I don’t post much on this board, but I wanted to share my experiences in the hopes of helping to make your decisions a little easier! I was married on April 24, 2010 to the love of my life and the day was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t have asked for more! Feel free to private message me or send me an email at: figs181@yahoo.com for more information or contact information!
Mr. Cheesecake (Cake):A+++++ John at Mr. Cheesecake did an amazing job on our wedding cake. We chose a strawberry swirl cheesecake for all four tiers. Everyone kept commenting on how unique it was to have a cheesecake for a wedding cake and on how absolutely delicious it was! One of the things I absolutely love about Mr. Cheesecake is that our colors were black, white, and periwinkle blue. We used the damask pattern throughout and I really wanted a black damask pattern on the cake. Most bakers use a dark brown piping because black will bleed onto the white icing of the cake. Not Mr. Cheesecake! They found a new material (I believe John called it molding chocolate) that they can tint to any color and it will not bleed…so needless to say, the damask pattern was black not brown!!! I would definitely recommend this baker to anyone. They were very easy to work with, the best price in town (seriously…$3.75 per person), and the cake is absolutely mouthwatering!!
Mr. Florist (All Floral Including Shepherd’s Hooks):A+++++ Michael with Mr. Florist is so talented! All of our flowers were so beautiful. I didn’t want to put my bouquet down! Michael did a fantastic job staying within our budget (which was quite small) and was very easy to work with. With a small budget one would expect small bouquets or cheap flowers…but mine weren’t at all! The quantity and quality of flowers far exceeded my expectations. I will definitely be using Mr. Florist for any of my future floral needs…Michael has a very creative eye and comes up with the most beautiful arrangements!
U.S. Tent Rental (Ceremony Chairs):B U.S. Tent wasn’t too bad; everything went pretty smoothly with them with a few minor issues. First, when I signed the contract with them, it took about three emails for them to get the venue address correct…which isn’t a big deal. Secondly, I paid an extra $100 to have the chairs picked-up at 6 p.m. the day of the wedding (after the ceremony was over) because the venue did not have a place to store the chairs until the next day or Monday. It wasn’t until 10 p.m. that I noticed the chairs were still there! I called them first thing Sunday morning and left a message, but I never received a call back. I called the venue on Monday to thank them and apologize for the chair fiasco and found out that they were there picking them up right then…at 4 p.m. on MONDAY! We called them again and got someone on the phone, explained the situation, and they promised to refund us the $100 fee. They claim we will have a check in about a week. Other than these few issues, the chairs were set up beautifully and were clean.
Stoneybrook Golf and Country Club – Sarasota (Ceremony and Reception):A++++++++++++ Kathleen with Stoneybrook is the BEST! From the very first time we stepped foot in the clubhouse at Stoneybrook we were wowed. I believe our exact words were “This is it…I don’t care how much it costs…we’ll figure it out!”. The clubhouse was remodeled in 2008 and the décor is just beautiful! Within 5 minutes we signed a deposit check and were so very happy! Kathleen gave us a big hug and beamed “Welcome to the Stoneybrook family!”. Throughout the planning process Kathleen was more than patient with my questions and always returned my phone calls and/or emails promptly. She was very accommodating as well. Anything we needed, she was there to provide. Most venues have ugly banquet tables, but not Stoneybrook! We loved the rich look of the dark wood so much we didn’t even use table linens! I was very surprised when she told us we could do that! Oh my goodness…the food…the food was so delicious! My husband and I were determined to eat…and I’m so glad we did! The menu choices were Chicken Caprese (chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes and mozzarella), Prime Rib, and a vegetarian dish which turned out to be, according to my guests, the best stuffed pepper they ever ate! I have received nothing but wonderful feedback in regards to the food. Everyone said the food was cooked to perfection and was so flavorful. As far as event coordination goes, Kathleen did an amazing job. The timing of everything was spot on and I couldn’t have asked for more! About every half hour or so, when I was not busy with a guest, or some other mind spinning task, Kathleen came to me and asked if there was anything I needed, if everything was running to my expectations, etc. The wait staff was great as well…all of our guests felt they were more than taken care of. I absolutely recommend this venue to anyone! All aspects of my experience with this venue have far exceeded my expectations. I have to mention, the package pricing is fabulous as well…they were the cheapest in town and the most beautiful and friendly!
