Posts by Anthony Stewart8

Paul Taylor4 said:Anyone here dealt with a slaughterhouse out in a small town in Kansas lately?

Honestly, it’s actually pretty decent. They just finished up some renovations recently, so it looks great, and I don't think their prices are out of line at all.
I'm heading out that way in June, so I should be able to give you a proper, firsthand review once I'm actually there.

Paul Taylor4 said:Has anyone ever hosted a wedding at that boutique hotel over on Main Street? I was just checking out their website yesterday—it looks gorgeous, seriously, but I’m a little tripped up by the layout. Apparently, they have these glass doors that can partition off different areas. I really don't want my guests feeling like they're stuck in some separate little corner away from the party, you know? If you've been there or heard anything through the grapevine, please let me know. Also, how’s the food and service? Is it actually top-tier?

Honestly, that place is pretty solid. Don't sweat the partitions too much—it's really not a big deal because once those dividers are all set up, you barely even notice them. The food is great and the service is usually pretty snappy. My only heads-up is that the owner can be a little intense; she definitely tries to push her own vision onto things, though I suppose that could actually be a plus if you aren't quite sure what you want.
They also have plenty of private parking and nice rooms available.

Studio Vision does an absolutely fantastic job. Honestly, the guys there are such good people—I can’t recommend them enough.

As for that chocolate fountain you were asking about, I'm pretty sure you can rent one through the catering services at either Karaka or El Paso over in Indianapolis... so, hopefully, that helps clear things up!

Angela Davis74 said:I know things are shorter nowadays, and my photographer—who is also filming—is doing a great job. I don't personally care about a DVD; I have no use for one. However, if it’s included in the package price, I expect it to be done properly. As far as everything else goes, there are plenty of options here in the States. But I knew exactly what I wanted from the start, which is why I didn't waste time shopping around. We will still wander through a few places looking for wedding rings and a suit, though I doubt we'll find anything we actually like at those local ethnic boutiques🙂. You need to have a clear vision. If you are indecisive, vendors will just take advantage of you, and you'll end up miserable on your wedding day because the decor isn't what you imagined.
My brother had a disaster where they tried to DIY everything, leaving them with only one paid professional: the photographer. He was a complete catastrophe. In the church, a woman kept walking in front of the couple during the procession to take photos, while the videographer stood by the altar; the final footage was mostly just the back of the woman and the tops of the couple's heads. It was the same at the reception—they focused entirely on the couple and completely ignored the guests. Luckily, many of us had digital cameras, so we amateurs basically saved the day. They even tried to follow a specific choreography, announcing the timing so the videographer could prepare, yet he still ran out of tape right in the middle of the dance and had to swap it out. Who even uses tape cameras anymore? It was an absolute nightmare.

Look, if there’s a specific choreographed sequence or anything like that planned ahead of time, running out of tape is completely unacceptable. It shouldn't happen. And don't even get me started on photographers stepping into the shot; that’s an unforgivable mistake for a professional crew. If it does happen, that footage is basically trash and has to be cut in editing.

The thing is, a truly seasoned photographer and camera op won't run into these issues because they actually look out for one another. They work in sync.

As for the whole tape situation, while things have shifted, I'd say about 95% of professional filming still relies on some form of physical media or high-capacity cards, so you absolutely have to manage your storage and swaps perfectly.

So, basically, if you're looking for it near the Walmart, it’s right by that last overpass when you’re taking the bypass toward the suburbs. You know, once you get past the overpass near the Metro and the local park, you hit the entrance to Indianapolis, and it’s immediately on the right side, just before the Walmart and that pet shop—the one where that big white dog with black spots sits on the roof. haha 🙂

Honestly, "early" or "late" is such a relative concept; it really all comes down to the scheduling.
If you’re trying to book during peak wedding season when everyone is scrambling for dates, then yeah, anything feels late. But if you pick the off-season when things quiet down, you can usually snag a later date without much trouble.
And I'm not just talking about the band here—this logic applies to basically everything you'd need to book.
Typically, the busiest months are May, June, September, and October.
So, just use those windows to gauge how much lead time you actually need.

