North Carolina — The Knot Community

Fairview Greenhouse

krystalaldre — Sat, 28 May 2011 16:36:00 +0000

I am going to Fairview Greenhouse to talk about flowers. If any one has worked with them please let me know what to expect! Thanks ladies

I need makeup/hair recommendations for Raleigh..help!

sksites — Sat, 28 May 2011 12:57:13 +0000

I need a makeup artist for myself, MOH, MOB, and hair for 5 laides + myself for my December wedding. I found a place that could do both hair & makeup and come to the church for a very reasonable price, but she basically sent me an email yesterday and cancelled the whole thing and cancelled on behalf of the hair stylist too for no real reason (" too difficult to commit at this time"). Anyways, I would love any recommendations you guys have!

TK Give Away!! ENDS JUNE 2, 2011

NcsuPsych — Sat, 28 May 2011 13:49:57 +0000

From Annie :

"We’re giving away a “Here Comes the Bride” gift set by philosophy. (Click the link to get product info and value.) This comes with:

hope in a jar moisturizer

purity facial cleanser

amazing grace shampoo, bath and shower gel

And

amazing grace lotion

This would be great for brides or as a gift! All that you need to do it post below to be entered and a winner will be chosen on Thursday, June 2nd!

Good luck!

Annie"

Just follow the link and post! (You have to log into the WC, but your knot info will work )

http://forums.weddingchannel.com/main.aspx/general-wedding-planning-topics_bridal-fashion_bridal-beauty-giveaway-post-enter

Where is everyone?

jmp0930 — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:52:49 +0000

Hello? Anybody out there?? This board has gotten real quiet lately. I know there are a ton of NC brides out there..but they never show up. Do any of you have any plans for this long weekend? Is anyone going to the beach or out of town? Do you have any good recipes for picnics?

Reception site

hroder — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:15:46 +0000

Hi I am thinking about having my reception at roof with a view. Has anyone heard anything good, bad or indifferent about the place?

Spa in the Raleigh Knightdale Garner area

krystalaldre — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:14:05 +0000

I am looking for a spa around the above stated areas. I want to take my girls to get pampered the day before, and then do nails hair ect. Thanks ladies!

Can you recommend a caterer around Chapel Hill?

lfpack — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:40:57 +0000

Looking for a caterer in or around the area of Chapel Hill. Anyone have any experiences?

We booked our venue!!! And boy, am I relieved.

Astrid821 — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:54:02 +0000

Ok, so I've been coming here for a few months asking about low budget venues that will allow outside caterers in the Raleigh area, I was really going out of my mind. But it worked out, we found the perfect spot!

We picked the Barclay Villa in Angier! And honestly, I was pretty surprised at myself.
The theme is very castle like, not at all the shabby chic easy going elegant that I was planning. Angier is almost an hour from RDU which I felt was a big deal for my out of town guests. But when we did the numbers we realized that most people would be driving out here and the handful that will be flying we could always go pick up and bring to the hotel. In fact the hotel closest to Barclay provides shuttles to and from the venue! No tipsy guests getting behind the wheel!! They just started letting people bring in outside caterers, the only downside is that the venue is too far for our originally planned caterer, but I'm sure we can find another. All in all, it's wasn't what we thought we were looking for but it turned out to be more perfect than I could have hoped. It is about $2k over budget but since our date is 10/6/12 we have over a year to pull in the extra cash. I do hate spending money, especially extra money, but I guess a place that has everything we really need is worth a bit more. Thank you everyone who offered suggestions!

Weather.

laurenb89 — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:11:53 +0000

I hope everybody is staying safe and sound in all of this crazy weather!! Here in WIlkes we got very bad storms today and hail. Its tornado awareness week. FYI.
Has anybody else had crazy weather and/or lots of rain/storms?

Vendor Reviews - Charlotte (long)

careyblackmar — Mon, 23 May 2011 18:06:47 +0000

I had an amazing wedding and it's because I had amazing vendors. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about any of them that I didn't answer!

