Vendor Reviews
Below, please find my vendor reviews from our June 2008 wedding. I can honestly say that we had what felt like the 'Dream Team' of vendors and we were elated with *almost* all of them. I was engaged for nearly 2.5 years and was fortunate enough to book all of my first choice vendors. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at springchic0608 at yahoo.com. I'll be more than happy to help in any way that I can. Happy Planning!
I'll be adding more pro pics as I get them :)
Ceremony - St. John Lutheran (Rochester,MI)
Since we currently don't belong to a church in our neighborhood, we decided to get married at the church that my DH belonged to as a child and that his family is still active members at. I have no complaints about the church or their policies and procedures. They have their own ceremony coordinator and she was highly organized and efficient at both the rehearsal and on the wedding day. They handled all of our paperwork in a timely manner and made sure that we had everything we needed before and after the ceremony. Everyone I dealt with was polite and accommodating. I wish we lived closer so that we could attend mass there regularly.
Reception - Pine Knob Mansion
*Photo by Jessica Johnston
*Photo by Jessica Johnston
Cocktail hour on the patio on the most perfect evening....
The Main Dining Room - sooo purdy!
My DH and I chose Pine Knob Mansion because we wanted something different for our reception venue. We had looked at several places and none of them felt like 'the place'. After walking into the Mansion, we knew our search was over. We fell in love with it instantly and booked on the spot. Not only is the place gorgeous, but the food is divine and the staff was wonderful. They were able to accommodate all of my many requests. Fortunately, we were able to set up on Friday which made me feel much more comfortable given the fact that they only allow access to the Mansion 2 hours prior to the event start time. Our guests loved the fact that they could move about through the different rooms. Since the weather was absolutely perfect for a June night, we were able to dance under the stars. I couldn't be happier with Pine Knob and would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for something unique.
Photographer - Jessica Johnston Photography
Jessica and Nate are two of my favorite people. I knew I wanted them to shoot our wedding before we had a date set or place booked! Photography was extremely important to us and I knew that with Jess and Nate, we wouldn't have to worry about having AMAZING photos. At our initial meeting, we just clicked. I love everything about them - their philosophy, work, personalities, you name it! I was never one who wanted a 'must shoot' list or millions of formal photos. Some of the best pictures are ones that capture true, natural emotion and they have mastered the art of capturing those candid moments on film. In my opinion, they are some of the best in the business and are worth every penny. If you are considering booking them - DO IT!!! You will not be disappointed. After everything is said and done, your pictures are what you will have for the rest of your life to remember your wedding day. This alone, was enough for us to justify the cost.
We recently saw our proofs and to say that we were blown away would be an understatement! Each and every photo is AMAZING! It's evident how much energy, time, and passion they put into the images that they take. My husband and I are truly thrilled with our wedding photos. Once again, I cannot stress enough how much we love Jessica and Nate. They are all around fabulous photographers and people!
Videographer - Epic Motion
At the beginning of the wedding planning process, I was certain that I didn't want a videographer. I assumed that having one wasn't necessary, but now I'm extremely glad that I changed my mind (with the help of my mom). I would have MAJORLY regretted my decision had we not had one. As all the married ladies know, the day goes by faster than you can ever imagine and there is so much that you don't get to see. Now we'll be able to relive the day whenever we want by simply popping in the DVD. I absolutely LOVE Ryan and I'm confidant that he will do a fabulous job on our video. He is one of the best in the business and his work speaks for itself. I was referred to Ryan by our photographer and he is the first and only videographer that we met with. At our initial meeting, he showed us a few demos and both my mom and I were nearly in tears. It was at that moment that I knew we had to have him shoot our wedding. He is an absolute blast to be around and was extremely unobtrusive on our wedding day. I'm so excited that we were able to work with Ryan and the rest of the crew at Epic Motion - they are all around great guys! We can't wait to see the final product. I just know it's going to rock!
DJ - Mary Ann Ross Productions
Mary Ann is another one of our vendors that we booked on the spot. She is an absolute sweetheart and she was exactly what we were looking for - a professional and classy DJ, minus the cheeseball light show and gimics. A DJ can make or break your night and she managed to keep the dance floor packed all evening - even while working in our 80's requests :) She's great at reading the crowd all while managing to play the songs you want and the avoid the ones you don't want played. Not only is she a great DJ, but she also does a lot of behind the scenes work to make sure you day runs smoothly. We had several of our guests tell us how much they enjoyed her. I absolutely adore Mary Ann and would book her again in a heartbeat!
