Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some recent feedback regarding wedding bands.

I’m leaning heavily toward a Sax band because I’m planning a pretty small, young crowd—around 110 people max.
The guest list (near Richmond) will be a mix: mostly Americans, including family from back home and folks from the diaspora, plus some Germans, Turks, and maybe a few Russians or Poles... basically a multicultural group. I need something universal. They should play plenty of international hits, though I think the older classics usually land better than today's pop stuff. That said, we can't skip the old-school folk songs; you have to get people dancing.
I’ve considered hiring a DJ, too. We have a good friend who is a well-known MC in Germany, but honestly, for our culture and the way we party, I feel like live music is just the better move. People around here don't always embrace new trends or changes easily, so a DJ might actually be a bit of a struggle—though I'll keep that option as a backup.

So, if anyone has experience with bands like SAX—I see people on the forum mentioning Quattro and Babylon as similar options—please share your thoughts or any opinions you have. Any info on pricing would also be incredibly helpful.
I don't attend weddings very often, so I'm not entirely sure what the current market looks like. Usually, you just see local Midwest-style bands with names you haven't heard of. The sound is fine, but I haven't heard anything live that really made me say, "That's the one." Any help would be much appreciated.

LP
Chris

rustyheron7 said:Reserved for The Beach Boys
EVERYTHING 5!!! 🙂

Hey Joe.
I was wondering, if anyone's willing to share, what the booking fee for Babylon is these days?

Greetings from Richmond. 😉

nimbleviper15, Mirror photo studio is actually fantastic, and honestly, I don't think Oliver can compete with them—plus, their rates are much more reasonable 🙂

Marlena, thanks for getting back to me. How much cheaper are we talking? I guess I'm wondering if you know how Mirror operates or what kind of packages they offer. Have you actually worked with them before? And what about their lead times—is it a rush to get on their schedule, or is a six-month to one-year heads-up usually plenty?
hey

nimbleviper15 said:Regarding Daniel, you're right. That's why I didn't consider him. His photos all look the same, and I didn't really vibe with him when we met.

So, 400 photos sounds like a large package. I assume you had a big wedding; we’re planning for maybe 110 guests max. 😉
I assume Meyers also has a few collaborators for filming?😕

I suppose I'll need to think it over. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to send an inquiry to all three of them with our specific needs, just to see how the pricing compares. Most likely, whoever is available will win out. I want portraits of me and my fiancé, shots with all the guests, and something casual at home—plus some coverage of the reception. Same goes for the video.
The issue is that my boyfriend is in Germany, so I need to ask everything ASAP so that once he returns next year, we can take things easy while touring venues, booking the photographer, and the band. I haven't even started looking for a band yet. Who did you guys hire?

Oliver and I didn't really talk about specific packages, but yeah, our guest list was double what you're planning. Our album has everything you're looking for 😉, though it doesn't have a photo with every single guest. Even if 400 sounds like a lot, you tend to flip through them pretty fast.🙂
Your best bet is to meet with everyone, talk shop, and see who you vibe with. You can also check Facebook; everyone posts their wedding photos there, so you can see whose style actually appeals to you. For instance, I'm not a fan of Mirror's recent trend where they'll pair a black-and-white shot with a bright red bouquet and things like that. That might work for some, but it's not my thing. I'm not saying they're bad, just that I don't care for it. Tony had a similar style a few years ago, and looking at Mirror's old vs. new work, it feels like the quality has actually dipped lately.

We had The Musicians play. We had a bit of a "challenge" because we had guests coming from all over the US and even Russia, covering all ages. They knew how to play a few songs for everyone, including Russian tracks! Honestly, they were the only ones we could actually coordinate with, so we stopped looking immediately. They played acoustic sets until midnight, then switched to guitars and keyboards after that. It was a bit hit-or-miss, but we weren't being picky.
And honestly, if you already have a date, start touring venues now. Everyone books up fast, and Saturdays in the popular months are usually gone nearly two years in advance.

