I'm doing laundry and got inspired to share the story of the bridal expo....

When it comes to meeting future clients; I usually meet most of you at the bridal expos. At times, they can be tiresome. The DJ is usually blaring music and it doesn't give me much of a chance to really get to know about your special day. 

But expos are important. They help brides and quince's to get an idea of where to start when it comes to planning their event. You meet the right people, you connect with them later and then you're all set.

Back in 2006, I had hopes of doing just that. We had bought a booth and the big expo downtown... cumulative expenses of $3,450. Everyone from family and friends pitched in and helped. It was the first time I had "maxed" out a credit card so I could make that event happen. The woman who I booked the booth with even promised that I would probably get 10 weddings/quinces and more than likely sign people on the spot. This was not the case.

I had spent over $3,000 and I didn't get a single client. Granted, I was still a little "wet behind the ear" when it came to the business but I knew a bad deal when I had one. AND that was a bad deal. 

Out of necessity, my mentor and friend, Arturo Lopez (Masters Studio) approached me with the idea of doing our own expo. Now, around this same time, I met Elvia (Parisian Bridal) at a Dillards event. Now, if I hadn't met Elvia...Arturo and I would probably still be talking about the show but Elvia made it happen.

As the show grew, my partnership with Elvia grew as well. Having a partner who works and can hustle helps. All these years later, we have a bridle expo that is organic, genuine and modern. Many of the vendors that have been with us from the beginning are still with us today. 

January 11, 2015 is the date for the next expo and with lots of changes. First, we have a new location. Initially, we were at the Marriott and outgrew the venue. Now, we are at.... Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino! We have also branched out on our own (with Elvia's blessing of course) and re-imagined the expo as "From This Day Forward Bridal Expo". A new name for a fresh start. Just wait til you see what we have in the works.

The beauty is that we have all the amenities of a great show along with the entertainment that a casino can offer. The "brides to be" will also have a bunch of things to look forward to at the show. 

We are having 3 fashion shows, a bunch of El Paso's top vendors AND we are having a $100 wedding dress sale! In addition, we are also creating the lounge in front of Ventanas Restaurant as "Man Cave". We know its important for you to bring your fiancee along but it's also playoff season. So, when you want to take a break from the show, you can walk upstairs and have a drink or two and watch the game. :)

My history as a vendor also wants everyone involved to be happy. We made a very "vendor-friendly" event so that they can comfortably speak with each prospect while being able to enjoy all that the casino has to offer as well. It was important to be comfortable in our new "home" for EVERYONE involved.

As we are hard at work on the expo, we encourage you to stay tuned to this blog as we unveil more goodies for you...the bride.

-Omar