Florist - Westborn Market, Berkley - Nicole Magewick
My beautiful bouquet
*photo by Jessica Johnston
One of our altar arrangements - BEAUTIFUL :)
What a trunk full of flowers looks like!
Best bouquet picture so far (the larger one of the two) - Can you tell I LOVE peonies?! :)
Low centerpiece
More flowers!
Cocktail Tables
I booked Nicole without even meeting her in person. I had seen her work from previous knotties' weddings and knew she would do a fabulous job. And let me just say that I was 110% right with that assumption! Nicole is another one of my vendors who I truly love as a person. I met with her several times and bounced tons of ideas off of her. About the only thing that stayed the same from our initial meeting a year and a half before our wedding, was the fact that I wanted peonies, and lots of them! Given that the Mansion is broken up into several rooms, I needed (and wanted) TONS of flowers. I wanted them to be different, yet still compliment each other. After countless phone calls, e-mails, pictures, and drop-in's at the store, Nicole managed to hit the nail on the head and everything was truly PERFECT and AMAZING! Nicole was beyond patient with me when I doubted myself or changed my mind. One of the many things that I love about her is that she does everything herself - from the consultations, to the actual design work, and even the delivery. This elimates things getting 'lost in translation'. She allowed me to come in and get a sneak peek of my flowers a few days before my wedding and I was blown away at how gorgeous everything looked. I couldn't believe I was actually holding MY bouquet. It was one of those crazy moments, in which the reality of getting married in a few days finally hit me like a ton of bricks. I would highly recommend Nicole. You won't be disappointed if you book her!
Cake - Concepts In Confection
A combo of what I wanted....
Photo by April Reed
and what we got!
This is the one (and only) vendor I was disappointed in. I booked Concepts because their cakes are delicious and she's got some great designs. Let me start by saying that we have ordered several cakes from them in the past and have not had any problems. Additionally, they all (the wedding cake included) tasted fabulous. The issue was twofold: 1. They were extremely late arriving and were setting up the cake as the guests were arriving. Fortunately, our DOC was able to close the library doors so no one was able to see what was going on. 2. The design was not 100% as we discussed. The fondant was supposed to be a pale pink to compliment our cake stand and the flower was supposed to be on the side of one of the layers (similar to the simplistic April Reed cake designs). When the cake arrived, the owner's husband had stuck the flower on the top of the cake. Fortunately, my mom was there and was familiar with what the cake was supposed to look like and told him to correct it. As a result, there was a hole in the top of the cake. Additionally, the flower was supposed to be made out of a gum paste (that I paid extra for) and was instead a silk flower. This isn't a huge deal, but again, I paid extra for it. The reason I'm uber annoyed is that I had met with the owner as late as the Thursday before our wedding to finalize all of the details one last time. She assured me that everything was correct. I think it's unacceptable to be that late arriving to an event. Apparently, she had an emergency and was unable to make the delivery. I will post an update after everything is resolved. Again, I like Roberta (the owner), however, I cannot in good conscience give her a rave review since I was so disappointed with what happened.
8/11/08 Update: I spoke with Roberta today and am happy to report that we have come to an agreement in terms of how we will be compensated for the issues that we had with our cake. After hearing her complete side of the story, I'm far less upset than I orginally was. I will not discuss what specifically happened on the day of in this review, but will share via e-mail if someone is interested. I feel her explanation did warrent some understanding on my end. As a result of what happened with our wedding cake, she has taken the necessary steps to prevent the same issues from arising with future clients. I'm extremely pleased with how the matter was resolved. As I mentioned before, I really do like Roberta and her cakes are nothing short of divine! I'll continue to order cakes from her in the future.