I suppose I have until maybe spring to scout out the venue, then I'll start looking at bookings. The wedding is set for August 2014, and I'm honestly just worried about how fast the time will slip away. 😉

I've been looking at all three of them online, and now I'm also considering Photo Top as a backup if these guys are booked up, though they don't look quite as impressive. I want to see more of their work and how they present themselves. Price will probably be the deciding factor, I guess, but for me, the individual experience and working relationship with the photographer matters more.
As I ask around, everyone seems to be talking up Tony, but his style feels a bit too much like a standard studio shoot—very classic, but lacking that artistic "touch" that makes photos really stand out. Then again, I don't want everything over-retouched either.
I feel a bit silly asking around like this instead of just requesting quotes from everyone or visiting the sites myself, which would be the logical thing to do. I feel this weird sense of obligation to all of them, even though I’ll likely only accept one offer. My boyfriend is making things complicated; I need to organize everything and research what we both want, but since he's currently out of the country and we aren't sure when he'll be back, it would be smarter to settle most of the searching by spring. That way, once he's home, we can just visit locations and finalize things. That's my biggest stress right now—trying to decide what to do and how to clearly explain exactly what I want to each photographer. If only these were my only worries in life, right?

Could you tell me a bit about how Oliver works? Does he shoot solo that day or does he have an assistant? What's his vibe like? I haven't actually met him yet, though looking at his profile, it seems we run in similar circles. How's the atmosphere he creates? Sorry to bother you with all these questions. 🙂

Regarding Mirror, I noticed those same details you mentioned. It does seem like they were a bit more engaged in their older work, but maybe that's just down to the specific agreement they had. I don't know.

I suspect the band will end up being a much larger investment and a far bigger headache to sort out. 😉

Jua sax is truly exceptional... 🙂 I’ve actually seen them perform at three different weddings over the past year, and they handled every single one flawlessly. It’s such a great dynamic because everyone in the group sings. As for their rates, I don't have an exact figure for you, but it might be worth reaching out directly. They have both a Facebook page and their own dedicated website where you can find more info. From what I’ve observed, anyone who has hired them has been completely satisfied. So, if you're looking, definitely give them a shout...

nimbleviper15 said:I suppose I have until maybe spring to scout out the venue, then I'll start looking at bookings. The wedding is set for August 2014, and I'm honestly just worried about how fast the time will slip away. 😉

I've been looking at all three of them online, and now I'm also considering Photo Top as a backup if these guys are booked up, though they don't look quite as impressive. I want to see more of their work and how they present themselves. Price will probably be the deciding factor, I guess, but for me, the individual experience and working relationship with the photographer matters more.
As I ask around, everyone seems to be talking up Tony, but his style feels a bit too much like a standard studio shoot—very classic, but lacking that artistic "touch" that makes photos really stand out. Then again, I don't want everything over-retouched either.
I feel a bit silly asking around like this instead of just requesting quotes from everyone or visiting the sites myself, which would be the logical thing to do. I feel this weird sense of obligation to all of them, even though I’ll likely only accept one offer. My boyfriend is making things complicated; I need to organize everything and research what we both want, but since he's currently out of the country and we aren't sure when he'll be back, it would be smarter to settle most of the searching by spring. That way, once he's home, we can just visit locations and finalize things. That's my biggest stress right now—trying to decide what to do and how to clearly explain exactly what I want to each photographer. If only these were my only worries in life, right?

Could you tell me a bit about how Oliver works? Does he shoot solo that day or does he have an assistant? What's his vibe like? I haven't actually met him yet, though looking at his profile, it seems we run in similar circles. How's the atmosphere he creates? Sorry to bother you with all these questions. 🙂

Regarding Mirror, I noticed those same details you mentioned. It does seem like they were a bit more engaged in their older work, but maybe that's just down to the specific agreement they had. I don't know.

