The Preston Woodall House - A+
I first fell in love with the vintage style of the Preston Woodall without thinking about much else, but during the wedding I was so, so impressed by all the staff at PWH. I got really nervous the few days leading up to the wedding because I had a significant amount of setup I wanted done that morning with little time for me to actually do it, but they took care of EVERYTHING. Our families got to stay onsite (there are 12 rooms or so) and everyone really enjoyed that. The food was delicious (my guests are still telling me how well they ate), the grounds are beautiful, and the staff was so accommodating, not only to H and I but to all of the guests. Joel, the owner, was fantastic to work with and even cut us a bunch of deals along the way if we were willing to pay a little more up front rather than waiting. I will say that they aren't great with email, so I would call if there is something urgent. Great business - very well organized - very professional. Can't say enough!
Jenn Smith Photography - A+
Jenn is fantastic! I could go on and on about her, but when I get the rest of the pro pics back, I'll let them speak for themselves. I will say that Jenn goes above and beyond. When we couldn't find an affordable photo booth when H wanted one, Jenn volunteered to set up a photobooth area for us for free. Her husband/assistant ran it all night and they brought props and everything - the guests LOVED it. Jenn drove out the morning of the wedding to get photos of the boys at a shotgun shooting range, then drove 45 minutes to get pictures of me in the salon, then drove another 45 to the location of the wedding. Just, really, and amazing woman with amazing talent and SO affordable (she's just really starting to grow her business so I whole heartedly suggest her before her prices go up!!)
Starock Entertainment - A
We used DJ Ricky Edwards and were really pleased! He played great music and kept the dance floor packed. Before the wedding he asked for H and I to write up a little blurb about "our story" so he could really know who we were and I think that made things really personal for us. He came to the rehearsal and learned all the bridal party's names so there were no bad pronunciations and we practiced the grand entrance. It made the day go really smoothly. No complaints!
Harpist Ellen Adams - B+
Ellen is a FANTASTIC harpist. She plays beautiful music and even learned a song for me that I wanted to walk down the aisle to. The only reason I rated her a little lower was because sometimes she was hard to communicate with. She rarely ever answered email (and if she did, it was usually weeks later) and phone calls were hit or miss. However, she did a beautiful job at the wedding and I absolutely don't regret the choice.
Jeffrey's Florist - A
Jeffrey is expensive (to me, anyways) but he was worth it. I almost had a heart attack when we got the estimate, but then I realized what all I was asking for and man did he pull it out. There was beautiful greenery all over the pavilion where we got married, the centerpieces were gorgeous, and the bouquets were exactly like pictures I had pulled off the internet to show him as inspiration, only with some new flair that I loved. He was very responsive to all communication and was eager to please. The ballroom smelled wonderful
Stephanie English at Piece-A-Cake Bakery - A
Steph was FABULOUS and so affordable. We wanted to do cupcakes and she had the best prices I found anywhere ($1.85 a cupcake) AND they were absolutely delicious. She baked all 200 of our cupcakes the morning of the wedding and decorated them beautifully. She also did our groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner in the shape of a hockey rink with all of the bridal party as players - it was great! Right now she is based in her home in Holly Springs but she is opening a shop in Cary this summer!
Capital City Club - B
We had our bridesmaid's luncheon here and I'll say I wasn't near as impressed as I thought I'd be. The food was delicious and the Club itself is beautiful with great views, but we had a few hiccups. First, they served us our main course before our soups and they realized it halfway through serving and they snatched up everyone's plates to bring out the soup, which was a little awkward. They also didn't mark that some people had requested a different type of soup (even though they gave us the option beforehand and we sent in the numbers) so they served everyone the same one, then had to take those up and bring out the ones we had requested. Overall the staff just didn't seem to be very organized.
Lana Addison Bridal - A
Great ladies to work with! Ruth, the seamstress, is absolutely amazing. She took my gown down a few sizes (I bought it way too big as a sample) and even made flowers for my hair out of the scrap material.
If anyone has any questions - please PM me and ask! We were so lucky that everything went smoothly and we had nothing to complain about - I hope everyone can say the same!!