Your Ultimate Guide to Tackling Wedding Shows Like a Pro

Wedding shows are like Disneyland for couples planning their big day—exciting, a little overwhelming, and full of magic waiting to happen. As wedding photographers who’ve been part of these shows for years, Jake and I have seen the ins and outs, and we’re here to share our insider tips to help you conquer the wedding show scene with confidence.
Bonus? You’ll find us at three big wedding shows in Western Washington in 2025: The Tacoma Wedding Show, The Seattle Wedding Show, and The Puyallup Wedding Show! Read on to learn more about how to make these events a memorable part of your wedding planning journey.

Set Your Priorities and Budget Beforehand

Wedding shows are full of incredible vendors, but they can also feel a bit like a carnival—so many options can make your head spin! Before heading out, sit down together and make a list of your must-haves (e.g., photographer, florist, caterer). These don’t have to be set in stone but you’ll want to rank them by priority now and not when you’re overwhelmed by all the gorgeous decor at the show.

Be sure to have a rough budget for each category. This will allow you to have an idea if vendors are in your budget right away. I don’t recommend starting with the “what’s your price” question though. You may find a hidden gem that’s worth more than their price point, and offers a payment plan you can be flexible with.
While you’re making a priorities list, be sure to prioritize meeting vendors who book quickly, like photographers, videographer, coordinators and venues.

Wedding-Only Email and Pre-Printed Labels = Game Changer

Wedding shows come with a LOT of follow-ups. Creating a wedding-only email address (e.g., SmithWedding2025@gmail.com) helps keep your main inbox clutter-free. Plus you can set things up ahead of time to filter and sort your wedding inbox using our tips about post-show emails!
Another hack? Bring pre-printed address labels with your name, wedding date, and email. You’ll save time filling out giveaway forms or signing up for info at booths.

Dress for Comfort and Come Prepared

Between walking the aisles and carrying brochures, you’ll want to be comfy! Here’s my quick packing list for the wedding shows:

1. Your most supportive shoes, or even a pair to change into if you’re determined to wear the cute ones that morning. (No one is judging your crocs either).
2. Water and snacks! Sure there’s food at the various venues, but the convention centers can be a bit expensive. Since we’re budgeting for your wedding, let’s save a little moolah and bring our own snacks.
3. While the big 3 wedding shows (Seattle, Tacoma and Puyallup) all have awesome swag bags for collecting handouts at the show, you might want to bring a second small bag. This way, if excitement takes over or your great Aunt Sally decides to snag every vendors info, you have extra room for those flyers.
4. A portable charger (or two!). Wedding shows can drain your phone battery with all the photos and contacts you’ll take. Bring a portable charger to stay powered up!
5. Your pre-printed labels for adding to those sign up lists (though many are digital now)
6. Some extra “spending” cash. There are a few booths at the shows that sell Bride Swag on site. Bring some cash to snag a new favorite coffee mug or t-shirt showing off your Fiancee status!
7. A planner or notebook with your schedule in it. You’ll want this to give you a quick reference when you’re scheduling consultations with your favorite vendors. Even a simple sheet of notebook paper with your preferred dates and times for consults is a good idea.
8. Last but not least, your phone and wallet. If you have friends or family with you, put one of them in charge of carrying both so you can concentrate. Don’t leave that wallet behind though if you might want an adult bevy or even just a coffee.

Ask the Right Questions

It can be really ovewhelming when you’re chatting with dozens of vendors all in one day. Asking the right questions is vital to finding vendors you really want to work with. A few important questions include:

• “Are you available on our date?”
• “What’s included in your packages?”
• “Do you have any wedding show specials?”

For photographers, don’t forget to ask about delivery timelines and product/album options (we include product credits in all our packages so you can create heirlooms you’ll love).

If you find the show is really overwhelming, book consultations with your priority vendors first. Then consider other vendors before you leave. Or you can collect contact information and request consultations after the show.

Take Photos and Notes

It’s easy to get vendor amnesia after a long day. Snap photos of booths or grab business cards for reference. Use your phone to jot down what you liked about each vendor, like “fun personality” or “perfect fit for our elegant vibe.” If you want an easy reference, text the photo and notes to yourself after you leave that booth. You can do this in a notebook as well if you’re avoiding a lot of extra photos on your phone. Or put a friend in charge of dropping all the pics/info to a cloud folder (icloud, google drive or Dropbox) so you can keep your hands free to look at albums of work.

Stay Open-Minded and Enjoy the Experience

Even if you have a clear plan, let yourself wander a bit. You might stumble across a vendor or idea you hadn’t considered but love. The goal is to gather inspiration and start building your dream team—not to decide everything all at once. The vendor list is usually available on the shows website for a few weeks post show, and if you pick up a floor plan, you can cross reference there as well.

After the show, sit down together with your notes and create a shortlist of vendors to follow up with. Include any vendors you’ve scheduled consultations with and note when your consultation is.

Where to find us at the shows

While I personally wish all the shows had the same space and layout, that’s not possible so our booth is never in the same spot! But we’ll be at the big three shows in January – February this year and you’ll recognize our booth when you see this image:

At the Tacoma Wedding Show on January 11-12, 2025, Tacoma Dome you’ll find us in booth F5.

At the Seattle Wedding Show on February 1-2 2025, Washington State Convention Center you’ll find us in booth 1406.

The Puyallup Wedding Show: February 22-23, 2025, Washington State Fairgrounds in booth 705.

Stop by our booth to chat about your big day, check out our true-to-life wedding albums, and snag some exclusive show-only specials. Plus, we’re always ready to share our favorite vendor recommendations or help you brainstorm ideas!
Plus, Jake’s charm and my ninja-like ability to blend into the background make us the ultimate wedding-day dream team.

Wedding shows are about discovering what feels right for your wedding day. Whether you’re collecting ideas or finding “the one” vendor for your celebration, we hope you have fun exploring, dreaming, and planning. Don’t forget to swing by our booth at Tacoma, Seattle, or Puyallup—we’d love to meet you!

Got questions before the shows? Shoot us a message on Instagram at @markiejonesphotographyllc or visit our website at www.markiejonesweddings.com. Let’s make some magic happen!