Blackstone Hotel A+++
Ashley helped coordinate a perfect wedding for us, recognizing our quirks and privacy requests. She accommodated our family who traveled from overseas, helped develop a menu with our cultural influences, and set us up with VIP keys for our guests floor. Some yummy stuff that comes to mind was Tandoori chicken, tomato chat, fish tikka salad, nali gosht, and rasmalai. We used both the Crystal Ballroom and the Hubbard Lounge for various parts of our day. They even coordinated rooftop access at neighboring Spertus Institute for us during a portion of the day. We looked at several other hotels in the beginning and are glad we went with the Blackstone.
Utsav Creations A+++++
Tanvvi created the most lovely mandap we have ever seen. The flowers, lighting, and drapery couldn't have been more perfect. They do a lot of south asian weddings but they could be beautiful for anyone really. We wanted a vibrant event, and it was hard to visualize everything beforehand, but they had a lot of great picture references to guide us along and were quick on email responses and worked alongside our planner seamlessly. Each stage was under $2500 if I remember correctly. Highly recommended.
A Zoo To You A++
If you can get past the name.... they were great. We simply wanted a baraat carriage with a classically decorated horse to highlight the arrival. The price wasn't bad either. There was a bit of traffic to deal with but otherwise, dealing with them on our wedding day was easy.
Heather Parker Photography A+++++
She was our favorite photographer after meeting with four others. I'll admit, we splurged on her but it was well worth it to have creative documentation of a day we never want to forget. Our wedding photos are better than some of our close friends' weddings that were done in NYC by much pricier companies. One thing that was very important for us was that she honor our privacy requests and she happily obliged. Very professional, and quick communication before and after the wedding events.
Maliha Khan (Makeup Artist) A+
She was very friendly and patiently listened to what I wanted, and discussed the look with me. I got a paid trial with her. She is wonderful and you won't be disappointed. On the wedding day, Maliha and Lubna Khan waited patiently and got myself and the rest of my girls done up perfectly, including my mother.
Sonal J. Shah Event Consultants A++
Sonal and the team in NYC came to me as a referral from a dear friend back home from her 2008 wedding. They helped coordinate many details we didn't have time to manage due to wrapping up post-doctoral research and my husband not being here yet with extensive traveling overseas. She was able to help coordinate logistics and check up on vendors to keep everything going smoothly. She even got candy ordered for our sweets buffet. No detail was overlooked. Well worth it even as she is across the country.