Day of Coordination - A Knot So Ordinary Event - Trisha Prise
I hired a day of coordinator to ensure that everything would flow smoothly on our wedding day. I was very hands on during the planning process, but didn't want to deal with any issues that arose on the actual day. Trisha was an absolute dream to work with. She ensured that we all stayed on schedule and that everyone was where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there (vendors included). She also made sure that everything was in place at both the church and Mansion before the guests arrived. I knew that all of the details would be perfect with her at the helm. It was a huge relief to have her there and be our 'go to' person. She also dealt with the cake issue and handled it in such a way that I never knew what happened until after the wedding. Trisha is highly organized, professional, and super sweet and everyone who worked with her on our wedding day had nothing but great things to say about her - me included! You won't be disappointed if you book her!
Ceremony Musicians - The Atrium Quartet
The Atrium Quartet are a group of orchestra students at the University of Michigan. They are extremely talented and did a fabulous job performing at our ceremony! On our wedding day, they showed up on time and were dressed professionally. I had a main contact that I dealt with throughout the planning process who was very responsive and helpful in assisting me with our music selections. They are reasonably priced and are just as good as any of the other companies out there. We received several compliments on their performance at the ceremony. I would highly recommend them.
Wedding Dress - Katherine's Bridal (Alexandria, VA)
Although I know no one will be going to Virginia to purchase their gown based on my experience, I only feel it's right to give them credit - especially in a time when there are so many seedy bridal salons. I can honestly say that I had the BEST experience with the ladies at Katherine's. The reason I went there in the first place is because the specific gown I was looking for was nowhere to be found in Michigan (or Ohio, for that matter). I saw the dress online and was frantically trying to locate it. I found Katherine's online and noticed they were having an Alvina Valenta trunk show. I immediately called and told them my story and they assured me that the gown was going to be there since the normally don't carry it in their salon. Because I was purchasing a plane ticket, I even called the manufacturer directly to confirm this information and was again assured that the dress, was in fact, going to be there for the weekend I had planned on flying in. So, 2 days before I'm supposed to fly out, I get a phone call from the salon saying that all of the dresses for the trunk show had arrived and the specific one I wanted to try on wasn't there. Naturally, I was ticked off. I mean, I purchased a plane ticket specifically to see this dress. I called the manufacturer directly and the woman I spoke with was extremely rude and unprofessional. She said (and I quote) "The dress is in California, what do you want me to do about it?" In the meantime, one of the ladies at Katherine's had called the corporate office and found someone who helped her locate the dress at another salon in North Carolina. The salon in NC was nice enough to over night their sample to VA. Sure enough, when I arrived it was there and it was love at first sight. My point with this long (and maybe boring story) is that they went above and beyond for a bride who didn't even live in their state. Additionally, they had no guarantee that I was going to buy a dress from them. After hearing so many gown horror stories, it was great to work with someone who truly cared about their customers. The dress arrived in a timely fashion and was shipped directly to my house. It was the most perfect gown for me and I never looked back or second guessed my decision.
Shoes - My Glass Slipper
*photo by Jessica Johnston
I think my shoe search was possibly the most taxing part of the wedding planning process. I very well may have looked at every shoe available in Michigan. For whatever reason, I just couldn't find something that I loved. Finally, after countless trips to the mall, I found a pair of Stuart Weitzman's online at myglassslipper.com. I went to the Stuart Weitzman store at Somerset to try on a pair of shoes similar in style to the ones I wanted for sizing purposes and placed my order the next day. They arrived within a week and fortunately, for all parties involved, were perfect! Surprisingly, they were rather comfortable for a 3.5 inch heel and I wore them for a good protion of the evening before changing into my pink flip flops. I had to have them dyed, but at that point, I didn't care - the search was finally over :)
Shoe Dyeing Company - Bloomfied Plaza Shoe
After the quest for the perfect shoe had come to an end, I had to find a reputable place to have them dyed. I was referred to Bloomfield Plaze Shoe from an employee at the Stuart Weitzman store. I decided to have them dyed to match the color of my dress - which is darker than most wedding gowns. Depending on where you looked at my dress, it *almost* had a faint pink hue to it. I brought a piece of fabric from my gown to the store and the owner was able to match the color near perfectly. I was elated that it was so close - if not exact. He did a fabulous job and I'm glad I went out of my way to take my shoes there.
