Nothing went as planned but it was a fabulous day!
Artrageous Bakery and Cakes"D"- She did our rehearsal cake and cupcakes as a sort of "groom's cake" for the reception. The cake tasted really good. That is the only nice thing I can say about her. She was not only unprofessional but rude to both me and my maid of honor. We used a Groupon for the cake and she said she was trying to drum up business in the wedding industry but being difficult to work with is not the way to do that. She gave incorrect directions for pickup was rude and downright mean to us both on the phone and during pickup. She made my rehearsal day more stressful which is not a cool thing to do to a bride.
Jerry's Cheesecakes "A"- LOVED them! Our planning session wasn't so great because the lady that normally does consultations was out that day but our conversations with her on the phone were so nice and hassle free. She called me the week before the wedding and said "I just wanted to touch base with you and take one thing off of your to do list." Nice! We had 3 different flavors of cheesecake and they were all AMAZING! We had people posting on FB about how great the cake tasted!
Folchi's "A"- They made the process of choosing our tuxedo looks so easy and fun! We primarily worked with Mark at the Anderson township location and he was so helpful. The only glitch we experienced was when our out of town guests tried to submit their measurements online. We contacted Mark directly and he immediately fixed the problem. We had the guys pick up their tuxes at the Kenwood location since that is also their warehouse and the staff was very helpful and friendly but I think Mark is the star at Folchi's. Our guys looks great and Folchi's, especially Mark, were so wonderful!
Yours Truly Kelly "A"- I really didn't want to spend much on a wedding gown but was concerned that I would find something in my size that I liked at a decent price. Kelly's is a consignment shop but it feels like an expensive boutique. Kelly went out of her way to help me find the perfect dress and even worked with me on the price. It was such a pleasant experience and I got a wonderful dress for a fraction of the cost. I would recommend making her store a must see on your bridal shopping trip.
Montgomery Inn (Montgomery) "A"- We had a small guest list and about half were from out of town. We wanted to give them a real Cincinnati experience and this was perfect! Our original plan was to have the reception at the Boathouse location but they don't do private events on Saturday. I think this worked out so much better! The staff (even coordinator and wait staff) were so easy to work with and very professional. Our guests were taken care of and the staff called my husband and I by our first names. "Angie would like you a refill on your drink?" It was a nice touch. There were plenty of choices for tablecloth and napkin colors and they even stored our flowers for us overnight. Of course the food was great and our guests loved being able to chow down on good food instead of "fancy food" as my nephews call most catered food. The bibs made for some cute pictures. Also, Old Montgomery is a beautiful place for some fun photos.
Armstrong Chapel "A++"- DH and I are not members of this church but in searching for a ceremony location we wanted something small and pretty. The old chapel at Armstrong Chapel in Indian Hill is exactly what we had pictured. It is gorgeous, quaint, historic and small. We were married by Nathan Custer who is leaving and moving to Columbus. The church provided a wedding coordinator for the rehearsal and day of and she was so nice and helpful. I really can't imagine having been married anywhere other than this chapel.
Pictures with Piper "A"- We had chosen another photographer to do our engagement photos and signed a contract with him for our wedding but he had to cancel 5 months before our wedding due to a conflict. So, we went back over our list and met with Jennifer (whose maiden name was Piper and is the owner). From the moment we met Jenn we loved her energy and enthusiasm. DH and I agreed that we were glad our original photographer canceled because we were really excited to work with Jennifer. I can't say enough good things about her. I am sure our photos will be amazing but the way she interacted with us and our guests was phenomenal. She is so personable that it seemed like she was a guest at the wedding who just happened to have a camera. She kept us on schedule (not an easy task) and helped all of us feel relaxed which I am sure will result in really cool pictures. Jenn is great with kids (and stubborn adults) and was able to get people to do things that I don't think anyone else would have been able to accomplish. We have had lots of people ask for her information because she was so great!
Sephora (Kenwood)
"B+" - I worked with Santoshi and I think she did a great job! I marked it down from an "A" because even with having a trial it took SOOOO long on the day of the ceremony. Santoshi is very committed to doing a good job but it seemed like it shouldn't have taken so long. I wish she would have been a little more outgoing but I guess that isn't all that important. Lookng back I wish I would have spent the extra money and had someone come to my house. I think it would be worth it.