1. Ideas and Inspiration
Gather ideas for all aspects of your wedding day from the dress to the decor to the cake. You’ll be able to see, touch, smell and taste offerings from a variety of different vendors.Participating companies will display their best samples and newest styles, all of which can inspire ideas for your big day.

2. Meet Face to Face
A lot of wedding research can be done online through blogs, vendor websites and image galleries. But a website won’t tell you if you’ll click personally with a florist or be able to relax with a photographer. At a wedding show you can meet the vendors in person and get to know their personality and level of professionalism.

3. Save Time
You obviously want to taste every cake in the county, but what bride-to-be has time to meet with every single baker? Skip the individual meetings and attend a wedding show filled with top-notch vendors where you can make in-person connections and compare services all in one night.

4. SWAG
Participating vendors want the chance to meet you too. Many of them will entice you to their displays with giveaways, samples, information and general swag. What better way to make a lasting impression on potential clients than to send them home with a box of chocolate truffles or a chance to win engagement portraits?

5. It’s Fun!
It’s a night to celebrate your engagement with family and friends. Sip champagne, sample hors d’oeuvres, listen to live music and enjoy planning the wedding day of your dreams, while meeting the pros who will turn it into a reality.

Convinced? Then come out to Cary Magazine’s Elegant Weddings Gala on Thursday, March 8, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh. Save $5 on the cost of admission by purchasing tickets early at www.carymagazine.com/weddings. The Angus Barn Pavilion will provide an intimate and sophisticated environment to meet the area’s best vendors and plan the details of your wedding.