swifttrucker3
Newcomer
2 messages
joined Jul 2013
I have been reading this forum for quite a long time now, and I finally decided to register so that I could share my own experiences, which might perhaps be helpful to someone else. I got married two years ago, and this community truly helped me navigate several of my dilemmas. So, here is my experience—our wedding reception was held at Lucy's Hall (Zuka's), and I honestly have nothing but praise for them. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, so I needed everything to turn out exactly as I had envisioned. Regarding the staff, the service, and the food at the venue, everything was more than perfect. The servers circulated among the guests all night; it felt as though no one was lacking anything for even a single moment. The food was superb (at least according to those who ate it; I didn't have much time since I spent the entire night on the dance floor 🙂), and some guests were actually surprised when their lamb arrived piping hot, noting that in other venues, it often isn't the case. I later learned they have a contract with a specific vendor who handles the roasting right there that evening. Ivanna, the venue manager, is truly a wonderful woman; she is incredibly accommodating and willing to work with any request you might have. The venue also includes a room for children with beds where they can sleep. A few kids stayed over at our wedding, and the parents gave us glowing reviews regarding the cleanliness of the room, the linens, and everything else. The newlyweds have access to a suite with a private bathroom upstairs. We brought our change of clothes for after the first dance, along with outfits for the following day, the day before. The suite was very tidy, spacious, and lovely. When we arrived at the venue, the head waiter and the manager greeted us and escorted us and the wedding party to our suite for a brief moment of relaxation (which was truly wonderful after two hours of photos). We were provided with whatever drinks we wanted in the room; we stayed for about half an hour before heading back down to the hall. We ordered our own cake, but everything else was provided by the venue. Unfortunately, the bakery where we ordered from is no longer in business (the owner closed up after her husband passed away), but the cakes were absolutely perfect. The band was Art (Mus). When we initially booked them, everyone told us we were crazy because they claimed the band only plays old-school country music and such, but from my firsthand experience—THEY PLAY WHATEVER YOU AGREE UPON! We didn't hear a single country song! They played everything: folk, rock, international hits, Balašević... you name it! Most people only stayed in their seats for the prayer and the anthem; the majority headed straight back to the dance floor because the music was constant. By the end, we practically had to beg people to leave around 6 AM... the band kept playing until the very last person left the floor! As for hair, makeup, and nails: for my hairstyle, I went to Studio 54. I didn't bother with a trial run; I just showed up on the wedding day with a photo of the style I wanted, and the stylist recreated it perfectly! I had my nails done privately by a specialist, and my makeup was done at Zora's Salon. Regarding the makeup, it was exactly what I wanted—a solid 5/5—but I did have to wait quite a while. Naturally, I wasn't seen at my scheduled time because there were other women ahead of me receiving cellulite treatments and eyebrow waxing and things like that. To be precise, I didn't get my turn until an hour and a half after my appointment, which frustrated me immensely since I had to rush through everything else afterward! So, Zora, 👎! My photographer was a friend of mine who has plenty of experience; he brought along another cameraman, but I won't mention his name since he doesn't have his own studio and I wouldn't want to cause any issues. I should mention, however, that the photos and the DVD are no less impressive than those produced by places like Studio 69 or Krizmanić, and both my husband and I are extremely satisfied. I also worked with a woman privately for the flowers, and she executed everything exactly like my inspiration photos, but at a much, much lower price. For example, local florists were quoting me anywhere from $350 to $167 just for the bouquet I wanted, but my total with her (my bouquet, the groom's boutonniere, five small bouquets for the flower girls, the car, and the hall decorations) only cost $300!!! And, I nearly forgot, the wedding dress—Atelier Stefanie. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!! When I went for my fitting, the consultant spent a good two hours with me trying on everything I liked. She helped me dress, undress, and adjust everything, all with a smile and without a hint of eye-rolling like some others might do! Once I chose the dress, she finally mentioned that, in her opinion, it was the one that suited me best, though she hadn't wanted to say anything during the other fittings because she didn't want to impose her views! I only had one fitting just four days before the wedding, even though I had placed my deposit ten months prior, and it fit me as if it had been custom-made specifically for me... All in all, that day was the most beautiful day of my life, and everything turned out exactly as I had imagined (aside from the waiting for my makeup)...
