Weding Expo

I like expos, they are usually quite an entertaining couple of hours, with goodies and a bag of flyers that generally go straight into the recycling. Of course I the only expo I go to is the food and wine show, where I can load up on delicious snacks and wine.    

But I was interested to see what a wedding expo was like. 

I had a vague idea from the various romantic comedies on TV and film so I knew it wasn’t going to be like Armageddon, or sadly Comiccon San Diego. Although if it was that would be interesting:

 

Bride cosplay

Me  “Who are you?”

Bride cos-player# A “Oh I am Muriel from Muriel’s wedding”

 Me “And you? 

Bride cos-player# B “Oh I am Four weddings and a funeral.”

Me “ Really? Are you the wedding or the funeral?”

And that is how the fight started. 

So the novelty of a sea of cos-players dressing up as famous brides from movies might become a bit ‘samey’. 

Anyway my lady, friend H and I set off to check it out.  I was interested to see how long we would last. Not because I suspected I would get bored, more the fact the girls had been out to a friend’s hens night the previous evening and were slightly worse for wear.  

Once we arrived we were all given labels; Groom, Bride, Brides best friend.  While a novelty, it also quickly identifies who to speak to and who not to speak to. More on that later. 

We decided to do a circuit first and then work our way methodically through the middle.  Almost immediately we found a photographer that Rach had put on the short list.  I liked his dramatic use of light and his open horizons. And they were very nice people to deal with.  That might sound a little weird, but you spend half your day with these people so you have to have a rapport with them.  One photographer we spoke to later seemed like she was coked up to the eyeballs, and we barely coped with her intense ‘enthusiasm’ for our wedding for the five minutes we chatted to her, let alone half a day. 

There were hire places which were good, DJ’s, Venue hire, wedding videos, and catering which were of no interest to us as we have already sorted that.  Although I admit I am one of those terrible people that pretend to be interested just to get free samples of food. 

One thing that interested me was there was no cake tasting. I would have thought that if you wanted me to spend one hundred and eleventy million dollars for you to supply our wedding cake then surely we should taste it first? 

There were hire cars which was very good because my lady had not been all that fussed on the cars really, and I had thought she would look great in a vintage car, and enjoy it more as well. So when she looked at this lovely old Bentley I could see she got what I meant.  And I guess that is why these sorts of events are helpful. If you just get one single idea, or one aspect of your wedding sorted then it is worth attending. 

As with anything there was an overall theme, and the 2013 wedding expo was pretty hipster. Vintage was queen. There was ironically rustic, vintage everything; from a crooner, to confectionary bars to a vintage caravan you can hire. Ironically this suits my lady to a T. She is unconsciously   hipster in her tastes.  And in true hipster style because it is currently fashionable she won’t do it.  Also we are not spending $20 each for a ‘vintage’ jam jar which my mum has just to pop a tea light in it. 

Maybe I can try and sell my catering idea of a bull roasting on a spit as ‘ironic’ to her?  What is more ironic than a six foot iron stake right?

So ironic

But for all of you that are addicted to that gypsy wedding theme do not panic. There was a two mile long purple stretch hummer out the front just for you. 

During the expo I had a self-imposed isolation clause while the girls looked at wedding dresses.  This meant I had to wander around sans bride.  And this highlighted a small issue for me. About one in three stalls blanked me, not a bride, not interested. One catering place I forced to engage with me. But they were pretty reluctant, and had no interest in talking to me at all about their catering ideas.  And while I didn’t care as we have already sorted that, if I hadn’t we certainly wouldn’t be using them.  

That aside most people were actually very nice.  And the winner of the day for being nice to the groom would have to be a tie between Pretty Vintage and the New Zealand Weddings Magazine people.  Both of which shall be getting custom from us in the future.   And a small note for all you stalls that refuse to talk to grooms I suspect your business may suffer from August, and rightfully so. 

Going to the wedding expo was really informative and interesting. It had stalls for those who want other people to plan the wedding, to those like us who want to plan our own.  I think that if you can just get inspired by something then it is worth it.  For me it was fine.  There were certainly some grooms that were wandering around like little boys being taken clothes shopping by their mum.  I found it interesting, but then I am actively involving myself in the wedding planning. 

One thing I recommend to the expo people is maybe more food and catering stalls, more wine tasting, cake tasting and maybe a bbq? Maybe a pig on a spit? 

Just a thought.