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Lamar Wedding Center

CaramelBride973CaramelBride973
First Comment
in New Jersey
Good Morning I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. So this weekend me and FI went to Lamar Wedding Center in montclair and they gave us a crazy good deal for photography. Does anyone have any reviews on them. The only thing that I do not like is that I would not meet the photog until the day and the have about six photographers and they only have 6hrs of coverage. I know they say you get what you pay for so I am nervous to use them. Any information would be greatly appreciated. TIA

Also they rent out centerpieces. Is that cheesy to rent centerpieces or do most people expect to take centerpieces home.
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Re: Lamar Wedding Center

  • sfennell1sfennell1
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I'm using Lamar for my wedding. I asked to see the photographers portfolio. I liked the work of Juan Carlos so I'm very comfortable with using them for my wedding. I thought that the 6 hours wasn't enough time so I added 2 hours to my package.

    Don't be afraid to let them know that you're interested but just not comfortable with making a final decision until you see personal work. They are very understanding and will work with you

    Hope this helps....

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  • 37 Butter Knives37 Butter Knives member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_lamar-wedding-center-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:6c85759a-5fcc-47ca-81fc-a7c87703a2faPost:7d00db06-2fcf-4c11-8dbd-c2b79f2d3f79">Lamar Wedding Center</a>:
    [QUOTE]The only thing that I do not like is that I would not meet the photog until the day and the have about six photographers and they only have 6hrs of coverage.
    Posted by CaramelBride973[/QUOTE]

    RUN AWAY!!! Unless you'd be content with photos that could very well be the same quality - or worse - as the ones your guests will take. Also, people's instinct is to take centerpieces home. Is there a big-ass label on them screaming "PROPERTY OF LAMAR WEDDING CENTER" on them?
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  • HobokensFuryHobokensFury member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Sorry but there are some horror stories about Lamar on here.  Do a knot search.
     
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  • goaliegirlgoaliegirl member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_lamar-wedding-center-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:6c85759a-5fcc-47ca-81fc-a7c87703a2faPost:0ac9b01e-83e8-4cf8-bd26-adb125dcaae8">Re: Lamar Wedding Center</a>:
    [QUOTE]Sorry but there are some horror stories about Lamar on here.  Do a knot search.
    Posted by HobokenBride2012[/QUOTE]

    This!!  I would not use them, I have never ever heard of anyone having a good experience with them.

    I have heard of people renting vases for CPs but not the whole CP itself.  IMO people think they can just take them at the end of the night so you would have to let people know that they can't if you decide to rent the CPs.
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  • mbcdefgmbcdefg member
    5 Love Its First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I can't comment on Lamar themselves, but personally I wouldn't want to use a wedding center for my photos, or not meet the photographer until the day of the wedding. 

    We used an independent photographer and we met with him several times before our wedding day ... we had an e-pics session included in our package, but our main reason for wanting them wasn't for the photos themselves. We wanted the session so that we could see how our photographer interacted with us and get a feel for his style, so we could experience his turnaround time for the photos, and so we could see the actual quality of the photos. We wanted time to bail out of the contract, even if we had to forefit our deposit, and find someone else before our wedding. Luckily we loved him. We would've been nervous wrecks if we had to wait until the wedding day to meet him, and if we had no clue on his turnaround/final product until after the wedding.

    As far as the centerpieces - I don't think it's tacky to rent them, but since people (from my experience, anyway) are used to taking them home then I think you're going to need to clarify that they are not to be taken home. Maybe have the DJ make an announcement.

    What's the charge for renting the centerpieces? There are lots of great ideas for inexpensive CPs that people can take home if they wish - candles, river rocks, picture frames, wholesale fresh flowers, etc. And some florists do great CPs for low prices - mine were from a wedding florist and cost $23 (fresh flowers in glass vases that people could take home). My friend got hers from Shop Rite and loved them.
    image
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  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Our venue provides the centerpieces for a fee and that's what we'll be doing.. I don't think that is out of the norm from my experience... I highly doubt anybody would try to take one, or at the very least, they would ask first. (Plus they are ginormous).  I know of other venues that provide the centerpieces and never knew of any problem with someone taking one, or trying to take one.

    I've also never attended a wedding where anybody took the centerpieces, unless it was specifically announced that it was ok to take them. Even if I made the centerpieces myself, I might not want anybody to take them, and it would be kind of rude on the guests' part to just assume it was ok. Their gift is the favor.. who goes around just grabbing stuff that doesn't belong to them without asking??
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  • kristen8040kristen8040 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My sister used Lamar and her pictures suck.  She says so herself.
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  • CaramelBride973CaramelBride973
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Thanks I talked to my FI and I don't think we will be going with Lamar. One of my friends is using them for her wedding so I will see what she says but if almost everyone has a bad review I think I should stay away. Also kind of felt like they were not thorough enough with answers. They charge $60 per centerpiece and they look nice. I mentioned to my FI and he is like no one takes the centerpieces and I am like yes most people do take centerpieces and he asked well what are people going to do with those big vases. So I thought that is true what will people do with those vases  LOL. However I still think I would prefer to allow people to take the centerpieces.

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  • HobokensFuryHobokensFury member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    You can buy centerpieces for less than $60.
     
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  • GolfChick78GolfChick78 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My understanding is that Lamar (and ThePros and others) frequently hire their photographers from CraigsList and pay them about $300 for the day.  That's fine if that's what you want and can afford, but if you do, hire your own from CL; don't pay Lamar 2-3x that amount so they can hire them.
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  • mbcdefgmbcdefg member
    5 Love Its First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_lamar-wedding-center-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:6c85759a-5fcc-47ca-81fc-a7c87703a2faPost:341f8c6a-1841-424e-984d-51ff544a826c">Re: Lamar Wedding Center</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thanks I talked to my FI and I don't think we will be going with Lamar. One of my friends is using them for her wedding so I will see what she says but if almost everyone has a bad review I think I should stay away. Also kind of felt like they were not thorough enough with answers. They charge $60 per centerpiece and they look nice. I mentioned to my FI and he is like no one takes the centerpieces and I am like yes most people do take centerpieces and he asked well what are people going to do with those big vases. So I thought that is true what will people do with those vases  LOL. However I still think I would prefer to allow people to take the centerpieces.
    Posted by CaramelBride973[/QUOTE]


    Ooof, $60 for a rental? I paid $23 for mine and we got to keep everything:

    <img style="margin:10px;border-width:0px;" class="galleryImageBorder" src="http://mbcdd.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/6/6/3666310/2011158.png?514" alt="Picture" />
    image
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  • CaramelBride973CaramelBride973
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Thanks everyone I can probably practice and make our centerpieces for less than that if I need to. I am glad I came up here and asked. I was listening to other people saying how good the price is but I know that you get what you pay for. I will keep up the search for a photographer. If anyone has anyone they highly recommend can you please PM me their info?

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  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are renting the stands for our centerpieces to be returned to the florist.  We are just having the DJ annouce to take the flowers, and the Matre D is on the lookout for those trying to take the stands.
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  • jackiegzjackiegz member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I rented the wedding pieces through the vendor that lamar uses and they were worth every penny.  Renting them saved me a ridiculous amount of money it was so easy to sell the idea to my fiance.  I chose not to go with lamar photography for personal reasons but i could not resist the centerpieces.  The store that I got them from is called amore weddings and this is the website www.amoredecorrentals.com Check it out and make your own decision.  hope this helps. Jackie 
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