It has been three months since my destination wedding in Charleston so these reviews are a bit late but with all the newly engaged folks on board I thought they might be helpful.
VENUE - Harborside East - B+
Due to the size of our guest list (and not wanting a hotel ballroom) there were limited choices downtown so we jumped across the river to Mt. Pleasant and were very happy with the space, view and ample parking for all of our out of town guests. Lindy was very easy to work with but be warned that there is no staff per se, from Harborside there for your rehearsal or wedding day. Only building security guards (offices upstairs) so your catering staff and having a wedding coordinator is very important. The rental fee is on the pricey side but along the lines of most venues who do not have in house catering in the area. There is a $500 refundable cleaning fee and event insurance is required. The view and grounds are beautiful for pictures and there is a covered portion of the terrace in case of weather issues.
ENTERTAINMENT - Eklipse Productions - A
Our wedding coordinator really pushed this guy on us and it was probably the best thing he did. Stephen is a classically trained pianist and does incredible mash ups and definitely knows how to keep the party going. We gave him a few recommendations but for the most part trusted him and he did not disappoint and was able to feel our guests out well. Very personable young guy and interacts well with people and followed our schedule perfectly.
WEDDING PLANNER - Winship Productions
This is a tough one. I would rather not give someone a poor grade but I was not pleased with the job done. While Michael was priced competitively and well below most, I soon figured out why. I needed someone to really take charge since I did not live in Charleston. I am a bit of a control freak but even when I gave him tasks there wasn't a great amount of follow up and most of my bridal party wasn't crazy about him at the rehearsal or wedding. Rather than go on I would just say that I would not recommend Winship unless you are prepared to do most of the work yourself.
CATERING - Cru Catering - A+
There are consistently rated the best in Charleston and they did not disappoint. Everyone talked about how wonderful the food was and how kind and respectful the staff was. We did stations so there was a lot of set up and additional staff needed but we still managed to stay within our food budget. We worked with Emily and she couldn't have been nicer and was always very quick to get back with me.
BEVERAGE - Mix Premier Bartending - A
I am ashamed to say that I never met either of the bartenders but the planning process with Craig was pleasant and efficient. I had no complaints from any guests or my parents. Definitely the most competitive prices in town considering the higher end products he offered in his packages. He also included a signature drink at no additional charge. Most importantly they never ran out of anything! Keep in mind that if you want glassware to budget for a few hundred dollars more depending on your guest list.
PHOTOGRAPHERS - Amelia + Dan - B+
The grade may be a little misleading cause our pictures turned out beautifully and in the end I am so glad we hired them even though they were significantly more expensive than many others in the area. My only complaints were that for the amount we spent a photo disc should have been included and the amount of coverage offered with our package was much too short. I gave them a small shot list but we could have used a bit more of a take charge attitude from Amelia while photographing the girls. Not a lot of suggestions just kind of followed what I told her to do. We had both Amelia and Dan and they are very pleasant and funny people and like I said, in the end it was completely beautiful with many creative shots and moments I would have never knew about had they not captured them.
FLOWERS/DECOR - Out of Hand and Ohh! Events - A
Very detail oriented staff who followed my vision perfectly and worked with me to find options within my budget. My flowers were gorgeous and they handled the linens, tables, chairs, etc. with a very reasonable labor fee.
CAKE - Cakes by Jim Smeal - A+
Definitely priced on the high end but considering the intricate design and selection of cake flavors it was worth it. He works out of his home but we were invited for a tasting. Should you schedule a tasting make sure you ask for any specific flavors you want to taste. The cake was STUNNING and we had so many compliments on the unusual flavors we selected. Highly recommended!
REHEARSAL DINNER - Magnolia's - A+
The food and atmosphere were amazing and the service was top notch. If you have a decent budget for a rehearsal we would highly recommend Magnolia's. They also have a lot next door (unusual downtown) and there are many cool bars on Bay Street within walking distance for the after party!
HAIR - Allure Salon - A
All the girls had their hair and make up down at Allure. I had Hailey and she was fantastic but does not include a trial for free. However, she was much more reasonably priced than many other stylists I checked into. They have a very lively salon and treated us wonderfully even though we kind of took over the place!
Congratulations, ladies and I hope these reviews are helpful as you move forward!