Illinois-Chicago

Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!

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Re: Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!

  • Marrin713Marrin713 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Second wedding so many of this N/A for me:

    Ceremony:  DuPage County Courthouse - a little short on ambience ;) but everything went smoothly

    Reception:  Klein Creek Golf Club - easy to work with, lovely setting, good food

    Bakery:  Klein Creek used a bakery and it was phenomenal!  The name was Mill Creek; Old Creek something like that and it was in Elgin

    Music:  the IPod

    Photog:  Wonderfish (nice job Marsy!)

    Centerpieces:  my artsy craftsy best friend!

    No flowers as I am allergic to most all of them

    Invites:  H and I DIY'ed them

    I did my own hair and makeup with the help of a friend who does hair/makeup for movies etc being shot in Chicago
  • edited December 2011
    Is there a link to  the spreadsheet?
    DaisypathNext Anniversary Ticker Daisypath Wedding tickers
  • Zelly72Zelly72 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    This is all we have so far:

    Ceremony Venue - Maple Street Chaple, Lombard
    Reception Venue - Normandy Room Banquet, Elmhurst
    Reception Music - Cage and Aquarium
    Photograher - Essence Photography
    Videographer - Not using
    Hair - my hairdresser - Lola
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) - David's
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) - HippieBride.com
    Alterations - Probably David's
    Cleaning/Preservation - not cleaning - doing a trash the dress session
    Tux/Suits - Mens Wearhouse
    Invitations - DIY
    Bakery - Sweet Dreams Desserts
    Hotel Block - Clarion, Elmhurst
  • edited December 2011
    reception; Venuiti's
    decor, flowers. lighting, linens Vip Events Decor www.vipeventsdecor.com -highly recommendedSmile
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony/Venue
    Michigan Shores Club - love the look, everyone's super nice
    Reception Venue
    same
    Reception Music
    personal friend
    Photograher
    Theresa Scarbrough (great)
    also loved Voctoria Sprung but she was booked
    Videographer
    none but considered mike hendzel
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)
    shutterbox (nice people, got a discount thru knot too)
    Makeup
    friend
    Dress Shops (bride)
    David's Bridal (nice people, helpful, well and reasonably priced
    Alterations
    Rita's Deisgns (in Teddie Kossof's Northfield)
    Cleaning
    I believe David's Bridal will clean and steam for free before wedding (incl in price)
    Tux/Suits
    bought new tie and shirts - groom and bm wearing black suits they already had
    Invitations
    paperdivas.com
    the other stuff either i'm not doing, or havent figured out yet.  :)
  • mscramuzzomscramuzzo member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue: Maple Street Chapel - Lombard
    Reception Venue: Abbington Banquets - Glen Ellyn
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church): N/A
    Reception Music: Party Train - John LeRose
    Photograher: George Street (Using Janet L)
    Videographer: N/A
    Florist: Shamrock Gardens - Lombard (Recommended so far!)
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals: N/A
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)L N/A
    Wedding Coordinator: N/A
    Makeup: Total Image Bridal
    Hair: Total Image Bridal (recommended so far...loved my trial)
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid): Irena Bridal (bankrupt...so not recommended, BMs: House of Bride,,, NOT NOT NOT recommended)
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc): Etsy
    Alterations: Sue's in Naperville (sweetest person ever!) She has my dress in her capable hands right now
    Cleaning/Preservation: None yet
    Tux/Suits: Men's Warehouse...we set everything up in our current town in the Milwaukee area
    Invitations: Purchased from Wilton print and DIY the rest of it. Loved them, just time consuming
    Calligraphy: N/A
    Bakery: La Petite Sweet (best cake every!)
    Caterers: N/A
    Transportation: N/A
    Hotel Block: Hyatt Lisle
    Rehersal Dinner: Maggiano's Schaumburg
    Favors: Purchased online and DIY project
    Bridal Party gifts: Various and a DIY project

    Can't wait to review everything after the wedding :)
  • edited December 2011
    I LOVED my vendors. I'm so happy to review them and recommend them. Our wedding was a fabulous event, and I'm so sad it's over. All our friends and family had such a great time and it's all because of our great vendors


    Ceremony Venue Old St. Pat's - the Church is so beautiful, and they are a bit of a wedding factory so they really have a great system in place and are very helpful. Also, I really enjoyed their preCana program.
    Reception Venue Westin River North - I highly recommend using this hotel if you're considering a downtown hotel for a venue. Jessica (the event manager) is so great to work with and the service, food and the patio on the river are all fantastic
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church) N/A
    Reception Music Barry Phipps of Beep Media.  I don't think I can say enough great things about Barry. Our dance floor was packed the whole night and we received so many compliments on the music from dinner to the last dance. Barry was great, and very reasonably priced too!
    Photographer Gohkan and Deanne from Timothy Whaley Associates. I wasn't crazy about Timothy Whaley as a company - not much personal attention at all, working with a different person every step of the way and your day of photographer does not do your engagement session, but Gokhan and Deanne were fantastic. They were both so much fun to have around on our wedding day 
    Videographer N/A
    Florist Scarlet Petal. We worked with Jenny, and she was so helpful and our flowers were absolutely beautiful. I didn't have a clear vision of what I wanted my flowers to be, but Jenny was patient and figured it out with me. She kept me under budget by creating many different centerpieces, all of which were very modern and unique.  
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals Classic Chair Covers
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)Photobooth from Timothy Whaley, it was a big success
    Wedding Coordinator N/A, Jessica at the Westin was very helpful in pulling everything together and served as our day of coordinator
    Makeup Cynthia Sally - I had Maris do my makeup and Becky do hair. My bridesmaids and I all looked fantastic from early mornig through night's end
    Hair Becky from Cynthia Sally. Highly recommend them for hair and makeup
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) Bella Bianca. Beautiful Store, great customer service tons of dresses. Highly recommend
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Also Bella Bianca - I bought the Angela Nuran shoes (in pink) totally worth the cost, They are the most comfortable heels I've ever put on
    Alterations Bella Bianca
    Cleaning/Preservation Have not done this yet
    Tux/Suits Mens Warehouse
    Invitations Did them ourselves, used Cards and Pockets for the paper and printing and I highly recommend them too
    Calligraphy 
    N/A
    Bakery Oak Mill Bakery - Delicious
    Caterers
    Transportation M&M limo - they were fine, really kick you out when your time is up
    Hotel Block  Westin River North - great
    Rehersal Dinner Kinzie Chop House - Delicious
    Favors 
    Bridal Party gifts
  • edited December 2011
    Just married April 8th,2011 had to share!

