While I/we didn't post much here, we did read the Kansas City board almost daily during almost 18 months of planning.
Now, the wedding is 30 days past (where does the time go?) and I (MOB) wanted to give a shout-out to our great vendors, in no particular order:
Ceremony/Reception: The Villa of Kansas City; this is an awesome venue! The location is fabulous, the all-inclusive pricing makes planning so much simpler, we loved the classic architecture, the food is amazing (truly...I couldn't even count all the compliments we received), they have parking, and a day-of coordinator is included---her assistance was invaluable. In the weeks and months beforehand, e-mail inquiries were always answered promptly and thoroughly, and on the days of the wedding and rehearsal, everything was handled perfectly. I can't recommend them more highly. The only downside is that it may be a little small for some larger weddings. It was perfect for us and just what we were looking for...we visited 11 venues and were so relieved when we left The Villa...we'd found just what we wanted.
Wedding Entertainment: Marc O'Leary; I was not going to skimp on the music/entertainment and didn't...Marc is simply amazing at what he does. The reception was a huge success! The dance floor was NEVER empty all night, and there was still a nice-sized group up until the very end...very VERY fun--just what we wanted--a FUN party! And he makes it look effortless, though it clearly isn't. He puts a lot of thought and planning into every event and it shows. His equipment is top-notch, too so the sound quality is great. He works so well with the venue staff and the photographer. It was absolutely flawless. We received compliments from both the guests and the venue staff on Marc's professionalism and performance.
Photography: Mark Sorenson: when the photographer we initially booked had to cancel in order to move out of town, we were faced with shopping for another one! Of all the wedding decisions, photographer shopping was the toughest, but I had just read another bride recommend Mark on this board so we contacted him...great decision (and thanks to whoever recommended him, if you are still reading here!) He does a combination of photojournalistic and traditional wedding photography, which we wanted. His prices are VERY reasonable, especially since with most of his packages a second photographer is included. The photos were delivered not even three weeks after the wedding, both on disc and in an album, and were loaded online the next day...we could (and did) refer out of town friends and relatives to those, which was a nice benefit. We have received MANY compliments on the quality of the photos and are very pleased with everything. Plus he is a very nice guy, so easy to work with.
Cake: Annie O's Custom Creations: Cakes are so subjective and individual! We went with Annie for several reasons...her tasting included so many more flavors and fillings than anyone else. That wouldn't be so great, if her cakes weren't also tasty, but they were! Also, she doesn't charge extra for different flavors and fillings, and her delivery costs were very reasonable. When the cake was delivered that afternoon, the event planner said it was the smoothest buttercream she had ever seen.
Invitations: Fun Services: I don't know if a lot of people know about this place, but what a deal. They have hundreds of books with thousands of different invitations. Online is okay, I guess, but it is so helpful to be able to see the invites, the paper, the fonts, etc. in person. And they do thousands of orders a year so the clerks know how to get the order written up just right so you get exactly what you want. And everything is 25% off list! Our invitation order came in less than a week and was perfect.
Dresses: Ida's Custom Veils: We used Ida's for the wedding dress, bridesmaid's dresses, and tuxes. A good experience all around. Orders were done correctly and in a timely manner, alterations were good, and everything happened as it was supposed to.
Since so much was handled by the venue, you'll note I do not have reviews for floral, catering, bar service, etc.! We didn't do favors (nobody missed them).
I hope this helps someone else as all the posts here helped us over the past months. Good luck to all with the planning...it's fun! And the day flies by so enjoy it as much as you possibly can