Veil - Occansey Designs
Of all of the frivolous things I spent money on for the wedding, I was not about to spend a lot of money on a veil - especially since I was only wearing it for the ceremony. I honestly think that veils are one of the most over priced items in the wedding industry. I heard of Occansey Designs from the Knot and found nothing but positive reviews on them. I myself, have nothing but rave things to say about their service and product as well! They can make ANY kind of veil you can possibly imagine - and for a lot less than the average bridal salon would charge. Although their website can be a bit daunting and confusing, I found it best to just e-mail them with what I was looking for, as well as pictures of my dress and the types of veils that I liked. This turned out to be much easier than just perusing their website. I ordered a cathedral length drop veil for under $100.00 and received it within 3 DAYS of placing of the order. It was the fastest turn-around time ever! I highly recommend them for all of your veil needs!
Bridal Jewelry - Haute Bride
*photo courtesy of ilovemycoastie3
Both my bracelet and earrings were from Haute Bride in San Francisco, CA. Again, I tried find my jewelry here, but I just couldn't find something I loved as much as their uber fabulous b628 bracelet and earrings. Lindsie, the owner of Haute Bride, helped me find the perfect earrings to match my bracelet. Although their jewelry is on the pricer side, I felt it was well worth it. All of their pieces are hand made by one of two women who work in the San Francisco salon. The quality is top notch and the customer service can't be beat. These are pieces that I will have for the rest of my life and I will definitely be rockin' that bracelet sometime in the future. It's just too beautiful to only wear once!
Alterations - Mimi's Bridal (Ann Arbor)
There are very few places that I'd actually trust with my dress and Mimi's was one of them. When I was shopping for dresses, I visited their salon and was impressed with their service and selection, but never found 'the one' there. Their seamstress is extremely talented and did an amazing job on my gown. It fit me like a glove and I had no hem, bustle, or tugging at the top issues. I know they are not the least expensive seamstresses out there, but I wanted my dress to fit me perfectly - and it did! That piece of mind was worth every penny.
Hair - Luigi Bruni (Birmingham, MI)
I absolutely LOVED my hair on my wedding day! It was exactly what I wanted. I had a trial the day of shower and it was the best decision ever. It gave me a chance to 'wear' the style and see how it held up. Based on that, I was able to make the necessary changes. My hair style was inspired from a Jessica Alba photo and I couldn't be happier with my decision to wear my hair up. Although I like the look of long hair worn down, it just wasn't pratical for me - especially in June, when it *could* have been super hot and humid. The style held up ALL night and didn't budge. My stylist did a fab job and I couldn't be happier with the results!
Makeup - Todd's Room - Todd Skog
*photo by Jessica Johnston
One more element that was perfect and exactly what I wanted! I absolutely love and adore Todd. I have been a client of his for several years now and knew I didn't have to worry about the results. He's one of the best makeup artists in the area and knows what works and what doesn't. Yes, he's on the pricier side for makeup, but he's well worth it. My makeup looked picture perfect and lasted all night.
Bridesmaid Dresses - Jenny Yoo (Chicago, IL)
Photo courtesy of Jenny Yoo
My bridesmaids wore 'Alana' (the short version) by Jenny Yoo in the 'cement' color. Although the name of the color sounds rather drab, it was actually very flattering on everyone. Since there are no Jenny Yoo retailers in Michigan, I went to their Chicago salon to see and try on the dress. The customer service was fabulous and we had no issues whatsoever regarding the dresses - from placing the order out of state, to the dresses arriving on time and in the correct sizes. Everything was perfect and my girls loved the dress! It's definitely something that they will be able to wear again. The contruction and material of the dress (silk shantung) was top notch and it truly looked stunning on them. I couldn't be happier with my decision!
Tuxedos - President Tuxedo (Westland & Rochester Hills)
I'm not sure why nearly every tuxedo store has trouble getting orders correct. Unfortunately, we were no exception and had to deal with their inefficiencies as well. Everyone who ordered a tuxedo from the Westland location had a problem with their tux and had to make a second trip back. Even after that, my brother's shirt was stained. To me, this type of business is unacceptable, yet nothing ever seems to change. Unless you purchase your own tuxedo, you're left with very few options of places that actually have a positive record with past clients. I also believe that there was an issue at the Rochester HIlls location as well, although I'm not certain what it was. Naturally, I would not recommend President Tuxedo after our negative experiences there.