    Ceremony Venue Silver Lake CC in Orland Park Recommend!
    Reception Venue Silver Lake CC in Orland Park Recommend!
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)
    Reception Music Rolling Sounds Tinley Park Recommend
    Photograher Angel Michelle Photography Recommend
    Videographer
    Florist Gardeenia Frankfort Recommend
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals Chair covers by Slywia recommend
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc) I do photobooth recommend!!!
    Wedding Coordinator n/a
    Makeup Hair Trenz tinley park Recommend!
    Hair Hair Trenz tinley Park recommend
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) Davids Bridal orland park recommend
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Davids Bridal recommend
    Alterations n/a
    Cleaning/Preservation
    Tux/Suits mens warehouse oaklawn recommend
    Invitations Party City recommend (tons to choose from)
    Calligraphy mother in law!
    Bakery Leesons cake tinley park recommend
    Caterers
    Transportation
    Hotel Block Georgios Comfort Inn orland park it was a place to stay. not impressed
    Rehersal Dinner Fox's in orland park, good pizza and nice atmosphere
    Favors Edible Arrangements orland park, individual choc covered strawberries def recommend! $2 a piece including packaging and delivery!
    Bridal Party gifts Things remembered orland mall recommend!
    Daisypath Wedding tickers
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue- St Paul United Church of Christ-Palatine (very small/quaint)
    Reception Venue - Millrose-Barrington (cocktail reception)
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church) -church
    Reception Music - friend
    Photograher - Elation Images-Rob Weber Photography-Rolling Meadows
    Videographer - n/a
    Florist - European Flower Market-Long Grove
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals - Millrose
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)-n/a
    Wedding Coordinator - ME :)
    Makeup- Me
    Hair - maybe me, maybe Faaj-Arlington Heights
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) - Brides by Demitrios-Bride; House of Brides, my daughter who is walking me down the aisle
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) - Zappos for shoes, no veil
    Alterations - places of purchase
    Cleaning/Preservation - n/a
    Tux/Suits - purchased suits at Men's Warehouse-Arlington Heights (Nikko)
    Invitations - Wedding Paper Divas
    Calligraphy - none, self addressing
    Bakery - don't know yet, maybe Deerfields--looking for cupcakes :)
    Caterers - Millrose
    Transportation - n/a
    Hotel Block - Hilton Garden Inn (Hoffman Estates)-right behind Millrose
    Rehersal Dinner n/a
    Favors - n/a
    Bridal Party gifts - our sincere thanks (only two!)
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue- Casa Royale good prices amazing food!
    Reception Venue - Casa Royale
    Ceremony Music- solo violinist kristin romani...childhood friend
    Reception Music - solo guitarist sarah juern....singer paul irving...dj non-stop entertainment
    Photograher - Jolie Images
    Videographer - n/a
    Florist - my soon to be sister in law or is an artist, renatka wozny
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals - n/a
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)-n/a
    Wedding Coordinator - ME :)
    Makeup- Nordstrom MAC counter woodfield
    Hair - JcPenny Salon woodfield...not very happy with them at this point
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) - Davids Bridal
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) - David's Bridal
    Cleaning/Preservation - n/a
    Tux/Suits - Black Tie Events....the one on Irving is awesome, especially the manager!
    Invitations - Homemade
    Calligraphy - none, self addressing
    Bakery - The Baking Institue...nothing short of spectacular!
    Caterers- n/a
    Transportation - n/a
    Hotel Block - N/a
    Rehersal Dinner my house
    Favors - purchased bells from joanne fabrics and bulk candy from all over the place and candy jars from the goodwill store
    Bridal Party gifts - Victoria secrets...things remembered...and a friend who handmade their bracelets
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue Hyatt Regency Lisle
    Reception Venue Hyatt Regency Lisle
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)  Sunshine DJs
    Reception Music Sunshine DJs
    Photograher Modern Image Studios
    Videographer NA
    Florist Sid's Greenhouse Bolingbrook
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals  Tabletoppers, Inc
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc) NA
    Wedding Coordinator NA
    Makeup Melissa Giannasi, MG Esthetics and Artistry
    Hair TBD
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) David's Bridal
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Veil - borrowed, Jewelry - family heirlooms, Shoes - Zappos
    Alterations David's Bridal
    Cleaning/Preservation TBD
    Tux/Suits Mens Wearhouse
    Invitations David's Bridal
    Calligraphy NA
    Bakery Hyatt Regency Lisle
    Caterers Hyatt Regency Lisle
    Transportation NA
    Hotel Block Hyatt Regency Lisle
    Rehersal Dinner Connie's Pizza Lisle
    Favors NA
    Bridal Party gifts TBD

    The wedding is July 16th, I will be sure to post reviews after!
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue - SS Cyril & Methodius, Lemont
    Reception Venue - Crystal Grand Banquets, Lemont
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)
    Reception Music - Windy City Mix
    Photographer - Rachael Michael - Metropolitan Imageworks
    Videographer - Victor Michael - Metropolitan Imageworks 
    Florist - Flowers by Victoria
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals - Lava  Event Lighting
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)
    Wedding Coordinator
    Makeup - Niki, Moya Makeup
    Hair - Lu (I'll add business name later, it's escaping me)
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) - David's Bridal, Lombard
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) - Ebay/Shoe Carnival
    Alterations
    Cleaning/Preservation
    Tux/Suits - Black Tie Formalwear, Glen Ellyn
    Invitations - Carlson Craft through Black Tie Formalwear
    Calligraphy
    Bakery - Domino's Pastries, Chicago
    Caterers
    Transportation - Emperor Limousine
    Hotel Block - Holiday Inn Willowbrook
    Rehersal Dinner - Home Run Inn, Darien
    Favors
    Bridal Party gifts
  • amyb140amyb140 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    This is my first post, but I've been lurking for a while!  Just wanted to post my vendors because I've been SO happy with everything so far (wedding is July 9!).  Also wanted all the Knotties to know that it CAN be done in 4 months - I got engaged in March!


