It's been almost 5 months since my wedding but better late late than never! I absolutely loved my wedding! I'm sad it's over but so happy to have the wonderful memories. It truly makes a difference in the stress level to hire seasoned professionals (if your budget allows). I can honestly say it was the happiest day of my life and a big part of that was due to the wonderful vendors I had:
Venue and Caterer: Belo Mansion A
I didn't think I would have my wedding in an old mansion cause my taste is more
more contemporary but as soon as I walked in I fell in love with the mansion's charm and uniqueness. The bride's room is very charming and sweet - there is so much space for the bridal party to get ready.Bryan was very helpful throughout the process - I didn't have or need a wedding coordinator or DOC. He took care of the small issues that came up (late guests, late flowers, etc.) We had hors d'oeuvres, wine and champagne served in the cocktail hour and although
I didn't taste them I head positive things from our guests. The food was delicious, elegant and plentiful. The service was incredible! There were so many waiters/waitresses and they were all cheerful, helpful and extremely professional. The staff was the best part - because of their professionalism I could relax and enjoy my day knowing everything would be taken care of (and it was!)
Rehearsal Dinner: Nick and Sam's Grill A
This is one of our favorite places to eat so we decided to have our rehearsal dinner there. It is on the expensive side (I think $30 per person) but the service was amazing. The event manager lost our reservation details when I called to confirm the menu choice but she offered a free toast for everyone cause of her error. My sister offered to make the dessert and
they were extremely gracious - they kept the tiramisu in their fridge throughout rehearsal and cut it up for us. FANTASTIC food and great experience!
Photographer: Kym Skyles (f8 studios) A++
I love Kym! She is amazingly talented and easy to work with. We didn't need an engagement shoot to feel at ease with her. She was in the perfect spot without being overly intrusive like some wedding photographers can be. When I first saw
our wedding slideshow I laughed and cried all over again. She is defintely worth every penny. I cannot say enough about how great she is, she loves her job and you can tell. If I could only keep one vendor, she would be the one I would keep.
Cake: Jackie Spratt A
EVERYONE commented on how delicious our wedding cake was (almond layer, pumpkin spice later and chocolate top tier)
! I had our cake tasting in the summer but wanted to incorporate a fall flavor for our November wedding. A month before our wedding, she let us have a free
cupcake with the pumpking spice we chose so that we could make the final call. It was amazing! My mouth still waters thinking of our cake. Note: She doesn't do fondant so if that's the look you are going for then she's not your baker. She may seem a bit unapproachable at first but really is a very sweet lady.
DJ: Leforce Entertainment - Robert Williams A+
Professional, tasteful and knowledgeble, Robert kept the party going despite our small number of guests. He was not the obnoxious, cheezy wedding DJ at all! We didn't have to worry at all that night - he took care of all the announcements on time and kept good music playing. Again, many people commented positively on Robert.
Florist: The Garden Gate A-
I would have given them an A+ but our bouquets and bouts didn't arrive til after the photographer arrived. The flowers were GORGEOUS though! Junior and his team did a fabulous job in translating my fall vision! Junior is a genious for sure - he will give you valuable advice - from MOB/MOG dress colors to bridesmaid shoe colors.
I cannot stress how much I loved the flowers! Although waiting times for appointments are long, it is well worth it. Junior will work with your budget, deliver a great product and provide great customer service.
Invitations: JWD Paperie A
I loved our invitations! They were so beautiful and elegant. We found JWD Paperie in Etsy and ordering was really easy. I quoted similar invitations in some of the local stores and they were at least double in price. The materials were high quality, the customer service was timely and friendly, and the price was very reasonable.
Officiant: LoveNotes - Phil Pedroza C+
We chose Phil because we wanted a bilingual ceremony. He's a very nice guy, sweet, funny and punctual but his Spanish didn't seem very confident. He also changed a few things during the ceremony - the vows I said weren't exactly the same, some things he repeated in Spanish that we had agreed would only be said in English and he also got my last name wrong during the vows (he quickly corrected himself but still). I think the Spanish made him more nervous so he might be a lot better officiating in English only.
Wedding Dress & Bridesmaid Dress: Bridal Boutique Lewisville - A
Candice was very sweet and helpful. I was on a tight budget and schedule and she helped me get the dress I wanted expedited. I hadn't enjoyed the wedding dress search until Bridal Boutique. I truly felt like a bride to be at BB.
I later saw the same dress for about $80 less at Terry Costa so it's worth doing research after you find the dress and asking for a price match.
Alterations: Maybe Sew - Leighanne A
When Becky Fowler was completely booked last year, she recommended her friend Leighanna. Leighanna was very sweet and made sure that I was 100% happy before I walked out with the dress. She was patient and took the time to listen to what I wanted.
Hotel: Fairmont Hotel A-
Creating the wedding block was extremely easy and they even set up a personalized page so you can see how much your block is filling up. They delivered the out of town bags promptly. One guest had a problem with a room being ready but they didn't book through our block, but through Expedia. I think they compensated them somehow. The best part was our wedding suite. It was amazing, huge and beautiful! We got complimentary champagne and strawberries, as well as breakfast at the executive lounge the next morning.
What a happy memory!
Hotel: Marriott Downtown B-
The event coordinator at the Marriott was sometimes unresponsive. There was construction at the hotel in the time of the event so it was not as half as nice as the Fairmont. For the price, it was ok but the rate at the Fairmont was only $10 more and was way nicer. It was partly our fault because we didn't go see the hotel beforehand since we were so busy.
