Has the value of Wedding Fayres been diluted?

[Corabar Entertainment]

Once upon a time, there were only a few wedding fayres each season, but these days, they seem to be tripping over each other with numerous wedding fayres on every weekend - often with several on the same day within a few miles of each other.

In my experience, this has resulted in fewer people through the doors, and fewer punters seriously looking to book pronto.

However, the cost to exhibit at fayres has also risen quite considerably.

Because of the increasing number of fayres, rising costs and fewer punters, there are fewer exhibitors at each fayre, which only means that even fewer punters are coming through the doors!

IMO, the bubble has to burst soon, but I'd be interested to know your views and experiences.

[spin mobile disco]

Yep agree there. I have just completed my usual run of wedding fayres for the early season and feel that the over saturation of these is having a bad effect.
Last wedding fayre 12 bookings. This year 2. And all local venues have their own wedding fayre this year they didnt last year. half the brides less bookings.

[Daryll]

After a two year break , I thought I would , once again seek out a wedding fair , talk about spoiled for choice , there were load's of them , I eventually went for one at Arundel , mainly because the price was more realistic at £150 , instead of the £250 + that some event`s are charging , I cannot see how all these events will be busy.

Daryll

[funkymook]

I went to a Vintage Wedding Fair the other week - every exhibitor offered a vintage style service. I chatted to quite a few people and they all had a massive enthusiasm for what they did, lots of unusual and quirky services and products.

It was absolutely packed all day, fantastic atmosphere.

I don't think it's a fad, the vintage style lends itself very well to weddings, lots of the people who came weren't obviously into it in their daily lives (though some were) so I think it has a wiser appeal than a niche market.

I loved the DJ's who worked with original 78's and wind up gramophones (adapted to feed a signal to a PA - but still needed winding). They dressed the part and had the patter - more of a cabaret act I suppose, but very popular amongst their target audience (and they weren't cheap!)

[NKR]

We do a couple a year and usually generate about three jobs from each on average (with the exception of having been at the norths biggest wedding show in Jan, which generate 1 job - two full days well spent, not.)

We never pay to go to wedding Fayres.

We either appear under our agents banner on his stand so its just time for us (plus comission on the jobs we get. However they are priced with commission on so we get what we would have got if we were there on our own, if that makes sense).

Or we have a network of contacts who organise wedding fayres and we rig up the catwalk lighting etc in return for a free stand and Kev singing on catwalk all day.

We would not pay to go as I don't think enough people come through the door to make it worth the expenditure.

My time is free my money is not.

Counter arguement will no doubt be returned that if we paid we would get into better shows and get more work, etc, etc. Anyone thinking that i will refer you back to the £2,000 a stand wedding show. It was okay, but the mass of exhibitors in my opinion must have been mind boggling for brides, etc. That one is a slow burn and we will know more when next years bookings start to roll in, if they do.

Something that came out o the wedding show as an aside was the number of brides saying - Singer and DJ package, oh we already have a DJ as the hotel insist we pay for the resident as part of our package. Lots and lots of that came out of that weekend.

[Paul The Party Dj]

I've been doing Wedding Fairs for the last 2 years - about 10 each year. I'd say they are in decline at the moment but the economy and the market is depressed so it's hardly surprising.

Some are busy, some not so much - but I only need one booking from an event to be happy. My biggest problem is location at an event - neighbouring stands have such a critical affect and some other suppliers are so rude!

I firmly believe that potential clients often need to make multiple contacts with a supplier before they book, so I'll continue to do Wedding Fairs.

[musicologydisco]

I'm forever getting calls from people trying flog a stand to me. And they're always "discounted". No interest to me at all.

[Andy Collins]

I'm forever getting calls from people trying flog a stand to me. And they're always "discounted". No interest to me at all.

Same here, I was offered a stand by 2 seperate fayres not far from each other in Swindon last Sunday. Both £60 each!

[katman]

Same here, I was offered a stand by 2 seperate fayres not far from each other in Swindon last Sunday. Both £60 each!

Was the organisers name Sid ?

[Andy Collins]

Was the organisers name Sid ?

LOL!! Might as well have been.

[Spirits High]

I've cut right back on fayres. I now only do the ones I know will work.

As it's been said there seems to be every Tom, Dick & Harry are inviting you to their shows and I think some organisers just look at it as easy money.

One of the fayres I attend has got significantly quieter over the last 3 Fayres but have put that down to a high turnover in the management at the venue. Numbers through the door have gone down and prices have gone up :(

[lazersounds]

I agree they are getting diluted, used to be only 3 massive ones in Kent at the detling showground, was well worth doing and still worth doing now but now every venue in Kent has them on, I know of 6 in the space of 10 square miles on this weekend!!