    Ceremony Venue Rockefeller Memorial Chapel (U. of Chicago)
    Reception Venue Peninsula Hotel
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)  N/A
    Reception Music N/A
    Photograher Behnke Event Photography
    Videographer N/A
    Florist Fleur
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals  N/A
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc) N/A
    Wedding Coordinator Five Grain Events - Joan Cinquegrani
    Makeup The Bridal Beauty Salon
    Hair The Bridal Beauty Salon
    Dress Shops (bride) House of Brides
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Veil - House of Brides, Jewelry - Carolee, Shoes - David's Bridal, Hair piece - Bridal Beauty Salon
    Alterations House of Brides
    Cleaning/Preservation TBD
    Tux/Suits (groom) Hickey Freeman
    Invitations 123Print
    Calligraphy N/A
    Bakery Peninsula Hotel
    Caterers Peninsula Hotel
    Transportation Metropolitan Shuttle
    Hotel Block Peninsula Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Chicago
    Rehersal Dinner N/A
    Favors N/A
    Bridal Party gifts Erin Gallagher Jewelry
    imageAnniversary
  • MobKazMobKaz member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    My daughter's wedding was June 11th........
    First: 10/13/2009

    Last: 6/13/2011

    Ceremony Venue.....St. Francis de Sales/Lake Zurich....we have belonged to the parish for almost 20 years.  Father Ryan is the most laid back, informal priest!  He requests a minimal donation (although we added to it quite a bit).  The music ministry is great and has a lot of options, including bringing in your own musicians.  My daughter is an 8th grade teacher; she had a student play guitar for one of her selections....NO problem!  Our Mass was at 3:00.  Father said we could literally take pictures until 4:58 (he offers 5PM mass on Saturday).  He had NO problem with the photographer running around and taking pictures throughout the ceremony (I think I was more annoyed than Father!)
    Reception Venue.....The Arboretum Club/Buffalo Grove......Chris and Mike are outstanding in their professionalism.  Our reception began at 5:30; a Bat Mitzvah ended there at 4 PM.  They had the entire foyer and cocktail area ready at the appointed hour!  For a very small fee they set everything up to your specifications.  We were able to deliver all our things the day before, which gave us lots of breathing room the day of the wedding.  They were flexible, accommodating, friendly, and open to all questions and inquiries.  We could leave our stuff until Sunday.  When we arrived Sunday to pack up our belongings, it had all been packed, boxed, and was set up on dollies all ready to simply take out to the car!  The food was great; their bar was stocked and the bartenders worked furiously!
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)
    Reception Music......Kristin from Toast and Jam......awesome, spectacular, had as much fun as the guests! The music never stopped!
    Photograher
    Videographer
    Florist....Kimberose/Crystal Lake......I have NO words for how fantastic she was!  I wish I could figure out how to upload pictures.  She attached flowers to clutch purses and we had compliments all day!  Her centerpieces were incredible!  She made an emergency corsage (our mistake-NOT hers) in her van in the church parking lot that matched exactly the ones she had made earlier in the day! Budget friendly, remarkable in communication, timely for each part of the wedding day.  I could go on and on about how amazing she is!  Don't let the McHenry County address scare you away-----she does many city weddings as well!!  Check out her website!
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals.....Elegant Event Lighting/Schaumburg......his work and ideas are excellent.  He provided some beautiful draping of both walls and ceilings.  His uplighting was beautiful.  My only drawback was that he inadvertently caused the ONLY drama of our entire planning process.  The story is complicated, and the staff at the Arboretum took the drama right out of our hands and into theirs.  I would still use his services.
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)....Chicagoland Photobooth.....My daughter was the first from her "group" to offer a photobooth.  It was a HUGE hit!  There was actually a line at one point!  Kerry and Erin were very easy to work with, and were very flexible with their package offerings.  The memory book/guest book/photo album is adorable!
    Wedding Coordinator
    Makeup......Amanda/Avalon Spa-Deer Park.....she was amazing!  My daughter looked gorgeous.  Amanda placed some eyelash fillers here and there, seemed to apply lots of make up and yet my daughter looked so natural, and so much like herself, yet enhanced!  She took her time and yet managed to get everyone done on time!
    Hair.....Avalon Spa--Deer Park.....again, fantastic!  I cannot remember the name of her stylist, but she was fantastic.  Obviously, my daughter went in for trials for both hair and make-up.  It was very affordable!
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid).....Kathryn's Bridal/McHenry.......From the consultants and staff....the unbelievable seamstress (no one could figure out how she did my daughters bustle because it was so flawless), the selection of dresses and the wide (and somewhat beginning low) price points....outstanding!
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc).....Kathryn's Bridal/McHenry......her veil and reception fascinator were beautiful!
    Alterations.......Kathryn's Bridal/McHenry......I cannot say enough about the seamstress!  The hours and days for alteration appointments is very limited, however, so I do suggest making those appointments early!
    Cleaning/Preservation
    Tux/Suits......Formerly Modern Tuxedo/Schaumburg.........not one glitch!  My son was able to order his from the shop on Clybourn and pick it up in Schaumburg.  Every tux arrived with all orders correct.
    Invitations......The NorthStar Group/Lake Zurich.......a printing business that does large and small business orders, as well as personal consumption orders.  We also had our coasters and napkins printed there as well.  They are also able to create favors from a very broad based vendor group.
    Calligraphy
    Bakery........Continental Central Bakery/Mt. Prospect.......although it was part of the package, I am very familiar with this long standing bakery.  The cake was amazing.  My daughter had many options available to her.
    Caterers
    Transportation.......Classic Chassis/Roselle.......On time, dressed appropriately.  My son-in-law had a 1948 Red Rolls Royce take he and his bride away after church.  As they left the church, the driver had a small table waiting at the end of the sidewalk, just prior to getting into the car.  A bottle of champagne and toasting flutes awaited them.  The driver wore a top hat.  We have pictures of my daughter and son in law just departing church, amongst a sea of blowing bubbles, toasting each other with the champagne that awaited them.....awesome!  The bridal party followed the Rolls in two black limo's, and they all made stops along the way to the reception for several photo opportunities.  No problems!!
    Hotel Block.......Hampton Inn and Suites/Lincolnshire......accommodating!  We were able to drop OOT bags off several days ahead of guests arriving.  The shuttle taking guests to and from the reception was on time; it had to make several round trips, and did so with no problems.  Almost everyone was able to check in early.  It was easy for everyone to meet the morning after as the hotel offered a complimentary (and large) breakfast in a very large open gathering space.
    Rehearsal Dinner........Wildfire/Lincolnshire......although I played no role in this (MOG handled this), the only drawback I was aware of is that the family had to guarantee a certain number of guests, and there was NO flexibility.  When the family found out several guests were not attending, the restaurant was not willing to waive the minimum party fee or allow the family to "price out" the difference in additional product. (Our reception venue was VERY flexible on this when we had some last minute reductions in numbers.)
  • lunacydresslunacydress member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Ceremony Venue   Byron Colby Barn
    Reception Venue    Byron Colby Barn
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)   Just Press Play Productions
    Reception Music    Just Press Play Productions
    Photographer     Kara Schultz
    Florist    Nancy Rolison
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals     O’Tarpey Rentals
    Makeup    Laura through Carla G.
    Hair    Vi’s House of Beauty
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid)   Bride- Wedding Belles of Barrington; bridesmaids- Volle’s Bridal
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc)   etsy.com, mostly
    Tux/Suits   Sym’s
    Calligraphy   Ann Aldrich
    Bakery   Molly’s Cupcakes
    Caterers    Smoque BBQ
    Hotel Block  Doubletree  Libertyville/Mundelein
    Rehearsal Dinner  Bill’s Pizza, Mundelein
    Bridal Party gifts   etsy.com

