My husband and I were recently married at Ceresville Mansion in Frederick on Oct. 1. We couldn't have been any happier with how the day went. I wanted to share my reviews so that all you other brides can have a day just as amazing as ours was!
PicturesCeresville Mansion, Frederick, MD
They were beyond amazing. Any question I had along the way, Alison (our event coordinator) already had the answer before I asked it. They literally have thought of everything. These people live and breathe weddings and it shows.
We chose Ceresville for its beautiful outdoor ceremony space and the charm of the mansion itself. Unfortunately, it rained on our wedding day. This could have been disheartening, but the staff at Ceresville was prepared. Guests didn't even know that it was originally supposed to be an outdoor ceremony. The ballroom was a warm and cozy alternative to the unseasonably cold October rain outside. And when it came time for dinner, the staff had transformed the ballroom seamlessly. The food, by the way, was nothing short of spectacular.
Everything went smoothly and as scheduled. All of the details were taken care of precisely as we had planned by the staff. Alison was an unbelievable asset leading up to the wedding. Melissa made sure everything ran smoothly day of. Our bridal ninja Donna took care of our every need during the event. It was completely stress free.
Usually when people say they loved your wedding or the meal that you served them was good, you can tell if they're telling the truth by the words they choose that follow their statement. Not a single guest said they had a good time without specifically pointing out something that they really enjoyed about the day. These people were detailed in their descriptions of how much they enjoyed themselves, and I feel like that's how we know they really had a good time.
Ceresville was the perfect setting for a perfect wedding, and we wouldn't have had it any other way.
Blonde PhotographerJaime Windon is an amazingly talented woman. She is fun, bright, energetic, and knows how to capture the moments that matter during a wedding. She is the best decision we made when planning this wedding. Hands down, she is the best. Period.
To the 9's Floral and Event Design, Frederick, MD
Matt Aspy is an amazingly talented human being. Words cannot describe the beauty of the bouquets, centerpieces and floral displays he created for our October wedding. All of our guests were in awe of the colors and textures included in the pieces, down to the ornamental peppers. Guests were arguing amongst themselves at the end of the night for which guest should be able to take home the centerpiece at their table.
I gave Matt quite a few inspirational photos, told him my colors, and let him work his magic. As a preferred vendor of our venue, we had total and complete faith in his ability to brighten up our space with his floral creations and we were not disappointed. Cannot say thanks enough!
Fluffy Thoughts Cakes, McLean, VA
Fluffy Thoughts Cakes created a delicious and beautifully decorated wedding cake for our fall wedding. We had half pumpkin spice with caramel filling and cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and half what my groom called his "PBJ" cake.
I went in for the tasting with quite a few ideas and was blown away by the flavors. We were able to create a happy marriage of my ideas and Lara's flavors.
Our cake was a three tiered, fondant cake topped with two sugar pumpkins and covered in sugar leaves. One of the pumpkins was eaten by my sister and her husband; The other is in the fridge with the leftovers, which I assure you will not last for long because we just got back from our honeymoon and plan on not letting any of it go to waste.
Guests loved the colors and the flavors, and we're glad we chose Fluffy Thoughts. We plan to return there in the future, if only to pick up some fresh baked goods and a coffee.
Bridals by Elena, Severna Park, MD
I went into Bridals by Elena during a trunk sale with a particular dress in mind. When I tried it on, it felt heavy, matronly, and not at all what I wanted or expected. Katia brought out a dress that was similar to the style I had initially described. It was the second dress I ever tried on and I completely fell in love with it.
Bridals by Elena was flexible when helping me to schedule my fittings and appointments. I was traveling quite a ways for this dress as I was planning my wedding from a few hours distance. They were more than professional and made me feel like a princess bride whenever I came in. They even allowed me to try on the dress to show my bridesmaids without an appointment.
On the day of my final fitting, I had been busy running around with last minute errands and had forgotten to grab lunch before heading into the shop. In the middle of the fitting, I began to feel faint and nearly passed out. Katia and Ms. Francis brought me crackers, carrots and coffee to bring me back to full strength. They really went above and beyond on this day in particular.
Elena has built a wonderful business and is incredibly friendly, professional and talented. I will continue to recommend them to everyone I know.
DJ Derek Romanoff, MD, DC, PA, VA
I cannot say enough great things about Derek Romanoff. We first met him when he deejayed my sister's wedding in June 2010 and we knew as soon as we were engaged that Derek was one of the first vendors we needed to contact.
His energy is incredible. He really knows how to keep a dance floor packed. He is incredibly professional and his appearance is never short of impeccable. He has the perfect amount of personality and worked with our coordinator to make the timeline and flow of the evening flawless.
His online planning service made selecting our music easy and painless. We gave him a small list of songs that we wanted to hear during different portions of the evening (cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing) and he filled in the rest. He has an amazing talent for playing what the people want to hear and keeping the guests entertained.
I really just cannot say in words how happy we were with our wedding and how big of an impact Derek had on that outcome. We have recommended him to several friends, who have hired him happily, and will continue to spread the word about what an amazing DJ (and person) Derek is.
Hill Chamber Music, Baltimore, MD
We hired the Hill Chamber Music's String Trio for our wedding at the Ceresville Mansion and we were so thrilled with their performance.
During the planning process, Anna was warm, helpful and very flexible. They even purchased an arrangement for Light My Fire by the Doors for our Unity Candle lighting at our request. There were a number of guests who commented on this piece in particular later on and they were really impressed.
We had contemporary music played for the ceremony and, what I heard of it, was flawless. They are a great value and were the perfect musical accompaniment for our ceremony. It added a touch of class and I'm so glad we decided to go with live musicians. Our guests were very impressed, and we were very happy.
Hair Design by Abby, Belcamp, Md
Abby styled hair for my sister's wedding in June 2010, and we loved her so much, I asked her to style hair for my October wedding. She arrived bright and early and had myself, my mother, and my four bridesmaids finished right on time.
Planning my wedding from a few hours away, Abby was flexible when planning my trial. I brought in a photo of what I wanted and she executed it flawlessly.
On the day of, each girl had a unique idea for her do. Abby was able to make each girl happy with their unique style, while adding cohesiveness to the party as a whole.
We considered her a part of the family while we were getting ready on the wedding day. Her presence was a blessing and a delight. She made the wedding day completely stress free, and of course, made each of us look and feel beautiful.
Amanda Ritchey Bridal and Beauty, Fallston, MD
I used Amanda Ritchey for my bridal party's makeup. She had done makeup at my sister's wedding last June, and we absolutely fell in love with her. She is a talented, kind person who was such a blessing to us while we were getting ready for the wedding.
She is incredibly patient with those of us who have more sensitive eyes, and made us feel completely comfortable. My husband particularly enjoyed the false eye lashes that she glued on. (They lasted through most of the honeymoon!)
I would definitely recommend her to other brides.