What happens in a doll meet?

One thing I love about meets I got to is when we take unwanted items and sell or trade. You can get some great surprises

 

Some groups do themes like different costumes for your dolls (the Olympia group was going to do super heroes/villains this month but it is probably being pushed for next month). If you have cards against humanity or apples to apples that's a fun thing to do, tho if its not a private setting like someone's place, cards against humanity isn't the best idea XD

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Mostly in my experience it's two things: lots and lots of yapping (there tends to be a common pool of interests among BJD owners aside from the dolls, and especially at larger meets you're likely to run into someone who shares your hobbies/passions and you can chat about that), and lots and lots of photos (at our meets its usually because either we're at a location that allows for nice photos, or because someone brought something that everyone wants a photo of their doll with.... one meet it was a tiny llama. I don't think there was a doll that didn't get its photo taken with the tiny llama).

Also a lot of people asking to see someone else's doll because they're considering one like that, etc. etc.

Some selling and trading too, but a lot of the time because the group is relatively small there isn't much overlap between what someone wants to buy and what someone has for sale, so... it depends.

Our group tried to do themed meets but we failed pretty spectacularly because nobody actually did anything for the theme of the meet beyond some frantic last-minute-halloween-costume type arrangements (myself included, OTL).

 

Besides chatting, usually we have a separate table claimed so we can eat snacks or lunch but still talk without our dolls being in danger. Sometimes bringing changes of clothing, taking pictures, getting a chance to get updated on everyone's lives, talking about future events, playing with our dolls (posing, new clothes/wigs) bringing awesome furniture.

And well..Usually that's it...At the Halloween meet up I attended it was pot luck so we brought food to share too, and there was a pumpkin bag activity and a photo corner set up.

 

I think it's fun seeing all the dolls in person and sharing experiences. Maybe taking pictures together.
We also talk a lot about non doll stuff - TV shows and books we like, daily life, etc.

It's a nice get together. And it's also lovely to meet all these people you only know online in person.

 

I think making a little photostory together is a really nice meet up activity.
There is also times where we did drawings. But mostly the meetups I've been to are only for a couple of hours, so it's actually hard to get to do anything else than talk, take photos and eat cake (cake is essential imo) ^^
I did go for a weekend once, and we made food together and watched horror movies until late in the night. There are also sometimes people who do faceups, even on other peoples dolls, so that's awesome too. You get to learn a lot when going to meetups ^^

 

I try to attend two different doll meet-ups on a regular basis and we'll do lots of different things. At one of them we try to do themes (usually related to the time of year). This April we'll be going to a Japanese style garden to take pictures of our dolls instead of going to our usual meet-up spot at a cafe. Sometimes we'll also do crafts and make stuff for our dolls. And we usually have an optional dress-up theme (like dress our dolls in Halloween costumes in October, etc.). At the other meet-up we'll sometimes bring card games to play together. And of course we do all the usual stuff at both meet-ups too like talking about BJDs, taking pictures, etc. My favorite part of meet-ups is just getting to spend some time and talk with other people in the hobby face-to-face. And of course I love seeing all the dolls, lol.

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen threads about this before, but maybe they are old and dead (I've been on DoA for nearly 10 years, so I've seen everything...!)

Meetups can be just about anything anyone can imagine.

Basically, they are so you can get together with other owners and talk about and look at dolls. And some people will take photos and maybe post them.

They can be informal--meeting in a mall or at a local park. Sometimes there will be food--maybe pot-luck for a picnic in the park, or at someone's house. At other times, you meet at a place with food--Tea shop or Food Court or restaurant.

They can be more planned, with a theme, or with a swap-meet/selling going on, or with contests, or more like a party with games and prizes or gift swaps, or built around learning things like faceups or sewing, or restringing or ear-piercing.

They can be held during a special event--like Cherry blossom festivals, or RenFaires, or an amusement park outing.

They can be organized around photography opportunities, in parks or Gardens or in a scenic area or place.

They can be held in conjunction with an event, like a convention--maybe in the lobby of a hotel so not everyone needs to buy a membership, but also can be part of a con, like a special panel/meetup in the con's programming. Some are like A-kon that has a whole BJD/Doll interest as part of the convention with selling areas and panels.

Just about anything you want to do that involves more than one doll-owner and dolls!

 

In Seattle our meets are pretty much like this:

 

dollhausen - you made my day. XD

Personally, I don't really enjoy going to meetings out in public places. I like the meetups at peoples private places the most. Where I am from, there are not that many BJD enthusiasts too, so we pretty much know everyone local. Therefore it's quite easy to have meetups in private places. ^^

 

It depends on the meet and the people/group involved.

I like the chance to see/meet/chat with other dolly-people, to see other's dolls in person, not just online, the chance to show off my own dolls (who doesn't?), but what actually happens at meets varies -some are just a gathering of people and dolls, some have a theme for dressing the dolls (for those who want/are able to join in with it), some are very organised, with games, competitions, goody-bags for attendees, some have photo opportunities, some formal, some less-so (occasionally of a dubious nature....{grin!})... Some have sales and swaps, some don't, some have it happening informally as the meet is happening.

Some are in public places some in private homes. I like both sorts, but prefer the public spaces to be relatively contained in specific room or space (my first public meet was at the London Aquarium - which was OK, but with not much opportunity for everyone to gather and chat and lots of carrying dolls around and stopping for a picture here or there.

Teddy

 

I've been to two meets so far - both quite different.
One was a meet with a doll group I am a member of on Facebook. I went to that meet before I had a doll and it was there I decided that I really wanted one. This meet happened at a local restaurant where we had booked out an entire section and set up the dolls on the tables nearest the walls so that unwanted visitors could not get to them, while we sat in front of them and kept the food separate. At his meet people were able to trade items, discuss techniques, show off their new dolls and just have a general catch-up and a good time.

The second meet I went to was more of a doll market. Their were doll collectors of all ages (yes this includes small children who collect Barbies) and the main aim of that one as to buy/sell/trade doll related items, no matter what type of doll it was that you collect.

Either way, you get to meet like-minded people, make some friends, and have some fun.

 

omg I'm going to my first meet at sakuracon this year....let's hope there's no initiation process....I'M A NEWBIE DON'T SPANK ME PLS

 

Just finished our doll meet last Saturday. Located in Malaysia.



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There's a meet that I have been regularly attending for about a year and it's in a private home. Each meet has had some kind of mini theme to it for fun - our last meet had a catered traditional English tea style lunch and we set up a mini tea set area for the dolls as well.

There's also always some sort of large crafting area set up with supplies that people bring to share - so many people have a chance to practice face ups, re-string or work on other doll related projects and get help from others who may have more experience. One of the fun things we did…was a huge effort but worth it - we did a massive colour comparison shot of "most" of the dolls that were there. We laid them all out on a giant roll of butcher paper across the floor. We also usually have some kind of mini raffle for a free wig or other little inexpensive item. Sometimes we've had box openings with the group, and other times we've had a little photo area set up, or cool handmade items given out to everyone.

I feel so fortunate to have found such a great group. Everyone is super respectful, we have a wide range of age groups teens - 30+, and a diverse group of dolls. The host does a fantastic job at making sure that newbies and regulars are taken care of - so no one ever really feels out of place (I don't think). Our meets are pretty casual, go on for hours, so most people chat, play video games, draw, compare dolls, take photos, just hang out in general.