     

    I would recommend all of them!

  • edited December 2011

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    Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!
    Hey Chicago brides and grooms. Chat here about the best tips, Knottie GTGs, and wedding planning in your area.
    Hi ladies, our fabulous new Mod and I are updating the Married Knottie site that Raeyn started but I wanted to make an updated Vendor Spreadsheet. Please post below who you are using for: Ceremony Ven
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    Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!
    Hey Chicago brides and grooms. Chat here about the best tips, Knottie GTGs, and wedding planning in your area.
    Hi ladies, our fabulous new Mod and I are updating the Married Knottie site that Raeyn started but I wanted to make an updated Vendor Spreadsheet. Please post below who you are using for: Ceremony Ven
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    Community  >  Local Wedding Boards  >  Illinois-Chicago  >  Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!
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    Posts from MrsPaps are HiddenUnblock

    Vendor Spreadsheet--Tell me who you are using/Used!!

    posted at 1/7/2011 10:46 AM EST on theknot.com
    Joined on
    10-12-2008
    CHICAGO
    5248594155426021
    Total posts: 2316
    First: 10/13/2009

    Last: 6/20/2011


    Hi ladies,
    our fabulous new Mod and I are updating the Married Knottie site that Raeyn started but I wanted to make an updated Vendor Spreadsheet. Please post below who you are using for:
    Ceremony Venue
    Reception Venue
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)
    Reception Music
    Photograher
    Videographer
    Florist
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)
    Wedding Coordinator
    Makeup
    Hair
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid)
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc)
    Alterations
    Cleaning/Preservation
    Tux/Suits
    Invitations
    Calligraphy
    Bakery
    Caterers
    Transportation
    Hotel Block
    Rehersal Dinner
    Favors
    Bridal Party gifts

  • ashleylinkashleylink member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm getting married in a few days, so I don't know yet who I would fully recommend or not, but here is who they are:
    Ceremony Venue: A New Leaf
    Reception Venue: A New Leaf
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church): Toast & Jam
    Reception Music: Toast & Jam
    Photograher: Steve Koo Photography
    Videographer: friend/own video camera
    Florist: A New Leaf
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals: Food for Thought
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc): Photobooth: Traveling Photobooth
    Wedding Coordinator: None
    Makeup: my sister
    Hair: Styles Down the Aisle
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid): Bride: Joyful Occassion in Naperville; Bridesmaids: Dessy, Alfred Sung ordered from RK  Bridal in NY
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc): Jewelry: Stella Blue 
    Alterations: Carole Weber
    Cleaning/Preservation: None yet
    Tux/Suits: Express
    Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
    Calligraphy: None
    Bakery: None
    Caterers: Food for Thought
    Transportation: Windy City Limo
    Hotel Block: Sutton Place Hotel
    Rehersal Dinner: Gino's East, hosted by Get A Grip Cycles
    Favors: Donation to Les Turner ALS and photobooth pictures
    Bridal Party gifts: Stella Blue jewelry and items from etsy.com


    From what we do know:

    We LOVE Steve Koo Photography, Stella Blue, A New Leaf, and Styles Down the Aisle so far.  Get a Grip is a GREAT bike shop if you are looking for a bike.  :)  Gino's East is delicious.  Traveling Photobooth is quick to respond and very helpful.  

    So far, Food for Thought is hard to communicate with and has been the biggest frustration.  We also tried to work with Fox & Obel who were AWFUL!!  I DO NOT recommend them at all.
  • edited December 2011
    The Maxwell Street Band is awesome -- we saw them at a Bar Mitzvah last year and the dance floor was full all night.
  • edited December 2011
    Since I never really participated much in the boards, I thought I'd pay it forward and share some really great vendors and tips and tricks I found:
    Ceremony Venue: St. Joe's Catholic Church, Joliet.Reception Venue: Prairie Bluff Golf Course, Crest Hill. Highly recommend, They were so excellent to work with; professional, prompt responses, helped us make the absolute most of our modest budget, and had great ideas.Ceremony Music (if outside the church): Dolce Strings, Highly recommendReception Music: Toast & Jam! Erica and Karin rocked the house. Everyone was shouting "Encore" after the last dance.Photograher: Chandler West, personal friendFlorist: Cheryl, Lucky's Florist in Lockport. HIGHLY recommended. Seriously, check her out if you're getting married in the SW burbs. She dedicated the whole day to just our wedding, designed exactly what I wanted and was a fraction of the cost of Chicago florists. Awesome.Makeup/Hair: Simply Hair, Naperville. Recommend, did a beautiful job.Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid). Bride: A Joyful Occasion, Naperville. Got an incredible dress for a steal at a sample sale. Bridesmaids: House of Brides, Chicago. I'd read some negative reviews on this site, but honestly we didn't' have a single problem.Alterations/Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc): Mary Catomy. The. Best. Get on her calendar super early if you can.Tux/Suits: Men's Warehouse. Recommend, they made the rental process easy and the guys looked great.Invitations: Paper Source, custom.  Since I splurged for the invite I wanted, my designer friend helped me DIY reception/rsvp cards, sashes and ribbons. Looked totally pro!Bakery: Cathy's Sweet Creations, Recommended, Cathy was very friendly and made just what we talked aboutLimo: National Car Rental. Stick with me here -- my fiance and I were wavering on whether we wanted a limo anyway and balked at the "wedding packages" we saw. So we rented a town car from the airport, rolled away in style with our best man and maid of honor in tow, and it doubled as a free ride back to the airport because we left for the honeymoon right away! Looked like a million bucks for about $200.Hotel Block: Country Inn and Suites, Romeoville. DO NOT recommend. At all. Because of poor communication, we  found ourselves ONE WEEK before the wedding without a wedding night hotel room or a guest transport shuttle to the rehearsal. It's honestly the only thing about our wedding I wish I could have changed.Rehersal Dinner: Family Backyard, catered by Angelie's in Naperville. The most perfect, relaxed evening I could have imagined.Bridal Party gifts: Crate and Barrel, Macy'sHope this helps, fellow knotties! Best of luck to you, and if you get stressed, repeat the mantra that some clever reporters used while covering Will & Kate's big day: "Keep calm, It's just a wedding." :-) 
  • edited December 2011
    If you don't mind me asking...how much did you spend on your dress at Volles? I shopped for a dress there and I felt like they were over priced?
  • edited December 2011
    Hey!  Newly engaged, so I have not chosen all of my vendors yet but this is what I have so far:

