We love wedding shows! We go to a few every year as exhibitors where we get to meet so many excited couples planning their wedding celebration. In our previous blogs, we've talked about great reasons why you should attend wedding shows and we provided you with tips on how to make the most out of it! In this blog, we will give you a rundown of 5 wedding shows in Ottawa that you should definitely check out! One has already passed, but several more are on the way. When Michael and I were planning our wedding, attending these wedding shows really helped us narrow down our vendors so in this blog I'll give you a quick preview of each one, based on the size, number of vendors, location, and overall general vibe so that you can decide which one is right for you! Without further ado, here they are:
Ottawa Wedding Show
The Ottawa Wedding Show describes itself as "Ottawa's premier industry event" and for good reason! It is definitely the biggest wedding show in Ottawa with over 130 wedding vendors all in one location. It is a two-day affair, so if you can't make it on Saturday, you still have the whole day Sunday! What is great about the Ottawa Wedding Show are the many special features organized each show. For example, they have Pop-up Bridal Boutiques, Beauty Room and Hair Feature (you can guess what happens here), and Reception Room and Decor Displays so you can actually see how your wedding venue might be decorated! This show happens twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall, that way you can really see different styles and inspirations for your wedding depending on the season! This is an all-in-one type of show. Really. You can literally get engaged, go to this wedding show and find ALL the vendors you can possibly need on your wedding day! If you can attend only one wedding show, we would highly recommend this one!
Date: Spring Show: March 2 & 3, 2019 | Fall Show: October 26 & 27, 2019
Size: Large(st)
# of Vendors: 130+ vendors
Location: EY Centre
Cost: $13 (if bought online)
Website: Ottawa Wedding Show
Capital Wedding Show
The Capital Wedding Show is technically the newest wedding show here (it replaces the Bridal Palace Wedding Show), but don't let that deter you from attending! This show is superbly organized! It is held at the Shaw Centre downtown and boasts over 100 vendors. This is also a two-day affair and because of its early January date, it is super helpful for those who got engage over the Christmas holidays! What is super cool about this one is that it has a fashion show where you can see those beautiful dresses on someone as opposed to on a hanger. They also had live performers in the common area outside the hall where you can sit down and relax if you ever get tired of talking to all the vendors! Like the Ottawa Wedding Show, this one is also a one-stop shop. The location and the amazing prizes (Vegas get-away, free reception at Orchard View, or the $5000 wedding ring) really give this show a luxurious vibe. Now join me in letting the organizers know that they should definitely have a show in the Fall (not just winter!).
Date: January 12-13, 2019 (Done)
Size: Large
# of Vendors: 100+ vendors
Location: Shaw Centre
Cost: $20.00
Website: Capital Wedding Show
Love is Proud
This is the only LGBTQ Wedding Show in Ottawa, and that in itself is a fantastic reason to attend this show especially if you identify with the community. When Michael and I were planning our wedding, we often had to preemptively let vendors know that it was a same-sex wedding. We have a pretty LGBTQ-friendly wedding industry in Ottawa, but being turned down for having a gay wedding still worried us! Love is Proud removes that worry! You don't have to ask the vendors if they are "okay with a gay wedding" or having aspects of your wedding that are non-traditional in nature. On top of the openness to non-traditional weddings, this show is super intimate where you can really spend time talking to vendors about their services or products. Conveniently, this is located at Mill St Brewery where you can grab a drink (or two) and eat their delicious food! Everyone is welcome regardless of your sexual preference or orientation, gender, age, or hair colour!
Date: February 23, 2019
Size: Intimate
# of Vendors: 20+
Location: Mill Street Brewery
Cost: $10.00
Website: Love is Proud
LoVe's Wedding EXPO
For those in the Ottawa Valley and cannot travel to downtown Ottawa for a wedding show, check out Local Ottawa Valley Event's Wedding Expo. This show is held at Code's Mill (one of our favourite venues in the valley) and brings together amazing vendors west of Ottawa! With Code's Mill as the backdrop, this show has a rustic vibe to it, with lots of wine to taste and craft beer to sample. Like the Love is Proud, this show is also quite intimate, which really lends to being able to talk to the vendors without the craziness of the bigger shows.
Date: February 24, 2019
Size: Intimate
# of Vendors: 20+
Location: Code's Mill
quite intimate
Cost: $10.00
Website: LoVe’s Wedding Expo
What do you guys think of these shows? Did we miss any other Ottawa wedding show that should be included here? For those who attended these shows, did you find them helpful in your wedding planning process? Comment in the section below!
BTW: Mocha Tree Studios will be at the three upcoming wedding shows. We will be at the Love is Proud on Feb. 23, Love’s Wedding Expo on Feb. 24, and Ottawa Wedding Show on Mar. 2-3, 2019!! Come say HI!!