So you went to a CNY bridal show and need some tips! You tasted all the cakes, you checked out all of the dresses, the floral arrangements, photographers, videographers & limos on display, and, oh yeah, gathered a TON of vendor information!  Perhaps you even attended the Syracuse Wedding Magazine Bridal Show this past Sunday and stopped by our booth (hopefully, you signed up for that awesome $50 Target Gift Card giveaway – more on that soon!). But now what? Those reusable bags are HUGE and super useful, and they need to be emptied! Then you can fill them with all your things & stuff and tote it around while you’re still engaged! #relevant 😀 That’s why before we announce the winner of the Target Gift Card raffle, we thought we’d share some tips on what you can do from here.

Once home and the excitement and inspiration from the show still has you humming, get wild and dump that bag out on the floor and start sorting Halloween style! Sort by vendor type first and then by priority. We suggest doing this as soon as possible, so your impressions of the vendors are fresh in your mind. Refer to any notes you may have jotted down or entered into your phone while you do this. Remember, if you booked any appointments with vendors, it’s best to confirm them as soon as possible (if you made an appointment with us, however, we’ll be contacting you for confirmation!).

Now that you have your bridal show vendor goodies sorted as such take some time to do a little more research on those that piqued your interest most. Visit their websites, compare their lengths of professional experience, and compare prices. Just remember it’s not always about price or references and suggestions from your coworkers or family members. It’s essential that you connect with your vendors on a level that makes you feel comfortable and confident in them, especially your photographer (you’ll be hanging out with them all day, after all!). Your day will be a special one, especially if you do you and trust your gut with these things!

We’d love to help you get started with some research right now. Check out some recent weddings we’ve captured at The Sinclair of Skaneateles, Hayloft on the Arch, The Landmark Theatre, and Marriott Syracuse Downtown. Then, for some inspiration, check out posts about dresses here (and stay tuned for 2017’s installment from us shortly!), wedding day accessories here, and some fun guest favors here! Let’s not forget about the dudes, florals, and details too! That should keep you happily busy for a while – get into research mode, make some awesome final decisions, and sign those contracts. Each step gets you one step closer to your happily ever after!

We enjoyed our time at the New York State Fairgrounds yesterday. If you stopped by our booth, you either got to chat with me, Sarah, Lynn or Kate. We are incredibly thankful to these ladies, (bridesmaid and bride-turned-friends) for their time, love and support. <3 Check out some snaps of our Winter 2018 Syracuse Wedding Magazine Booth (thank you to our assistant at times and friend Mary Grace!), and then be sure to check and see if you’re the lucky winner of Sarah Heppell Photography’s Target Gift Card Give-Away!

When I was Sarah’s Maid of Honor, we had tons of fun attending bridal shows and getting to experience them from “the other side”. Here’s a snap of some of the photo booth fun we had during that time. Check back later this week for more on my experience as Sarah’s Maid of Honor!

Thank you so much for stopping by our booth, chatting for a bit and sign-up for the giveaway! Without any further delay, drumroll, please!

…and the winner is… Tasha Carter! Wooo! Tasha, please email us to claim your prize! CONGRATS and happy shopping! 😀 <3