Official Introduction

shameless_ad

Hello!  I've been lurking and occasionally posting for a while now, and I've gotten so many wonderful ideas and suggestions from reading your posts!

I'm especially excited because we're having our reception at the Profile Event Center, and I know there are a lot of other brides out there doing the same. 

If I did it right, my signature has a link to the Bio website I created (I couldn't figure out the profile, so I just used a website).  If I missed any information you're just dying to know, please ask!

drdifabio

Welcome officially!

You are getting married the Sat before us and we are also at the PEC!
Have you been working with Heather? She is fantastic and why the PEC is my fav vender. I saw that you are not doing a sit down dinner...what are you doing instead?

debbieupper

Awesome that your dad made those votive holders! Is that hard to do?

Also love your bittersweet cetnerpieces. Very fall, and the leaves do make it look great!

shameless_ad

We loved the PEC when we saw it - I knew I wanted the Diamond Hall, so we moved our date to get it - we initally planned for 10/9/10, but the room was already booked (maybe by you!).  Which room are you in?  Heather has been great - she's so prompt with replies, and very helpful.  So nice when you're in "crazy mode" from planning.

My fiance was very adamant that he did not want a sit-down dinner, so we're going to have more of a mingling buffet reception.  I know that people have said that buffets take a long time at PEC, so I'm hoping to resolve some of that by having multiple food stations, as well as planning it more like a cocktail reception, so not everyone is trying to eat at exactly the same time, but with plenty of food for dinner.

The candle holders were easy to make, for a couple of reasons - my Dad does stained glass as a hobby, so he used to working with it, and they were made of bevels, so most of the glass came pre-cut.  It was pretty labor intensive, but we gave him over a year to do it.  He just finished putting them all together, and now he has to clean and wax them, so they don't tarnish before Oct.

He's also going to make us a glass card box, which I'm super excited about!  I'll add pictures to my bio when he's done!

drdifabio

Ha yea it was prolly booked by me we are in the Diamond Hall - I think we booked it end of Jan early Feb 2009. When did you guys book? I have been watching the prices there go up and up for the last year so I am glad we got in early. I really like that hall as well...just seems so different.

What a cool way to do dinner! I really like that idea! We ended up deciding on a family style type meal - like you said to avoid the long time for a buffet.

Have you had your tasting yet? If so what did you pick? It has been over a year since we had our tasting but I loved the food when we were there - I think we choose the sanoma (sp?) chicken and balsamic marinated steak.

LittleSweetie

Welcome, and thanks for the intro!

hjh444

We just had our tasting on tuesday and are going with the chicken sonoma...it was soooo good! And big portions! ANd they redid the bar in the Diamond Hall, it looks really nice.

drdifabio

Oooh what did they do to the bar to redo it? I havent been there for a while.

hjh444

They really just added shelves all around and stocked it with nice new glassware. Not a huge deal but it makes it look sooo much nicer!

Steph0871

They redid the bar in the Casablanca room too  New glass shelves and lighting... it looks nice!

shameless_ad

We haven't done our food yet, we'll probably wait until this summer to do a tasting.

We were just there a few weeks ago for a cake tasting though, and we stopped by the room while we were there.  They were working on it while we were there - they've totally redone all of the woodwork (railings, etc).  They added really cool lighting to the bar and hallway area.  It all looked really good, and it only made me more certain that it was the perfect venue for me.

We booked the room in August, and the catering minimum has gone up since then (ours is 5,000).  We also signed our contract before they added the cake cutting fee, which is good because we're getting our cake from Queen of Cakes (YUM!).

MoriaMN

Welcome! Love the use of the bittersweets. And the PEC is gorgeous--I can see why you gals chose it. I'm looking to have a lounge area at my reception as well and that open area on the second floor looks perfect. Will you be having a dance and, if so, will that be in a location easily watched from the lounge area?

babybrd182

Oooo you guys! I'm getting so excited Just booked Profile last week. My friend Kelly who is also looking there and has a date on hold did her tasting Friday night and she said the food was GREAT!

I haven't looked in your profile yet so sorry if you mention it in there, but how many are you thinking for your reception and where are you going to have the buffet set up? On their website it looks like they have it in a completely different room. We're going to be pushing the limit with the room capacity and my FI would like a buffet. I just don't see it happening...

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Oh! Make sure you check out BrideBehl's post about liquor vendors..sounds like a great deal! Sorry this got kinda long

leggwilliams

Hi and welcome! I'm another PEC bride as well. That's so exciting about the renovations, it's been awhile since I've been there so I may have to make a trip down again to see all the changes!

Babybrd- The buffet is set up in the same room in both the Casablanca and Diamond hall. I don't know where else they would put it seeing as their only other rooms are recording studios :-)

babybrd182

Hahah I know! I really didn't think there would be anywhere else TO put it, but on the website it looks like it's in a completely different room... Is anyone having a buffet with a big crowd (i.e. 250-300?) FI would like a buffet so people can choose what they want to eat, but I've heard it can move really really slow.

Thoughts?

leggwilliams

FI and I wanted to do a buffet as well but have decided against it at the PEC. Everyone on here that has already had a buffet there said the service was ridiculously slow. Another bride on here was given around a 2 hr. estimate for the buffet for around 100-120 people if I'm remembering that correctly. Heather also told us she doesn't recommend the buffet for over 200 people.

babybrd182

Good to know! Thanks so much

drdifabio

I think the room picture on the website is the little cafe thing they have there - not where your buffet would be if you have a buffet.

Maybe family style would be a good option if you dont want a super long buffet line but still want people to be able to pick what they put on their plate.

babybrd182

Ooohhh, could they do that?! That might be a good compromise...

drdifabio

Yea talk to Heather! Let her know you talked to me (Danielle) and are interested in more info on Family Style. I am sure she can walk you through what we are doing and how to fit it to the meal options you guys want.

babybrd182

Thanks so much! That's an option we really hadn't thought about, but will definitely consider I can't wait to see how everything turns out for you guys!