What a show!

Posted on May 2, 2012 by admin

A big thanks to the 200 exhibitors and thousands of attendees who made the spring 2012 Bridal Bazaar one of our best spring shows ever!   Click on the pictures to see a larger image.

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The best place to shop for your wedding!

Posted on April 24, 2012 by admin

Wedding planning is what the Bridal Bazaar is all about!

Get ready for some serious wedding shopping at the Bridal Bazaar this Sunday!   This is no ordinary bridal show with only a few dozen exhibitors and a skimpy fashion show.   The Bridal Bazaar is like a  shopping mall showcasing everything you can imagine for your wedding.

More than 200 of San Diego’s best wedding professionals are getting their displays ready for you.   Bakers and caterers are cooking up samples; florists and decor specialists are putting together examples of the latest ideas in wedding decor;   photographers, DJs, videographers are designing their booths to show you their work.  And a fabulous fashion show is ready! 

If you are looking for some great deals on products and services for your wedding the Bridal Bazaar is definitely the place to find them. Many exhibitors offer show specials that are only available to brides they meet at the Bridal Bazaar.  To get a taste of what some exhibitors will be offering visit our Facebook page. Then come to show to find even more values from San Diego’s best wedding professionals!

We look forward to seeing you at the Bridal Bazaar this Sunday.  The doors open at 10:00am.   Tickets are available for $12.00 at the door or $9.00 in advance on-line.

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Bridal shows help relieve the stress of wedding planning.

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin

The Bridal Bazaar is the best way to meet and talk with hundreds of wedding vendors in one place!

Brides-to-be have a reputation for being stressed out.  And why shouldn’t you be?  In addition to all your normal responsibilities you’re now planning the most important party of your life…spending more than you’ve ever spent, on products and services you’ve never bought before, from people you’ve never met.

Attending a bridal show can help with that last point.  While the Internet and bridal magazines are great resources to find out what’s available, only at a bridal show can you actually meet wedding vendors without having to make an appointment or drive all over town.   You have the opportunity to review and sample their work and have a two-way conversation about your ideas for your wedding.  You can look ‘em in the eye and see if they are right for you!

There’s no better place to meet San Diego’s best wedding professionals than at the Bridal Bazaar.  With more than 200 vendors on hand, you’ll find more far more variety and more choices at the Bridal Bazaar than at any other bridal show. 

So don’t miss the Bridal Bazaar, Sunday April 29th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  Doors open at 10:00am.  The first fashion show is at 11:30am.  See you there!

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It’s almost show time!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

With a little more than two weeks until the Spring 2012 Bridal Bazaar, all but five of the 200 booths at the show are sold!   We look forward to having a full complement of exhibitors for brides to visit on Sunday, April 29th.  Bridal Bazaar exhibitors represent over 40 categories of wedding goods and services.  So no matter what you are looking for, you’re sure to find it at the Bridal Bazaar. 

Gretchen Productions and San Diego’s premier gown salons and tuxedo retailers are busy putting the final touches on the spectacular fashion show.   You’ll see wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, tuxedos and styles for the children in your wedding…all in a fun and entertaining show.

So if you’re planning a wedding, don’t miss the Bridal Bazaar Sunday, April 29th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. 

 

 

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The myth of the “average” wedding cost.

Posted on March 21, 2012 by admin

 

Beautiful weddings comes in all shapes, sizes and budgets!

No doubt about it, weddings can be expensive.   But when you hear that the “average” wedding now costs about $30,000, it makes you want to head for the court house for a lunchtime ceremony. 

 In actuality, most weddings cost far less than the “average” and you can have a beautiful wedding on almost any budget.

 According to new numbers from The Wedding Report, the “average” 2011 wedding cost in San Diego was $30,373.   But when you look into the numbers further, an estimated 40% of San Diego couples spent less than $10,000 on their weddings and another 30% spent between $10,000 and $20,000.  So, seven out of ten weddings actually cost $20,000 or less!  

The “average” gets driven up by a relatively few number of really pricey (and no doubt fabulous) weddings.  An estimated 600 San Diego couples spent more than $100,000 on their weddings last year.

No matter what your wedding budget, you’ll find everything you can imagine for your wedding at the Bridal Bazaar.  With 200 exhibits and a huge fashion show, the April 29th show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is the largest spring bridal show!

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Bridal Show Overload

Posted on February 22, 2012 by admin

 

As if planning a wedding isn’t confusing enough…four bridal shows over two Sundays???

Has anybody else noticed that there are four bridal shows in San Diego over the next two Sundays?  Far be it from us to criticize competitors,  but it seems like this isn’t going to work so well for some or all of them.   And it is just plain confusing for brides to decide which, if any, are worth their time.  

From our perspective, the show to see is the US Grant show on March 4th.   It has as many (or more) exhibitors than the other shows.  Most of the vendors are pretty pricey but you’ll see some fabulous displays that may inspire you.   Just don’t expect to find a lot of reception locations to choose from.  This is a showcase for the US Grant.

