Representing the unrepresented - The Lovesick Expo Is coming!
Bridal expos. The thought of them makes me a little nervous. I guess it's because my type of client doesn't really do those things. They find me via their friends, blog posts that I've been featured in or web search. I don't pay for advertising. Don't need to. Facebook and blogging have helped me develop my business at just the right speed that I can handle. Last year a friend of mine told me about this little bridal expo and wanted me to go with him. (He is also a wedding photographer and we collaborate a lot) I told him, "Yeah, I don't think they are my thing and they certainly don't think the kind of client that is attracted to my work goes to them either." But then my friend said, "Yeah, this wedding expo is different. It's called The Lovesick Expo." I checked out their website and I was knocked out. THIS was my kind of expo. I like to say it's the punk rock wedding expo. Not because it's for couples who like punk, but it's for people that dance to the beat of their own drum. And isn't that what Punk truly is about? It's an attitude, not a style.
The tickets were cheap, there was tons of cool vendors listed and I figured what the hell - I'm gonna check it out. So last year, I went with a couple other photographer friends and had a ball. As I was gearing up to leave, I started kibitzing with the founders. I wanted in! This was my kind of expo for sure. It really represents the unrepresented in the wedding world. Style me Pretty it's not! It's more upbeat and offbeat. (Speaking of, this year Offbeat Bride is partnering up with them too!) You must be 21 to get in because there is a bar, and there's burlesque dancers, and a circus and a killer band and a rockin' dj. It's more like a party for the alternative wedding world. All are welcome and it's BLAST.
You have to apply to be vendor at Lovesick and as this expo grows in popularity, so does the competition to be featured. They keep the playing field level by keeping the booth sizes even for everyone. If you are accepted, you get the dimensions for the space and the rest is up to you.
Being this is my first expo, I really wanted to have a booth that kicked major ass. I wanted it to match my brand big time. I love warehouses. (I would kill to photograph a wedding in a warehouse space, btw!) Since I only have so much space for my booth I decided to have a wall built. But let me tell you, I may have vision but my ability to build anything sucks. So my buddy Joe introduced me to Jonnie and Emily Coutu. They are the brilliant husband and wife team of Hundred Acre Designs. She is an interior designer and he is a master carpenter and wood worker. I met them for lunch and told them what I wanted in terms of vibe and site for my wall. They sent me some sketches and it was on. But I never saw anything until yesterday. And THIS is what they came up with!
It's amazing right? They do custom furniture, and complete home remodeling and renovation too. Basically if tell them what you want, they can build it no prob. The exceeded my vision and blew me away. I love them and you should hire them for your next whatever you need built, designed or renovated.
If you are free this weekend and you want to come to The Lovesick Expo, tickets are still on sale via their website. You should stop by. It's this Sunday, January 19th from 11am until 3pm at the Artist for Humanities in South Boston.
Don't forget to stop and say hi to me. Oh and my husband has decided to help me as well, so he will be there. And yup, he is baking homemade caramel Oreos for my table! (He's a chef you know.) This photo is all the cookie dough he made at work today. That's a lot of dough.
