Last month I got my first taste of a proper wedding fair. Although I'd been to some smaller events with my Mum beforehand, the National Wedding Fair at Olympia was on a much larger scale than anything I'd ever seen!
Advertised on the its website as 'the show for you; a unique and glamorous wedding shopping experience with thousands of ideas to plan your perfect day', I excitedly booked tickets for myself, my Mum, Chief Bridesmaid, Maid of Honour and good friend Natasha.
Not knowing what to expect, once we arrived I was first of all surprised at just how many exhibitors there were under one roof - over 300 in fact. The second thing I noticed was the thousands of crazed Bridezillas milling about - there was a definite bridal buzz in the air. Upon further scrutiny you could see the few dozen grooms that had been dragged along for the day, dragging their heels and looking as though they'd rather be anywhere else, bless them!
We settled down to watch the 'How to look good' show, hosted by Caryn Franklin, a supposed TV makeover expert. I have to admit that I'd not seen any of her TV work, and after 15 minutes or so watching her attempt to transform an enthusiastic but plain bride-to-be into something that resembled Cruella de Ville, we hastily moved on to negotiate the busy aisles.
There was so much to take in at the show, from photographers, cakes (with lots of yummy tastings available), dresses and favours. I did find that because we're holding our wedding in Scotland, not all suppliers deliver nationally, which was slightly disappointing.
One area that I did enjoy getting ideas on was the hen do. At the back of the hall was a huge pink party bus, hosted by Blush Hospitality. I was drawn to its pulsing pink colour and house music, and once we went on board all 5 of us enjoyed checking out the pole dancing facilities : ) This is a definite contender, so watch this space girls...
The other stand that I think grabbed the attention of all the girlies was that hosted by Dreamboys. Dreamboys offer a hen do to remember, by inviting you to enjoy dinner at one of their shows in London, which involves a dozen or so oiled up Chippendale-wannabes girating around the stage for a few hours. Some audience participation is expected, and although I wouldn't mind watching the show (who in reality wouldn't?), the thought of being stuck in a venue with hundreds of other hen do's doesn't strike me as a good one. I'd much rather just do my own thing!
All in all, I did enjoy the afternoon at the fair with the girls, but I don't think I'd hurry back to another one. For your £12 entry fee all you get is a goodie bag filled up with chocolates and toothpaste (are they trying to make you put on weight before your big day?!). Champagne is available but at £7 a glass we gave it a wide berth! I enjoyed the catwalk fashion shows but being 5 foot 3, I couldn't really see much and my poor Mum could see even less...
For any brides-to-be thinking of going, I wish you well and remember these two tips: stay focused and wear flat shoes! You'll only regret the heels, although they may come in handy for stepping on the toes of the Bridezillas pushing past you to try and lay their hands on the oiled up Dreamboys lol.
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