Things You Should Know Before Hiring A Wedding Caterer

Things You Should Know Before Hiring A Wedding Caterer

Bride At Buffet

Things You Should Know
Before Hiring A Wedding Caterer

So, you’ve selected the reception venue of your dreams and now you are on to the task of securing a caterer for the big party! Here is some information to help you get started, from the good folks at Cincinnati Catering.

You’ll need to first determine whether the venue you’ve selected requires you to use an in-house catering service, select from a preferred list of caterers who are pre-approved to work at the location, or choose anyone you want.

Much of your beginning research can be conducted online as caterers tend to have sample menus available on their websites with a range of price. That should help you determine whether or not the caterer can supply the style of food you require and that the service will be within your budget range. If you aren’t sure, inquire about a price quote.

Try to determine what services you will need. Again, you’ll need to be aware of what your reception venue may or may not supply. Many of the venues may include guest table linens and bar service. If that is not the case for your venue, the caterer can likely supply those items in addition to appetizers, a wedding cake or dessert bar, and/or a late night snack.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to 3 or 4 favorite caterers, reach out to them and set up a tasting appointment. Some caterers offer private appointments while others may offer group tastings. In either case, it is a great opportunity to try the food selections, see how things are set up, and get your questions answered.

When you come to Wendy’s Bridal Wedding Expo, you can talk directly to many different caterers. See you there!

Purchase tickets to Wendy’s Bridal Wedding Expo here:

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer

How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer

How to choose your wedding photographer

How To Choose Your Wedding Photographer

You are engaged and planning your wedding, and of course you are wondering how to choose your wedding photographer. Choosing the right one is a big decision! Here are some important questions to ask, from Life In Focus Photography, when narrowing down your options:

  1. What’s included in your packages?
    Make sure you know exactly what’s covered, from hours of coverage to engagement sessions or second shooters.
  1. How do you handle the wedding day timeline?
    A great photographer will help keep things running smoothly and stress-free.
  1. When can we expect to receive our photos?
    Turnaround times vary, so ask how long it’ll take to receive sneak peeks and your final gallery.
  1. What’s your photography approach?
    Make sure their approach matches the vibe you want for your day, whether it’s candid, classic, or artistic.
  1. How do you handle unexpected challenges?
    Ask about their experience with things like weather changes, timeline delays, or tricky lighting—these situations happen, and an experienced photographer will handle them with ease.

Remember, your photographer will be by your side the entire day, so feeling comfortable and connected with them is key. When you come to Wendy’s Bridal Wedding Expo, you can talk directly to many different wedding photographers to find the one you connect with. See you there!

Purchase tickets to Wendy’s Bridal Wedding Expo here:

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

Relationships

Relationships

Wendy's Wedding Expo Fashion Show 2025
Relationships with our trusted wedding pros made for a great event, and will for you too!

Relationships

Having great relationships with people you trust makes life so much better. This holds true in both personal life and business. Wendy’s Wedding Expo is grateful to have trusted partners that help make our show exciting and successful. As you plan your wedding, you will also want to find wedding pros you can trust to make your day all you are dreaming about!

For our event this year we relied on wedding pros we have known for years, and also some who are new to us. For the first time, our fashion show was presented by White Wisteria Bridal Boutique. This was their debut in a large runway show, and they truly wowed us. The selection of gowns and the exciting special features made it a fun show.

We are also thankful for NVModels and the beautiful women who wore the dresses. Their professionalism makes all the difference.

McFadden Music provided the tunes that kept us all moving.

Fassler Florist created the stage décor and unique bouquets.

VLS highlighted the runway with a special lighting installation.

Lifetime Films captured the magic moments on the runway, and the wedding professionals in the exhibit area, so we can relive the experience.

All these elements came together to make our runway fashion show exciting, professional, and unique, providing something that thrilled each attendee. These wedding professionals, and all the others at Wendy’s Wedding Expo, know how to bring your vision to life and add the special touches to your celebration. I highly recommend these relationships.

Mardi

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

What To Expect At Wendy’s Wedding Expo

What To Expect At Wendy’s Wedding Expo

What To Expect At Wendy's Wedding Expo

Our producer, Mardi Hull, talks with Kathy Piech-Lukas of Your Dream Day, about what you can expect when you attend Wendy’s Wedding Expo!

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Wedding Photographers

Wedding Photographers

Wedding Photographers

What better way to find the right wedding photographer than to come to our show where you can meet the Cincinnati area’s finest photographers? You can chat face-to-face, browse their albums, and get a feel for who is right for your special day! Get your tickets here. Come join us January 4 & 5 at the Sharonville Convention Center!

Cheryl Beach Photography
Cheryl Beach Photography
Dugan Studios
Dugan Studios
Maxim Photo Studio
Maxim Photo Studio
Pottinger Photography
Pottinger Photography
Greg Seevers Photography
Greg Seevers Photography

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

23 Fabulous Wedding Venues!

23 Fabulous Wedding Venues!

Wedding venues near Cincinnati Ohio

23 Fabulous Wedding Venues

You can Google “How To Choose A Wedding Venue” and get all kinds of tips, so we won’t do that here. Instead, we will invite you to our show to chat with 23 of Greater Cincinnati’s best wedding venues. A riverboat, the Aquarium, urban or rural, glamorous or rustic, indoor or outdoor, Wendy’s Wedding Expo is sure to have a perfect venue for your wedding vision!