I suspect the band will end up being a much larger investment and a far bigger headache to sort out. 😉

I was eyeing Photo Top too; based on their portfolio, they seemed like the best option, but they were significantly pricier than Oliver. I don't remember the exact amount, but it was well over $3333 for a 13-hour shoot. They might have bumped up their rates in the last year.
When Oliver showed up, he had a very young girl with him. The two of them shot until 8 PM—until the first dance. She helps him with lighting and stuff, but she shoots as she goes, too. Another guy joins them in the hall, and Oliver actually stepped away for a bit to grab some thank-you gifts (we had agreed on that beforehand; I heard this guy shoots for National Geographic). Everything was moving along fine, then Oliver came back after a while, and it was just that guy left for about two hours. He asked if we wanted him to stay longer to get more shots, saying he could, but if we wanted him to head out, he would. The shoot around the house and in town—that posing part—was great for me, even though I’m not exactly a fan of being in front of a camera. Both Oliver and the videographer were solid. The whole thing felt relaxed; there wasn't any bossing us around or staged nonsense. They were always present in the room, and it felt like we’d known them for years. Those two hours flew by. Later, in the yard and the hall, I didn't even notice the photographers; they were just drifting around, catching those perfect moments. From what I gathered, the best way to handle someone like him is to just stay out of his way. Don't tell him "do this" or "do that." He knows his craft, and he’s done a thousand weddings—he's got way more experience than the rest of us.

Honestly, Tony, you should probably just scout out some local photographers around town—guys like Breza and his crowd. They might have updated their kits and lowered their rates. For everyone else, just shoot them an email. Tell them exactly what you need: wedding photo and video coverage for a specific number of hours, plus thank-you clips. It helps to find a style you like on YouTube and send them a link so they know the vibe, the gear, and the editing style you're after. Once you compare prices and narrow it down to a shortlist, show those options to your guy. Then, just meet up with them to finalize everything. That’s how I handled it; I don't live in Richmond, and my husband isn't even from that area anyway.

Have you even thought about the venue yet?

nimbleviper15 said:Marlena, thanks for getting back to me. How much cheaper are we talking? I guess I'm wondering if you know how Mirror operates or what kind of packages they offer. Have you actually worked with them before? And what about their lead times—is it a rush to get on their schedule, or is a six-month to one-year heads-up usually plenty?
hey

I actually used Mirror as my photographer once, and it turned out to be quite a good deal $2267. We ended up with about an hour and a half of footage (roughly 7 clips), a photo album (not entirely sure on the exact count), and all the thank-you cards. I had 400 guests, but I suspect the price doesn't fluctuate based on the guest list... You can find Mirror on Facebook if you want to browse their work. They definitely stay busy, but in my experience, giving them a year's notice should be perfectly sufficient...

@dustypanther12: thanks for sharing your experience and the advice. Looking at their videos, they seem like a pretty laid-back, wild, slightly eccentric band, which is exactly the vibe we’re hunting for ;-) I'll probably reach out to them by the end of the week, just to get some info 😉

@Nicole Hill35: thanks for the tip regarding Oliver and the photographer tours. I think I'll follow that lead; it's probably better to handle everything face-to-face to get the full picture. I can gauge how interested people actually are just from their presentation ;-)

As for the venue, my partner and I settled on that immediately. We both want an outdoor wedding. My uncle is a priest, so there aren't any issues there, which made things easy. We're going with Zdjelarevic 🙂
I've already been checking around and comparing prices. For a group of about 100-110 people, renting a traditional hall just doesn't make sense for us—the cost-to-value ratio is off
My boyfriend isn't a fan of those massive banquet halls 😁 he feels like those spaces lack atmosphere and soul, and honestly, I have to agree. An outdoor setup feels much more professional and offers better value for the money. In our area, you pay a lot for very little, though maybe that'll change eventually as new trends and people come in. I suppose Richmond has seen some progress over the last decade compared to ten years ago 🙂

Zdjelarevic includes the wedding reception in the price; the restaurant rental is free. They do a welcome for the couple and the wedding party in the winery cellar with some Zdjelarevic sparkling wine and a toast from the hosts. There's also a suite for the newlyweds with breakfast, plus discounts on rooms for guests if anyone needs them (which I assume some will), also including breakfast. They offer a few different menus that can be adjusted, and they serve their own wine
I'm hoping the total comes out cheaper than what my brother and sister paid at Crystal or Matičević, where they were charged $28 or $30 per person, not even counting the extra $1,000 hall rental fee. I'll run the final numbers once everything is set and post back here for anyone else struggling with the small vs. large wedding dilemma 😉

