We had an awesome wedding and our vendors were outstanding!
Venue: Memory Lane Events Center -> A+++
WOW! It is a gorgeous venue and a killer deal! They are not the cheapest, but they do give non-Saturday discounts and military discounts. Their customer service is incredible; they make you feel like you are their only customer. They returned every email in a timely manner and catered to our every need. They were organized with paperwork and easy to get along with. The facilities are outstanding; it had a open, yet intimate feel to the place. You get it the venue for 22 hours and overnight accommodations for up to 15 people INCLUDED! You won't regret it if you book Memory Lane! www.memorylaneweddings.com
Caterer: Dagars Catering -> A
The guests raved about the food and there was plenty leftover. Unlike other catering companies, they give you all of the leftovers. The service was fantastic! Their customer service was so so great; every email and communication was quickly returned with respect and kindness. We went with them because we were able to get a gluten free menu AND they worked with our budget. www.dagarscatering.com
Photography: Whitney Lee Photography (Erica Nix) -> A+
From the moment I met Erica, I knew that we would book with her. When we did an initial consult, we thought we would be doing most of the question asking but instead she was asking questions about us! It was like we were old friends getting caught up on each other's lives. A true professional through and through, she showed up on time, followed the photo shoot list I gave her, and worked seamlessly with the videographer from a different company. I don't have the photos yet but I think they are going to be beautiful. www.whitneyleephotography.com
Videography: Photo House Films -> A+
Just like Will, from the moment we met him, I knew that we would book him. Just the same as Erica, he asked more questions about us than we asked him! Very professional and made you feel like you were his only client. He captured all of the important moments and worked so well with our photographer. He arrived on time and was so easy to get along with. I am so excited to see the video when it's done. I have high hopes! www.photohousefilms.com
Baker: Loraine's Cakes -> A
Loraine Foxhoven runs a baking business out of her home through the Texas Cottage law (or whatever it's called). I have so many great things to say about her! I wanted a chocolate gluten free cake. She met with me for a tasting and none of the flavors where chocolate and the cake was falling apart. I told her about a terrific gluten free flour and opted for a second tasting. We got along so great I was confident in her customer service, but the cake wasn't up to par...yet. She thanked me for the feedback and tried again. The cake was AMAZING!! I booked her as soon as I took my first bite. On the day of the wedding the cake was EXACTLY was we discussed and all of my guests raved about it. Her prices are extremely reasonable too! She even left us a story book about love as a wedding gift. So thoughtful! Hire her! www.lorainescakes.com
Dress: Diane's Bridal Boutique -> A
Located in Fort Worth, Dianes is a small bridal shop. They have hours by appointment only. Every time I called, I got voicemail, but they returned by calls within one or two days. My sisters and mom live outside of Texas, so I wanted to Skype with them during the dress appointment. Diane's was kind enough to accommodate that, even though they've never done that before! I was the only bride in the shop, so there wasn't a frenzy of customers and I had the attendant's full attention. There was also a trunk show going on (a sale) so I was able to save a little bit of money. I got the dress when they said it would be delivered, and the order was correct. That was very important considering I had a 6 month engagement. www.dianesbridalboutique.com
Tuxedos: Men's Warehouse -> A
We placed the order for the tuxedos in Missouri (that's where his family lives) but picked them up in Texas. This was never an issue; they had our order, absolutely correct down to all of the details. There customer service was impeccable as well. Very friendly and gave us lots of deals. All the tuxedos fit perfectly.
Bridesmaid dresses: Landy Bridal on Amazon -> D+
Absolute nightmare! DO NOT ORDER DRESSES ONLINE! They arrived earlier than expected, but that was the only nice thing. They didn't have size tags in them, and they were two different shades of purple! They ran out of one color and started the other with a different shade. So I ordered two more and returned them, only to be given an address to a closed office building! Since they don't speak English very well, it was tough to communicate with them that they had to go to UPS to pick them up. I did get my money back, and the replacement dresses were ok. They were hemmed and apparently they were horribly hemmed to begin with. I gave them a horrible review on Amazon. I tried saving my bridesmaids money but it wasn't worth the hassle.
Rings: Shane Co. -> A+
We got all of our rings with them and we couldn't be happier. They are totally interested in your needs, rather than making sales. They educate you on the products and listen what you are looking for. They give a lifetime warranty to their products and have free cleanings every 6 months. They spent a lot of time on the phone with my husband when he was picking out the stone for the engagement ring. They also were flexible with payments. They helped us out with ordering at one store and shipping our rings to somewhere else (which arrived on time and with the correct order). I highly recommend them! www.shaneco.com
Invitations/STD: Minted.com -> A
Great service to deal with! It's an online collaboration of independent designers. We were able to find what we were looking for within our budget and we had a spectacular end product. We got a LOT of complements on our STDs. They came on time and exactly as we ordered them. You can customize your orders and all on lots of options (ie paper type, envelope liners, etc) if you'd like. www.minted.com
I did all of my own flowers, hired a friend for hair and makeup, had a friend as the officiant, we didn't have any special transportation, and the DJ and the bartender were from Memory Lane. I hope this helps you all! Happy planning