[ppentertainments]

Interesting thread - after a 2 year absence I was seriously considering getting a stand together to start doing a few fayres again, mainly because a lot of dj's seem to be doing a lot of fayres lately - food for thought now.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I'm going against the grain here....... I do rather well from them....

Andy I paid £50 for a Wedding Fayre that saw me return over 1k's worth of work last year....... I spoke to at the most 6 couples that day.....

[JTRS]

I've never 'done' one but if I see a local one on I usually try and attend as a member of the public, just for a nosey to see how well attended it is and also to see if there are any DJ's exhibiting.

I'd agree with most of the comments I've read in this thread, we certainly have more wedding fayres in this area and at some quite unlikely venues, which has certainly diluted the numbers I've seen attending.

Given what I've seen I doubt very much that I'd pay to do one, and to date no organiser has been interested in providing a free stall in return for a PA set-up.

JTRS

[JAMdisco]

I've never 'done' one but if I see a local one on I usually try and attend as a member of the public, just for a nosey to see how well attended it is and also to see if there are any DJ's exhibiting.

I'd agree with most of the comments I've read in this thread, we certainly have more wedding fayres in this area and at some quite unlikely venues, which has certainly diluted the numbers I've seen attending.

Given what I've seen I doubt very much that I'd pay to do one, and to date no organiser has been interested in providing a free stall in return for a PA set-up.

JTRS

Me neither, it's something I've been considering for a while though.

I went to one when I was getting married back in 2007 and there was only one DJ there doing the catwalk set. He has got a huge amount of gear - a bit overkill in my opinion but I'll pop along to some shortly to check out the local competition, may wait til next year now though!

I'll also need some nice promo shots to put on the flyers etc. I have a friend who is a professional wedding photographer so I'll have a word at some point.

[djdj]

Done a couple
always been worthwhile!

[Corabar Entertainment]

...but whether it's worthwhile isn't really the question. It's whether the sheer number of fayres these days is making it a far less attractive proposition than it once was, because there just aren't the numbers to support them all.

The other thing I do not understand, is when people say that you only need one booking to recoup your costs. Don't you have overheads? Or is it another case of people not really knowing the actual PROFIT they make on a gig (as opposed to what they charge)?

[djdj]

I understand what your saying Angela, but if youu restrict yourself to the bigger fayres its a good way of promoting yourself

[Corabar Entertainment]

I agree completely: it's just that that is a different discussion ;)

Well, actually, I'm not sure that I do completely agree... there is an argument to being a big fish in a small pond, rather than a small fish in a big pond. Of course, if you can be a big fish in a big pond, then that's a different matter! :lol:

[funkymook]

I agree completely: it's just that that is a different discussion ;)

Well, actually, I'm not sure that I do completely agree... there is an argument to being a big fish in a small pond, rather than a small fish in a big pond. Of course, if you can be a big fish in a big pond, then that's a different matter! :lol:

Or grow legs and get out of the pond!

(no idea what's that supposed to mean but it sounded good!)

[Corabar Entertainment]

Or grow legs and get out of the pond!

(no idea what's that supposed to mean but it sounded good!):like:

[djdj]

Can I have chips with my big fish?

It's all down to how you run your business, I work full time so I am quite happy providing a quility service in my local area and that works for me.
I am not interested in travelling 50 miles + to do a disco.


Sorry straying off topic
In general yes wedding fayres are not as good as they used to be due to the number of them,
but if your careful and only select the better ones it is still worth doing them!

[leelive]

I had a large stand for £500 twice a year in Edinburgh.
Used to get 8 bookings from each one. Now lucky to get 4. Reduce the size of the stand to a £300 one this year.

I will continue to do them as there are lots of couple who have already had a quote and just want to chat before booking... but I don't count them as new-leads though.

Also a lot of people who have already booked me pop-along for a chat too... and I enjoy doing them.

Lee

[Charlie Brown]

I hope not!

I've just booked my first one...which I'm very nervous about!

[simonp]

I agree they are getting diluted, used to be only 3 massive ones in Kent at the detling showground, was well worth doing and still worth doing now but now every venue in Kent has them on, I know of 6 in the space of 10 square miles on this weekend!!

I keep getting pestered by the organisers to do Dettling every time they have one. The price is ridiculous there.

I've noticed numbers going down at local Wedding Fayres in established big venues. Every tin-pot venue seems to be trying to cash in on Wedding Fayres at the moment.

