Hey there!! I know I didn't get married in Cincinnati, but this is my hometown board and yall were so helpful and I wanted to post any reviews I could that could help the Cincinnati ladies- I used a lot of online and Etsy vendors....and I brought my photog in from another state. Hope any of this helps!!
Paper/Invites/Calligraphy
Save the Dates- Etsy, Seller Rouxbee1 (Kristy Watts) A+
They were cute and cheap- and fleur de lis themed! Kristy is reopening her shop on May 1st, I loved her Save the Dates and will probably order some custom stationary with my new initials!!
Calligraphy-
Etsy Seller 2inspire A+++
Super inexpensive, super wonderful and super freakin fast. Love, love, love Eleanor. She (sigh) put up with Mom's last minute additions and overnighted all my stuff back to me. Her writing is GORGEOUS and not creepy old timey calligraphy, but a more modern version, which was just breathtaking and looked like I had spent a ton more than I did. I love when that happens.
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http://www.etsy.com/shop/2inspirePhotographer-
Meg Baisden Photography A+++++
(Her travel fee is included in her price- no extra $$) Seriously. All you have to do is look at her blog at
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www.megphoto.com/blog and you will not have any questions about the grade. Part planner, part therapist, all photogrpaher, I love her and her husband more than life itself. I get emotional every time I look at our engagement pictures. Yes, they are a little more pricey than some- BUT she released all of your pictures (and enhances them) on a CD for you to print out as many and however cheaply you want to do it. Yes, she has printing services, but I printed out 150 for 10-cents a piece at Walgreens for our Christmas cards, and the power to not have your pictures held hostage is wonderful. She and her husband (BOTH award winning photogs, I may add) spend 8 hours with you that day- he gets the guys and she gets the girls.
Custom Watercolor Maps for Guests- Etsy Seller designsbyrobynlove A
Since we got married St Pattys weekend and the weekend of the largest medical conference in this hemisphere, I was unable to get a room block anywhere. And since the guests were scattered everywhere, I sent out welcome packets with these maps, a letter from us, a list of places, restaurants and an article about NOLA (since many of our guests had not been before). These welcome packets opened with the map and our guests loved them! Mom framed one on really nice paper for us as a gift...HERE IS A PICTURE
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http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40600583Cootie Catcher Fortune Tellers- Etsy Seller katskrafts A+
Once I saw Katrina's work in Martha Stewart magazine, I knew I had to have Cootie Catchers. You know, the little oragami things that you used in grade school that told you who you were going to marry? Well, I had that part locked up, so we did these for the cocktail hour entertainment...with 8 trivia questions about Allan and I. Super cute, and a great way for the guests to get talking:
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www.etsy.com/shop/katskrafts">http://www.etsy.com/shop/katskrafts
Flowers- Costco and Whole Foods A+
A $100 box with a ton of calla lillies and hydrangeas from Costco. A run to Whole Foods on Magazine. Its not hard to wrap calla lillies into bundles for bridesmaids, and I called all of the florists who work out of their homes and are "cheaper", but it wasnt worth $900 for 1 bride bouquet, 4 BM bouquet and 2 kissing balls. SO glad a BM and I did this. I have heard horror stories, this wasn't one of them
Wedding Party Gifts
Bridemaids Gifts- Overstock.com A+
Fleur de lis necklaces.
Groomsmen Gifts- Perlis A+Vineyard Vines Fleur de lis silk ties
DIY Stuff that Worked Out Well:I had two
giant buckets of flip flops at the front of the dance floor. Our guests (mostly female) kicked off their shoes and wore these. After a long second line and dancing, you have got to get those heels off. Found super cheap pairs at Target, Hobby Lobby and Michaels.
This board from Martha Stewart...every guest has a pin flag with their name on it, they place it on a board on which year they met you.
Turned out 8 million times cuter than I thought it would, and I think we are going to hang it in our kitchen.
www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/flag-conversation-starter">
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/flag-conversation-starterInstead of a guest book(I am sure you get by now that this was not a stuffy event)...I bought 100 postcards when I got to town from a souvenier shop on Bourbon for like 4 for a $1. My BMs and I while getting ready addressed them to Allan and I in Birmingham, stuck a postcard stamp on them and put them out on a table with a $8 mailbox from Home Depot (yep, we put the red flag up on it) that I painted with our last name. Guests put well wishes, advice and randomt things, but thats what you get when you have an open bar and postcards. I will probably frame some and put the rest in a book.