In my opinion, there's no comparison between an intimate wedding with just close family and friends at Zdjelarevic versus a medium-to-large event at Crystal (which I think has the best service and halls), Matičević, and so on. But ultimately, it all comes down to personal taste. That specific atmosphere of the restaurant, the winery, the hotel, and the vineyard just floored me. I knew instantly it was what I wanted. Plus, since I can have the outdoor wedding I've always wanted, it'll be worth it just to spend a weekend out in nature there

Best,

nimbleviper15 said:@dustypanther12: thanks for sharing your experience and the advice. Looking at their videos, they seem like a pretty laid-back, wild, slightly eccentric band, which is exactly the vibe we’re hunting for ;-) I'll probably reach out to them by the end of the week, just to get some info 😉

@Nicole Hill35: thanks for the tip regarding Oliver and the photographer tours. I think I'll follow that lead; it's probably better to handle everything face-to-face to get the full picture. I can gauge how interested people actually are just from their presentation ;-)

As for the venue, my partner and I settled on that immediately. We both want an outdoor wedding. My uncle is a priest, so there aren't any issues there, which made things easy. We're going with Zdjelarevic 🙂
I've already been checking around and comparing prices. For a group of about 100-110 people, renting a traditional hall just doesn't make sense for us—the cost-to-value ratio is off
My boyfriend isn't a fan of those massive banquet halls 😁 he feels like those spaces lack atmosphere and soul, and honestly, I have to agree. An outdoor setup feels much more professional and offers better value for the money. In our area, you pay a lot for very little, though maybe that'll change eventually as new trends and people come in. I suppose Richmond has seen some progress over the last decade compared to ten years ago 🙂

Zdjelarevic includes the wedding reception in the price; the restaurant rental is free. They do a welcome for the couple and the wedding party in the winery cellar with some Zdjelarevic sparkling wine and a toast from the hosts. There's also a suite for the newlyweds with breakfast, plus discounts on rooms for guests if anyone needs them (which I assume some will), also including breakfast. They offer a few different menus that can be adjusted, and they serve their own wine
I'm hoping the total comes out cheaper than what my brother and sister paid at Crystal or Matičević, where they were charged $28 or $30 per person, not even counting the extra $1,000 hall rental fee. I'll run the final numbers once everything is set and post back here for anyone else struggling with the small vs. large wedding dilemma 😉

In my opinion, there's no comparison between an intimate wedding with just close family and friends at Zdjelarevic versus a medium-to-large event at Crystal (which I think has the best service and halls), Matičević, and so on. But ultimately, it all comes down to personal taste. That specific atmosphere of the restaurant, the winery, the hotel, and the vineyard just floored me. I knew instantly it was what I wanted. Plus, since I can have the outdoor wedding I've always wanted, it'll be worth it just to spend a weekend out in nature there

Best,

Zdjelarevic 😍 sounds great!
But just so you know, you aren't paying a separate hall fee here; you're just paying me. With Matičević, you're hit with extra charges for chair covers and round tables, and even at the new place, you don't really need them because the chairs are already white. Crystal charges for covers too.
The actual hall rental happens over in Bukovlje, and that's closer to $10,000. The food might be slightly cheaper there, but when all is said and done, you end up in the same spot.

Nicole Hill35 said:Zdjelarevic 😍 sounds great!
But just so you know, you aren't paying a separate hall fee here; you're just paying me. With Matičević, you're hit with extra charges for chair covers and round tables, and even at the new place, you don't really need them because the chairs are already white. Crystal charges for covers too.
The actual hall rental happens over in Bukovlje, and that's closer to $10,000. The food might be slightly cheaper there, but when all is said and done, you end up in the same spot.

Yeah, true. 😕 Then they rolled out the rental options. I know when my brother got married, they paid $1,000 for a rental at Crystal. As for my sister, she was with Matičević—I think there was talk about rentals then too, but I'm not entirely sure if they actually went through. Anyway, I'll check back in over the next few days once I've reached out to the photographers regarding pricing. I'm keeping an eye on everything happening here on the forum; hopefully, there will be some updates soon. 😉

wiredtiger20 said:Greetings, everyone. 🙂 I am curious if anyone here has worked with Pim-studio before? Word on the street is they are quite capable, yet there is a complete lack of discussion regarding them on this forum. It seems suspicious to me. Please, I need some insight.

