Chicago Weddings Bridal Expos and Trunk Shows
A trendy wedding in pink and brown, I bet this florist didn't cold call this bride.
I have had a lot of cold calls from telemarketers latley who seem to be getting my name and number from bridal stores trunk shows and wedding bridal expos. I understand that these companies may use my info to market to me but I did not expect them to sell my name in a database list to all the local companies who are looking for wedding and bridal related business. And I thought I was avoiding all the trouble by just avoiding the craptastic House of Brides…
Today it was a random Chicago florist, the other day it was David’s bridal demanding to know why I haven’t been back. I have not been answering my phone at work for obvious reasons and they have called 5 times! (Seriously, do isn’t it obvious? Duh, I found my dress, and stop asking me about my 2 bridesmaids that can’t use any of the revealing stuff you sell) The Florist from the bridal expo show started out saying that I won some drawing at David’s Bridal and then when I said I had a florist picked out already she just hung up. How rude. I used to think this wedding planning process was like working in a purchasing department in business but people are far less professional.
I also get random emails from vendors of a wedding and bridal expo and a trunk show that I registered for but ended up not being able to attend. They all start the emails as, “It was so good to meet you at the Bridal Expo!” and it is a complete lie. The thing is it isn’t just marketing, it is really bad marketing.
Watters and Watters gowns on dress racks at a wedding and bridal boutique.
And don’t let me get started on Macy’s. I went there once for an appointment trying on dresses and they have been harassing me ever since. What started out as a very nice appointment has turned into a reason to block phone calls. First off they won’t let you book appointments to try on dresses during “trunk shows” weekends because they only show the one wedding gown designer that the trunk show so if you work like me and can only come in on weekends, and want to see the dresses you tried on and liked last time and show your mom or soon to be mother in law you have to book an appointment a month or two in advance. Then they harass you by calling all the time for all the other trunk shows they have and get all pissed when I can’t make agree to appointments or end up make them after being pressured. I would have called to cancel if they were within a few months of me actually making them.
Seriously, you can’t win. If I could go back and do this over again, not only would I consider eloping to avoid this long procurement nightmare, I would not give any of these stores or bridal expos my real name or information until I actually wanted to purchase something. It is just too innapropriate to keep getting calls during the work day and getting emails from photographers, laser hair removal places and DJ’s that I have never met before nor do I like their products. It is an invasion of my privacy when it happens this frequently. (daily)
This is an adorable elegant lavender purple bouquet with orchids and succulents. This florist was using internet marketing correctly with nice pirctures on a web site rather than telemarketers and databases to hard sell.
I am doing more and more of my wedding planning online where I get to see items on my own time when without an appointment and a 1 hour drive and I just click and order what I want without being pestered.
I did buy my dress in person, but since it was a sample dress I didn’t have to deal with all the bullshit that you get from ordering and altering your dress a year in advance from a Chicago designer gown trunk show. My wedding dress proudly hangs in my parents house covered in plastic waiting for the big day. I also found that there are millions of web sites that sell very reasonably priced veils, headpieces, gloves, shoes and all kinds of wedding accessories.
David’s bridal doesn’t even let you buy accessories online through their site. If I can buy anything else in the world on Amazon.com and have it shipped to my house in days why can’t I do that with wedding accessories too? I have fell in love with the Wedding Paper Divas site and just orded my save the date cards today. More on that in my next post.