I'm wondering how September bridal shows compare in attendance and return on your investment compared with January or Spring bridal shows. I've done a show this past January and April. January was definitely the one that got me the most exposure and the most customer inquiries and bookings. The company I've done the shows with is doing another one in September. These shows are expensive and cost me about $1000 or more in fees, supplies, etc., so I want to be very selective about how I spend my advertising dollars. For those of you who do a lot of bridal shows, what has been your experience with Fall shows? Are they worth it? Better to save my money for the January shows?

I probably would absolutely pass on it, except I do want to try to get some Fall and Winter wedding bookings since it's such a slow time of year for weddings, I'd like to get as many as possible, so that would be my main goal for doing a fall show is trying to book any fall weddings if possible.

Where I live there is two bridal shows a year, put on by the same people.. A Spring one in January, and a Fall one which used to be in late September but has been moved to early August. The Fall show is never as big, never has as many brides. But I still do it because it "holds" my location in the show. I have an amazing location in the show, and as long as I do every show I get to keep that location. It's kind of a sneaky way to get vendors to keep coming back, but for me, it's worth it. Then again, the Spring show fee is $400, and then if you do it, you get to be in the Fall show for $350. So not nearly as much money involved as yours.

I'm still pouring through old threads, trying to learn as much as I can. I saw this and I am wondering the same thing. I really don't think I will have any chance of getting into a spring show this year. I am still working on plan approval and plumbing. I would love to do a show ASAP, but I don't want to waste money. Sept. would be more convenient for me but not if it is a big flop.

What Haley said. Summer/Fall shows deliver roughly half the brides of January shows. Of course they don't cost half as much.

I've done shows most times of the year, except June/July. (Although I bow at the altar of Leahs, who does like 18 THOUSAND of them every year!)

My fave has been the Sept show- for me, it just seems that while there are less of them, more brides are ready to book me right away for the following summer- as in go and get the down payment and book me on the spot.

When I did a March show last year, I had almost nothing, because everyone was either too far out or I was booked for summer. I won't be doing that one again!

This year the company moved their fall show to November, and although it still netted me about 15-20 bookings, they are all for later in 2011. I'm still almost completely open in June (except for the 17/18th), while 100% booked for August, Sept, Oct and Nov. I was really frustrated with that.

Oh well, I'm doing a huge one this Fri/Sat and hopefully can fill in the gaps.