Advent Lutheran - Ceremony - A+
We are not members of the church, but they allowed us to get married there after fees (of course). We had 2 counseling sessions with the Pastor who was wonderful, and both DH and I were extremely comfortable with the pastor and the ceremony. We had to book the church coordinator through them, and we were able to get the church's organist/pianist as well. Having both of those ladies as members of the church made it easy to work with them since they know how things work there. Overall it was a very pleasant experience and I would definitely recommend the church and Pastor to anyone.

The Ranson House - Reception and Bridal Portraits - A+
Rehnea is the owner of the house and also the event coordinator. She was fabulous to work with because she's very detail-oriented and has done many weddings on her property so she knows what works/doesn't, and how to save money without anybody noticing. She was basically my DOC without me having to hire one. She took care of all the rentals (tent, serve-ware, linens) and contacted all of the vendors to coordinate with them without me having to do it. She had a time-line in place so everybody knew what we needed to do the whole day, and it all went off without a hitch. The house and tent were beautiful and I couldn't have been happier. She was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her to anybody - I just wouldn't plan on using a DOC or planner, that would probably be stepping on Rehnea's toes and she does a fabulous job on her own.

A Tasteful Solution - Catering - A+
Linda was great to work with, they made the exact menu that we wanted (and even suggested alternatives just in case we wanted more options) and had a wonderful private tasting for us with the chef. The food was fabulous and the displays were very pretty. Bartenders were friendly and professional and everything was just perfect. They were a bit more expensive than I had hoped, but food was important to my parents and I'm glad we went with them.

Boston Perspective - Photography - A+
Derek Boston (owner and photographer) was an absolute pleasure to work with - both at my bridal portraits and the wedding. He made me (and everyone else!) feel so beautiful and relaxed, which was exactly what we needed! I provided him with a shot list, but it wasn't necessary because he knows exactly what to shoot already, I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I am thrilled with the portraits and wedding pictures and love that he gives us the edited photos on disk with rights to print whenever/however we want. He gave me two of my favorite bridal portraits for free so that I could choose one, and also sent me two small magnet books of my 12 favorite pictures. I gave the booklets to my mom and MIL because I knew they'd want to take them to work. He went above and beyond with us and was just wonderful - probably my favorite vendor of the day.

Deborah Bell and Company - Florist - A-
Deborah works out of her home in Cornelius and does one wedding per weekend, which means you'll have her undivided attention for your wedding/event. She is a true artist and her work is beautiful. She was my most difficult vendor (clearly not THAT difficult) simply because she is very design-oriented, and I'm not. It was sometimes difficult to understand her vision or to get a prompt email, but in the end everything was where it needed to be, on time, and looking perfect. I have no complaints about the flowers at all, but just the process of getting to the end product. It took extra patience on my part to try and understand what she was picturing and why she seemed to over-react about certain things. But overall she was a very nice lady, I respected her method, and her work spoke for itself. Just be prepared for her to be a bit high-strung and you'll be fine.

The Party House - Cake - A
I heard about the Party House in Kannapolis through one of my bridesmaids whose friend used them. The cake designer (still don't know his name) is only in a few days a week, so call ahead before you go in to make sure he's there. She and I went in January to speak to him and he told us to come back a month before our weddings. I went in in mid-March to order the cakes for my April 30 wedding and rehearsal dinner. The only directions I gave him about what I wanted the wedding cake to look like was white cake and icing, some scrolling, 3 tiers, provided him with navy ribbon, and feed 170. The wedding cake was extremely affordable and tasted great. They also delivered. I got the groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner from there too, and it was a sheet cake with a Block-S for NC State and cost $75 but they would not deliver for that one. We had tons of extras of both cakes and were extremely pleased with them.

David's Bridal Charlotte Northlake - Wedding Dress - A
I went in on a Friday and it was really quiet so I enjoyed the experience. I gave the sales lady some pictures of what I was looking for and she picked out 5-7 dresses and one was it. I was in and out in less than an hour and was pleased with the experience. The dress came in about a month and a half later and I had no issues with them at all. Overall, a really easy experience.

