Hey ladies! I'm just back from Greece and have some time to waste so here goes...
We got married Memorial Day weekend at the Kent Manor Inn and all I can say is that that was the most perfect day of my life
I used a lot of vendors that don't get much recognition on the boards, so please bear with me (and everyone gets A++++).
Venue: Kent Manor Inn
Location--It's gorgeous. The website pictures don't do it justice. With Thompson Creek as a background, the gazebo, pier, and huge tree make for beautiful pictures. (During the ceremony, we had one jetski start up with a "woohoo!" but otherwise, no noise from the water). The cocktail hour is uphill from the water, under trees just outside the reception Garden House. The Garden House is beautiful inside: high ceilings, chandelier, built-in dance floor, Chivari chairs, yellow accents. Air-conditioned and very nice bathrooms. Fire capacity is 150 and that's a tight fit. Just keep in mind getting there can be tricky in the summer with Bay Bridge traffic (we didn't have any problems on a Saturday night though!)
Before--First of all, the Kent Manor must release dates in a very logical order--they had my wedding date 13 months before! (Most places in Baltimore are all booked about 18 months out). The coordinator is very nice to work with and very hands-off, so for me it was helpful to have a planner to ask questions.
Food--It's nice having a restaurant there so you can see the venue at any time. The food is delicious and the menu is extensive. The tasting was lots of fun. Our guests commented on how good everything was. Plus, they bring you cocktail hour food during your pictures so you DO get to eat! We did a plated meal and were served first--again, we ate our fill. You can bring in your own cake and there is no cake-cutting fee.
Day-of--Everyone is so nice! The hotel staff were accommodating to all our requests, from plates for our Wawa hoagies to extra water for guests. Even though there was another wedding the next day, I felt as if everyone was focused on my day. My vendors came about 3 hours early and started setting up without any issues. My photographer was overwhelmed with choices for picture locations. The Kent Manor provided many tables for the ceremony and various places for the reception. There was the perfect amount of food, both during the cocktail hour and reception. Our servers were personable, professional, and funny.
Planner: Your Happily Ever After
Vaneisha is amazing. If you want people on the day of your wedding saying, "You look too relaxed," you want Vaneisha. I chose partial event planning and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in this process (thanks ladies!). It's easy to get swamped with the steps you have to take to make sure you have a wedding that's truly yours. She can suggest vendors but is willing to work with new people. She can take a silly idea and make it a beautiful reality. She can take a crazy, detail-overloaded day and make it manageable. Most of all, she does it with a smile, no matter if it's 90 degrees out and we're taking too long getting our makeup done! If you work with her, you WILL have fun at your wedding and know you have nothing to worry about. I had a perfect wedding, and I know it's mostly due to Vaneisha!
Officiant: Rabbi Geoff Basik
Rabbi Basik was willing to work with us even though I'm not part of his congregation and my husband isn't Jewish. We met for about 6 months, once a month, to do counseling and only planned the ceremony about 3 weeks before. Incorporating both of our cultures, along with our own vows, the ceremony was completely us. Plus, he knows how to say a lot in a few words so it was a short service!
BM dresses: Amanda Archer (etsy)
Amanda Archer made our bridesmaid dresses and was absolutely fabulous. She responded right away to my emails, did custom fits for my girls, sent me swatches (twice), and had the dresses to me early! The dresses looked amazing on my completely differently-shaped girls and held up in 90+ degree heat--plus the pockets were key (my MOH was my purse for the night!)
My dress: European Bridal (Cincinnati)
I wasn't excited about any of the dress options in the area: I tried Betsy Robinson, Annapolis Formal, and a few others but couldn't find MY dress. So, I went to Cincinnati to visit family and look for a dress. This store was kind of an interesting experience. There are two levels: the upper level is the couture and the lower floor is the more middle-of-the-road priced dresses. I wish I had known this before spending so much time upstairs trying on dresses that cost more than a car! The dresses they have are absolutely lovely and it's a beautiful shop. I was very happy with the selection, which had so many dresses you can't find anywhere else (my dress seems to be one of a kind, at least on the East Coast). Shipping went well and my dress was in two months early, in perfect condition. I was very pleased with the experience.
