If you go
› What: The Pink Bride› Where: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St.› When: 11 am.-4 p.m. Sunday, July 14› Admission: $12 in advance, $15 at the door› For more information: www.thepinkbride.com/shows/chattanooga/#premium-listings
How many times have you gone to an expo and been stopped by vendors asking you to fill out an information form - whether you were interested in their services or not?
Fred Jacob, who organizes The Pink Bride wedding expo, has a solution for that.
Before arriving at The Pink Bride on Sunday, July 14, at the Chattanooga Convention Center, brides-to-be just need to download the free app BrideScan onto their mobile devices.
Each user will be asked to enter her name and some other information. At the bridal expo, when the bride-to-be sees a vendor in whom she is interested, she can scan that vendor's bar code to get their information instead of the vendor handing her a card, pamphlet or other information to be carried home in a bag.
"To my knowledge, BrideScan is the first app in the nation that is a two-way information swap initiated by the attendee. Exhibitors get her electronic information, and the bride only scans the vendors she is really interested in because she is giving permission for them to contact her after the event," Jacob explains.
Each vendor will have its own bar code displayed at the booth. Jacob suggests guests first walk the floor, browsing the 80 vendors, then go back and scan the ones in which they are interested. The exhibitor has the capability to take a picture of his/her booth and staff, and that picture will also transfer to the bride-to-be, helping her remember who she talked with or what it was about that booth that caught her attention.
Brides can make electronic notes attached to that scan about what that company said that intrigued her. And while she's out on the floor, should she run into a friend she hasn't seen in quite some time, she can scan that guest's code to get her updated information, as well.
This will be the fourth expo in which Jacob has used BrideScan and he believes it "makes the show more efficient and allows visitors to talk with only the ones they choose."
The basic format of the bridal expo has not changed, though. Vendors representing all aspects of wedding services - photography, catering, bridal attire, florists, venue owners - are all gathered in one convenient location, which allows brides to talk to and comparison shop a variety of industry professionals without driving all over town.
Jacob says many of Sunday's vendors will offer show-only incentive specials, "so this is a good opportunity to save some money."
Two fashion shows of bridal attire are scheduled. The first, at 1 p.m., will feature attire by David's Bridal and Men's Wearhouse. Models in the 3 p.m. show will wear fashions by Monica's Bridal, Ever After Bridal & Formal Wear and Giorgio Men's Warehouse.
Each bride who attends will also receive a copy of the latest Tennessee Weddings by Pink Bride Magazine.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.