Tips for Success When Attending Wedding MBA

Many of you are attending Wedding MBA and I couldn't be more excited to spend a week with you all- fighting for outlets to charge phones and staring at the mostly empty men's restroom while we ladies scramble to rotate 200 of us in those stalls between sessions. Conventions are chaos. Add Vegas to the mix and it requires an intravenous coffee drip.And.it's.awesome. But as a planner, I want to know what I'm getting myself into. If you've not been to Wedding MBA, here are my top tips for getting the most out of your experience!

• Stay by the convention center. Or at least on the monorail. But those sessions start early so the further you are, the earlier you have to rise and well, that's just no fun. I really wanted to stay on the strip and that was stupid. You can go over there for fun if/when you have time. The Knot and Wedding Wire parties are over there. 
• Choose your roommate wisely. Potluck sounds fun when you can save money. But it can get pretty miserable after such long days when you just need some alone time. 
• Arrive a day early and get settled in. Though, things aren't starting until later on Monday this year so that may be fine!
• Dress in layers, it can be cold in those rooms. I have seen a mix of casual to business casual. I think jeans and a cute top or a logo T is the casual standard. 
• Get the program before going and map it all out.
• Take a team member, there is no way to get to all the topics of interest otherwise. 
• Have a Plan B session for every time slot and sit in the back in case Plan A doesn't pan out and you need to bail. 
• A portable charger is a must!!
• Comfy shoes for tons of walking.
• A decent size notebook. I literally filled an entire notebook once. 
• Snacks!!! Gum!!! Biz cards!!!!
• Carrying a computer can be cumbersome, think this through. Backpack? Other device? 
• Sign up for stuff early. The Knot and Wedding Wire have fun things... a lash bar, for example... don’t dawdle, things fill up.
• Get connected with your Internet friends! REFINE has an event page in order to connect all of us. We will gather, sit in sessions together, dine together, etc! We can even help share notes!
• Uber eats or Favor is a great option for lunch, but this requires a little timing strategy.
• Don't plan to get an ounce of work done while you’re there unless you just don’t sleep. You are in a conference or at a party the.entire.time. 
• Eat some awesome food.
• Snag a show.
• Come home and crash!!!!

This year, I'm stalking Britney Spear's show schedule. I think it's going to fail me. I just for once want my two Vegas dreams to collide in the same week of scheduling. I'll also be calling one of you to come roll me out of Gordon Ramsey Steak because his beef wellington is about the best thing I've ever eaten in my life. Let me know if you'll be there! Maybe we need group t-shirts. Or airbrush hats?