I'm curious about this too!

Hey... anyone here actually dealt with an outdoor church wedding before?
Is that even allowed—like, legally speaking? I heard a rumor that priests can pull it off if there are enough religious symbols present, like a cross or something...
We’re thinking about doing our big day outdoors, but so far we've only seen civil ceremonies held outside, so I have no clue what the actual practice is like. 😉

Kimberly Alvarez8 said:Hey... anyone here actually dealt with an outdoor church wedding before?
Is that even allowed—like, legally speaking? I heard a rumor that priests can pull it off if there are enough religious symbols present, like a cross or something...
We’re thinking about doing our big day outdoors, but so far we've only seen civil ceremonies held outside, so I have no clue what the actual practice is like. 😉

That sounds like a lovely idea, honestly. It would be beautiful, but from what I know, you don't really see that happening in the Midwest. Most priests tend to be against it, and the civil officiants charge quite a bit for outdoor ceremonies.

Kimberly Alvarez8 said:Hey... anyone here actually dealt with an outdoor church wedding before?
Is that even allowed—like, legally speaking? I heard a rumor that priests can pull it off if there are enough religious symbols present, like a cross or something...
We’re thinking about doing our big day outdoors, but so far we've only seen civil ceremonies held outside, so I have no clue what the actual practice is like. 😉

Hey Silva, regarding the Church rules, you've probably heard correctly🙄—meaning the Church generally believes baptisms and weddings should happen strictly inside a church building 🙂, usually within the bride's home parish, though exceptions exist depending entirely on the agreement between the couple and the priest. It really comes down to how willing they are to allow a different location or a different parish (which would require permission from your own priest as well).
Ultimately, it's just a matter of negotiating with the priest and seeing how open he is to alternative settings. I suppose it depends on your relationship with him and what kind of person he is.🤷
The biggest headache is probably the registration part—basically, deciding which parish officially records the marriage.
For instance, I plan to talk to my local priest and explain that my fiancé and I have decided this is what we want—an outdoor ceremony surrounded by nature. If the option is available, I’d like his blessing. My Uncle's a priest, so they know each other; he’s already married my brother and sister, so there isn't much of an issue there since it's sort of a family tradition.
My Uncle's uncle—my grandfather's brother—baptized and married all his nieces and nephews, and now his nephew (my uncle) is carrying on that tradition.
All I’d ask of him is that I register the marriage at my own parish. That means I'll pay all the fees and handle the paperwork through him rather than the priest where the ceremony actually takes place. We're looking at a lovely vineyard and resort out in the Midwest that offers vineyard weddings as part of their packages. That's exactly what we want. The setting and the scenery are perfect. If he won't agree to it, then I simply won't have a church wedding, and honestly, he and my family can just deal with that. I don't think these kinds of hurdles should even exist; Church attendance is declining everywhere, and they brought that on themselves, so they should face the consequences.
That's just my take, though. To each their own.☕

I hope you manage to pull off that kind of ceremony. Personally, I think it's something truly special. When it comes to God, He created nature, living things, and life itself, not institutions.😉

Thanks girls—we'll see what kind of schemes we can cook up... hopefully we can talk the priest into it 😁

So, I’ve gotta ask—has anyone actually tried ordering a wedding dress from eBay?? 😉
I mean, the whole thing where you send them your measurements and they just ship out whatever they think fits... I know this one girl who was actually thrilled with hers—stunning dress, really—but she had to run to a local tailor for some minor tweaks to make it fit perfectly. Still, I’m hesitating... it’s a total gamble, isn't it? You never really know what you're going to get.
Plus, I saw this "boutique" on Facebook that seems to be selling the exact same dresses you see on eBay—they even use the identical photos. My guess? They're just dropshipping everything from overseas and slapping a boutique label on it.

Hey Silva, we have this entire thread dedicated to this exact topic. Check it out to see one girl's experience 😉

Daniel Smith8 said:Hey Silva, we have this entire thread dedicated to this exact topic. Check it out to see one girl's experience 😉

sorry... didn't realize... thanks 😁