Hi,
I know I do not post that often but I found the vendor reviews very helpful and wanted to share my experience. First of all I just want to say that I am very much a perfectionist and control freak so the vendors we booked were held to the highest of my expectations (and my cotrol freak I mean well over 1000 wedding related emails back and forth to the main vendors).
Photo and Video I will review once I get the pictures/videos- we used Robert and Klara Swiderski for our photographers and REM for video- both arrived on time and seemed to be everywhere we needed on the day but I'll wait to see the final product before I give them my full review.
Hope this helps!!! If anyone wants any contact info please let me know! Good luck in your planning!
Venue: Bolingbrook Golf Club: A-
First of all Taryn is AMAZING- she helped with every little detail, answered my emails usually within the same day (and sometimes there were 5-10 emails a day I would send her). The food was great the staff was helpful the place was gorgeous. The only reason I did not give it a higher grade was the day of coordination was off (and Taryn happened to not be able to be there that day). We were doing a first look and no one was there to help tell me how to sneak to our location without guests seeing me so I went down the only way I knew and ran into some of the extended family (whom I did not want seeing me beforehand). Had someone at the venue been there to tell me there was another elevator (which we discovered later) that I could have taken I would have avoided them all seeing me- they knew the schedule but I had to rely on calling my brother to coordinate where our flowers were and things going on- I just expected them to be checking in on us at the suite and being there to help take me to where I needed to be for the first look (based on prior email communication). Then after the first look we had the same problem again- almost all of the extended family was there and we did not know about the other elevator so we had to tell them to turn around and look the other way while I ran behind everyone. Then before the ceremony I was told there was a back way to get outside without anyone seeing me- well that was actually through their downstairs restaraunt where ALL of our guests happen to be. Then after the ceremony we were told we could have a couple golf carts to go out on the course and take pictures but no one showed us to them or guided us or had the carts ready so we went to the closest green and worked with that (we had a 6:30 ceremony so sunlight and timing were an issue and we did not have time to chase down staff to ask what cart we could take) again based on email communication I expected a cart with our names on it to be waiting so we could go. Lastly we were supposed to have the late night snacks boxed up so we could actually eat some of the food- well they were boxed up but were handed to our guests on the way out- which was nice for guests but sucked for us since we ended up eating 1/2 a bowl of soup and the potatoes from dinner that night and that was it. Overall I would book them again and would recommend them the glitches the day of did not ruin the day or my mood by any means they were just things I wish were handled differently and if I were putting on the event I would have been more accessible to the bride that day.
DJ: Jay Sims with Something 2 Dance 2: A+++++++++++++
I cannot say enough good things about Jay. The DJ was one of the most important things to me as I personally feel they can make or break a wedding. I can honestly say our wedding would not have been the same without Jay. He had the dance floor packed the ENTIRE night. No breaks no dance that made everyone leave and have to switch back in- it was packed the entire time. He also stopped by during the reception to our table to let us know what was coming up (to help judge how much time we had to eat and wipe our mouths before getting on the dance floor for the special dances)- he also helped us stay on track of our table visits- letting us know we were running a little behind and we were almost done with dinner to try to get to the rest of the room. I saw him coordinating with our photo and video letting them know when big things were coming up. He helped announce and gather people for the big family pictures. He also made a special announcement for my brother (trying out for semi-pro hockey) during his reception entrance- I just asked him to say some sort of good luck thing and what he said was far better than I could have ever thought. He was not only the most amazing DJ I have ever met he really was the glue to the whole wedding night- we didn't have a "day-of" coordinator but when it came to the reception Jay was that person. If I were in the wedding business I would honestly try to work exclusively with him because I know every bride would be very happy at the end of the night. Just truly amazing.
