first comes love 2015

INFORMATION FOR EXHIBITORSFIRST COMES LOVE FAIR 2015

“I just wanted to tell you again how grateful I am that you had me at FCL this year. I knew it would be the perfect place to re-launch but I certainly didn't anticipate the success that would come from it.

I already have 7 new clients from it, which is almost my quota for the entire season!”

A BOUTIQUE BRIDAL FAIR

FOR WA'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY OF PLEDGE & PARTY

PEOPLE

COVER Photography: Peggy Saas PhotographyStyling & Blooms: Botanica Naturalis

LET'S DO THIS THING!

FiRst COmEs LOVE (and then comes marriage) is a boutique bridal fair for folks planning pledges and parties – chock full of sweetness and sass, inspiration and independent retailers.

Hosted by us – the gals behind mitChELL & DEnt (stationery), thE skiLLsmithERy (workshops) and stuDiO BOmBA (design studio); First Comes Love celebrates creativity and pooh-poohs carbon-copy weddings. The aim is to help people who are planning the most personal days of their lives, seek out perfect pairings with retailers of awesome.

FIRST COMES LOVE FAIR

Having found ourselves a little like fish-out-of-water at the big brash expos, we wondered if other independent retailers felt the same? The answer was a resounding “Yes!”. So we created an alternative. For people like us. And people like you.

Now in its fifth year, First Comes Love shines a light on folks in several ways – through our much-anticipated annual fair, through our smaller satellite events, and via our online Directory and Blog.

So. Want to come join? Find out how you can. Read on, friends, read on…

Best, Angela Mitchell & Leah Dent

WHERE, OH WHERE?

SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2015MOSMAN PARK MEMORIAL HALL

Memorial Hall in Mosman Park is a grand old dame of a hall. The original 1921 Edwardian town hall received a sexy Art Deco do-over in the late 1930s, transforming it into the curvy gal it is today.

Memorial Hall has character and personality: super-high ceilings and shiny-shiny floorboards, a theatre, two large reception rooms, many balconies, a brick patio, a walled lawn (the outdoor cinema Camelot) and those curves to die for.

There is a café and a bar and heh, what could be nicer than a glass of wine with which to while away some wedding-dedicated hours? Not to mention tasty treats. Folks can fill their bellies, then fill their glass and fill their afternoon ambling about the venue meeting the people that will help them make their own event amaaaaazzzing, darlings.

The nearby parking is free and the hall is a short walk away from both bus stops and the train line. There is easy access and ample time for exhibitors to set up.

We can’t wait!

ABOVEMosman Park Memorial Hall

OPPOsitE clockwise from top left1_ Wearables: Elvi Blooms: Fox and Rabbit

Photography: Natasja Kremers2_ Wearables: Gentleman & Scholar Photography: Natasja Kremers3_ Blooms: Lime Flowers Photography: Angela Higgins4_ Eats and Drinks: Cakes by Dark Cherry

Photography: Angela Higgins

FuLL DisPLAy Oodles of room at the fair to show off your wares, chat to folks all day long about what you do best and get lots of fuss and attention all year online. Plus one year’s FREE mEmBERshiP to our online Directory. This package is ideal for retailers of awesomeness such as florists, fashion designers, film-makers, hair and makeup artists, photographers, planners, shopkeepers, stationers, stylists and vehicles.

Size: 2.5 metres by 1.5 metres (the size of a trestle table and chairs with wiggle room around it)

hALF DisPLAy Not everyone needs a whole lotta room to shine at the fair. This package is ideal for celebrants, photographers or stylists with small portfolios or laptops or iPads, hair and makeup artists who don't wish to demonstrate or book trials, and venue representatives. It also includes one year’s FREE mEmBERshiP to our online Directory.

Size: 1.50 metres by 1.5 metres (the size of a card table and chair with wiggle room around it)

$500plus GST

$400plus GST

THE NIT T Y GRIT T Y

DISPLAY OPTIONS FOR THE FAIR

musiCiAns & EntERtAinERs

For folks who would prefer to perform for a portion of the day and don’t require an accompanying half display stand, ask us how you could be involved.

But that's not all, you also get (no, not steak knives)…

All FuLL DisPLAy and hALF DisPLAy exhibitors at the fair also receive one year’s FREE mEmBERshiP to thE DiRECtORy (normally $250 per year). Members receive a dedicated webpage at firstcomeslove.com.au including: • a link to your website • a description of your business • four large clickable images that link to your website • icon links to your social media sites • links to any FCL blog posts you’re featured in

During the weekend of the 2013 fair, the website received 44,588 hits by 12,987 unique visitors who spent an average of 4 minutes 32 seconds on the site. Over 4000 unique visitors per month continue to view the website throughout the remainder of the year, spending an average of 4 minutes 12 seconds per visit. And that number is growing all the time as grow too.