They mentioned that this year's convention might move over to the new arena, though it all really depends on whether they can reach an agreement first.

When little hands work together... anything is possible, absolutely anything 🙂

Way to go, ladies! Seriously, I’m just so impressed by how you all teamed up and covered for one another. Such great teamwork.

Justin Martinez3 said:For anyone actually looking for advice—and look, I have nothing against the vendors who absolutely nailed their weddings—I’ve been hearing some pretty bad things lately. There's this photography studio out of a small town in the Midwest, Viki, and the feedback is brutal. One groom was telling me they didn't capture a single shot of the wedding cake being brought into the hall, nor did they get anything during the exit from the church. The video footage? Just tragic. It's mostly just someone filming straight ahead before suddenly whipping the camera up toward the ceiling. Total disaster. 👎

It isn't overpriced, though. I actually stopped by a local shop to ask about their rates for photo and video packages $1.50

Then there's Rahela Photography, also based out of that same area, charging around $5,000 $2.50. But apparently, the number of photos you get is basically tied to how many guests show up—and she mentioned they don't even shoot inside the reception hall, at least that's what I heard 😠

Honestly, it is just terrible what some people are doing in this industry. They refuse to take certain shots or film during the reception, and what kind of professional approach is that? It's like, "I'll photograph half of it and you guys just figure out the rest..." It's an absolute disaster.
If that's the case, these people aren't even taking their jobs seriously at all. 😲

Angela Davis74 said:I had a great experience with a duo out of Des Moines. Their work is solid. You get plenty of shots and the pricing is fair—certainly better than what I've heard some women paying lately.

Angela Davis74, please don't take this personally, but I happened to see some of the work from those Zoom video guys over in Des Moines recently, and I just can't bring myself to agree with you. I'm really not one to criticize people's work, but what I saw was honestly a bit of a disaster—not to mention that stolen footage right at the start of the video.
That said, I suppose you could say there's a buyer for everything, and from what I hear, they aren't asking for much money. But still, I can't help but feel that since a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, there shouldn't be any "do-overs" or second takes. You really ought to put a little more effort into creating something meant to last... you know, forever.

I hope you won't hold my comment against you; it's just my honest opinion based on what I actually witnessed.

Best,

wanderinghawk99 said:Does anyone know who rents out bubble machines? Is there anything available in Vegas and what's the going rate...

If you want a decent machine, check with Photo Inc. over in St. Louis. They have those professional-grade ones that actually work—the kind that won't leave a massive puddle of water all over your floor whenever a bubble pops.

Gary Fox89 said:Hey everyone,
I’m pretty new to this forum and also totally new to the whole wedding planning chaos. I’ve read through this entire thread from the very beginning, and while you guys have been super helpful, I still have a few things on my mind...😁

First off, we’re planning to hold the wedding at the Admiral Hotel in Columbus. We're looking at one of their smaller banquet rooms since we're capping the guest list at about 100 people. I was wondering if anyone here has hosted an event there or attended a wedding in that space? What were your impressions?

Also, if you wouldn't mind sending me a private message with contact info for any photographers or florists you’ve used—and maybe even a ballpark idea of what they charged—that would be amazing.

I’ve started talking to the band Twist Off, and I'm curious to know what you all think of them or if you've heard anything about their performance style.

And last, but definitely not least... my dress... 🙂
So, I actually found this really simple, elegant dress online that I absolutely love. I want to get married in something just like it, so I’m planning to have it custom-made. I visited a few different bridal boutiques in Indianapolis, but so far, only The Spot on Main Street said they actually do custom sewing; everywhere else just seems to rent dresses out. At The Spot, getting a simple design like mine made would cost $1167, so if you happen to know of any good seamstresses or boutiques in Indianapolis or Columbus that handle custom work, please let me know!

Thanks in advance, cheers!!

Honestly, Twisties is a top-tier band.

Emily Allen7 said:Does anyone have some good recommendations for a photographer and videographer? Also, has anyone here dealt with a photography fail before?

I’d definitely suggest checking out Digital Studio Manic over in the Midwest area.