Hi everyone,
During planning I noticed that most of my vendors weren't reviewed much on the forums, if at all. And while I was incredibly comfortable and pleased with my choices, I know reading a positive review is worth A LOT. So, without further ado, my reviews.
Wedding date: Jan 21, 2012
Venue: Seasons at the Tradition Golf Course, Wallingford -
A++We looked into the Seasons about one year out from our wedding date. It was the first place we looked, and we had scheduled with a few other places to check out. We went to the Seasons and fell in love. Jen was confident and the location is beautiful. We went to a couple other places, but kept comparing back to the unique beauty and incredible price of the Seasons, and booked it shortly after. Jen and Liz were both amazing to work with. They answered emails promptly and were always willing to go the extra mile, whether it was setting up a hot cocoa bar or figuring out the best way to realize my seating/table arrangement dreams. The food was AMAZING. The chef made a tomato basil soup for us (instead of a usual pasta course) and it was amazing - every bowl went back to the kitchen empty. The meal was incredible, and the portion sizes huge. The interior appearance was my favorite part, with all hardwood floors and beautiful gabled ceilings. (I'm sure there will be pictures soon - stay tuned if you're interested!)
DJ - Todd Powers, Jock in the Box - A++Todd was AMAZING. We met with him, discussed the music we liked, what we hated, and the floor was packed the whole night. He has just the right amount of "DJ" personality without being over the top or intrusive. He was very into all of our choices and respected our decisions. Plus, about a week before the wedding, he did talk me down off a ledge (mini bride panic attack). He's a great guy, and you'll definitely be happy if you book with him.
Photographer - Tim Nosenzo, Tim Nosenzo Photo - A++Tim and his wife Margot were amazing to work with and game for anything. Our engagement session was at Union Station in New Haven. We decided rain or shine, photos would be done, and Tim made it happen. For the wedding he was thrilled for snow, and encouraged some outdoor photos. I haven't seen his work from the wedding day, but knowing the quality of his work from our engagement session as well as other weddings he's done. See photo below from our wedding day.
Flowers - Sharon Elizabeth's, Berlin - AThe truth of the matter is, I don't care about flowers, but was encouraged to get them for myself, the mothers, and a reader (my bridesmaids carried lanterns instead). My flowers were very beautiful. Callas and greens. All the bouquets were lovely. We picked up ourselves to save money. Very satisfied customers.
Make-up - Melissa Domogala, Painted You, Milford - A
Melissa and her assistant made the trip up through the storm. The make-up was airbrush and BEAUTIFUL, didn't move all night. Absolutely perfect. We had a great time with Melissa the morning of.
Dress - Stylish Impressions, Farmington - A
I bought my dress from Stylish Impressions. It was the second store I had been to. I went to Julie Allen that morning, knew which dress I wanted, tried it on, there was crying, then we went to Stylish Impressions to see if they could offer a different price, and I ended up with a completely different dress. And I felt stunning. It was tailored perfectly, the price was great, and I looked awesome. Can't ask for much more from a bridal shop.
Bridesmaid Dresses - Alfred Angelo, Manchester - A
I know there have been some less than favorable reviews for AA in Manchester, but I knew I wanted to tell my bridesmaids "AA, Hunter Green, go" and they went, picked out their dresses, they were reasonably priced, and we didn't get bad service. And the dresses were stunning. I've always loved AA, it was great.
Transportation - Kelley Transit - B
The drivers were great (we got a shuttle bus for the wedding party, and two large buses for the wedding guests). However, the wedding party driver didn't have directions to our pictures location (despite sending the itinerary a week prior to the wedding). Thank goodness for smart phones and smart grooms. We got there without incident, but it didn't set a good precedent, and concerned me about the larger bus for guests. However all of our other vendors applauded us getting the buses for our snowy winter wedding, and they were definitely used. I would recommend Kelley Transit for price, but be sure you get them an awesome itinerary (and don't be afraid to provide directions). And they easily beat board favorites DATTCO and Premier Limo for prices.
We had a truly wonderful day. It was perfect and I really wouldn't have changed anything. If you have any questions, please PM or ask me here! I had that much fun, I just want to share my positive experience with everyone
