Reception- Brookshire Event Facility -
A+: We knew that this was the place the moment we started talking to Joy when we started looking for reception. Joy and Jennifer were awesome to work with and able to accomodate any variation to their package that we could come up with. We decided to serve a family style meal, which usually comes with one entree- we added a second. We wanted a champagne toast and craft beers, but no liquor, all of which was easily do able. The food was SO good.
One of the best parts of Brookshire is the fact that all of the vendors we needed were included in the package. Since we live out of town, that was amazingly helpful.
The florist- Shirley Miller, contacted me about two days after we signed the contract and did the center pieces as well as our bouquets, boutinerres and corsages. She was very creative and we used Christmas ornaments to add sparkle to everything.
The DJ system was great- we selected 100 songs we liked and what should be played for what song (first dance, etc) and the DJ worked with that, plus requests. He was great at making our song choices make sense, adding things that were better for dancing, subtracting things that were crap. He really kept the party going.
As for the cake- Carrie, the baker, was great, I think, I didn't get a chance to sit and eat my piece, but everyone loved it, especially the spice cake. The only downside is that we requested a filling flavor on the white cake but think she didn't put it on. It was still really good and no one missed it.
Ceremony- St. Peter's Episcopal- So I can't rate a church like it's a vendor. This is the church I attended growing up and really never pictured getting married anywhere else. It is a beautiful old church in downtown Delaware and I spent tons of time there as a kid. Father Charles, who started as the priest there after I moved away, quickly caught on to my husband and my personalities and dynamics as a couple and did a great job of incorporating it into his homily. The alter guild, whom I've known since I was a kid, made the church look perfect for the night. The organist was great as well. If you're in the market for an Episcopal church, I really do love the place.
Dress- Trumpington Bridal- A: So, to be completely fair, I tried on 2 dresses and bought the first one and was in and out of the store in an hour. The owner of Trumpington was helping me and at no point did she pressure me to even look at other dresses once I found the one, even though it was on sale (and she discounted it further). After I tried on the second dress and put the first back on, she grabbed a veil which had the same lace edging as the dress and that was it. A friend recommended Trumpington and I would recommend it to everyone else.
Photographer- Ron Walker Photography- Not giving a rating until I see the photos, but I was VERY impressed with the professionalism of Ron and his son. Ron came to my house while we were getting ready and then went to set up at the church. He also put up with the endless need for photos for every single family combination imaginable and made time for some individual pictures. He showed my mom a few throughout the night and she loved them. I can't wait to see the pictures!
Bridesmaids dresses- David's- B: Going to David's was really a matter of practicality, I had 4 bridesmaids, none of whom lived in the same state. I went with my sister in law to one in their hometown and we had decent service, better than the bridal shop in the area in fact and she found a dress she loved there. I had originally planned on the "pick out a dress in this lenght and color thing" and David's provided the best selection for that in the different states (they all eneded up getting the same dress and tweaking it, one wore a jacket, one added straps). It's a good practical option, plus they carry plus sizes.
Tuxes- Men's Wearhouse- C+: Again chosen because of spread out groomsmen, but I wish we would have gone with a local or higher quality place. My husband loved the tux he tried on, but was really disapointed when he actually got it. He nearly bought new shoe laces because he disliked the ones that came on it and the inseam was a bit shorter than he liked. They also told us one price but tried to charge another. The guys looked great, but it was meh all around.
Hotel- Cambria Suites- A-: After a bit of difficulty setting up a room block, we didn't have too many problems. The rooms were very nice, the bar seemed fine (too tired to stop, but one of the groomsmen had fun after the wedding), and there were enough amenities to make things very comfortable.
Rehersal Dinner- Cantina Larado- A: Who knew! It fit all of us, was tasty and had margaritas. I never would have thought of it, but my in-laws did! Great idea if you're looking.