The Great Bridal Expo--Philadelphia Style

The Great Bridal Expo is one of the largest bridal shows traveling the country.  (http://www.greatbridalexpo.com/)  The Wedding Queen and her representatives attended this event on Sunday at the Loews Hotel on Market Street in Philadelphia PA.  The Expo was an incredible mob scence.  Lines of brides and their mothers or bridesmaids filled the halls waiting to get in to see vendors.  One big plus for this expo is the fashion show offered showing a variety of bridal gowns as well as tuxedos and bridesmaid attire, unfortunately there were far too few seats for the attendees.  People were either turned away or walked out, or were sitting or standing in the aisles.  A good suggestion would be to have two fashion shows during the Expo so that all those attending at least had a chance to see the show. Many vendors were so overwhelmed with brides that they didn't have time to do more than hand out information and ask brides to move on. 

Some great vendors were The Quadrangle at Penn whose tablet presentation offered brides a quick view of weddings as well as some gorgeous large posters highlighting their venue.  Other good booths to visit included The Hard Rock Cafe and The Chart House, both of who had reps that offered a quick but concise overview for interested brides.  The makeup artist who was there did a great job but she could have used an assistant or two.  Least favorite booths were the tuxedo reps who are the used car salesmen of bridal shows, pushy and annoying, some of them blocking the aisles so you couldn't get past them without talking to them. 

Given the choice I'd suggest going to some of the smaller bridal shows where you get a chance to really get some good info.  Last year's show at the Villanova Conference Center stood out as a great show.  Small enough to interact with vendors but with a lot of good info especially well showcased were the DJs.  Also offered was a florist who gave good tips for DIY brides as well as suggestions for services she could offer.  So look for smaller shows at venues that interest you.  Also not a bad idea to take along your groom. Most of all have a fun while you pick up all the info you can even if it's just who you don't want to use.