How soon is too soon to attend wedding fayres?

Congratulations on setting a date- exciting isn't it?!

In my opinion it's never too soon to attend wedding fayres- especially if it's simply to get some ideas and to 'browse'- you can at least get an idea of the sort of costs you are looking at for the things you want or need.

My only word of caution would be not to get too carried away booking and buying things TOO early... though that probably applies more to those getting married locally or more 'traditionally'- it's amazing how your ideas and 'wish list' will change as your planning goes on- for example I have bought lots of little bits for out wedding in May '17 that I'm now not quite so sure about/may change/have seen things I like more.... luckily I'm only talking about little things that haven't cost a fortune like tea light holders but I also VERY nearly booked a photographer six months ago.... because they were the one a couple of my friends had used and seemed nice..... I'm now so glad I didn't as I have since decided I don't really like that photographers style of work and have booked someone else who we are both really excited about!

I don't think that its too early to look at some wedding fayres. BUT depending on the sector of wedding supply that you are speaking to at a fayre there are some who will roll their eyes at your wedding being so far away.

Also a note of caution on booking very early for some things is that if they have only been going themselves for 1 or 2 years there is a greater chance of them stopping as many start ups think weddings would be a good money spinner but after a short time realize its not as easy as they thought, cancelling you and then you find yourself trying to find a replacement at very short notice.

Maybe as well as cost it could be a good idea to also ask how long they have been doing it.(whatever it may be)

Go! It's lovely going around wedding fayres. I went to local ones and travelled up to London. So exciting! I agree, just have fun with it for now and get some ideas, perhaps don't book too much just yet. Won't be too long before you can though. It'll fly by!

Thank you for your advice. I'm definitely not going to book or try anything yet, its just for ideas, and mostly so my mum feels like she gets the Mother of the bride experience. I'm the only daughter, and my mum always thought she'd get to throw a big traditional wedding, so she's a bit disappointed we're eloping. That, and we just want an idea of what things we're interested in might cost, so we can save. And as the fayre is down the road, it seems a wasted opportunity not to go. All the advice I've read says not to try on, do or book anything until at most a year ahead.

It's never too early, nor can you go to too many. My H2B is obsessed with them and always nagged me to go to every one near us and I'd be like "we've been to loads, what's the point?" but we have always come away from one with yet another idea or another thing sorted so they are well worth it

Personally I found going round fayres to be much better when I was really early on in the planning. It helps to get ideas of what sort of thing you want and like you say, how much they'll cost roughly.

For me, once we knew what we wanted, the fayres weren't as useful. We would walk round ignoring most of the stalls as we either had that thing sorted, or knew that we didn't want it in the style they were offering.

I now find the internet much more useful - when you're just starting out' searching 'wedding reception ideas' is so overwhelming. But once you know what you're looking for, I think you get much more help than you would at a fayre.

In short, I would say it's more than reasonable to go and have a look now

As others have said I definitely found going earlier on in the planning process a lot easier than now for example. It was good to get different ideas and get a general idea of prices etc – whereas now I sort of just home in on the ones I want to speak to and it’s more a case of going to see suppliers that I have already booked and want to talk to. Wedding suppliers are used to people booking things quite far in advance so I don’t think anyone will think that looking at fayres for a 2018 wedding is strange. Enjoy!

Im already being dragged along to the wedding fair in london this year, and my wedding isnt until summer 2017.

but i think its probably a good idea, because you can get ideas about what you want (and what you dont!) in advance.

also the local ones have good venues and photographers etc, so book them early!

There defiantly are some things that are best booked early like photographers (of course)!. I find that some people book 18months in advance.

There are some trades that can take 2 weddings on per day and everyday but I can only speak for myself in that I can only shoot 1 per day and also limit how many I shoot and so although I may be free on a Thursday if the weekend before and after is busy then I am not inclined to take the Thursday,

I will be at a wedding fayre in Feb and I expect 60% to be getting married in 2017 and 20% this year and 15% in 2018 and the other 4% will be - "not sure sometime before 2020" and then theress the 1% who say "Oh its a wedding fayre we were just walking the dog and came in to get warm"

My comment with the roll eyes and way too early is based on my own experience at wedding fayres where during a lul some suppliers have said it to me.

Also on this forum in the past brides have reported their experience of almost being brushed aside when told the date after being asked.

I don't think there is such a thing as too soon

When I went dress shopping in November last year the lady in the shop told me she'd already had 2018 Brides come in and order dresses!

Also, my Best Friend is a Wedding Photographer and has already had enquiries on Weddings for 2018 from last year's fairs.

Definitely go and have a look

I agree with the others that there's no harm in looking now. I only went to one which was about a year ago. I didn't book anything but I loved browsing and getting ideas. Now that we're only 6 months away and the majority of things are booked, I don't have any interest in going to them now.