All The Right Grooves - DJ - A+
Bethany was exceptional. I found her from this board and am SO thrilled that I booked them. Everybody's right - run, don't walk, to book them. She was the perfect emcee but wasn't obnoxious. She kept the party going and the dance floor was always full. She even gave us a CD of our must-play list as a surprise. She was an awesome DJ and I hope to see her at other friends' weddings in the future!

Trolleys, Inc. - Transportation - A+
I worked with Richard originally but was told he's moved to another city. They were great, we rented a trolley for the bridal party and also a shuttle bus for the guests. I gave them the addresses, times, and details of pickups and drop-offs and they made it happen. I only met the trolley driver but he was great. They let us bring alcohol on the trolley and bus, and everybody got everywhere safely. It was definitely worth the cost to ensure that all of our guests could enjoy themselves responsibly.

Casey Nelson - Make-up - A
I found Casey from a lot of internet searching. I she was cheapest bridal make-up artist that I could find ($95 wedding day and $25 trial) and she came to the salon to do me, my mom, and sister while we were getting our hair done. She's really nice and did a great job, I just wish she had done a little more on my mom and sister because I don't feel that they got their $60 worth of make-up. I guess they should have asked for more, but we all looked great.

Men's Wearhouse - Tuxedos - A
We booked with the one at Southpark but the guys picked them up at the Northlake location. As far as I know, everybody got their correct sizes and colors, and it seemed to be a pretty straight-forward transaction.

Olga - Alterations - A+
I booked Olga in August for fittings starting in January for my April wedding. I drove from Charlotte 3 times (2 fittings, 1 to pick-up) to see her and I think it was worth it. She was so nice and made me feel beautiful in the dress. She transformed it completely and it was done in a week. She took it in a few inches, added the elastic band and cups, and hemmed it. I didn't get her to steam it since I had to drive it back to Charlotte anyway. The bustle was a 5-point French which looked perfect at her house but we couldn't duplicate it because I had the dress dry-cleaned and the numbers came off of the ties. Woops. I also think a point or 2 may have torn off from the dancing/being stepped on at the reception, but neither was her fault. She did a great job and I would make the trips again to use her.

Catering Companies in and around Chapel Hill?

lfpack — Sat, 21 May 2011 19:55:00 +0000

I'm looking for recommendations or warning concerning catering companies in and around Chapel Hill. I'd love to spend around $50 a head but who knows if that's really possible nowadays? I'm a foodie and a huge lover of the farm to table movement so I'm interested in seasonal and Southern fare with local ingredients (helps with the cost too). I'd also love it if the company was all inclusive (help with planning, linens, tables/chairs, dinner and drink ware, etc). When it came to scouring Chapel Hill and Durham I decided that the best fit for me was to find a venue that allowed outside caterers simply because food is super important to me and I want a creative spread. Any ideas ladies? Thank you so much!

Helium Rental in Charlotte

perezjl — Thu, 19 May 2011 01:13:07 +0000

Hi y'all,

I'm getting married in the Lake Norman area, and I was hoping to blow up a few 36" balloons to use in photos. I'm going to have to rent a helium tank (it takes so much helium using the little disposable ones would be way too expensive). Anybody have any experience renting helium tanks in this area? I can't find anything useful on Google. Help!

Hair & Makeup in RDU (for a group)

stillaney — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:36:48 +0000

Any suggestions for a talented and affordable group of stylists where my BMs and I can get our hair (and my makeup) done in or near Durham? We want to get ready together and sip champagne, but hiring one or 2 people to come to us at the hotel would take forever.

Tableclothes

Kalithia — Sat, 21 May 2011 17:35:08 +0000

So I am having an outside wedding and have no decorations yet. I'm going with Picnic at the Gardens theme since my ceremony and reception will be at the same location at a B&B. My colors are lavendar and white but using a bunch of purple colors as well but not anything too dark! Would I be crazy to want checkered lavendar or purple and white table clothes? I have no idea where I can get them!

PSA: Old Navy

NcsuPsych — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:02:41 +0000

Hey Ladies!

This was passed on to me from a former knottie :)

Saturday only, starting at 7am (most stores), Old Navy has their flip flops for $1 (solid colors). Limit 5 per customer.

