, I was so nervous as I had no idea what to expect. It wasn’t a great turnout but it gave the brides that did join us a chance to ask questions and get advice from a range of suppliers, all in one place.
Virtual vs in-person events - which is better?
I will always be a fan of wedding fairs at beautiful venues, with champagne on arrival and cake to try…I think there’s something about the energy in the room on those days; there’s an air of excitement and couples get treated like royalty and we as suppliers put our best foot forward.
I like that the focus isn't on selling, but more on giving you multiple perspectives to help your planning.
That’s not to say that there aren’t benefits to virtual wedding fairs though and I think they may even stay around a little longer than they need to.
First of all, they’re more convenient for you as a couple getting married. There’s no need to travel and you can meet a range of suppliers in one place.
I also like that the focus isn’t on selling, which usually makes me feel really awkward at in-person events when I see someone doing overly hard sells on couples who are trying to escape the spiel.
Yep, we feel it too guys!
Instead, you’ll probably be able to get different perspectives from two suppliers of the same product or service without the competitiveness - the focus is on sharing information, meaning your questions get answered without any expectation that you’ll sign up to a newsletter, enter a giveaway or book an appointment at the end of the fair.
Related post: What to expect from a wedding fayre
So you’re keen to try one…let’s now get you prepared!
There may or may not be lots of people attending, so bear this is mind. It might feel awkward if you turn up and no other couples are on yet, but this means you get the pick of the bunch of suppliers to talk to first.
People tend to dip in and out when they can and that’s ok - there’s no expectation that you have to stay for the whole session. Your time is precious and if you find the virtual fair’s not for you, you can simply log off :)
The reality is though, there are likely to be a few brides and grooms there, so think about which types of suppliers you’d like to talk to. When you log in, the host is likely to ask you and put you in a virtual “room” with a supplier of your choice.
Your time is precious - don't feel obliged to stay if the fair's not working for you!
Have some questions ready to ask. If there aren’t many couples on the call, it’s sometimes more efficient to run the fair as a question and answer session. This worked well on the one that I took part in. Don’t be shy in asking, everyone’s likely to find the answer to your question useful for their own planning.
When you sign up for the wedding fair, the host will ask you if you’re happy for your details to be shared to the suppliers involved after the event. You don’t have to do this unless you really want to, or can specify which types of suppliers you’d like to hear from.
All the supplier details will be provided to you before or after the event, so you have control over who you contact based on how you connected with them at the fair.
Have you been to a virtual wedding fair yet? Share your experience below!