Wedding Fairs 2025 / 2026
- TheDreamlandProject
- Jun 1, 2025
- 4 min read
Is attending a wedding fair worth it? Well, would you like to know! Unfortunately, I don't have a straight answer for you on that one. Opinions are divided with some finding wedding fairs helpful in the early stage of wedding preparations and others calling them a waste of time.
THE PROS:
1/ Inspiration
Find out what you like and what you don't. Take photos, gather ideas and discover things you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
2/ A nice day out
Going to a wedding fair is the opportunity to get out of the house, and the excuse you need to talk about wedding and about YOU for the entire day .
3/ Local suppliers Sourcing locally offers numerous advantages, including lower costs, faster delivery times, and a more sustainable approach.
4/ Face to face interaction
You could email or fill a form to get in touch with a supplier, or you could talk to them directly and get to know the person behind the product or the service. For example, you will be spending loads of time with your photographer, videographer and your wedding planner (if you decide to go with one) so make sure you get on with them.
5/ Freebie and samples
Who doesn't like a free goodie bag?! Fancy tasting some cake and other sweet treats? What about a glass of Prosecco ? Let suppliers treat you to snack time!
6/ Potential discounts
Some suppliers will offer discounts when booking them on the day. Every little helps!
7/ Convenience
Whilst spending hours on your phone looking at different types of suppliers might be exciting for a short while, having everything you potentially need under one roof can be very useful. There might also be a few suppliers for a same product or service so you can compare.
THE CONS:
1/ An overwhelming day when attending big fairs
A bigger fair might not always mean more choices. It might actually be a repetition of the same products. It means walking for hours, queuing to get to a stand, waiting awkwardly for a supplier to be done with another couple. The sheer volume of choices and the busy atmosphere might contribute to visitors feeling overwhelmed.
2/Nationwide suppliers for larger fairs
Larger fairs may focus on a broader range of vendors, potentially including national and international suppliers, rather than exclusively local ones.
3/ A very small selection of suppliers when attending smallest fairs
You may not want to attend more than one or two wedding fairs, so take some time to pick the right one{s) and check the amount of suppliers present on the day. The number of stands can vary in anything from 10 businesses to over 500 suppliers. These almost always coincide with the size of the venue. If you end up at an open day with 10 businesses, you may end up disappointed.
4/ Sale speeches
Supplier are there to sale. They want to be picked so be prepared to be hearing loads of sale speeches.
"There must have been hundreds of stands at the show, all waiting to jump on us and try and convince us that we need them at our wedding."Check out this fantastic National Wedding Fair Vs Local Wedding Fair review by Ashleigh
5/ Pressures to make quick decision
You may feel pressures on the day, especially when vendors offer special discounts or free extras for booking on the spot. But remember, good suppliers will understand if you need to give it some thought – and will be prepared to give you some thinking time by booking a follow up appointment after the show. If a vendor makes you feel uncomfortable, they may not be the right people for you... even if the deal seems good!
UPCOMING FAIRS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS 2025 / 2026
JUNE 2025
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FEBRUARY 2026
REVIEW FROM BRIDES HAVING ATTENDED WEDDING FAIRS
"I went to 3 - one at my venue and 2 others. I found 3 suppliers - my florist and my make up artist at my venue and my mum found a great shop for her outfit at another one. I think it's really easy to get overwhelmed by loads of things that you don't need"
"I would really recommend wedding fayres (although saying that, I have only been to a couple) but I found it very exciting being around other very excited people!"
"Personally I didn't find them that useful to be honest. I sort of found myself finding things I wanted as extras rather than things I had planned on having."
"If you are in the early stages of wedding planning, I would say yes. It gives you a chance to get ideas of what different suppliers charge, and you can have a chat with lots of different people without feeling obliged to take things any further."
"I've been to one wedding fayre in my life and all it gave me was a massive head ache. I was stressed out and didn't book or buy a single thing." "I think they are fun when you first start planning, watching the fashion shows are the best part, but after a few they become really samey."
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