These reviews helped me so much as I was planning my wedding, so I thought I'd share my experiences with you all. Happy planning!!
WEDDING PLANNER - Camilla Dominguez, Corazon Events (5 of 5) Camilla at Corazon was a lifesaver!!! I originally hired her strictly for day-of coordination, but she ended up being much more than that--she was my sounding-board and my friend. I had a vision of beautiful, elegant, AMAZING wedding and she helped me achieve that (even if she said a fall-colored wedding couldn't be elegant ;-) Cost-wise, I don't think she is the cheapest, but as people say --- you get what you pay for. She was very knowledgable and went above and beyond to make my day incredible. Her personal relationships with various vendors saved me money (and even the my butt!!!) on more than one occasion. Simply put, Camilla at Corazon Events is amazing at what she does. If you have room in your budget for a wedding coordinator, I don't believe it could be better spent anywhere else. And even if you don't... I truly, truly think it would be worth it to cut something else.
CEREMONY VENUE - Albuquerque Biopark (4 of 5)
From the moment I became engaged, I knew I wanted our ceremony to be at the Biopark. Iit's gorgeous, and I love how it's outdoors but still feels intimate and sacred. The staff was relatively easy to work with, but they have a ton of restrictions -- you only have three hours, no this, no that, etc. Despite the restrictions (and perhaps because of them) everything went beautifully...literally 
The only thing that was a bit off -- and I'm not even sure it was the Park's fault--was the fact that there was a bit of a mix up at the rehearsal. A couple and their wedding party and guests showed up at 4.30 for their wedding ceremony, but I think they were booked at 6, since that's the rule. I don't know what happened, but it was strange for sure!
CEREMONY MUSIC - Giovanni String Quartet (5 of 5)
Giovanni Strings was amazing and so was the price!!! Karl, the violinist, I believe??, was responsive and easy to work with prior to the wedding, and the day of was no different. They were on time, dressed appropriately and professional. They sounded lovely at our wedding ceremony and even learned custom songs for us (Under the Bridge, Nothing Else Matters, I'm Yours and Sweet Child O' Mine). They just rocked -- I don't know what else to say. We got and still get tons of compliments. If you are looking for elegant music for an event, don't hesitate to go with the Giovanni String Quartet. They were the most inexpensive of the quartets we looked at and their performance was nothing short of stunning.
OFFICIANT- Awakened Weddings, Linda Mertz (4 of 5)
Linda Mertz at Awakened Weddings was great. My wedding planner was unexpectedly able to show up for our rehearsal and Linda took charge without skipping a beat. We got many compliments on our beautiful ceremony and about how nice and refreshing the officiant was. The price was competitive, too. The only issue I had that caused some family drama was the fact that despite being told at the rehearsal that both of my parents should be asked "Do the father and mother of bride give blessings...." she only mentioned my mom at the actual ceremony. It was an honest mistake, but it did cause some heartache for us later. Regardless, I would highly recommend Linda.
RECEPTION VENUE - Marriott Pyramid North (4 of 5)
I booked the Marriott Pyramid over a year before my wedding. I looked at practically EVERY venue in Albuquerque and for the money, professionalism and "bang for my buck," I couldn't beat the Marriott Pyramid North. Planning was a breeze and Jackie, the wedding coordinator, was amazing and always got back with me promptly. They were willing to work with everything I wanted and made our night amazing. The only complaint I had is the food---it wasn't awful by any means, but it was standard "wedding food," if you know what I mean.
RECEPTION/DINNER ENTERTAINMENT - Los Primos, Juan Lucero (4 of 5)
Los Primos played during dinner at our wedding and, simply put, they were amazing!! I'm a native New Mexican and wanted a taste of NM without going overboard and Los Primos was perfect. Their selection of songs was great (oldies, rancheras, etc.), and they even played requests. They were just the right volume -- you could appreciate the music, but you could still have dinner conversation. Our guests loved them, too, and we still get compliments about them. The only complaint I had--and it is minor--is that there wasn't a lot of communication prior to my event. It turned out to be okay, though, because they ended up not needing any direction from me (unlike a few of my other vendors..............). All that said, if you are considering hiring them you will not be disappointed. They were very professional and the entertaining...what more could you want?