I know a lot of ladies, espeically for the beaches, get these for their WP and guests at the reception. . . .so if youre up for the crowd, you can get some savings :)

Mama Dips-Chapel Hill

jmp0930 — Wed, 18 May 2011 22:57:34 +0000

Has anyone ever eaten here? I was telling my boss that I needed some ideas for restaurants for our rehearsal dinner and he recommended Mama Dips. I told him that my family is from New Jersey and I really wanted to have a southern style meal and he said Mama Dips would be a good choice. I've never been, but has anyone been here before? If so, do you think its a good idea for a rehearsal dinner location? Thanks!!

Did any of you go to a wedding in downtown Raleigh last night?

shigaites — Sat, 21 May 2011 15:40:55 +0000

And lose your video camera? If you did, I may have it! You can contact me here or on the craigslist ad my husband posted on the Raleigh lost and found board. If we don't find the owner by Monday we're going to drop off the camera at the parking lot management where we found it.

Places to eat near Bridal Mart

jennieweaver1 — Fri, 20 May 2011 23:50:36 +0000

Hey girls, SUPER last minute here. So I am going to pick up my dress from Bridal Mart with my mom tomorrow (SO excited!!) And we wanted to get lunch afterwards. We both love sushi so if there is anything like that close that would be awesome, but we aren't picky so any good places that are sort of quick would be great. Any ideas? :)

am i the only one??

reegurl — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:34:30 +0000

am i the only knottie who doesn't live in raleigh or some other major city in NC? i live in a tiny town that's 30 mins from everything.....i don't often find advice from people who live out in the country that aren't planning to have their wedding in a major city...am i the only one?? i wish i could find advice and reviews on vendors that are a little more local.

Wedding Vendor Reviews

shigaites — Thu, 12 May 2011 01:19:21 +0000

So I know it's been AGES since I posted but moving and starting new jobs and the wedding all got in the way :(

Anyway, I wanted to post reviews of vendors we used now that the wedding is all done :)

Photography: Story Photographer Grade: A

Ashley and David did an amazing job! They showed up right on time, made sure formals didn't take too long, and were tons of fun and great to work with. We just got back the preview photos (so fast!) and they look amazing!! Much better than I could have hoped for. I highly recommend these guys!

Catering: Catering by Design Grade: A

Greg made a Mexican buffet for us and a nacho bar for the cocktail hour. The nacho bar was a HUGE hit! I think even Greg was surprised at how popular it was. Everyone raved about the food and the bartender. Greg listened to what we wanted and delivered what we expected!

DJ: John aka JT Bucky Grade: A

John was a last minute decision on our part and ended up being amazing! We played exactly the sort of music we wanted and he even threw in a few surprises for us. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect since we hired him a few days before the wedding but I'm so glad we did. He kept people on the dance floor the entire night and my family can't stop raving about him.

Venue: Surfside Center, Surf City, NC Grade: A

This venue is fantastic if you're having a smaller wedding like we did. The manager of the venue is super sweet. He even mailed me back the card I had written my vows on when he found it left behind. The price was phenominal and included tables and chairs. You can't really beat an oceanfront venue for only $300.

Florist: Lee's Flowers, Raleigh Farmers Market Grade: A-

They did a great job with the flowers for our centerpieces. I honestly didn't give them much direction on what to do and they came up with amazing bouquets for only $12 each. My only complaint is they had A LOT of greenery as well so we had to spend time paring that back so the bouquets would fit in the mason jars. I'm sure if I had asked for less greenery they would have done that but I didn't really think about it when I was ordering.

So overall an amazing experience with all of our vendors! You can see some pictures of our day here: http://storyphotographers.com/?p=3037

Wilmington Area

ldavis1125 — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:50:07 +0000

I just recently got engaged and am finding that the Wilmington area is very popular for weddings from people across the state/nation! I am looking for a place to have the ceremony and reception, currently looking in the Brunswick County area and a little in the Topsail area... I want a ocean, lake or some sort of body of water view but not on the beach. Would love some live oaks.... Any ideas on venues?