Jeweler - Tapper's
My engagement ring as well our wedding bands were purchased from Tapper's. I have nothing but rave things to say about them in terms of the quality and customer service they provide. They have always (and continue) to take great care of us whenever we stop by. This is the only place we will ever purchase fine jewelry from. Their solid reputation speaks for itself. My personal two favorite people there are Marla and Glen. Glen works out of the West Bloomfield location and Marla works at both stores. Regardless of you deal with, they will take great care of you and make sure you are 100% satisfied with your jewelry.
Invitations & Misc. Paper Products - Gourmet Invitations
Wedding Invites
Shower Invites
Rehearsal Dinner Invites
It's hard to believe that I've known Tifany for nearly 3 years now. From my first encouter with her, I just knew that I would love her. Not only are her products great, but her customer service can't be beat. To me, that was just as important as the final product given the nature of invitation design. As many of you know who have worked with her, it's a process and there are many revisions and new ideas along the way. I initially came to her with an idea and she was able to make my vision become a reality. Tifany is the whole package - what everyone hopes all their vendors will be like. By this I mean, not only does she deliver a great product, but her customer service is impeccable! It was truly a pleasure working with her over the last 2 years. I honestly don't think I've e-mailed anyone as much as I have her in my entire life :) Tifany was always patient with my many changes and last minute additions to my order. I never doubted that the final product would be nothing short of spectacular. She is probably one of the hardest working people that I know and she treats all her brides like they are her one and only. I can honestly say that she is one of the people I'm going to miss most now that everything is over. To not book Tifany would be a huge mistake as there is no one else that compares to her!
Transportation - Metro Car
We decided to book Metro Car for our transportation needs because I could not stomach the ridiculous cost of a limo large enough to hold 10 people that was NOT a bus and/or had the company name plastered on the back of it. Instead, I booked 2 black 8 passenger limos to take us and the bridal party to the church and reception. It couldn't have been more perfect. Since we have used them at work on several occasions, I knew we would not be disappointed - and our wedding was no exception. The drivers showed up on time, professionally dressed and both of the limo's were clean. It was one of the best decisions I made. The other great thing about Metro Car is they only require you to reserve the car for a minimum of 2 hours. You can pay per hour on the day of and the gratuity is included in the per hour price. It's a very reasonable alternative to booking through several of the other limo companies that have less than stellar reputations. I highly recommend Metro Car!
Linens - Affordable Elegance Chair Covers and Linens
I booked with AECC over a year before our wedding and was able to secure discounted pricing on all of our linen rentals due to the special they were offering during that month. I had went in for a consultation and was very impressed with their selection and customer service. I e-mailed Colleen and Crystal throughout the year and they were always prompt in answering my questions. I had no doubt that they would do a fabulous job and sure enough, they didn't disappoint! I had somewhat of complicated order since all of my linens and chair covers were not the same in the Mansion, and everything was PERFECT and just as we discussed! They were able to set up on the Friday before our wedding, and when I walked in, I was amazed at how beautiful everything looked. We had no issues with the set up or removal of our linens and I would definitely recommend them to future brides. You won't be disappointed!
Favors - Vanille Patisserie (Chicago, IL)
Ever since I saw a picture of the French macaroons, I knew I had to have them! The problem was that they are nowhere to be found in Michigan. Fortunately, my good friend recommended a pastry shop in Chicago that was willing to ship them out of state. I ordered a few samples before placing my massive order and they arrived fresh although several were broken - this was my 'trial run' to see if this would even work. I spoke with the owner several times and he assured me that there wouldn't be an issue and if any of them were broken, he'd replace them free of charge. Honestly, I was mildly nervous about my decision at first, given the fact that the macaroons were not scheduled to arrive until the Wednesday before our wedding. Fortunately, they arrived on time and only a few were broken. I had ordered extra just in case so we got to eat the broken ones :) We ordered the coffee and raspberry flavor and each guest received one of each in a small box wrapped with brown yarn and topped with a wax seal sticker that had our monogram on it. They turned out awesome and I'm so glad I went that route. I ending up spending more than I wanted to on our favors, but I wanted to do something different and our guests loved them! I'd highly recommend Vanille Patisserie and will definitely be ordering from them in the future.