Kyle Lynn Weddings (Hair and Make-Up):A+++++ Darlina with Kyle Lynn did a fabulous job on all the hair and make-up! She did all of the hair for my 6 bridesmaids as well as my hair and make-up. All of the girls looked great and the styles held all day and night! When I met Darlina for my trial run, I instantly knew we were going to work well together. She is a true professional and a perfectionist, much like myself. She is such a sweet person and made everyone feel very comfortable, almost like we had all been friends for years! I could not believe how beautiful everyone looked! Once she was finished with me, everyone kept telling me how beautiful I was and how I looked like a Bridal Barbie or a model. I have to admit…I wish I knew how to do my own make-up like that! The make-up was very natural and I didn’t feel like it was caked on or it would melt in the hot sun. It lasted all the way through the day and night without any touch-up’s. One of my biggest pet peeves is the prices salons charge brides for an up-do…they jack the price way up as soon as they find out it’s for a wedding, and even more so if you request a stylist come to you. So, naturally I was more than pleased with the pricing Kyle Lynn offers. I would recommend Darlina to any bride!
Town and Country Limousine:A+++++ Jason with Town and Country Limousine was great! He arrived early and had the limo stocked with cold bottles of water. Again, another pet peeve of mine is the fact that once a limo company finds out you are requesting a limo for a wedding they automatically charge you for a three hour minimum. Not Town and Country! I only needed the limo to pick us up at the hotel we got ready in and drop us off at Stoneybrook. They were more than accommodating and only charged me for a “transfer”. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a limo, for any occasion!
Treviso at Ringling (Rehearsal Dinner):A++++++++++ Ann Marie with Treviso is wonderful! We had quite a large number of guests for our rehearsal dinner, since most people were coming from out of town. We had a tasting with Ann Marie a few months before the wedding and everything was delicious! The night of the rehearsal dinner was great! They did a wonderful job setting up the tables and the service staff was very professional and attentive. I didn’t hear a single complaint! I was a little under the weather (I had no voice) and one of the waiters immediately brought me hot tea and added fresh rosemary to the teapot to help aid in the healing process…he even sent me home with a to go container full of it too! I thought that was so sweet of him! It must have helped, because my voice was significantly better in the morning and by the end of the day it was pretty much completely back despite all of the talking I did Friday and all day Saturday. Overall, Treviso was wonderful and I would recommend them to anyone! Our guests were very impressed!
Studio Four Photography (Engagement and Wedding Photos):A+++ Horatio with Studio Four is amazing! I have to admit, I was a little nervous about him, as my husband had hired him for something business related and he dropped the ball a little on that, and he is hard to get a hold of, but for the most part, he was great! From our first meeting, we knew he was unbelievably talented and a very fun person. We hit it off immediately and spent close to 3 hours talking about everything but the wedding! I hate having my photo taken and it shows…in most pictures I have a stupid look on my face, but Horatio made me feel very comfortable in front of the lens and I was able to relax and enjoy the process. Our engagement photos came out beautifully and the teasers he posted on his blog are so beautiful I’m antsy with anticipation to see the rest! Horatio has a great eye and his shots are not the standard robot poses. He is fun and brings out the inner model in you! His style is very “artsy” as well as photojournalistic…which I love about him. He is also incredibly accommodating. Halfway through our planning process we were hit hard financially due to the economy and had to cut our budget in half. We spoke with Horatio about having to downsize and he and Veronica (his wife and business partner) were gracious enough to help us out on the photography budget, of which we are more than grateful! I would definitely recommend him!
Comfort Inn and Suites University Park (Bridal Suite and Block Rooms): A++++
The staff at the Comfort Inn were great! From the moment my guests began checking in they were so excited for us! They all wanted to see the dresses and offer words of congratulations. The rooms are so comfortable and spacious. I booked the executive suite to get ready in along with all of my girls and it was plenty of room. When it comes to Out of Town Bags, most hotels like to hand them out when the guests check in, but Comfort Inn actually placed them in the individual rooms, which I thought was a very nice touch! While the girls were getting ready, there was a slight issue with one of the girls zipper and they actually sent maintenance up with a pair of pliers to attempt to get the zipper up! I couldn’t believe it…he actually tried to get the zipper up himself! I love how accommodating they were! The location is great too…right near the interstate and tons of restaurants, bars, and shopping to keep your guests busy!