    Ceremony Venue -
    Reception Venue - Ruffled Feathers, Lemont, IL
    Ceremony Music
    Reception Music - Joe Beck
    Photograher - Club Photobooth
    Videographer
    Florist - Enchanted Florist, Orland Park, IL
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)
    Wedding Coordinator
    Makeup - D2 Makeup
    Hair -
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) -
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc)
    Alterations -
    Cleaning/Preservation
    Tux/Suits -
    Invitations - billet-doux
    Calligraphy
    Bakery - Delish Cakes
    Caterers
    Transportation -
    Hotel Block -
    Rehersal Dinner -
    Favors -
  • edited December 2011
    I am like halfway done with my vendors

    Ceremony Venue-Hilton Chicago
    Reception Venue-Hilton Chicago
    Ceremony Music-?
    Reception Music-David Rothstein
    Photographer-Helix Camera and Video
    Videographer-Helix Camera and Video
    Florist-Avant Gardenia
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals-?
    Entertainment-Magnolia Photobooth
    Wedding Coordinator-None
    Make-up-Lee Orlian
    Hair-?
    Dress shops-Jenny Yoo
    Accessories-Jenny yoo
    Alterations -?
    Cleaning/Preservation-?
    Tux/Suits -Gentlemen's quarters
    Invitations -
    Calligraphy
    Bakery - Wildflour
    Caterers-In the process
    Transportation -In the process
    Hotel Block -Hilton Chicago
    Rehersal Dinner - Buca di beppo
    Favors - DIY

    I'm attending this great event on Monday to potentially find some of the rest of my vendors. There is going to be a great line-up. Anyone interested in attending/is already attending? I got an email with free tickets...check it out!

    The Wedding Salon

    Monday, October 3rd, 2011

    4 PM – 8 PM

     

    The W City Center, Chicago

     

    Find the Best Resources for your Wedding!

     

    For Complimentary Tickets ($50 value, admits 2) use code

    CBNC at weddingsalon.com or call 212.631.7777

     

    ·         See a Couture Fashion Show by Jenny Yoo & the latest trends in table decor, photography, gowns, invitations & more

    ·         Beauty Makeovers by Saks Fifth Avenue Chicago featuring Laura Mercier and Giorgio Armani

    ·         Magical Honeymoon Giveaways, Cocktails, Cake Tastings, Gift Bags …


  • edited December 2011

    Ceremony Venue: Cantigny Rock Garden A

     

    The location was beautiful. I wanted an outdoor ceremony and this location was perfect.

     


    Reception Venue: Cantigny Le Jardin D

    If I could do it all over again, I would have done our reception elsewhere.  We went with Cantigny because a coworker of mine had their reception at the Red Oak Room  a few months before we got engaged and had fantastic things to say. Our experience was not good at all. They were hard to get a hold of via email and telephone. We went through 3 banquet managers in the course of our signing to our wedding. The first one we signed with, Magan Asher, would respond to emails in all caps (which maybe she did not mean it to be yelling but netiquette says don’t do that).  Niguel Fink (who we think was let go) was uninformative and terrible about returning emails.  When we met with her, she never mentioned that there were additional charges for certain times. We were not told until 2 weeks before the wedding the Niguel was no longer there and Meghan Hull would be taking care of things (except for our wedding, which Magan Asher was in charge of). H would call Megan Hull and leave messages and emails and she would never respond. She once told him to call one morning between 9 and 10 which he did and it went to the voicemail that says they are in. She did not return his call and wasn’t in again for several days. He wound up meeting with them a few days before the wedding because they could not keep their stories straight. The day of the wedding, things they told us were not happening (we were told we could start setting up the reception at 3 and my helpers came at 3 to set up and were rudely told they couldn’t start until 5). They also sent our florist away when she was trying to deliver our chuppah arrangements. When we forgot plates for our tisch and my MOH went to ask for some napkins, they made a huge deal about giving us a stack of napkins.

     

    The only reason I am giving them a D and not an F is because everything during the reception went off very well and our guests never knew about the problems. Magan Asher also brought us some appetizers for our yichud which I greatly appreciate.


    Ceremony Music Jazmer A

    Shirlee Todd and her band are fantastic. I wish I could remember what the music sounded like but I was so nervous and excited I don’t even remember! But all my guests said they were great. Shirlee also was great about emails and phone calls.

     

    Reception Music Rex Albrecht (DJ Sounds)- B

    We were originally planning an IPOD wedding and I am glad we got Rex. He did a great job of keeping the dance floor moving for most of the night. My only complaints are that he introduced us as Meredith and Edith (which is definitely NOT my husbands names). He also played 2 do not play list songs (which we had said were songs only one did not want to hear). I know he meant well but I really didn’t want to hear the Humpty Dance at my wedding.