Lighting/Drapery: Elegant Event Lighting (Jay Sims): A+++++++++
Ok I went on and on about Jay as a DJ above but he also has a great eye for decor. We went back and forth with emails and pictures of me attempting to describe what on earth I wanted (I never had a true vision for colors or anything like that) and he took those little ideas I had and blew me away. We got to see the room right before our guests and it literally took my breath away. I keep digging for pictures since words cannot describe how beautiful it was and when I finally get one of just the room I'll share it. I kept looking at other pictures of weddings he had done and was so envious of those brides. Then I saw our room in person and I was blown away. Even my H who was hesitant at first because of the cost said it was worth every penny and he would do it again in a heart beat. We had a slight set back in our count (expected/guessed 175 and only 135 replied yes) so Bolingbrook recommended we close off part of the room. I immediately discussed the thought with Jay and he agreed. I was very hesitant because more/bigger is always better (in my mind) but trusted him and trusted that he knew what he was talking about. When we saw the room we realized yet again that he was 100% right- having it more open would have taken away from the romance and intimacy. I feel like I am rambling but I am honestly sad that I will not be working with them since I am not in IL, not in the wedding planning business, and am planning on staying married to this one forever because Jay and both companies were truly great to work with.
Flowers: Denise Ortiz with Flowers for all Occassions: B +
First of all the flowers were beautfiul and she added little rhinestones to my bouquet without me knowing or planning it and they were gorgeous. I am not a flower person at all (no sense of smell so never really cared for them since they look pretty then die) so she took the little bit I could say and turned it into something beautiful. The only reason I did not give her an A was because I am huge on communication. A few times I'd have to send a couple emails to get a response. Also when I was confirming our final colors/counts she had forgotten about/lost/whatever my previous email with the changes we discussed. I understand I am not the only wedding but with email technology and folders could you please organize them and then read before answering my email to refresh your memory so I do not have to remind you for the 3rd time that I do not live in the state and cannot meet in person for our final meeting hence why we had one 3 months before the wedding while I was in town. I know it sounds harsh and that is why I still would recommend her- she did a great job and was a real sweetheart I just had super high expectations and being out of state she was the only vendor I was a little nervous about because of the communication. It may have been different if I lived in IL and could have that last meeting in person but I had to rely on email and for that I could not give an A.
Horse & Carriage: Jim and Becky's Horse & Carriage: A
There isn't much to say about this vendor. I wanted a horse and carraige (my dad and I rode horses when I was little so I wasn't going for the princess theme just something that was special to the two of us). They arrived on time, ready, the horse was gorgeous, well-behaved, etc. The driver was very nice. They were accommodating to weather I told them if it rained at all there was no point in the carriage as guests would be inside and the ceremony and reception were at the same venue and they said no problem I could cancel up to 6 hours before and get a full refund of my $50 deposit- which being in the horse world 6 hours isn't much to ask considering you have to have the horse ready, trailered, etc. Also the poop bag was actually quite discrete- had I not known horses I would not have noticed it as it looked like it was part of the carriage (I was picturing dog bag tied to the horse's butt). I would recommend them.
Makeup: Kimmay Nather with Beauty by Brush: A +++++++++++
Kim is AWESOME!!!! I had a makeup trial with another lady that is recommended on here in December and was not impressed. I saw Kim in another knotties review and sent her an email. I had a trial the day of our engagement pictures and loved it. She tried two different colors/looks then darkened both then erased it all to give me the look I liked the best out of them. If of those 2 I would have not liked either she would have tried something else. She wanted to make sure I loved how it looked before I left and that was only for the trial! So wedding day she got there early, did my mom's makeup and my mom LOVED hers- she also had a trial with the other lady and wasn't thrilled. Then she did mine and I thought it looked even better than I remembered. She stayed through the first look to touch up my makeup from the tears I had cried- no extra charge or anything. Then a couple days later we decided to do a trash/rock the dress session and I had her do my makeup again. She is very talented, super sweet, very reasonable prices, and if I am ever in IL for any big event again I will ask her to do my makeup again. Also to add to that I do wear quite a bit of eye makeup every day- 3-4 colors, a box full of MAC shadows, it's an addiction at this point- and she did something no consultant has ever done or anything I have ever tried- it was truly amazing!
Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse: ???