Come to our show January 4 & 5 and chat with these venues. They’ll be happy to help you plan your perfect day!

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving Thoughts

We love celebrations and parties at Wendy’s Wedding Expo! Planning the perfect menu to share with families and friends, the most beautiful tablescape, the perfect spot for the party, these are all important whether you are planning your wedding, Thanksgiving dinner, or other holiday events. We are all about sharing food and fun with family and friends.

We do remember at this time of year not everyone has the means to throw a party and entertain, or even feed their immediate family. Wendy’s Wedding Expo gives back to four charities, all dealing with food insecurity in our community.

All of these organizations are making an impact in our community to keep our neighbors fed. I would encourage you to investigate and support, as a volunteer or donor, as well.

With gratitude,

Mardi

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

Meet Our New Owner

Meet Our New Owner

Mardi Hull at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art

Mardi at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art in New York City

Hello From Our New Owner

 Thank you for reading our blog and supporting Wendy’s Wedding Expo!

This show is a labor of love and a personal investment. I am Mardi Hull, a long-time Wendy’s Bridal employee, now continuing the Wendy’s Wedding Expo as producer and owner.

We certainly have some exciting changes in store, including our new location at the Sharonville Convention Center, due to renovations at our former home, the Duke Energy Convention Center.

We are thrilled to have a new fashion show partner, White Wisteria Bridal Boutique, also a Reading Bridal District member.

I want to introduce myself to those who may not know me. I moved to Cincinnati to become a Bearcat, earning a business and finance degree from the University of Cincinnati. I gained a solid background in finance at GE Aviation. After taking some time as a stay-at-home mom, I discovered Wendy’s Bridal when they were in need of part-time finance and administrative support. Working for a small business provides the opportunity to wear lots of hats and learn numerous aspects of running a business. I was fortunate to be responsible for a variety of tasks when Wendy’s Bridal had 11 locations plus the bridal show.  As Wendy’s Bridal consolidated, I took on more managerial roles as well as back-office operations. When the Wassermans retired, I was honored to continue their legacy with the Wendy’s Wedding Expo.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Thank you to the brides and grooms, and their families and friends, who come to the show to plan their weddings.  We are proud to provide a showcase for the best wedding professionals in the greater Cincinnati area!

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

Our Fashion Show Continues

Our Fashion Show Continues

Wendy's Bridal Fashion Show

Our Fashion Show Continues

Of course we will have our famous runway fashion show!  It wouldn’t be a Wendy’s show without it!

Since our dress shop is no longer open, the bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses for the fashion show will now be provided by White Wisteria Bridal Boutique, who carries many of the same designers that we did, plus several others. You’ll see dresses on the runway from Essense of Australia, Stella York, All Who Wander, Casablanca, Beloved, Rebecca Schoneveld, Sarah Alouache, The Vine Collection, Trish Peng, and Wilderly. Everything from soft, free-flowing A-line designs, to fitted boho lace dresses and sparkling ball gowns – each one waiting to captivate your heart!

You will also see bridesmaids dresses from designers Sorella Vita and Christina Wu, in a wide range of colors, fabrics, and sizes. 

This runway fashion show, with professional models from NV Models & Talent, is always a highlight of our event, and sets us apart from other wedding expos. You don’t want to miss it! Show times are Saturday January 4 at noon and 3pm, and Sunday January 5 at 2 pm. Tickets for the wedding expo include the fashion show, and are available here.

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!

Passing The Torch

Passing The Torch

Norm and Wendy Wasserman with Mardi Hull

With the passing of Norm Wasserman, Mardi Hull takes over the helm at Wendy’s Wedding Expo.

Passing The Torch

Here at Wendy’s Wedding Expo, we take pride in our long history (45 years!) of producing the highest quality wedding expo. We curate our vendors from among the best in the greater Cincinnati area, we don’t cut corners, and we put on a fantastic and fun runway fashion show. We have learned these things set us apart from other shows and make a great day for local brides and grooms, and the vendors that are there to make planning for their special day easier. This format came from the experience and understanding of our founder, Norm Wasserman and his wife Wendy. We have recently lost Norm, who was part of the foundation of the wedding industry in Cincinnati. We will take what we learned from him and continue on proudly.

One of our most faithful participants, Bill Teater of Great Day Productions, shared this about Norm:

Norm was an outstanding individual and a man of great character. My first encounter was at a bridal show 34 years ago and I was amazed at the high level of quality of the first show I was part of. Over the years I saw a man who was always open to new ideas and never afraid to try new avenues to promote and make his show what it was known for …….. the best in the entire area. He was without question a pioneer in the bridal industry in Cincinnati and he set a standard that all others tried to meet. His efforts were often imitated but never matched. I so appreciated his willingness to share his knowledge and insight into his business with me over the years. I will forever be grateful to Norm and I will forever think of him in ALWAYS THE BEST WAYS. You will be greatly missed my friend.

If you have been in the wedding industry in Cincinnati for a while, you probably have your own stories about Norm. We would love to reminisce with you!

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Stay tuned, and happy wedding planning!