We had a great time and overall were very satisified with everyone we used!
Reception Site: B+ We had our reception at the Bellevue Berry Farm in their western barn. I found the prices to be very reasonable and enjoyed the 'country-like' feel. Overall, they were easy to work with, but I had a friend warn me to stay on top of them, and she was right. We had a glitch in communication regarding wine for the toast. We had purchased 5 cases of wine to provide a glass for everyone for the toast, and then they tried to tell me it could only be for the head table! But when I pulled out a printed e-mail where they had given me a different response, they conceded and we were able to have the wine for the toast, which the bartenders poured, and it went over fine. Also, you have to have a minimum of 200 people to rent the Western Barn, and we told them we would have 215, but when we went into decorate, the main floor was only set up of about 125. We were able to rearrange to get it closer to 215, but it was a squeeze. If you're having a bigger wedding, people will have to sit upstairs, which they failed to mention. That being said, the actual reception went over VERY well. The food was DELICIOUS and everyone had plenty to eat! We used their farm DJ and he was very easy to work with and did a nice job, plus he was reasonable. Clean-up was included in our cost, which was nice, because it was one less thing to think about. Overall, I would say they are a great place to have a reception...just stay on top of them and make sure you have things in writing!
Flowers: A+ I used Blooms in Rockbrook Village. Rachel was very easy to work with and stayed within my budget. The flowers were all gorgeous!!! Everything was well packaged and labeled, so it was easy for our flower pinner to know who got what flowers. I would definitely use Blooms again for any occasion!!
Hair/Makeup: A+ I used Stephen's Hair Studio off of 114th and Dodge. Amy, Stephen, and Kate were amazing! They did a great job with all my bridesmaid's hair and my mom's hair. Amy did my hair and makeup and I LOVED the results! She had done a practice trial at my last hair appointment (side note: she only charged me for a haircut when she did the practice), and took good notes and pictures so she was able to duplicate the results. I have really fine hair, and it held the curls all night long. Also, I rarely wear makeup and she did a good job of making it look natural. They would be great for any wedding party and their prices were reasonable!
Photography: A+ We used Angie Jones, who is based out of Grand Island, because she had done my brother-in-law's wedding. Even with a travel fee tacked on, she was still much more reasonable than anyone else we looked at. Engagement photos were included in our package and turned out GREAT! She was early for photos and even took some that we hadn't necessarily expected, but were excited to have! She was efficient and worked well with the entire wedding party and respected our wishes for the pictures we wanted. If you want to check her out, her website is:
http://ajonesphoto.smugmug.com/
Cake: A+ Lisa Gustafson (PTO president at the school I worked at) did our cake and it was beautiful, tasty, and SUPER cheap. For a 3-tiered cake, but 2 sheet cakes to serve 240 people, she charged me $225! If you would like her contact information, send me a pm and I will send it on to you.
Videography: A+ Davis Creations Video did a great job in all aspects from communication in the very beginning to recording the event. Although I haven't seen the final result yet, I am SUPER excited for when we get it!
Dress: A+ Bridal Traditions Linda was my sales consultant and she was wonderful! She helped me find a dress in my price range that fit my body well! She wasn't pushy, but knew what she was talking about. They were also helpful in setting up my alterations (they connected me with Masha, who also gets an A+- she was amazing!) and my dress was pressed and ready when I picked it up, plus they helped get it out to the car.
That's all I can think of right now, but if you have any questions about any of these, just let me know!