Another hint:  Any show that has free admission is worth exactly what you pay…nothing.  Give the free one a skip!

Of course you could always just attend the next Bridal Bazaar on Sunday, April 29th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  You’ll see more wedding professionals in one afternoon at the Bridal Bazaar than at all the other shows combined!

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It was a smashing success!

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin
 

We want to thank the 300+ exhibitors who worked so hard to make yesterday’s Bridal Bazaar a smashing success.   Thousands of attendees were treated to everything you can image for your wedding as well as spectacular fashion show created by Gretchen Productions.  We hope everyone had a fun and productive day at the Bridal Bazaar!  Here are just a few scenes from yesterday’s event.

 

 

 

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Tips for getting the most out of the Bridal Bazaar this weekend!

Posted on January 26, 2012 by admin

Meet 300 friendly wedding professionals at the Bridal Bazaar

Get ready to plan your wedding at San Diego’s largest bridal show of the year.  The Bridal Bazaar is this Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.   Here are some tips for making the most of the show…

  • Create an e-mail account just for receiving information from wedding vendors.   You’ll be asked for your contact information a lot at the show.  If you don’t want your regular e-mail cluttered with wedding messages, creating a new account to give out at the show is a great way to have everything go to one place that you can check when you are working on your wedding.
  • Bring pre-printed labels or slips of paper with your wedding date and contact information.   This will make leaving your information with the vendors you are interested in much easier.
  • Plan to spend a few hours at the show.   Collecting literature is great, but talking with wedding professionals about their capabilities and ideas is the real benefit of the show.
  • Take time to attend the fashion show.   Even if you have already selected your gown, you’ll see styles for your groom and bridesmaids, even your mom.   Plus you’ll see the latest hair and bouquet ideas! 
  • Your wedding may be formal but shopping for it needn’t to be.  Dress comfortably and casually.   The Bridal Bazaar is a fun upbeat place, where you can be yourself and just enjoy all the show has to offer.

We look forward to seeing you at the Bridal Bazaar this Sunday!

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Wedding fashions on the runway…this Sunday!

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

See San Diego's largest bridal fashion show at the Bridal Bazaar.

If you are like us, you love to look at wedding dresses. But seeing them in magazines, on the internet, or drooping on a hanger at the bridal salon leaves a bit to the imagination. Luckily, this coming Sunday you can see the latest styles from San Diego’s leading gown salons in three dimensions and full motion on the Bridal Bazaar runway.

Gretchen Productions, San Diego’s leading fashion show producer, has a great show in store for you. Using her unique combination of theater, dance and fashion the fashion show will charm and engage you. No dour models here! Real brides smile and dance in their gowns…and so do the models in our fashion show. Real brides come in all shapes and sizes…and so do the models at the Bridal Bazaar.

In addition to wedding gowns you’ll see styles for your bridesmaids, your groom and the guys, your mom and even the children in your wedding. The show will also feature the latest bouquet designs from Lotus Flowers Shop and fashion forward hair and makeup by the JC Penney Salon and Spa.

And if that’s not enough…in the finale of the fashion show the models toss golden balls into the audience. Catch a ball and you’ll win one of 100 prizes donated by Bridal Bazaar exhibitors.

There’s plenty more to do and see at San Diego’s largest bridal show, so don’t miss it! This Sunday, January 29th at the San Diego Convention Center.

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First things…first!

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin

In the excitement of getting engaged, many brides-to-be first think about that all-important wedding dress. But most wedding planning experts agree that once you’ve decided on your desired wedding date, budget and the approximate number of guests you’ll have, your first priority should be securing a ceremony and reception site.

This is wise advice for a number of reasons…

  • San Diego ceremony and reception facilities generally book up months in advance…often over a year out.
  • If you are planning to have your ceremony at a church or synagogue and your reception at another site you’ll need to secure your date and time with both.
  • Your choice of ceremony and reception facilities may determine the formality, tone and even the colors you choose for your wedding.
  • Many wedding vendors won’t commit to providing services unless you have your ceremony and reception facilities secured. As much as they would love to work with you, they know that until the facilities are confirmed your wedding date may change.

Choosing a ceremony site may be easy if you have a regular church or synagogue you attend, but looking for a reception location can be a challenge. Are you dreaming of sophisticated venue, a casual beach location, an elegant ballroom or a beautiful club or park-like location? You’ll find them all in San Diego.

Visiting the Bridal Bazaar on January 29th can make finding the perfect ceremony and reception facility a whole

lot easier. At the show you’ll be able to meet and talk with nearly sixty facilities representing every type of location available. You can view photographs of the location, look at sample menus, discuss pricing, and meet the facility’s wedding coordinators in person. In one place and one day you can review all your options and narrow down your top choices for a personal visit. That’ll save time, money and gas. 

So don’t miss San Diego’s largest bridal show of the year!

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