The Winter Wedding Fayre I did at the back end of last year is normally a really good one which see's plenty of bookings, but it was pretty disappointing for me. I'm doing the same venues Spring Wedding Fayre this Sunday so hoping for better. I'm hoping there'll be plenty of prospective 2013/14 Brides as although I've a few sparodic dates left, my problem is I'm practically booked up for this year throughout for all the key dates and through the summer.

[lazersounds]

I keep getting pestered by the organisers to do Dettling every time they have one. The price is ridiculous there.

I agree Tina is charging the earth but its well worth it, can easily get 12-15 bookings, the one in April is the best i feel.

I have also noticed Venues doing their own wedding fairs are purly a chance for brides already booked with the venue to meet the perferred suppliers, no chance of getting any new bookings as mostly they would have got everything included in a package and they demand that you attend them even if on a premium weekend when could be out working!

Then its a weight up between not going and working and risking being booted out as perferred supplier :(

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

A wedding open day is what you want to be doing.

They're the future. :D

[Corabar Entertainment]

Can you educate us on the difference, Darren?

(..and before you get clever, I mean other than the name :p )

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Can you educate us on the difference, Darren?

(..and before you get clever, I mean other than the name :p )

I think it's probably just a play on words. What the Hilton are doing is inviting all their recommended suppliers to meet brides and grooms who have already booked the venue and those who are looking to. It's not a paying event and there are only a few suppliers there.

The main suite has recently had a £900,000 refurbishment and they want to show that off obviously, so it will be set up wedding stylee.

I'm also taking the booth. :D

[Corabar Entertainment]

That's more or less what I figured, but does mean you have to be the preferred supplier in the first place, and it's almost exclusively for events at that venue (which, as the preferred supplier you would, most likely, have got anyway.) However, it's a great way to do client meetings all in one go!

Plus great for 'upselling', I'd guess (like the photobooth :D)

[simonp]

I agree Tina is charging the earth but its well worth it, can easily get 12-15 bookings, the one in April is the best i feel.

I have also noticed Venues doing their own wedding fairs are purly a chance for brides already booked with the venue to meet the perferred suppliers, no chance of getting any new bookings as mostly they would have got everything included in a package and they demand that you attend them even if on a premium weekend when could be out working!

Then its a weight up between not going and working and risking being booted out as perferred supplier :(

I'l see how Sunday pans out, and give the April Fayre at Dettling some serious thought then.

Totally agree with your last sentence there, It's taken me four years to get in to one venue (which I did really good business from in the Autumn), and I couldn't make the Fayre at the same venue a couple of weeks ago, so don't know whether I'll get another invite as the waiting list is pretty long :(

[lazersounds]

Totally agree with your last sentence there, It's taken me four years to get in to one venue (which I did really good business from in the Autumn), and I couldn't make the Fayre at the same venue a couple of weeks ago, so don't know whether I'll get another invite as the waiting list is pretty long :(

Took me 6 years to get in the one i'm in now, they provide 30+ weddings a year to me and will only use me due to noise restrictions, no bands, live pa's etc, so i have to make them a proity when it comes to their fairs. Luckly they are good enough to sort out dates well in advance and usually let me know at least a year before the date :)

[soundtracker]

I'm doing Two wedding Fayres, Saturday & Sunday this week (Don't ask!) so I'll let you know someday. I've taken 3 bookings in the last fortnight for people I saw at last March's event!

[mark@pegasus]

I have just been involved in the formation of a wedding business group, we have a Bridal Wear shop, a Photographer, a Florist, a cake specialist, a Wedding planner/ venue decorator, a Jeweller and myself. We all have gift packs containing a flyer about the group and the details of all of the members which we hand to brides as we meet them privately. But to combat to amount of Fayres in the area the lady that owns the Bridal shop is going to hold a private viewing (maybe about 20 - 30 brides) that we will all be attending serving bubbly and canapes, we can use this not for directly selling our services but just to talk to the Bride's about their day and offer advice which will hopefully lead to a booking and at the end the Bride's all go home with the gift packs.

[Ryu]

The thing is, Wedding Fayres are affected by two desperate markets...

1) people having weddings -whose Budgets are affects at the moment and may be considering cheaper package options, or lower end suppliers who don't utilise wedding Fayres and
2) Wedding Suppliers - who are fighting in an increasingly competitive marketplace to secure business.

Wedding Fayre organisers are reaping the rewards because they either have a vested interest (the hosting venue maybe) or are selling stalls easily from the excess of wedding suppliers, despite the fact that attendances are likely to be affected by The Financial Situation.

Supply, at the moment at least, is outstripping demand.