Wax Seals - Wax Works
I found this company by simply doing a google search. When I was brainstroming ideas for favors, I found a picture that I liked on their website and decided I wanted to do something similar (even though I had no idea what I wanted to put in the boxes). I thought the seals were super cute and would be a nice touch and so I placed my order. The great thing about them was that they were stickers, so we didn't have to actually drip wax on every one of our favor boxes - yet it still had the same look of a wax seal. The customer service was great and they arrived in a timely fashion. As soon as I get some pro pictures, I will be sure to post them here.
Calligraphy - Pretty Pen Jen
This was another one of my special touches that turned out to be one of my favorite elements of our wedding. I knew I wanted to do something other than a seating chart. For our escort cards, I decided to do baby envelopes with the 'you are seated at' card tucked inside. I ordered the envelopes and cards from Paper Source and stamped the table number that each guest was seated at on the card. The outside of the envelope had the guest's name written in a beautiful calligraphy font. The light pink ink looked so elegant on the chocolate envelope. I found Jen through a wedding blog and contacted her about doing our escort cards. She immediately e-mailed me back and said she'd love to do them. Since she lives in Austin, TX, I had to ship the envelopes to her and she mailed them back after they were completed. Her turn around time is one week from receiving the list - although she completed our cards in less than a week. You do have to 'book' her as she only takes on so many projects per month so this wouldn't be something you can wait until the last minute to do in the event that you are interested. She did a FABULOUS job! I couldn't believe how perfect everything looked. It honestly looked like the names were typed on the envelopes. She truly does amazing work!
Cake Stand - Clara French Ceramics
*picture from Clara French website
*Above 2 pictures are my cake stand. The color is a bit softer in person. It is a combo of swiss pear and alpine rose - GORGEOUS!!
I found Clara French Ceremaics from a wedding blog and instantly fell in love with her work. I contacted her right away about renting/puchasing a cake stand from her. I decided that I would just purchase one since the cost wasn't that much more. Additionally, I thought it would something that we can pass down to our children in the future. I spoke with Micaela and we decided on a design and color and she quickly got to work on our cake stand. I received the stand in the exact time frame that she gave and it arrived in perfect condition. I was nervous about it being shipped from Seattle, WA, but she packed it very securely, and as a result, we had no issues. Micaela is an amazingly talented and sweet person who loves what she does and it clearly reflects in her work. I really enjoyed chatting with her throughout the process. If you are interested in having a custom cake stand made, you should contact her ASAP as there are only so many orders that she takes per month. Although the cake stand was expensive, I'm extremely happy with my decision to puchase one. Now whenever we have a cake for a celebration, I'll think about our wedding :)
Rehearsal Dinner - Kruse and Muer (Rochester Hills)
BP Gifts!
The Loot!
We had our rehearsal dinner at Kruse and Muer on Main Street and the food and service was top notch. I absolutely LOVE this restaurant and had no doubt that everything would be perfect. When we arrived, everything was set up and ready to go in our own private room. The guests had several different options to choose from and everyone loved their food. The staff was attentive and took great care of us all night. I couldn't have asked for a better place.
Hotel Block - The Marriott Centerpoint
We booked the Marriott Centerpoint because it was the nicest hotel that was most convenient logistically for our ceremony and reception location. From the outside, it's nothing special; however, the inside was completely renovated with a fresh and modern look and feel. I booked a suite for myself and the bridesmaids to get ready in and we had TONS of room to move about and lots of great light (which our photographers loved)! In terms of the actual room block, we had no problems. My only complaint is that there seemed to be a high turn over rate with the room coordinators. With that being said, everyone I dealt with was highly organized and professional and always had our information on hand and correct. The staff was friendly and the rooms were great! I would highly recommend the Marriott Centerpoint.
Shower - Vinology (Ann Arbor)
My shower was at Vinology in Ann Arbor and I absolutely loved every minute of it. It was perfect for the intimate and unique feel that I wanted. The shower was in the 'Bubble Room' downstairs complete with its own bar. The food was AWESOME and the staff was very helpful and friendly. We got tons of compliments on the food and atmosphere. Everyone LOVED the wedding cake martini's - which we ended up having as our signature drink at our wedding. They were able to create a menu that worked within our budget as well. I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out!