    Photograher Mike A with Studio 1 D

    We had some problems when we first went with Studio one. We asked them who had a lot of experience with Jewish weddings and the owner sent us a snotty email saying it did not matter. Two coworkers had highly recommended them, so we went with them anyway. We picked Mike A because he had done 10 Jewish weddings before. We did receive our pictures within a few days, which was nice. Sadly, there are a ton of important pictures missing. When we called about why there were important missing pictures and a lot of the family photos had people blinking, we were basically told the photographer was having camera problems throughout the night. No compensation on our wedding book or free prints for the fact that there are things missing. We were told if we could find these pictures from other people, we could include those in our album. Um, no, I will make my album online instead of paying you $1000 to make it for me. I just felt really let down at the pictures.


    Videographer David Kasdan A (pending final product)

    David was easy to get in touch with. I noticed he was always around for the wedding parts but he was never obtrusive. He has also been easy to get in touch with since then. I am very excited to see my final video next month.


    Florist Hollyhocks in Wheaton A

    These ladies are amazing. I forgot my jr bridesmaid when we made our final booking and they ran back and made a new bouquet for her. The flowers were beautiful and the prices were fantastic. I loved them and would use them again in a heartbeat.


    Makeup Lindsey from Zano Salons in Batavia A

    I have been going to Lindsey for years for waxing and love her. My make up looked fantastic and I was so happy with it. I had a dress fitting right after my make up trial and Sue said the make up looked perfect. Furthermore, her prices were great. Sadly, she works Saturdays but if you are doing a Friday or Sunday wedding and want someone to do fantastic make up for a great price, PM me for her phone number.

    Hair Katie A

    Katie is a friend of Lindsey’s. She did a great job on my hair and on my bridesmaids. I was so happy with how everyone’s hair turned out. Her prices were very reasonable as well. PM me if you are interested in her phone number.


    Dress Shops bride Wolsfelts Bridal in Aurora A

    I got my dress at their sample sale in July and could not be happier. I had picked a ton of dresses out (including custom made ones) and I never felt like the saleslady was pushing me towards the more expensive ones. The dressing rooms are a little bizarre (since they only have heavy curtains) but I loved my experience anyway. I also got my veil and headband from there during one of their many sales.

    Dress ship BMs Target B

    My bridesmaids were from all over the country, so going shopping together was not really an option. The pluses were easy returns and the price ($50!) The negatives were the lack of selection (only 2 dresses in the right color) and the sizes ran out (one of my BMs got pregnant a month after we chose the dress so she had some problems figuring out what to wear). It worked out in the end though.


    Alterations Sues Bridal A

    I love Sue and I think she does a great job. However, both layers of my bustle broke the night of the wedding though I don’t know if that is because of her or not. But the bustle looked beautiful while it lasted. 

     
    Suits Jos. A. Bank

    We had the GM wear black suits and then H bought them cream shirts and red ties from Jos. A. Bank. However, they ordered ties which they could not find the correct number on. He ordered them in June and when we returned from Costa Rica in August, they still did not have all the ties. We wound up returning them and going elsewhere. The shirts were nice though.

     

    H’s suit case from Jos. A. Bank and it looked good. But he had bought it beforehand. But the all black suits looked great and I am really glad we went this route instead of tux.

     

    Ties Macys A

    With one week until the wedding, we had no ties for the groomsmen. We went to Fox Valley Macys and looked for ties. The poor saleslady kept going and getting more as I was starting to freak out (since it was a week to the wedding). When they did not have enough of them in store, she called the next nearest one and convinced them to put it on hold for us for H to pick up the next morning. I don’t know what we would have done with out them.


    Invitations I made these myself so I am going to break it down into different pieces

     

    Paper- Paperandmore A+

    The paper was beautiful and what I ordered precut was amazing. The prices were also good.

     

    Cutting Fedex F

    Before printing, I went to my nearest Fedex with my mock up and said “Hey, I am going to get these cut here, what kind of crop marks do I need.” I was told the ones I had were fine. When I printed them off and brought them in, I was told they were too big. There are little lines on a lot of my invites. I know that no one probably noticed but it made me so sad that things did not come out perfectly.



    Bakery The Baking Institute B

    Cantigny includes cake and the original baker retired before our wedding so we had to use the Baking Institute. The cake was delicious but the flowers were the wrong shade of red. Not a big deal but still not perfect.



    Transportation West Suburban Limo A

    I decided to get the wedding party a limo the Friday before a Sunday wedding. They were able to arrange transport for us to the ceremony and the price was good. The limo was on time and clean. I wish I had remembered the champagne though.


    Hotel Block Marriott Courtyard in Naperville B

    For the most part, everything went very well. They gave us a room for breakfast for our guests, which was fantastic. They also added rooms to our block when it was close to full. We also hosted our rehearsal dinner here, which was awesome. The bar in the lobby worked out great for getting drinks and the lobby was great for an after party after the wedding.

     

    First, my MOH noticed when we were getting ready that there were dead ants on the wall in the bridal suite. She went down the front desk and alerted them of the problem and they said they would come clean when we left. They did not. They did adjust our bill and take off half of the cost of the room from the previous night.

     

    Second, we had close to 30 rooms booked in the hotel (out of about 100). When I first signed with them, I made it very clear that I wanted all my guests to be able to take the shuttle if interested (both my parents have been hit by intoxicated drivers). I was told by Dawn that they would run as many shuttles as need be. However, when I went to sign H and I up for the last shuttle back from the ceremony, I was told that we would have to be on the 10 PM since the other two were full. However, there were still a lot of guests who had not signed up for a shuttle. They wound up giving us a 4th shuttle back at 12:30 and let us be on that one, but I know several guests were not able to take the shuttle because they were full. I also felt like we should have gotten a second night free since we had so many rooms booked (of the 30 rooms, 15 were for 3 or more nights). I just feel like I brought them a ton of business.


    Rehersal Dinner Naf Naf Grill C

    I contacted Sahar with Naf Naf in June of 2010 about using kosher meat for our rehearsal dinner. He said it was not a problem and to talk to him closer to the date. This became H’s responsibility. Sahar was hard to get in touch with. They finally tracked him down and worked everything out. However, Sahar never told the other guy that he was to use kosher meat. So they never ordered the kosher meat and they brought us unkosher meat. Granted, H and his dad screwed up as they never got a contract stating that and we were not charged for the kosher meat. But H and MIL were furious that night because of it so it definitely made the RD start off poorly. However, the only people affected by this were H, his parents, and his brother. Everyone else said the food was fantastic and had a great time so I gave them a C since I think a part of this is H’s fault for not getting a contract from a guy who was clearly unreliable.

