p23-26 wedding fairs 21/9/09 12:02 Page 25
wedding shows Weddings & Honeymoons
these venues are also good for picking up pass- is when people getting married the following
ing trade. Debbie Mackay, personal travel con- summer are looking to book so they will be
Show must go on
sultant for Hays Travel, exhibited at a wedding more committed,” she says. Fairs in February
event in Costco last November. “It was a busy aim to capitalise on Christmas and Valentine Preparation
Sunday and I had a stall in one of the aisles,” proposals but Aylett warns that couples getting ■ Research venues well – some work better
she says. “While many of the wedding couples married the same year will probably have than others. It’s better to start small if
appeared to have booked a honeymoon already, booked their honeymoon by that stage while you’re new to exhibiting
plenty of people were in the store doing a weekly couples getting married the following summer ■ Approach colleagues, operators or
shop and they were interested in talking to me.” may not be ready to commit so far in advance. tourist boards to share a stand
If you really want to go big, look at the ■ Ask suppliers for promotional material
National Wedding Show, in Birmingham and DOUBLE UP AND SPLIT THE COST and giveaways
London, which has more than 300 exhibitors The cost of taking a stand can vary – some ■ Do your homework on honeymoon
per show. But share a stand with colleagues or shows are free, while others can cost up to £250 destinations that are ‘in vogue’
trade partners – you simply will not be able to for the day. “Wherever possible, share the
cope alone. Personal travel adviser Linda stand. It’s a good idea to split the cost with On the day:
Reynolds says: “The National Wedding Show another homeworker or another shop in your ■ Take a white table cloth, flowers, sweets
puts you in front of 16,000 people. I have been chain,” says Aylett. Wedding fairs are a full and big colourful prints for your stand
to Birmingham for the last three years with col- day’s work so it also makes sense to take a ■ Have plenty of reference material to hand
leagues – it’s a hectic three days but they can colleague so you can cover each other while on ■ Be friendly and approachable
be fruitful if you have the right support on the breaks. She adds: “You don’t want to have to ■ Run a prize draw for data capture
stand. We’ve had top bosses from my company carry expensive electrical equipment with you ■ Network! Swap business cards with
join us to help take down people’s details.” on a toilet stop, and your stand needs to be wedding dress shops, car companies and
covered while you eat lunch and grab a coffee.” cake makers to boost your business by
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO EXHIBIT The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority is word of mouth
Wedding shows are staggered throughout the partnering with luxury wedding agents White
year but Aylett says September/October is an Sand Weddings at the Scottish Wedding Show Follow-up:
ideal time to do a fair because people tend to in September. Marketing manager Cherrie ■ Nurture the contacts you make
book honeymoons a year in advance. “Autumn Osborne says: “We visited White Sand
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