I knew with our move to the Greenville & Spartanburg area I would need to try something new in regards to getting my name out there and getting in front of brides and other clients. In Texas I had an automatic in with being part of a church and then working for rather large church and I was just starting my business…. but moving here I already had my business started so it has been all about just meeting people and getting my name out there. Sure I have worked on my SEO and all that fun jazz but I knew that couldn’t be the only thing I did. I had done a little research about the area before moving and saw that there was a company called Wedding Festivals that holds bridal shows a number of times throughout the year in the upstate area. The last time I had even stepped foot in a bridal show was as a bride in 2007 and I knew things had changed a tad bridal show wise since then so I knew I needed to check out a show and see if this was something I should do for Kendra Martin Photography. In September I popped in to the Greenville show that is held at the TD Convention center and was blown away. I was blown away by the setups but more so by the vendors and fellow photographers that just welcomed me to this area!! I literally did a walk through and walked out because A. I wasn’t a bride and B. I didn’t want to take up any vendors time chatting (thank you to the few of you that were kind enough to let me say hello and chat for a few minutes!!) and C. Upon entering the show I knew it was something I needed to be part of/give a try.
After MONTHS of planning and going back and forth on ideas and looking at what sooooo many other vendors have done at shows I nailed down what I wanted to do for Kendra Martin Photography. I had a lot of help with picking out photos, finding the right furniture pieces, with painting the furniture, creating the marketing (for all of you that received countless messages from me about my marketing… THANK You for putting up with), to all the little details that I was figuring out the last weeks/days leading up to the show. On January 2nd Gary & I headed to the Hyatt in downtown Greenville to set up. Y’all it was a COLD and RAINY afternoon but we were greeted by the staff of Wedding Festivals and quickly got to work unloading and setting up. I really loved where my booth was located, the only thing I hated about it was that it was located right near the loading door so after 1.5 hours of setting up my fingers & nose were FROZEN… like frozen to where when we got in the car they were hurting from the heat thawing them out… Gary, thank you for all your help and support with this show and the shows to come!!!
Early the next morning my good friend Emily arrived at my house and we headed down to Greenville!!! Y’all I was a whole bunch of nerves and butterflies and so glad we found a great parking spot, got their early, put the last minute details in place and were ready to go with time to spare!!! Emily, THANK YOU for being willing to put up with me that morning and helping me ALL day and for being my right hand, I couldn’t have done that Saturday without you by my side!!! The doors opened at 10 and yep I was still a ball of nerves until we chatted with the first bride & groom that visited the booth and then I slowly started to feel at ease… and Emily did a great job of helping me be more at ease as the morning went on!!! For those next 5 hours we talked to sooooooo many amazing and wonderful brides and had such a great time doing it. I loved meeting so many amazing couples that are getting married and getting to hear their stories and all about their weddings!! I loved getting to meet and see so many amazing vendors that are right here in the Upstate!! SOO looking forward to working with and alongside many of them as I start photographing weddings here in Greenville & Spartanburg. That Saturday was a LONG day (and I may have felt like I was hit by a mac truck when it was all said and done) but it was an amazing day and I am sooo thankful that I did it!! Doing that show definitely got my feet wet for the two other shows I’m taking part in in the weeks to come!!! If you’re a bride or vendor and you’re at the Spartanburg or Greenville shows coming up PLEASE come say hello, I’d love to meet you and chat!!!
Marc & Colleen, I don’t know how to thank y’all enough for putting these shows on so that people like me can meet brides and other vendors!!! So excited to see y’all again on the 24th in Spartanburg!!!
And because no blog post is complete without photos here are a few instagram photos that Gary & I snapped with our phones while setting up and what not!!
Kendra Martin Photography specializes in Wedding, Senior Portrait, Lifestyle, Newborn, Family, Maternity and Child Photography in Greenville SC & Spartanburg, SC and surrounding areas including but not limited to Charlotte, NC and Houston, TX.
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