    Bridal Party gifts

     I got my ladies a few gifts from different places so, here are their reviews.

     

    Cookbooks Amazon.com A

    I ordered a cookbook in each girls interest off Amazon and was very satisfied. The books arrived in a timely manner and in good shape.

     

    Photo Frames Big Lots C

    The frames were fine except one was broken when I got it and then when H tried to return it, they said it had to be in its original packing (there was no original packaging). Eventually they returned it but seriously.

     

    Gift Cards Target from St. Joseph in Aurora

    A lady at my school has a son at St. Joe’s and they sell gift cards, which gives them some money back. I got the girls Target gift cards which worked out great as everyone loves Target.

     

    Tote Bags Vistaprint B

    I don’t do wrapping paper, so I got matching totes for the girls to put their gifts in. The bags were kind of low quality but I didn’t care since I don’t expect them to use them afterwards. But they were kind of cute.

     

    Registry Macys in Minneapolis A

    Karen at the Macys in downtown Minneapolis was fantastic. She could find anything I wanted and get it on our registry. She also kept the right amount of contact with us about what was going out of stock. Returns were also super easy (except the one time we went to the one in Fox Valley).

     

    Registry Crate and Barrel B

    Easy returns and exchanges were great. However, the service was lacking compared to Macys. And they do not offer free shipping on items not available in store.

     

    Rings Mike N at Thomas Joseph and Sons in Minneapolis A

    Mike N was fantastic. We were working on a budget and using very old family diamonds and he made me a gorgeous engagement ring that did not break the bank. Our wedding bands were also amazing. If you are looking for reasonably priced custom work that is done on the premises, go to them. They are amazing! Also, every time I go in, he redips my ring for free as well as polishing it up.

    Anniversary image
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue: Queen Of Angels Chicago
    Reception Venue: The Fountain Blue Des Plaines
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)
    Reception Music: My FI friend DJ Pete, (he does have a company don't know the name)
    Photograher: Studio 2 Lake Zurich
    Videographer Same
    Florist: Catherine's Garden
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals: Lighting Posh Productions
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc): Same
    Wedding Coordinator: Shannon Gail
    Makeup: My friend Faye who does make-up on the side
    Hair: Tamera Hair and Make-up Artistry 
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid): Mine Davids Bridal (Vera Wang White). The girls are going to Pearls Place in New Orleans
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc): Jacket and Tiara from Davids Bridal, don't have shoes or veil yet. I might get shoes from Davids Bridal
    Alterations: Davids Bridal
    Cleaning/Preservation: TBD
    Tux/Suits: Black Tie Formalwear Chicago
    Invitations: My FI cousin is doing them
    Calligraphy: In talks its A Fine something
    Bakery: Amy Becks Cake Design Chicago
    Caterers: N/A
    Transportation: Us and Bridal Party Absolute Dream Limo, Guest: In talks with Chicago Mini Bus
    Hotel Block: Courtyard Marriott Downtown
    Rehersal Dinner: TBD
    Favors: Oriental trading, Chocolate, and Bartools (can't remember the site we are looking at)
    Bridal Party gifts: Bag and Jewelry Box The knot, Jewelry not sure where yet.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    Hello. I didn't post on the boards at all before my wedding, so like a previous bride I'm paying it forward now. =)

    Ceremony Venue: Arboretum Club, Buffalo Grove. I loved working with Chris, Mike, and Tracie. On the day of, I wound up working with Becky who seemed a bit new but will probably grow into the role. No issues at all.
    Reception Venue: Arboretum Club, Buffalo Grove. My (now) husband said that he thought the food was even better on the day of than during the tasting, and I agree. 
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church): Shawn at Stax O Wax. He played exactly what we requested.
    Reception Music: Also Shawn at Stax O Wax. He did a great job of reading the guests to keep people up and having fun. I highly recommend Shawn. 
    Photograher: Tiffany at Edward Fox Photography. She is wonderful, very friendly and easy to work with. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures.
    Videographer: n/a
    Florist: Bill's Grove Florist in Palatine. I didn't know what to expect on the day of, but I was pleasantly surprised. The flowers were beautiful, Jane designed bouquets that were exactly what I wanted. I recommend them.
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals: n/a.
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc): n/a
    Wedding Coordinator: An Affair to Remember. Jena and Audra are fantastic. We used them as day-of coordinators, and they made sure that I had nothing to worry about on the day of. I recommend them.
    Hair and Makeup: Holly at Chicago Bridal Hair and Makeup. Holly really listened to my concerns because I'm not very into hair and makeup. She went easy on makeup for the wedding day, and although my husband is sweet and would have preferred no additional makeup, I'm sure that it will look great in pictures. She did a fantastic job on my hair and never seemed rushed either during the trial or on the wedding day.
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid): Kathryn's Bridal in McHenry. I'm a plus-size bride, and I always felt comfortable and welcome there. I had plenty of dresses to choose from. I worked with Melissa, and I really recommend Kathryn's and especially Melissa.
    Alterations: Designs by Debra in Crystal Lake. Debra did a wonderful job. She sometimes seems a bit overwhelmed or like she's not paying attention, but I have no issues. The dress looked great.
    Tux/Suits: Men's Wearhouse.
    Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas. Great selection, no issues.
    Bakery: The Arboretum Club has a contract with Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prospect, so I didn't get to choose. I was pleasantly surprised on the wedding day when the cupcakes looked good and tasted great. I have to say that I've stopped by this bakery on my own before the wedding and I really do not understand why this place gets raves, but they came through when it really mattered. I think that it's because of Chris and Mike at Arboretum Club making sure the bakery didn't make an error. On it's own, I have little faith that the bakery would have gotten it right.
    Hotel Block: Hampton Inn Lincolnshire. We had plenty of guests coming from out of town, but they didn't want to make arrangements as early as the hotel wanted them to. Therefore, we didn't meet the 10-room minimum to get any of the perks. The coordinator, Mehmood, didn't clearly explain the perks to me, and also screwed up the week before the wedding by leading me to believe we had met the 10-room minimum before the deadline but we met it after the deadline. So, no perks for us. We stayed in the "presidential suite" anyway and we might as well have just stayed in a regular room. There was nothing special about this room at all. This is the only vendor that really disappointed us.

