For the first time, we will be exhibiting at the River Valley Bridal Extravaganza. The Extravaganza will be held this Sunday, January 23 from 1pm to 4pm at the Kay Rogers Park Expo Center in Fort Smith. (MAP)

Bridal Fairs can be overwhelming. As a bride, you'll be on the receiving end of tons of wedding information. You'll be asked over and over, 'When's your wedding?' And you'll be asked to sign up for prizes, drawings, and mailing lists.

So, to help you enjoy the day a bit more, here are a few tips...

"...you'll be on the receiving end of tons of wedding information...": Think about who you want to visit with. If you already have a florist, let us know when you arrive in our booth. We still want you to look around (Hopefully, you'll change your mind and choose us instead!), but if you're sure about your current florist (or other vendor), don't feel like you HAVE to take our information. It will also save you time, if you know ahead of time which vendors you want to visit.

If you want more information about a vendor than is provided at the show, ask to schedule a consultation. We're inundated with brides during this limited amount of time. It's hard to remember that you wanted pink roses to go with your honeysuckle (the 2011 color, by the way) dresses, while another bride wanted white hydrangeas and absolutely no pink roses! In a consultation, you'll have our undivided attention!

Realize it will be crowded. If you don't like crowds, avoid arriving when the show starts (1pm). But don't wait too long. Most vendors start leaving when the fashion show starts.

"...You'll be asked over and over, 'When's your wedding?' And you'll be asked to sign up for prizes, drawings, and mailing lists...": Bring address labels with your name, wedding date and contact information. You can order pre-printed labels, make your own, or get a self-inking stamp. Just bring something so you don't have to fill out the same information at each booth. (We ask for this information because we want to know who visited us during the show. We also want to stay in contact with you after the show. So, if you prefer NOT to get further info from a vendor, be sure to make that known.)

Bring your camera. There's no better way to remember an idea you liked or a vendor you want to work with.

"... to help you enjoy the day a bit more..." Visit our booth! During all the craziness, take a few minutes to relax and 'smell the roses.' We hope to see you on Sunday!

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