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Introduction & Vendor Help Please

lillynjakelillynjake
10 Comments
in Illinois-Chicago
Hello Everyone.

My name is Lilly, I'm newly engaged and obviously new to The Knot! We're tenatively looking at July 2012 but only engaged Saturday, so we have time to figure out the real date.

I've been told this is the place to get tips on vendors, so I am hoping that you have experience with the following vendors that I've heard a lot about. Any info you may have would be greatly appreciated! I've look at the below vendor's sites and their work is great, just wondering how it was to work with them?

Photographers:
- Heather Parker Photography
- Danielle Aquiline Photography
- Life On Prints

Videographers:
- Ben Mahoney Productions
- Orange Wedding Film

Venues:
- W Lakeshore
- InterContinental Chicago (Michigan Avenue)
- J.W. Marriott (I know this is a new hotel, so not sure if anyone has any exp)

Thank you so much!!
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Re: Introduction & Vendor Help Please

  • PenelopeSnuzPenelopeSnuz
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I am using Life On Prints, and I cannot say enough good things about Tony & Michelle, the husband and wife team that makes up LOP.  Tony did our engagement photos, and he was sucha  treat to work with.  It was literally 100 degrees the day of our shoot, and Tony allowed us extra time (2 extra hours) to make sure we got flawless photos, and had time to get out of the heat in between takes.  He is wonderful, and I can't wait to have them shoot our wedding!
    image **Married 7/9/11**
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  • TEA&CoTEA&Co member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Congratulations on your engagement!  I hope that you find this board to be as helpful, friendly, and supportive as I have. 

    As for your vendors, we booked Orange Wedding FIlms and are ecstatic about our decision.  JJ and his team are amazingly talented and creative.  Their work has brought me to tears over couples' wedding days whom I've never met...I can't wait to see what they do for our wedding.  Anyway, I would definitely recommend Orange. 

    Good luck with the planning process!
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  • Katie91980Katie91980
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We're using Heather Parker for our Memorial Day weekend wedding so I'll have a better review after that. She's organized and attentive but the jury is still out as far as my overall feeling.
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  • LawyerLover810LawyerLover810
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Congrats and welcome! Unfortunately I am not using any of those vendors so I can't give any recs, but I did want to mention that I recently contact Danielle Aquiline to do my wedding photography (Our date is a Friday in September 2012) and she was already booked!! So I don't want to make you feel rushed at all, but it is good to start inquiring if you find someone you really like.

    Also as a side note, Love Is Bold posted a bulletin at the top of the Chicago Illinois Thread that is titled 'Married Knottie Bios" which has all the Chicagoland brides planning bios in one spot and they have reviews, it is SO helpful!

     Good luck with planning!! :)
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  • fashionxfashionx member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    congratulations on your engagement!

    I don't know most of the vendors, but I do have 2 friends who have worked with Ben Mahoney, and I'm familiar with his work from his website. I think his videos are fantastic, and both friends were really happy with his work too. 
    Nov 2011 Brides - Fav Cocktail
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  • jenniferandstephenjenniferandstephen
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Life on Prints is amazing! We loved working with them; Tony and Michelle were great people to have around on our wedding day. And lets not forget our wedding pictures were incredible.

    Congrats on your engagement and happy planning!
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  • hz80408hz80408 member
    5000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Welcome!! 

    Ditto Lawyer, I don't have any experience with those vendors, but best of luck deciding!

    Mrs. Blog | Ms. Bio
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  • lillynjakelillynjake
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thank you for the info! I plan to email JJ and Ben and I think we have finalized our venue at the W Lakeshore!

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  • principessarealeprincipessareale member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We used Heather Parker and she was super cool, as well as cool-headed to have around since our wedding was hectic. We didn't have a wedding planner and our wedding was in the winter so she helped us with our schedule and suggested great indoor locations for our bridal party photos. We had over 200 guests at our wedding and she was a ninja, getting shots of things we didn't even see during our wedding and we barely noticed her which was great. One thing that was kind of nuts is that our DJ lost his reception schedule and she kept him in the loop about what was going on. Our photos are fabulous and she got my hubby to look good on film since he hates cameras, so that makes me happy :)
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