AHello everyone! I am going to take part in my second bridal show in Aug and I wanted to get some options about putting ideas in bags that will be given out by the host. The way it works is the first 100 brides that come in the door(500 brides attended last years show) get this special gift bag. I would have to pay $100 to put ideas in the bags. No "paper products" are allowed to go in the bags, so I would have to buy other types of promotional products or make something (I was thinking decorated cookies). I'm just not sure if it is going to be worth the money and time to do it. What do you guys think? Anyone done something like this before? Thanks

Could you do a small decorated cupcake as a way to let those 100 brides sample your cake? Or do 2-3 mini cupcakes so they get to sample different flavors? Maybe decorate simply with a tasting of your icing, and maybe some type of garnish that will demonstrate your piping or flower making skills?

I would also think that you could slap a label onto the packaging so they know who's cake sample it is. Maybe include your booth number so they can find you.

Cookie business card with two sides.  Each side has a small edible printed image with a wedding cake and your contact info. 

You can cut a full printed sheet into 8-10 pieces for this.

Cookie cards are less perishable and less squishy than cake...can use rectangle or a tiered-cake profile.  Fill with buttercream if you can.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking if I did it I would go the cookie route. They can sample my cake at my booth, and I am afraid that the cake would just be too much mess. I like the idea of the business card cookie, thanks.

I am just really unsure about paying to do this, I mean if it brings business in then I am ok putting out the money, but if it is going to bring in no more business then having a booth would then I don't want to bother.

Yes, just participated in a Bridal Show in March where we put in a cookie favor with our business card attached and a discount mentioned on the card toward their wedding cake.

It's only been 3 weeks but no calls yet from that event....We're hoping and praying we get some leads.  Was an expensive endeavor. Best of luck if you decide to do one yourself.  

I did my first bridal show this past January. Everyone said we had the best bakery display there. We had specials for people who booked a tasting that day (free tasting saving $25), people who booked with a $50 deposit (10% or free grooms cake), and a drawing gift to get contact info ( $50 gift certificate). We also had mini cupcakes in 4 flavors for people to try.

We got 1 booking (who didn't show) and nothing else. We figured it was still worth the cost because we had just opened the shop that October and the exposure was good. However, when we asked customers how they heard about us nobody has ever mentioned the bridal show. 

The point of the story is... I would spend more time and money on your actual display and booth rather than the goodie bags. You know they are going to come by your booth. You can give them the business card cookie there with a more personal touch rather than pay to put it in the bag at the beginning.

Hello,

I did a show a few weeks ago and have received great response. I did not participate in their bag promotion and I have already booked at least 4 cakes from it. 

In the past I made sheet cakes and handed out my samples on plates with forks and napkins. It was hard to keep up with the crowd and I had three people helping me. I had seen on Pinterest an idea to put cupcakes into punch cups and a party favor bag, and tie with curly ribbon. I went to Staples and bought little round labels (#5589) and printed the flavors of cake/fillings and square labels (#22806) that I put my business name and a phone number on. I punched holes in the corner of my business cards and tied one on each when I tied the ribbon on. My thought process in doing this was that they could take my sample home and actually enjoy it, to remember what my cake tasted like. Not getting mine confused with the 6 other cake vendors there. I had a lot of comments about them, they were excited to take them and have them later.

I actually simplified my booth this year, I did end up asking for an additional table after I took the pictures to get those samples off the floor. The booth seemed so small this year. The extra table was along the side, we put the cupcakes in flavor order and were able to just refill the tree as it emptied. 

 I did this for the show and it went over really well. It was a lot of work up front (my family helped me the night before) but it was so nice the day of the show. I was able to talk to potential customers and not have to be cutting cake. I have a cupcake tree my husband made for me and put the cupcakes on it for display as well.  

These are the only pictures I can find. Hopefully I can post more when my computer isn't being stupid

AThanks everyone. After finding out the price of the table,$350, I don't think I will be doing the bags as well. Deenamgall I love your set up, I have never seen anyone give out regular size cupcakes. Do you think it was worth the cost and time to do full size cupcakes instead of just samples. The last, and first, bridal show I did a month ago I put little samples in cups with labels which people seemed to like that.

Aagconner, yes I think it paid off and didn't really cost that much! I bought the cups at Sam's Club for @$8 for 200 and the bags at Walmart for .98 for 20, the ribbon at the dollar tree. I figured if I booked one cake I would recoup my costs and I have booked 4 so far and still scheduling consults from it.