Q from suppliers:
Why don’t you “launch” your wedding fayres publicly for bookings?
Answer:
We take a slightly different approach to our fayre bookings to ensure the highest quality experience for our couples, and for our partnered wedding venues to be assured of the highest standard of exhibitors.
Because we run The Wedding Guild of Wales our members – who are among the most trusted and established wedding specialists in the region, receive first refusal and priority booking for every event. Due to the popularity of our shows, our Guild members and trusted friends within the industry typically snap up the majority of available spaces the moment they are released.
By the time we reach a “launch” phase, we usually only have a handful of specific specialist gaps left to fill. Rather than a big public push, we prefer to hand-pick the final few suppliers from our trusted list of friends to ensure the fayre has a perfectly balanced variety of services. Where cancellations occur close to the event (supplier commitments can change) we do occasionally advertise these available spaces on our socials.
For our couples, this means they aren’t walking into a room of “whoever paid first,” but a curated selection of reliable professionals who have a proven track record with us, within the industry, or as competent business owners.
For new suppliers, whilst we don’t do public “launch days,” we are always looking for fresh talent providing you meet certain expectations! If you’d like to be considered for those final remaining spaces in future fayres, please get in touch to join our waiting list here
Q from suppliers:
Why is the Vale & Hensol wedding fayre on until 4pm where most end at 3pm?
Answer:
The Vale & Hensol Castle are situated within the same estate, but separate venues either a mile drive or 10 minute walk apart. In order to give every visitor time to see every supplier, talk to those they are interested in, look around each venue and the grounds, that extra hour is needed. We dont want our visitors to feel rushed.
Q from suppliers:
Why don’t you allow bands to perform at your fayres?
If we had the space, a separate room away from the main exhibition areas, we would love this, but unfortunately we dont. The comfort of every exhibitor is important to us, and having a band playing would make communication between visitors and other exhibitors very difficult. Most bands that exhibit with us have monitors and/or headphones to allow visitors to experience their music, and this we feel is the best was forward for all.
Q from suppliers:
Why don’t you put on a catwalk for bridal shops to show off their stock?
This is something we have previously thought about, but it does 2 things. 1) it takes away floor space which in turn would mean less exhibitors 2) it takes visitors away from the other exhibitors. So, its not for us.
Q from suppliers:
Why do you have a few photographers but only one magician, or illustrator for example?
Most weddings will have a photographer, and mostly they can only do one wedding a day. We need a few to give our visitors availability for their date, and a choice of packages. Some photographers for example offer packages to include film and more recently content for socials. Its important to us to have at least one of each photographer, videographer and one that does both in house. The same goes for venue styling & entertainment; there will always be more of these. With Bridal you will also see more than 2; our visitors come from all over South Wales, we want to give them a choice of fairly local to them boutiques, as well as designers they love.
If you have any questions as a supplier, or a visitor, please ask away!