My First Romantasy Con: Lessons and What to Know Before You Go

I walked in thinking I was prepared logistically, as I’ve attended many conventions before. What I didn’t expect was to feel overwhelmed by a deep connection to like-minded people. I have been revisiting my childhood love of reading fantasy over the past year, and started diving into cosplay less than that. I loved the idea of spending time with other women who love and appreciate the same things I do. I wanted to be temporarily transported to a whimsical environment and share my love of reading. I wanted to attend Romantasy Con the year prior, but wasn’t able to make it work. With my 40th birthday coming up, I decided that was what I wanted for my birthday: to go to a ball with my friends. So the planning began . . .

Here’s everything I learned, so you can make the most of your first Romantasy Con.

Don’t Overpack Your Schedule

I made the mistake of overpacking on one of the days of the con. I planned two author signings, two workshops, and a panel for one day, and that was too much. I felt like I was rushing to different places and didn’t have time to breathe. Next time, I would space things out so I had more time to wander and explore everything.

I suggest giving yourself breathing room in between events so that you can explore and create space for spontaneous trinket trading, shopping, or chatting with new friends.

Plan Your Outfits Ahead of Time

I am a planner, and I really didn’t want to stress about what I was going to wear. I planned my outfits for each day early, so I had time to get crafty with my accessories. When I was there, I didn’t have to think too hard about what to wear, which made one less thing on my plate and left energy to focus on everything else.

Here is what I wore . . .

Day 1 - First Day, Casual Vibe

I went for a more casual and easy cosplay for myself as I was feeling out the crowd. I decided to go as Bryce from Crescent City and was happy with my choice.

Bryce Quinlan Cosplay from Crescent City

Day 2 - Con day and Cosplay Contest

This was my packed day, so I went with this fun butterfly dress from Disturbia. I experimented with creating fun, fairy-inspired accessories, including flower hair clips and bracelets. I received numerous compliments on this outfit!

Butterfly Dress from Disturbia

In the evening, there was a cosplay contest that, of course, my extroverted husband forced me into. I was happy that I did it, but it was nerve-wracking! I went as Amarantha and had my husband be Tamlin. I wanted to avoid the most common and popular cosplay outfits, so I thought I would go the more villainous route.

Amarantha and Tamlin cosplay from A Court of Thorns and Roses

Day 3 - Tea Outfit and Ball

I had a Tea with the Author event this day, so I wore a dress I love from Linen Naive that has a fun retro tea kind of vibe. I didn’t get a great picture, but you can see the full dress here.

Romantic dress from Linen Naive

At some point, I think I took a break in the room and changed into comfy bookish attire for a little before the ball.

For the ball, I wasn’t planning on being a specific character although I was channeling some ACOTAR Starfall vibes. I wanted a silver armor with a feminine twist kind of vibe. I made the cape that didn’t last long. For shoes, I wore these sparkly jellies which were perfect!

Silver Warrior Queen vibe

The Community is Incredibly Friendly

My favorite thing about attending this event was the people. Everyone was so friendly and kind. I constantly got compliments on my outfits, and people would chat with me in lines and workshops. Everyone seemed happy to be there and share the experience with others. There were no competitive mean girl vibes at all. I never felt more welcomed, more confident, and more connected.

One of my favorite things was trinket trading. Everyone had the cutest trinkets, and there were often crowds of people just hanging out and trading things. I brought home so many goodies.

Some common trinkets people had included

• Stickers

• Bookmarks

• Crocheted items

• 3-D printed creatures

• keychains or baubles

Mini affirmation scrolls

I brought my top-selling sticker on Etsy, some affirmation prints inspired by characters, mini scrolls with positive messages, and little kits with bookish accessories.

Sign Up For Panels and Workshops

I did not really sign up for many panels, as I went in thinking I wasn’t focused on becoming a writer for myself and thought the panels were directed at writers. I did sign up for one panel on how authors use folklore to inspire their stories, and I just loved it. I enjoyed learning about the process even though I wasn’t a writer myself. I wish I had gone to more of these.

Sign Up for Workshops ASAP

I have past experience registering for workshops, so I was prepared. I had the app open before registration time, I kept refreshing until it was time, and I had a plan of attack. I got all the workshops I wanted. It wasn’t the same for my friends who tried 5 minutes later, as workshops filled up instantly. I suggest you prioritize your list of workshops and prepare to jump on when the window first opens.

Staying at the Hotel

I almost always stay at the hotel of a convention or conference. I am an introvert and often need breaks to decompress. Staying at the hotel makes it easy to escape to your room when you need to.

The Biltmore was a beautiful hotel with so many pretty spots for photos and interesting architecture. I thought the rooms were very nice for an older historic hotel; unfortunately, I wasn’t as prepared for the smaller bathroom when it came time to get ready for the ball.

Beautiful staircase at the Biltmore and perfect photo spot!

When staying at the hotel, I highly recommend stocking your room with snacks and water. The hotel food can get expensive, and it was nice just to pop up to the room for a break and a snack.

Surviving the Ball

The ball was just as magical as I hoped it would be. There were so many activities, performers, and beautiful costumes. Some things I learned at my first ball . . .

• Make sure your dress isn’t so long that you or others step on it. That happened frequently, and I wished I had shortened my dress. This also goes for any accessories. I made a cool scalemail cape, and someone stepped on the end, and a piece came apart, and I had to ditch it for the rest of the night.

• Wear comfortable shoes!

• Bring a water bottle; it gets hot, and I was constantly looking for water.

• Line up early for particular photography spots. We were at the front of the line to take photos with a light-up carriage, and the photos are so fun!

• Lines for drinks in the main ballroom get long; there are lines in other areas that won’t be so long.

• Don’t forget to take breaks; there are comfortable seats in the lobby and in a quieter ballroom area. It felt good to sit for a little.

My Favorite Things

• They had a palm reader, and I got my palm read for the first time.

• Trinket trading

• Chainmail and Tea Leaf Reading Workshops

• Crafting tables on the second night

• Getting dressed with the girls before the ball

Final tip for my cosplayer friends, pack these for emergencies:

• Hot glue gun

• Safety pins and a sewing kit

• Pliers

• Scissors

• Body tape

I had such a blast with my friends, and I immediately decided we would try to go again next year!