Hi Everyone-
A year ago I was just getting into the swing of things and found these reviews so helpful. So here goes- these are from my wedding on 7-30-11:
Casual Gourmet: A+: Sarah from CG was there to help whenever I needed her. My husband and I are vegetarian and wanted our wedding to be as well. We had a number of amazing choices and decided upon a three station spread. Our guests raved about the quality of food. Not only was it exceptional and diverse, it all flowed together from salads to middle eastern to italian. Our cupcakes were adorable and vegan as well! During our photo shoot we were served appetizers and we loved their willingness to set up a beverage station next to our ceremony location- we didn't want to overheat our guests. I was moving and starting a new job all at the same time as my planning, and Sarah wrote back to me within hours of any message I sent to her. What a relief!
Artistic Blossoms: A+: Kelly from Artistic Blossoms was amazing! They are located in Marshfield, but had no issue coming down to my wedding in Sandwich. I enjoyed my two meetings with them very much, and was encouraged to speak freely with ideas of my own. Kelly knew of my venue, examined pictures of my wedding dress, as well as my two bridesmaids dresses. She and I took all that into consideration- and then I let her do her thing. She came in very close to her estimate and I never felt pressured into paying for more than I needed. My bouquet was stunning and people were truly amazed by it.
Altieri Events: A+: Altieri Events is located in Boston, but I know they are looking to expand to the Cape area. I initially signed up for the 'week of' package, but when I began to move from PA to MA, plus start a new job I couldn't deal with all the pressure! I called Mindy from AE and they started to do all the work I couldn't from that day forward. Christine (one of the owners) and Mindy came to Sandwich to meet with all my vendors and were so helpful in clearing up all the logistical issues. They were there at the rehearsal and then on the big day they were fantastic. Our guests were a bit late due to traffic and they kept us all calm as we waited to enter the ceremony area. They organized the entire day beautifully and were so kind to our guests as well as the other vendors.
Nancy Hurrell, Harp: A: I wanted to write a quick note about Nancy. She was very professional to work with and she played for our guests for an extra 30 minutes as we waited for our late guests to arrive from Boston onto the Cape. I know she made a huge difference in the stress level of everyone around her and was super easy to work with.
Radiance Wedding Band A+++++++++: This band is fantastic! Look them up at Wilson Stevens and book them now! I am a professional classical musician who really didn't care if we had a DJ or a band. Husband insisted and then left town for a month on business so I was stuck picking the band! I went by their recordings and musical backgrounds and wow did I score big! One of the most amazing parts of our day was to show up to our reception tent to be announced- expecting to see everyone in their seats waiting for us to come in. NO! Everyone was already dancing- at 6:15pm! They were truly awesome, very strong vocals from three members- so at anytime one of them could sing lead from one style to the next. Very positive vibe, and open to your requests ahead of time.
Taylor Rental: A: Justin and crew from Taylor Rental were very helpful. I was almost going to go with a Sperry Tent but the $ and disorganized (in the one person I dealt with) staff sent me back to Taylor Rental. I went for the tent that looks similar to Sperry, and rumor has it that their tents are all relatively new. Ours looked great. They were open enough for my husband and best man to hang lanterns and flexible enough for me to order different table cloths two weeks ahead of our date.
Dan'l Webster Inn: A+: We were at the DWI for our rehearsal dinner and accommodations over the weekend. Bethany went out of her way to help us choose our menu, again allowing for some vegan options along with the 'normal' dishes. Our room was lovely and the waitstaff incredibly attentive. One snafu with getting gifts to a guest was quickly solved by Bethany- even though it was not the Inn's fault in any way.
Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich: B+: We fell in love with this property a year before the wedding. And we lucked out on having one of the most gorgeous days weather wise (7/30) of the summer so that our choice of an outdoor location worked for us. I did have two issues with the venue. One, we were told that we could hold our cocktail hour in the art museum with the carousel. We thought it would be a lot of fun to get the guests moving from venue to venue. Three months before our wedding we were told that due to the current exhibit, we could not hold it there. We did panic for a bit and had to change both our cocktail hour and reception location. I love what we then chose and it worked for us. But I would warn you about annoying changes like that. Secondly, the general energy over there is challenging to work with before your wedding. The staff isn't there to plan your event, emails are returned very late, and you know that you're not dealing with a resort or country club. I get that now, and still am thrilled we were there. The day of was fantastic- really, really good. So when they are finally focused on you, you get the star treatment. Rides for my guests, water in the bridal suite, chairs set up in plenty of time, etc.
Erin at Artworx: A++: Erin, of course, Erin! I found her on this board and of course she was amazing! She had a personal emergency to deal with the week of my wedding and she stayed in touch and showed up on time with an assistant to help out since I had asked for a last minute change for my wedding party. She is a very positive spirit, just the type of person you want to sit with as you calm your nerves on the big day. Her pricing is very fair, and feel free to speak up during your trial. We did three different looks for me, starting out with one that is very popular these days, but we both agreed it just didn't work for me. People are still raving over my hair (long hair swept back into four small loose buns- looked amazing!).
I'm still choosing pics from my photographer, so won't list him yet. I think I have the major ones covered here. Good luck to all the brides- feel free to pm me if you have any questions.