DJ - Complete Music, Max (3.5 of 5)
Complete Music was great to deal with and very professional throughout the planning process, however the DJ's performance was just OK. To be fair, I did give our DJ a list of songs we wanted played, but it was kind of obvious that it wasn't "happening" with the guests... I wouldn't have minded if he'd strayed from our playlist to make sure everyone was having a good time, but instead no one really danced. I know I should have said something, but it's a busy night and that just really didn't occur to me... I would recommend with the caveat that you be clear with your DJ about not just the music you want, but the vibe/scene you want at your event.
PHOTOGRAPHER - Sweet William Photography (4.5 of 5)
The photography was the most important aspect for my husband and I as we went about planning our wedding, and Sweet William Photography didn't disappoint. Will was professional and prompt throughout the planning process, and on the wedding day he was early to the event and very willing to work with all our needs. The images were gorgeous and we get so many compliments on them. Our wedding was special in itself, but Will was able to capture all the unique moments that made it "ours." The only thing I regret is that we didn't get more "traditional" pics, but that wasn't necessarilty his fault. Most of the family left and since our wedding was late and outdoors, there wasn't a lot of daylight to get them done. Regardless, I'm so glad we went with Will... if you're looking at photographers, definitely give him a call. He's not the cheapest by far, but he's reasonable and his work is outstanding.
FLORIST - Albuquerque Florist (10!!!!! of 5)
For some reason, the florist was the last vendor that I booked for my wedding. I guess I just didn't find anyone that I truly trusted to carry out my "vision" for the flowers at my wedding (in my price range)--until I visited Nancy at Albuquerque Florist. She truly went above and beyond at the consultation and even made a small flower arrangement to show us what the centerpieces would look like---and let us keep it. On the day of the wedding, they were prompt and everything was done on time. I didn't see any of the setup prior to the reception, but when I walked in to the ballroom, it took my breath away. Seriously. For the small price I paid, I had huge, beautiful, luscious centerpieces that were truly amazing. I don't know how else to say it--Nancy did such an awesome job that looked like I spent 10x what I did. Believe me, if you go with Nancy and Albuquerque Florist, you will not be disappointed.
BAKERY - A Cake Odyssey (5 of 5)
I visited Cakes by Karyn (now A Cake Odyssey on north 4th St) twice before officially booking them for my wedding. The first time I had just come down with a terrible stomach flu and, obviously, I was so NOT into trying wedding cake, but went through with it anyway. My mom and sister tried the cake and liked it, so I decided to come back for another tasting later w/ my then-fiance. They did the second tasting for free (which was awesome--I was totally expecting to pay), and my fiance and I both liked it, too, so we booked. They went above and beyond on our custom cake and even accommodated a change I had just days before the wedding. The cake itself was beautiful and delicious, and we still get compliments on it. I would wholeheartedly recommend them!
GOWN - Brides by Demetrios (3 of 5)
I found my dream gown at Brides by Demetrios, as well as my veil. The salesperson was helpful and the selection was decent, though nothing was truly special about it. I didn't have my alterations done here, but the sales transaction went well enough. I would recommend it.
ALTERATIONS - Altertracetions, Tracy Dallas (2.5 of 5)
Tracy Dallas at Altertracetions is a great seamstress to be sure. She made a few custom items for me, including a ring bearer pillow, sash, and handkerchief, and they came out WONDERFUL. I couldn't have asked for better... or for a better price. The main issue I had with her was with my gown. She put in a six-point bustle in my Demetrios gown, and it was a bit complicated. My mom and sister couldn't figure out how to make it work on my wedding day, despite her showing them how to do it. Therefore, I ended up with a lopsided gown. In addition, the bustles that they could find were ties made of ribbon (not hooks or buttons), so they would come loose every now and then and I'd trip on my dress. That wasn't the worst for me, though. The worst was the way my bodice was resewn to my gown--it created this huge wrinkle undereneath my bustline that was there all day and is visible in all of my pictures. It made my gorgeous gown look cheap. The problem lies in the fact that the bodice had to be removed from the skirt in order to be hemmed. The first time she reattached it, it was perfect. But after the fitting, she detached and reattached again to fix a small issue (which in the end would have been preferable to the way it ended up). When I went to pick up the gown, she said she was busy and didn't have time for another fitting--being that the fixes were so minor, I said okay. Biggest regret of my wedding. I know she would have fixed it if I'd tried it on, but...what can we do now? I recommend Tracy for custom work, but for your gown I'd only recommend with the caveat that you try and retry your gown.
