Pasadena Bridal Show

Bridal Showplace Bridal expo, November 4, 2012 11am - 4 pm Hilton Hotel - Pasadena 168 S Los Robles Avenue Pasadena, Bringing Brides and Top Wedding Professionals together for over 16 years and 100+ Successful Bridal Shows!Bridal Showplace (562) 381-2865

What does FREE really mean to you?

This is one of the few posts directed to Wedding professionals as well as to Brides and Grooms. It comes back to the old saying which is still true today, that if something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is, so BEWARE! Here is an interesting article by Alan Berg, writer and speaker. - Over the years I’ve heard many discussions revolving around “free” things. Couples may be asking for you to throw in free services, or wedding pros may be talking about getting free ads, so I got to thinking about the value of “Free”. On the surface free usually seems like a good idea: free parking, free samples, free speech, free advice, etc. When we’re on the receiving end of free services and products, we rarely seem to mind. Everyone likes free stuff, regardless of their income bracket. Is free really free? In reality, free is not free. There is a cost, it just may not be yours to bear. Free parking is paid for by the merchant who owns the land, or the municipality that built the parking lot (paid for with tax dollars). Free samples are paid for by the merchant who wants to get your business. Similarly, the free advice you get on the WeddingWire Pro Forums is supported by the technology and manpower behind it, paid for by WeddingWire. You get to use the Pro Forums for free, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a cost. Do you really get what you pay for? So, is free better than paid? I see the discussions on the Pro Forums all the time; wedding pros asking if it’s worth paying for an ad, versus taking a free one. Why would they think that a free ad, at the back of the listings, would be representative of what a paid ad at the front would get them? That’s like saying that an iPod would do just as good of a job as a professional DJ, since they can have all of the same songs; or their HD consumer-grade video camera will do just as good of a job as a pro. Find the lake with the most fish and then get the biggest net When you go fishing, you look for the lake that has the most of the kind of fish you want to catch. Then get your boat and the biggest net, or the best fishing gear you can, and start fishing. Sure, you may have to buy a permit and the better gear, but you know the reward is worth it. Similarly, when you buy an ad you’re really buying access to an audience. If you feel the audience is worth your while, you should want to get as much exposure to it as you can, not the least. If you don’t feel it’s worth your while they you shouldn’t want to be there at all. Sure, having a free listing will allow couples to find you and read your reviews… if they dig deep enough, or if they already know your name. If they already know your name then it wasn’t the ad that brought them to you. That’s the same as with a search engine result. If you look at your tracking reports for the words and phrases that are used to find your website and the most common ones are your name, then it wasn’t SEO (search engine optimization) that brought them to you. They already knew your name, you just don’t know how. Go Big… or Go Home! When I got my iPad last year they offered free engraving on the back. It’s not that many characters and I didn’t want to put my name. I was starting a new business and I wanted it to reflect my philosophy on business and life: Are you in or are you out? Do you have a toe in the water, or are you in all the way? So I had Apple engrave “Go Big… or Go Home” on my iPad. That’s what I tell my consulting clients when it comes to advertising and business. If you’re going to do it, go all in. That’s the only way you’ll really know if it’s going to work. Is the investment bigger? Sure. Is the potential reward bigger? Absolutely. Almost every wedding pro I know that has a Spotlight or Featured Listing wouldn’t give it up.

photo booths for Weddings

What You Should Know About Renting a Photo Booth for Your Wedding Reception, by Rob Schlesinger / Pics 4 My Party Photo Booth Rentals Photo booths continue to be a very popular addition to wedding receptions. Did you know that there are several different types of photo booths that are available for rent? The two most common types are the Vintage photo booth which is a very large box unit and requires a large area for set up, and the pipe and drape photo booth which is somewhat more portable, but it also requires a large area (about 5’X8’). We hear from our customers that space constraints in the reception hall prevent them from being able to include a photo booth in their reception. Based on feedback from customers some companies have gone to a more compact type of unit that fits on a tabletop. This unit is sleek, elegant and fits in most décor. Many major hotels prefer this tabletop model to the large box models. There are three great features to this type of photo booth. 1. Totally interactive operated 100% by the guest which adds to the fun. 2. This photo booth offers 2 functions in one unit. It offers the 4 pose post card as well as a digital video guestbook where guest can leave messages for the couple eliminating the need for a scrapbook. 3. This type photo booth offers the ability to have larger groups in pictures while the vintage and pipe and drape photo booths are limited to a maximum of about 4 guests at a time. Here are just a few more questions to ask before making your decision to rent from a photo booth company: Do they have staff to stay with the rental for the entire rental period included in the price, or do they just set up the unit and leave? Are all supplies included in the price of the rental? Will the rental fee include unlimited pictures for the rental period? Is there an extra charge for delivery/ set up and take down? Do they offer props with their package at no charge? Are their props of good quality and in good condition? Do they create a banner at a minimal or no charge? Is the company willing to negotiate price if necessary? A photo booth is an excellent addition to a wedding reception. Guests have fun creating the photos and the photos go home with the guest, which makes a great favor. Even though the photo booth may appear to be a large expense initially, a picture will never be thrown away, so it makes memories that last a lifetime!

Last Long Beach Bridal Show for 2012

Bridal Showplace Bridal Show October 14, 2012 • 11am - 4pm Long Beach Marriott 4700 Airport Plaza Drive • Long Beach, CA 90815 We have been bringing Brides and Wedding Professionals together for 17 years and over 100 amazing shows. At our shows you will find an average of 100+ of Southern CA most distinguished wedding professionals offering every product and service for your wedding. Each event offers a variety of on-site features, such as: cake tasting, hors d'oeuvres, mini massages, beauty makeovers, entertainment and live performances. You Can: Have your photo taken at the photo booths Learn the latest trends at the Wedding Planning Seminars Ask the Experts Get free wedding planners and magazines Preview the latest bridal fashions for the entire bridal party featured in our beautifully choreographed fashion shows. Enter to win thousands of $$$ in Door Prizes. Grooms are special too - at each event we hold a separate "Groom's Only Drawing". The first 50 brides in line will receive special Swag bags. (562) 924-2048 • www.bridalshowplace.net