The store we rented them from was here in NC and I would not recommend going there- she told me I did not need to decide where to pick up the tuxes- after I mentioned we were getting married in IL and would be there a full week ahead of time and all guys were traveling in from around the country and did not want to travel with the tux. Luckily I cleared that up online with the store and then went in and updated them so the tuxes were at the right store. The store we picked them up at was in Crystal Lake - they were nice, did alterations, all the guys looked sharp. Since it wasn't anything major I'm not sure how to grade them- guys looked good, sometimes irritating to deal with, but didn't really affect the wedding in any way. I would recommend them just since they do it all the time and we got a deal on a new suit for H after the wedding but we were limited in places since we had guys literally all over the US and this was the only store we new of that had a location by each (except for the one that lived in Canada).
Rehearsal Dinner: Gordon Biersch in Bolingbrook: A
Kristine was great to work with- they had a private dining area- printed special menus for the event, were super accommodating and the food was delicious (all for no extra charge of any sort). They even allowed us to bring in outside desert and serve it for no extra cake cutting charge or anything like that. They were conscious of how many wine bottles we went through (since H and I were paying and discussed with them prior how many we wanted to start with) so they did ask before opening another which I appreciated. I would definitely dine there again and definitely recommend them. The only reason I did not give it an A + was I heard the chicken parmesean that a few guests ordered was not great. I had the ahi salad and loved it but hearing someone say their food wasn't all that great made me get rid of the +.
Hotel Block: Aloft Hotel in Bolingbrook: A
Meagan was a charm to deal with- we ended up having 2 shuttles (for free if you book enough rooms) run almost every half hour for guests for an hour and a half straight. The hotel itself was not what I was expecting. It was clean but not super clean (found an old cork in our suite under the couch). They are pet friendly which we loved and no fee for pets which was even better. I would definitely recommend booking them for a hotel block because of Meagan and the shuttle service and rates they offer for guests but if I were in town visiting and didn't need a pet friendly hotel I'm not sure if I would choose to stay there just because I'm not into the modern decor and the way the room was set up. Nothing against them just not my taste but they were great for the wedding.
Cake: Creative Cakes: A+
The cake was delicious, tastings were free, everything was great. I didn't have to deal a lot with them after we chose what we ordered but they coordinated with our florist since we used fresh flowers so I had absolutely nothing to worry about with them and I really appreciated that.
Gifts: Your Picture Story on ETSY: A+
We bought frames for our parents and readers from them and they were beautiful! Everyone really loved them and thought they were a great gift idea. You can personalize it in every way and they kept in touch letting us know that one of our poems was too long and they didn't want to shrink the font or have it look bad so they worked with us to shorten it so that it would look beautiful. This could be my go-to Christmas gift this year since they were so great!
Head piece jewelry: Bridal Blooms ETSY: A+
The head band was gorgeous. It was just as sparkly in person as it appeared online- it was beautiful.
Necklace/earrings: Carolee: ??
I Loved my jewelry and if it were only based on that it would be an easy A+. However, we also ordered a necklace for our groomswoman and hers turned brown/copper (however it fades) after only 2 days. I contacted customer service and am waiting for a response- so depending on how they handle it will decide if I recommend them. She loves the necklace but it's already turning color so that's not ok.
Officiant: Michael Hamilton (associated with/similar to Day of Dreams): A
Michael was great- everyone loved the ceremony and how personal it was. The Day of Dreams guy was booked for our day so he recommended Michael who conducts them the same way. The only thing I did not like was how short rehearsal was. I thought we were going to go over things a few times so we could feel more relaxed the day of but we "walked" through it all but didn't practice any words/readings that day so I think everyone was a little more nervous the day of because of it. But overall he did a great job- everyone commented on how great he was and how unique the ceremony was. So if you want to build your own ceremony that isn't in some book/script and make it completely your own and unique to you and your future H I would highly recommend him.
Paper/products: Cards & Pockets and Vista Print: A
Both were great all products we ordered were exactly as we wanted.