Visiting a Wedding Fair: One Afternoon That Saves Weeks of Research.

The wedding fair season is just getting underway: most wedding fairs in Switzerland take place between October and January, and we continuously compile the latest dates on our wedding fairs page.

Whether a visit is worthwhile, however, is decided not at the fair itself, but beforehand. With three key details clarified (date, number of guests, budget), pleasant conversations turn into concrete quotes. Without them, you'll leave with nothing but brochures.

First: Agree on a rough wedding date – at least the season and year. Venues and photographers think in terms of dates, not moods. Second: Settle on a guest number range, as this determines which venues are even worth considering. Third: Set an overall budget, even a rough one. Fourth: Look through the exhibitor list in advance and mark three to five stands you definitely want to visit – everything else is a bonus. Fifth: Divide up the roles: who asks the questions, who takes notes, who takes photos.

Some things don't appear in any listing or brochure. Use the conversation at the stand to address exactly these points:

1. Is the venue exclusively ours on our preferred date, or are there parallel events running?

2. What is the closing time, both indoors and outdoors?

3. Are external caterers and suppliers permitted?

4. What happens in bad weather – is a Plan B included in the price?

5. How many weddings do you host per weekend?

6. Who will be our dedicated point of contact on the wedding day?

7. What does an extra hour in the evening cost?

The answers to these questions will separate the candidates far more quickly than any comparison of brochures. And along the way, you'll get a sense of how the other party responds to uncomfortable questions.

Fair discounts create pressure, but good suppliers will still give you time to think it over. Collect quotes and business cards rather than signing anything at the stand. After each conversation, jot down in one sentence what stood out – after twelve stands, everything starts to blur together.

Set aside the following week for comparing your options. Sort through your favourites, follow up on any outstanding points in writing, and if needed, obtain a comparison quote from suppliers who weren't at the fair. You can browse and enquire about all wedding venues and wedding suppliers on EventButler at your leisure and compare them side by side. Only once you have two or three quotes for the same item will you know whether the fair price was truly a good deal.

Add your fair directly and free of charge to the fair calendar: Create a listing.