As most bridal blog advertisements cost around $525 per annum for a single banner, so we think ours is a pretty sweet deal!

Each member will receive a Facebook shout-out and throughout the year, we love to share news about our FiRst COmEs LOVE alumni. Our blog posts and any news we share also appears on Twitter and we like to mix alumni in amongst our Pinterest pins, ensuring we get the word our about Western Australian wedding wonderfulness.

As a member of thE DiRECtORy you will also receive special earlybird call-outs to any events and discounts on exhibitor fees.

$FREE!

“It was an amazing day and had the best energy of any market I have ever participated in. You could feel it talking to the people and it was practically bouncing off all of the vendors.”

“Thanks again for putting on an amazing event. We were so lucky to be a part of it and we met so many other amazing exhibitors that we can include in our professional network and now call our friends!”

FiRst COmEs LOVE is not like the ‘Yellow Pages’ of wedding retailers in expo form. Our fairs are carefully curated and designed, promoting the cleverest of the creative folks we have in this town, to the often-frustrated couples who are trying to find them.

FiRst COmEs LOVE, established in 2010, was the first bridal fair of the alternative kind in Western Australia and has a loyal following. It was made for folks who have undoubtedly been heard to say, “I wish I could find {insert something wonderful here} in Perth”. Well, you can, you know.

FiRst COmEs LOVE brings your target audience to you, which is lovely, isn’t it? Not only will hundreds and hundreds of people be coming to see your wares and engage with you in an appropriate venue, but you’ll also meet like-minded retailers of complementary services and products.

FiRst COmEs LOVE provides you with an opportunity to display your wares in their best light in an amazing venue – a grand old Art Deco theatre is a much nicer blank canvas to start with than a corporate booth, don’t you think?

FiRst COmEs LOVE is serious about style and loves local designers of goodness, rather than importers of ickiness (an official term) – we like people who craft their product and make it perfectly personal to the pair getting hitched.

FiRst COmEs LOVE is designed from top to bottom and promoted heavily by media experts (did you know that Studio Bomba have been multi-award winners in the Australian Design Biennales and international design competitions? And one of our founders is a national design judge?).

Why APPLy tO EXhiBit At thE FiRst COmEs LOVE FAiR?

OPPOsitE clockwise from top left1_ Photography: Aimee Jones

Photography2_ Stationery & styling: The

Articulate Photography: Aimee Jones Photography

3_ Styling: The Butcher, The Baker, The Stylist & Creator Photography: Aimee Jones Photography

4_ Wearables: Loui Col Designs Photography: Still Love

“Thank you so much for organising yet another beautiful and fun fair.…I had a great day (so much chatting and cake eating). And we've already received a couple enquiries directly from the fair. Thank you.”

“The fair suited our aesthetic perfectly and we met the right kind of clientele, which was ideal. Big kiss!”

FiRst COmEs LOVE 2011

1 venue (The Oxford)

6 musical acts

8 walk-through fashion parades

12 exhibitors in the photo gallery

25 main exhibitors

24 hair & makeup trials

65 independent businesses involved

250 posters posted

1,200 people attended

2,000 little pocket directories printed

33,000 postcards distributed

175,000 website views in the first year


1 venue (The Oxford)

2 extra rooms

4 minutes 51 seconds per average visit to the First Comes Love website

5 models and 8 walk-through fashion parades

9 musical acts

23 exhibitors in the photo and stationery galleries

42 main exhibitors

52 mentions in the media


480 bags of free popcorn

1,227 Facebook fans

1,483 people attended

1,972 e-mails sent by the event organisers Angela and Leah (!)


31,569 website views during the First Comes Love weekend


122,533 dollars worth of media coverage achieved*


1 venue (St George’s College)

6 rooms and 1 quadrangle

7 models and 3 full parades in the chapel

5 musical acts

12kg of take away coffee served (they were busy)

19 exhibitors in the photo and stationery galleries

51 main exhibitors

93 Instagram hashtags by folks visiting the fair (116 by exhibitors!)


229 free fairy floss sticks

1,807 Facebook fans



44,588 website views during the First Comes Love weekend

sOmE sERiOus stAts ABOut OuR FAiRs FOR yOu

* Muse Bureau , 2012 Public Relations Campaign Report

OPPOsitE clockwise from top left1_ Vehicle: Chevy Wedding Car Hire

Photography: Still Love2_ Eats and Drinks: Red Bird Cake Company

Photography: Still Love3_ Stationery: The Little Press

Photography: Aimee Jones Photography4_ Styling: The Butcher, The Baker,

The Stylist & Creator Photography: Natasja Kremers

AnD nOW, With ADDED AWEsOmE!

FAshiOn PARADEs Exhibitors of wearables, jewellery, accessories, shoes, blooms and hair and makeup artists are all invited to contribute to fashion parades curated by FiRst COmEs LOVE and held throughout the day – at no additional cost. We supply the parade stylist, models, hair and makeup artists, music and lighting.

