Tips for Your First Open House

Did you know 40% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine's day!? If you're one of those who got down on one knee or said "yes" recently, your calendar is probably already filling up with wedding planning to-do's like attending bridal shows and open houses, touring venues, meeting with potential vendors, and more. Take a deep breath! This part is lots of fun, we promise!

We love hosting an Open House, because we get to show off our venue when it's all dressed up! To see pictures from our last one in August 2019, check out this blog post! Sometimes on tours, when a venue looks like a blank canvas, it's hard to envision where tables go, how to decorate, or what your perfect day will look like when all the details come together. This year, we're so lucky to have Nicole Smith, owner and wedding planning expert with Vision Events, and Katie Thomas, the floral artist behind KatieDid Florals, helping us transform Oakland Farm for our Open House guests! Grab your FREE ticket here. To celebrate, we're sharing some tips to help you conquer any Open House or bridal fair you're planning to attend this year!

  1. Talk about your budget. Most open houses or bridal shows have a variety of vendors at different price points. If you start with an idea of your total wedding budget, you'll know what you're able to spend on different things like the venue, rentals, photographers, bands and more. The good news is, many vendors at events like these might run discounts or specials that allow you to save a little by booking them at or after meeting them at the show! For example, couples who tour Oakland Farm at our Open House will receive a $500 discount when booking!
  2. Bring a partner. Events are always more fun with a plus one, whether it's your fiance, a friend or family member. Having someone by your side will make you feel much more comfortable when you're meeting new faces. Plus, it's always good to have an extra opinion on which flavor cupcake was the best!
  3. Set a few goals. Write down your top three most important things for where you are in your wedding planning stage. If you're recently engaged, maybe it's finding an available date and venue. The color scheme, dress, makeup and other details can come later. You might already have a date and a venue, so next up might be finding the perfect planner to execute your big day or deciding on what type of food you want to serve your guests. Open Houses are great for this because it's almost like a trial run of a wedding - you get to taste test food and cake, listen to entertainers and practically interview potential vendors to see if they might be a great fit to be a part of your wedding team!
  4. Talk & take notes. As you walk in, you'll find vendors from all different categories - caterers, photographers, planners, DJs, stationers, you name it! At smaller shows like our Open House, the number of vendors are limited so you'll have time to talk to each one, learn more about their style and personalities. Take notes as you meet each vendor! You'll want to know what planners match your style, what photographers will make you and your honey feel most comfortable in front of the camera, and what DJs can play your perfect playlist. These notes will be helpful when you're trying to remember which vendors were your favorite, their price ranges and more!
  5. Have fun! Attending an Open House is almost like going to a cocktail hour. There's food, drinks, and did I mention CUPCAKES!? Plus, as someone who is recently engaged, you're the star of the show! Everyone in the room is dying to hear about your wedding plans, from how your better half proposed to your color scheme and wedding dreams! Wedding days are these vendors' specialties so they'll be dying to know all the details and share tips they've learned through experience!
  6. Follow up! Did you find a favorite photographer? DJ? Planner? If you didn't already book them at the event, make sure to follow up and see if they're still available after the show! We're coming to the end of engagement season, so there will be many Brides and Grooms trying to nail down their vendor team, and you don't want your favorite to get booked!

See, it's simple! We even created this fun printable for you to bring with you to our Open House! Screenshot it on our Instagram and Facebook stories to save it to your phone!

We can't wait to see you at our Open House! If you want a personal tour of the Farm, just stop by the Oakland Farm table as soon as you walk in and we'll get you on the schedule - we'll be doing tours every 20 minutes! All the amazing vendors that will be attending are listed below, and they can't wait to hear more about your wedding! We'll be featuring them all on our social media so you can see some of their work. In the meantime, go follow them and check out their websites!

We've saved you a seat at our Open House on February 23rd! Come by and see what a wedding day looks like at Oakland! Grab your FREE ticket online today! We can't wait to meet you!

Olivia NorrisComment