If you have three to four months till your event you have plenty of options. You could have blank samples or spec samples, also known as speculative samples, sent to you.
Many customers shy away from spec samples simply because of the cost of producing them. Many vendors will create them but the setup cost, promotional product, and shipping must be paid prior to or applied to a forthcoming invoice. So customers not convinced that they want that specific promo product are hesitant to go that route. **Occasionally, I order blank samples and have them locally decorated so we can see what the clients' logo may look like on the product. Although the imprint location or size may not be exact, it does give the client tangible proof to play with and allows them to visualize their branding.
Blank samples are super convenient and pretty much effortless. Simply contact us via email or phone and let us know what color and product you're looking at. We will send you random samples or blank samples for free within a limit. Typically any swag product over the $18 limit, the customer will pay for those, or the cost can be added to the proceeding order. Blank samples include but are not limited to apparel, drinkware, printables, journals, etc.
If your project is running behind and you're running out of time your ONLY option will be a virtual proof, digital mockup. It won't allow you to see the item or play with it but it will give you an approximation and allow production of your swag product to continue. Any project with less than two weeks production time. FUGGEDABOUTIT