Alterations: Sheryl Kelm
Sheryl is a goddess. She does incredibly detailed work, bustles that even my husband could do and that don't fall down, incredibly reasonable rates, and is just about the nicest person ever. I enjoyed my one (!) fitting and the dress fit perfectly.
Hair: Swan Cove Day Spa
Swan Cove did beautiful updos that stayed for everyone! Worked with us to get exactly what we wanted. Minutes from the KMI. Only downside is that your trial is full price.
Ceremony music: Blue Moon Ensemble
Cindy provided beautiful cello music and brought a wonderful guitarist. She transcribed two pop songs in record time and did an amazing job!
Cocktail music; Cara Fleck
I didn't hear any of her music, but I know she plays harp beautifully and was so happy she could come serenade my guests. She's just gigging part time but is a true professional.
Photographer: David Hartcorn
I don't have my pictures back yet, but I know they're going to be amazing--I can tell from looking at the tiny screen on his camera that our pictures are going to be works of art. He took our engagement pictures in pouring rain and they turned out better than I could have dreamed--plus he brought a framed picture to use as our guestbook. Arrived early, took the most creative pictures ever, was a good sport when he rode a chair during the hora! Plus the sparkler sendoff he organized was tons of fun!
Florist: J. J. Cummings
Dale absolutely blew me away with how beautiful my flowers were. We had several meetings, many emails, and phone chats to make sure everything was perfect. He was willing to supply chuppah poles, go along with my non-floral centerpieces and supply vases, and amazingly open to all my unusual suggestions. No other florist was as encouraging to my visions of what I really wanted. On the day of, he had a full team there setting up everything hours before the ceremony, and they all went above and beyond. There were flowers in places I didn't even think about but really made everything perfect. Dale is a true artist and I am so glad I worked with him!
Cake: Miss Nancy's Fancy Bakery
My wedding cake was fantastic and I'm so happy that Miss Nancy's was able to make it for me! Carrot cake with cream cheese icing, chocolate cake with raspberry filling, and white cake with buttercream icing all over, plus our chocolate peanut butter groom's cake which was a last minute addition (handled with grace and turned out beautifully!) The decorations were perfect and exactly what I wanted. The prices were extremely reasonable and the cake tasting is worth it for how great the bakery smells...
DJ: Orlando Entertainment
David Orlando was our DJ and he did a fantastic job. We met with him and got a detailed introduction to his business model--it's great if you're looking for lots of documentation and planning ahead! (Hint: easiest way to make sure everything goes great). There's a large paper packet to fill out and you confer with him to go over name pronunciation etc. a few days before. On the day of, we used microphones at the ceremony site and DJ at the reception. The equipment was professional and worked perfectly. He was there early, courteous, and very helpful when anything disorganized broke out (ie. how to line up for the bridal party entrance). He played all of our must-play songs, including several cultural dances that we provided the music for, and kept our guests on the floor all night long. The people at our venue told us they hadn't seen people having this much fun in a really long time! He got my mom to dance like a crazy person which is a feat in itself! Great mix of motown, 80s, and modern stuff--all while respecting our do-not-play list. In short, I highly recommend DJ Orlando!
Magnets: Magnetstreet
Fast, great quality, perfect template. Make sure to get a coupon.
Invitation printing: Catprint
We did our invitations ourselves so it was such a relief to find Catprint--personal customer service, cheap, good quality, tons of samples, quick turnaround. I highly recommend them!
Phew. That's it. I handpicked each person after extensive research, either on the boards or weddingwire (where most of these reviews are posted) and it really paid off. Thank you for all of your help over the past year!
~Hels