Honeymoon - Grand Velas All Suites Spa Resort (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
The view from our room ::le sigh::
We heard of Grand Velas through a good friend of mine who had nothing but rave things to say about the resort. After looking around at several other places, we decided that Grand Velas would be the way to go. We originally were going to go to Tahiti, but didn't want to deal with the 12 hour flight each way. Additionally, for the price, it just wasn't worth it to us. We basically wanted to be pampered and not have to worry about the cost of anything. GV is an all inclusive resort with top notch service and ammenities. We had the best time of our lives there. The resort itself is beautiful! There are just under 240 suites, so there weren't tons of people. Part of the reason we wanted to go to Tahiti was because it's so tiny and this resort was the closest thing to it for us. We were not interested in going to a resort with 1000 rooms. When we were there in June, the resort was only about 40% full, so it was extra quiet. June starts the 'down' season in Mexico because it's the start of the rainy season. Fortunately, it did not rain once during the 10 glorious days that we were there. We totally lucked out! The staff was wonderful - probably one of my favorite things about the place. They took the time to learn our names and what we liked to drink. We never had to wait for food or drinks by the pool. The suites were also amazing! Our room was HUGE - we even had a huge chaise lounge on our balcony that directly over looked the ocean. It was seriously like paradise for us! For the entire time we did nothing but relax and lay around by the pool sipping on cool cocktails! It was just what we needed after the one of the busiest weeks of our lives leading up the wedding. I would HIGHLY recommend GV! We will definitely be headed back in the future (very near, hopefully) :)
My Humble Advice....
Having been engaged for a little over 2.5 years, I've learned a lot along the way and thought I'd pass some of my advice/tips along to you!
First, I must start by saying that I absolutely LOVED planning my wedding and put everything I had into it. It never felt like a chore to me. Sure, it got stressful at times and there were definitely less fun things to do than others, but overall, it was one of the most wonderful times in my life and I really wouldn't change a thing. I honestly have little to no regrets about the decisions I made along the way. My point is - ENJOY IT! It will be over in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, I have lots of great memories throughout the planning process that I can reflect on to help transition me out of the wedding planning mode :)
Don't subscribe to the whole 'the wedding was/will be the best day of my life' notion. It has always annoyed me when people say/believe this. The wedding should be one of MANY best days of your lives. I would have never wanted my wedding to come if I truly believed that. Your wedding is really the start of a whole new life together that will be filled with many great days to come.
Hire a videographer!!!! Even if it's not your first choice. The very fact that someone will be able to capture your ceremony and special moments at the reception is priceless. Trust me, the day goes by faster than you can ever imagine. You spend months (if not years) planning your wedding, and in 8 short hours, it's over just like that. There were many things I didn't see and people I didn't talk to and I'm so glad that we will have the video to watch in the future. I really don't think that I have ever heard someone say that they regret hiring a videographer; however, many girls have said they wished they would have hired one after the fact. It's a great investment and you'll be forever grateful!
Love your vendors! We were very fortunate to hire everyone we wanted. I was very picky with who I chose and I wouldn't have it any other way. Do your research beforehand! We were engaged for a year before we set a date and when we finally did, I knew exactly who I wanted. I booked almost all of my vendors based on knottie reviews (which is why I gave such thorough reviews myself). Had it not been for the '06 knotties, I would have never had the awesome team that we did. Although none of them are around anymore, I owe them a huge deal of thanks! I genuinely LOVED the people that we worked with - which in turn made the process so much less stressful and a lot more fun. On our wedding day, I truly felt like I was surrounded by friends and not just photographers, videographers, a DJ, etc... You are paying these people a lot of money, so you might as well like them as well. It's so important that you 'click' with everyone. They play a huge part in ensuring that your day will be the best it possibly can.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Something is going to go wrong - it always does. The beauty of it is that 99.9% of the time, no one else will know except you. It's really not worth worrying about on your wedding day. This is not to say that something should be overlooked if a vendor didn't follow through, but deal with it AFTER the wedding. At the end of the day, as long as the pastor shows up, you will be married to the love of your life and that's really all that matters anyways.