Wedding Video

BOXERPUMA10 — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:48:41 +0000

Hi Ladies-

I was on my wedding month board (September 2011) the other day and someone posted this wedding video. http://vimeo.com/23780680 (Hope that link works so you can see it). But I just love how they turned it into somewhat of a music video. Does anyone know or recommend anyone in the Charlotte area that can do this?

Thanks so much

For Sale: Wedding Dress, MOB Dress, Ring Bearer Pillow

kgaliger — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:50:03 +0000

For Sale:

1. MOB Dress from DB: $55 -Size 10

The jacket comes off to a cute dress with spaghetti straps. It's been cleaned since the wedding and is ready to go.

2. Ring Bearer Pillow $25: Creamy white satin with pale pink and brown accents

3. Carolina Herrera Wedding Dress: $900
(Purchased at Alexia's bridal boutique in Cary, NC)

Silk Mikado A-line dress w/slight sweetheart neckline and chapel train.
Gorgeous cherry blossom lace **side note you can take the lace out and redo the top of the dress w/another lace**
Due to a very small hole on strap (I'm assuming this was done at the cleaners) it should probably be made into a strapless dress - or redone w/another lace. This would give you the opportunity to take a couture dress and put your own spin on it, by changing the lace.
Otherwise it's in perfect condition and has been cleaned as well - no stains.
Size 10 - I was about a street size 8 for the wedding
I'm 5'5 and had 4+ inch heels on for the wedding. So it'll fit someone up to 5'8 though there is an additional 1-2 inches in the hem that could be let out.
Originally a $4500 dress

MOB Dress:

Pillow:

Link to dress via photographer's blog:

http://www.loganjarrard.com/blog/winston-salem-wedding-photography-jay-kristi/

Where can I sell my dress?? Oleg Cassini BNWT

c456961 — Thu, 12 May 2011 22:39:33 +0000

I know chances are slim for selling a wedding dress, but I have an Oleg Cassini wedding gown (Style #CWG365). It is size 4p in ivory. I purchased the gown for $950+tax and am asking $500 cash or best offer. The dress has never been worn or altered and still has all the tags attached. I absolutely love the dress, but we have decided to have a small ceremony with a Justice of the Peace, and I no longer will need the gown.

Does anyone have any other recommendations on where to sell dresses (websites, consignment shops, etc.)??? So much appreciation for any ideas!

Small Ceremony...Large Reception?

sannas252 — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:32:19 +0000

My family thinks that the idea of having a family-only ceremony and larger reception is completely blasphemous! What do you guys think? Do you think it would hurt people feelings if they got invited to a reception but not the ceremony? Has anyone else done this?

Bridal Portrait Locations...HELP!!

MBS0310 — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:59:39 +0000

Hi Ladies,

I dont normally hang out on this board as I currently live in Texas. However, I am from Charlotte and my parents still live there and I am considering having my bridal portraits done there. Long story short, I bought my dress there and my mom has it b/c they wouldnt ship it to me (and its cheaper for me to take it home than ship :)) so my mom wants me to do pictures there! I have lived there forever and should know good places for portraits, but dont! :) haha never had to pay attention to that kind of thing! We live in the huntersville/ Lake Norman area. I am thinking something outside, water would be nice also, but not necessary. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Countdowns...

uneek1323 — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:11:35 +0000

11 days until the wedding but 8 days until I'm back in NC again!! I can't wait to land in RDU and step back into NC for the wedding weekend!

Your advice needed!

Knot Carrie — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:57:03 +0000

Hi ladies,
We're collecting input from experienced brides for our North Carolina Knotties who are just starting to plan their big day. Do you have any words of wisdom to share?
We'd love to share your advice!

Thanks for your time!

Carrie

A few pix

tarheelbabs — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:12:48 +0000

Okay, we've got a few pix, courtesy of my very efficient college roomie. They're up on my FB page: www.facebook.com/barbarajacksonnc" class="url">facebook.com/barbarajacksonnc

You actually don't have to friend me to look at it. I figure my life is an open book anyway. :-) I hope more will come soon--espcially some before I got hot and my face flushed. I've been a flusher since I was a small child. Not much you can do about it. Nice thing about professionally retouched photos!!!!

aleighk1

NcsuPsych — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:03:53 +0000

Hey! You've got a PM