BRIDESMAIDS GOWNS - David's Bridal (3 of 5)
I found my bridesmaids gowns at David's after looking for literally a year. The gowns themselves were gorgeous, but of average quality (two of the dresses "malfunctioned" at the wedding) and a bit overpriced. Also, they mixed the dresses up between my bridesmaids so none had the actual size they ordered. For awhile we were all panicking about alteration costs until we realized what had happened... funny now, but not then
BRIDESMAIDS SHOES - Payless Dyables (3 of 5)
The girls actually picked these out. They were reasonably priced and as comfortable as can be expected at this price point. Main issue was that the color (a navy) was NOT the same as the color sample. It was more of a cobalt than navy. It wasn't a huge deal to me, but if you're matchy-matchy, you might want to double check that their colors will really match.
EVENT LIGHTING - Evan's DJ & Lighting (5 of 5)
Evan was so amazing to work with before, during and after our wedding. I am so glad we decided to go with him for the lighting--in fact, the only regret we have is that we didn't hire him to DJ, as well. We pretty much wanted the works, including a gobo, and we got it at a price that no one around town could beat (and I'd bet they couldn't beat the service or quality, either). Everything he did was was beautiful and so elegant. We had a fall theme for our wedding and Evan's lighting totally brought it to life. If you are considering lighting for your wedding or other large event, you will NOT regret hiring Evan. He is the real deal -- personable, professional, knowledgable, and extremely good at his job.
HAIR & MAKEUP - Lavande, Jessica Jung (4 of 5)
IF YOU HAVE CURLY HAIR, GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jessica Jung, owner of Lavande--a bride/bridal-party only salon!--made me so beautiful for my wedding day. I had originally booked w/ La Bella and then with Casa Verde, but there were awful issues with both. With only two weeks left until my wedding, I was stressing pretty badly. My wedding planner, Camilla at Corazon Events, recommended Jessica and I'm SO GLAD she did. She's a bit pricier than other stylists, but OMG--she is worth it. I have very, very curly hair and no one else could keep the curls without making me look like a little girl in a pageant. Instead, she made me into a beautiful, elegant bride. Thanks to Jessica, I simply felt beautiful on my wedding day. What more can you ask for?? (I would have given a 5, but her assistant did a less than good job on one of my bridesmaids--it was just not even pretty).
LIMOS - Lucky Boyz Limo, Steve Garcia (3 of 5)
From the beginning I was not so sure about booking with Lucky Boyz just because they don't have the best reputation. That said, I wanted three matching white limos and they were the only company in town that had them. So, I booked. At first, things went really well. Steve Garcia was nice and reassuring, and the price was competitive. The problems started, though, a few days before the wedding when I confirmed the times because I hadn't heard back on the timeline that I sent to them. Thankfully, I did double check because not only did they have the time wrong, they also had me booked for two white and one black limo! There was a lot of back and forth, but finally my wedding planner (and lifesaver!), Camilla at Corazon Events, was able to get things sorted out. Things went smoothly on my wedding day and my three white limos showed up right on time, but I was seriously sweating for a couple days prior to the wedding. As it turned out, we left an item in the trunk of one of their cars and they were good about getting it back to us... basically, everything was good except that mix up right before the event, which they fixed. I'm not sure this would have happened without my wedding planner, though, so book at your own risk!