If you'd like to take part, just put your hand up.

CuRAtED DisPLAys We are romantics at heart at FiRst COmEs LOVE and can't help but bring people together. Should the opportunity arise, we do like to create little tableaux of terrificness using the wares of several exhibitors – such as the little love grotto we made at the Oxford Hotel showcasing vintage picnic and partywares set admidst flamingos and fake turf (courtesy of Rooftop Movies). It was the perfect setting to view big screen wedding films and partake in free popcorn and fairy floss.

Again, there is no additional cost and if you'd like to take part, just put your hand up.

However, please note that the parades and displays are curated by team FiRst COmEs LOVE.

BELOWfrom left to right1_ Styling: Debra Hayes Styling

Photography: Still Love2_ Photography (exhibitor):

CJ Williams Photography Photography: Aimee Jones Photography

OPPOsitEStyling: her handpicked harvestStationery: The Little PressPhotography: Still Love

To ensure FiRst COmEs LOVE is a success, we become busy little worker bees in the lead-up to the event.

Although it may differ from year to year, this is the kind of thing we get up to, in the name of public relations (which is really just a fancy schmancy term for being big blabbermouths and showponies)…

• Updating the website and blogging

• Promoting exhibitors through social media channels

• Regular e-mail newsletters leading up to the event

• Media releases sent to print journalists

• Media releases sent to appropriate blogs

• Online banner advertising

• Listing the event on tourism and directory sites

• Print advertising in targeted media

• Postcards distributed in cafés, shops and venues

• Street posters

• Large scale banner signage at the venues

• Small scale directional signage during the fair

• Interviews and sponsored editorial

sO, hOW DOEs FiRst COmEs LOVE FLAunt itsELF?

“ Thought I’d message to let you know that I came to First Comes Love on the weekend with my bridesmaids and Mum and left feeling like I had my whole wedding planned. Everyone was so friendly and I found they suited what Mum calls my quirky side. I think I even persuaded her on the gelato cart.”

“ I just wanted to congratulate you all on such a great event. It was very well done and targeted with great character. Well done and thank you!”

“ Loving the unique and creative concept of the Fairs you guys make. Can I come to the next one even though I'll already be married by then?”

With the support of their right hand gal hOLLy mAsOn, AnGELA mitChELL and LEAh DEnt are the founders of FiRst COmEs LOVE – an independent and privately-run event. And it is not their only gig. This is what they do for the rest of the year…

stuDiO BOmBA studiobomba.com.au A creative agency of curious souls who like to play nicely with others. The preference is to work with lifestyle brands and retailers, publishers and arts organisations. Clients have included Baci, Blind Corner, Frankie Magazine, Fringe World, Rooftop Movies, Silvana Coffee and Vasse Felix.

mitChELL & DEnt mitchellanddent.com.au Following the purchase of their beloved 1905 Chandler & Price letterpress (dubbed ‘Herbert’), M&D was founded to create event stationery, greetings and artworks.

Angela and Leah love Perth and are super-excited about the creative folks they find here, who often find it difficult to find an audience in their own town. FiRst COmEs LOVE is all about ganging up and showing WA the goodness right here at home.

firstcomeslove.com.au facebook.com/firstcomeslovefair twitter.com/_firstcomeslove pinterest.com/fclfair

A STUDIO BOMBA INITIATIVE

WHO IS FIRST COMES LOVE?

ABOVEAngela Mitchell (left) and Leah Dent (right)

Successful applicants will be notified via e-mail and issued with a tax invoice. To secure your placement, full payment or your first direct debit will be required (depending up how you choose to pay – we offer a monthly direct debit option over 12 months).

We really look forward to receiving your registration. Do be sure to let us know how you would like to be involved and don’t hesitate to e-mail should you have any questions.

[email protected]

WANT TO COME JOIN?

APPLY TO EXHIBIT AT THE FAIR

To apply to exhibit at First Comes Love at Memorial Hall in 2015, go to

FiRstCOmEsLOVE.COm.Au/REGistRAtiOn

VERy imPORtAnt thinGs tO nOtE The information that you supply when you register your interest will be used to promote your business in printed and online media, should your application be successful - so do be careful with your typing and spelling! And ensure you have the appropriate permissions to use any images that you supply.

Due to the limited space available and the very careful curation of the FiRst COmEs LOVE fair, not all applications will be successful. Whilst we would dearly love to invite gazillions of Perth peeps to participate, FiRst COmEs LOVE is designed to be an intimate, personal and creative little fair – it is the boutique bridal fair equivalent of your favourite high street, as opposed to a giant shopping mall.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

SO, WHAT COMES NEXT?

FIRSTCOMESLOVE.COM.AU/REGISTRATION

first comes love 2015

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