  • JennBrynnJennBrynn member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Ceremony Venue:  St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Zurich (highly recommend Fr. Ryan who is the pastor) 
    Reception Venue:
    Makray Memorial Golf Course in Barrington (highly recommend)
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church):
    Used Church music director
    Reception Music: Dancetrax Mobile DJ Entertainment with Todd Arcari as our DJ (highly, highly recommend)
    Photograher: Erica Rose Photography (highly recommend)
    Videographer:
    N/A
    Florist: :
    Buss Flower Shop in Libertyville (recommend)
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals
    : N/A
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc): N/A
    Wedding Coordinator: N/A
    Makeup: Vanessa Rose Makeup (recommend)
    Hair:
    my regular hairstylist
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid):
    Shelley’s Bridal in West Dundee (recommend)
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc):
    No veil, Shoes – DSW, Jewelry – Macy’s, Hair Pieces – Etsy (VirginiaGeigerJewels – recommend), Memorial picture charm for bouquet – Etsy (KCowie – recommend)
    Alterations: Friend of a Friend
    Cleaning/Preservation:
    N/A
    Tux/Suits:
    Black Tie Formalwear (highly recommend)
    Invitations:
    Cards and Pockets for supplies, Designed by me, printed by Fiorelli Graphics and Printing in Libertyville
    Calligraphy:
    N/A
    Bakery: Central Continental Bakery (recommend)
    Caterers
    : N/A
    Transportation: Windy City Limos (recommend)
    Hotel Block:
    Hampton Inn & Suites Lincolnshire (recommend, but you have to stay on top of everything...do not rely on Mehmood to explain)
    Rehersal Dinner: Emmett’s Ale House (Palatine) (highly, highly recommend)
    Favors – Etsy (Sunshine Bakes – highly recommend)
    Bridal Party gifts - Etsy

  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue - Barber Oberwortmann Horticultural Center
    Reception Venue - Barber Oberwortmann Horticultural Center
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church) DJ MOZDEFINITE
    Reception Music -  DJ MOZDEFINITE
    Photograher - Lesson 5 Photography and M. Renee Photography
    Videographer - NONE
    Florist - Flowers by Heather Kylie
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals - All provided by caterer, Cutting Edge Catering
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc) NONE
    Wedding Coordinator  - Me
    Makeup - Rockzorz Salon and Spa
    Hair - Rockzorz Salon and Spa
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) House of Brides
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Veil from House of Brides, shoes from Sears, hair pieces from Etsy
    Alterations House of Brides
    Cleaning/Preservation NONE
    Tux/Suits NO TUX or SUITS. Rented ties from KOSACKS BLACK TIE FORMAL
    Invitations made them myself
    Calligraphy NONE
    Bakery French Cakes Patisserie
    Caterers Cutting Edge Catering
    Transportation None
    Hotel Block None
    Rehersal Dinner  None
    Favors The Knot.com!
    Bridal Party gifts Rockzorz Salon and Spa and Amazon.com

    I would recommend ALL of the services and people I dealt with. They made everything so easy!
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • edited December 2011
    wow looking online Crystal Grand Banquets looks so pretty! i love this post! it's giving me so many places to look into that i never even knew about.
    Visit The Knot! Visit The Knot! Visit The Knot!
  • edited December 2011
    Ceremony Venue Wellington of Arlington (Arlington Heights)
    Reception Venue Wellington of Arlington (Arlington Heights)
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church) Spark Entertainment DJ Angel
    Reception Music Spark Entertainment DJ Angel
    Photograher Jolie Images (Wheeling)
    Videographer N/A and undecided as to whether to have one
    Florist Mount Prospect Flowers (Mount Prospect)
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals Linens included at Wellington, uplighting from Spark Entertainment, and rental of arch from MP Flowers
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc) N/A
    Wedding Coordinator N/A
    Makeup Louis Anthony Salon and Spa (Mount Prospect) - unsure of artist yet
    Hair Louis Anthony Salon and Spa (Mount Prospect) - Lisa Marie (THE BEST)
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid) no BMs - David's Bridal for Bride (Schaumburg)
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Amazon.com for shoes, veil from DB
    Alterations Sylvia's Alterations (Arlington Heights)
    Cleaning/Preservation N/A
    Tux/Suits Probably FMT (Schaumburg)
    Invitations Invitations by Donna
    Calligraphy Friend
    Bakery Central Continental Bakery (Mount Prospect; through the Wellington)
    Caterers Wellington of Arlington
    Transportation N/A
    Hotel Block Jameson Suites (Arlington Heights; special with Wellington + free room for us)
    Rehersal Dinner Rose Garden (Elk Grove Village)
    Favors N/A
    Bridal Party gifts no BMs
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • Ceremony Venue:   Holy Family Parish- Chicago, IL
    Reception Venue    Crystal Sky Banquets- McCook, IL
    Ceremony Music (if outside the church)  TBD
    Reception Music  DJ Eddie V
    Photograher    Lorenzo De Gregorio- HIGHLY RECOMMEND
    Videographer  NA
    Florist  Catherine's Garden   Tinely Park, IL
    Linens/Lighting/Rentals   NA
    Entertainment (Photobooth, etc)   NA
    Wedding Coordinator   TBD may be NA
    Makeup  : Chroma Salon and Spa - Lincolnwood, IL
    Hair   Chroma Salon and Spa - Lincolnwood IL
    Dress Shops (both bride and bridesmaid)  Bride: Eva's Bridal International of Tinely Park,   BM: TBD
    Accessories (Veil/shoes/hair pieces, etc) Veil/Headpiece: Eva's Bridal International of Tinely park,  Shoes: SteveMadden.com
    Alterations : Eva's Bridal International ofTinely Park
    Cleaning/Preservation : TBD
    Tux/Suits: TBD (Probably Men's Warehouse)
    Invitations    www.Insidetheenvelop.net
    Calligraphy       NA
    Bakery    comes with Venue
    Caterers  Comes with Venue
    Transportation   TBD
    Hotel Block    Hyatt Regency (Downtown Chicago), Clarion Hotel ( Near                              Midway airport)
    Rehersal Dinner    TBD
    Favors       We will be donating to Either the  Diabetis Foundation or St Judes Foundation
    Bridal Party gifts   TBD
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