Posts by Ethan Ramirez7

In our neck of the woods—around the outskirts of Indianapolis—Sweetie definitely holds the crown, mostly because they have storefronts out in Russia and Des Moines, so I assume it’s just down to convenience...
I’ve treated myself to their cakes quite a few times (to be honest, I can't recall much about their pastries, if I even tried) and every single time they were absolutely spot on, no misses at all...
So, I’ll be sticking with them too, though I'm just looking to grab a cake... 🙂

quietcobra52 said:Honestly, if you can swing it, just drive over to Canada to pick them up. Either a small town in the Midwest or a small town in the Midwest works. We grabbed some yellow gold pieces in a small town in the Midwest for $733, which was a steal—back home they were asking $3,800 for the exact same thing

We actually ended up getting our jewelry at Luke’s shop in Slav. We thought we were being smart taking advantage of their cash discount and whatever other deal they were pushing, but they really played us $883. Now, with this white gold, I look like a total cliché when people talk about my "wedding ring."

Henry Moore2 said:What kind of cake flavors are actually trending around here lately?
I was at this tasting event recently for a friend who’s getting married over in the States, and man, they had everything—we're talking classic tiramisu, lemon poppyseed, even some tropical fruit stuff... It got me thinking, what's the go-to selection most people offer back home?

I haven't quite stepped into the role yet, but I'm pretty sure you have total freedom when it comes to picking the flavors...
That said, looking at about 90% of the weddings in my area lately (out in the Midwest), people have been gravitating toward either Lotus or a Hershey's Cake topped with fresh fruit, something chocolatey, or most often, an Ice Wind style...
The only catch is if you're doing a tiered cake where they stack on top of each other; in that case, the pastry chef will tell you the bottom layer has to be the heaviest one, which usually means going with a rich chocolate option...
But honestly, I don't see any reason why you couldn't just pick whatever you want, and personally, I think those parfait cream cakes are delicious, though I haven't run into them in a long, long time, even though they used to be a massive hit.

Daniel Brown5 said:Hey ladies, 😁
Does anyone have any solid recommendations for musicians or bands, or maybe some great photographers?

You could have made this a bit easier on us by narrowing things down—maybe mention where you're located, what kind of vibe you're after, or even just a rough budget...
well, we actually ended up picking a photographer from Indianapolis and a new band that's also based out of Indianapolis...
As far as the bands go, I didn't really have any other options to look at, but for the photography, I was torn between them and Photo Zoom...

silentraven18 said:Well, let me give this another shot 🙂

Does anyone happen to know a rental company that carries round wedding tables? I’m looking for the standard banquet style—about 70 inches in diameter—not those tall cocktail or bar tables you see at lounges.

I'm pretty much open to anyone serving the entire Midwest area...😍

Give them a shout https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gala-...544263&sk=info...

Donna Morgan said:What can you tell me about those folks from the Dacca group and the TS Evergreen Slav ship? They’ve actually made it onto my shortlist.

Honestly, you really can't go wrong with either choice... they're both top-tier outfits and they both know exactly how to set a great vibe.

Donna Morgan said:Hey everyone, does anyone know any talented makeup artists in the St. Louis area or the surrounding suburbs that you’d actually vouch for? I’m also on the hunt for a solid hair salon recommendation—or better yet, a stylist who offers mobile services and is willing to come out to my place. Thanks! 🙂

Mayahttps://www.facebook.com/pages/MakeU...65932220105013 , https://www.facebook.com/marija.makeupartist?fref=ts ... and honestly, I think most salons do a pretty decent job with makeup nowadays, though I don't have a specific go-to besides those two... as for hair, I can definitely point you toward Anna; she isn't working at a shop right now because she's actually in the middle of opening her own studio... https://www.facebook.com/enavidakovic1?fref=ts I've heard nothing but rave reviews about her styling... I'm actually heading in for a blowout for New Year's, so I'll be able to give you my firsthand opinion then... I've also heard that Manda, the owner over at the Nova salon in the Midwest, does beautiful work. There's also this one girl who isn't officially at a salon but does hair for friends out of her own home... if you're interested in that, just shoot me a DM 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/gala.satori?ref=ts&fref=ts
I'm pretty much positive that the folks over at Gala Tents in the Midwest have exactly what you're looking for...

Patrick Morris6 said:Hey everyone! I feel like I've been waiting forever for this moment—honestly, longer than I spent picking out my wedding dress—just to finally be here and help out some other stressed-out brides-to-be. 🙂
Here’s the report:
Looks like we had about 65 guests show up. Maybe a decent turnout? Just immediate family and my absolute closest friends—it’s gonna be a wedding to remember!
Zoe Kravitz The old venue downtown—it can hold over 200 people easily, but you can probably break it down into smaller groups if you need to. They’ve got this gorgeous new hall now, too. I guess this page is pretty cool, maybe? Just checking things out!
It’s also got a place to stay right nearby, which was huge for me since we had guests coming in from all over the New York City area. The rooms are honestly gorgeous, plus the newlyweds get their own apartment!
Goldman Sachs photo studio They're super cheap, you can probably haggle on just about anything, and honestly? They’re just really, really good. 🙂 They’re giving each couple their own special moment, which I think is such a cool idea! You can check out all the photos and videos on Facebook or directly on their website.
Maybe they'll bend, I guess.I guess there’s really only one, honestly. One hundred percent.I guess there’s really no point in even hyping them up anymore. Honestly, I haven't heard a single bad thing about them—it's just non-stop praise. They did such an amazing job covering Bob Dylan, Mickey Mouse, and Bruce Springsteen that everyone was literally turning their heads because they couldn't believe who was singing. As if I actually have the cash to fly in John Smith or anything! 😁)
She's such an amazing singer! Honestly, I guess you won't regret checking her out at all!!!
Hey everyone, just wanted to grab your attention for a sec...General Electric They’re honestly the best, most amazing, and most genius band I've ever heard! These guys play everything so well, from the mandolin to Beyoncé to even some old-school classics. 😁He actually took my Coors from me right in front of the church, and honestly? It was better than his... I guess people were wondering why they couldn't just keep hanging out at the lounge.😂
Wedding season, I guess.Even though I was pretty sure I’d end up with some cheap knockoff from overseas, my eBay find actually turned out great. I didn't get the curtain rod with it, though, so I guess we had to struggle a bit to DIY one ourselves...
Flowers: Trader Joe's I was at the local farmers market, and I actually saw sunflowers everywhere—I don't know who said they weren't in season yet, but they were definitely there! The bouquet was just gorgeous and really caught everyone's eye. The table arrangements looked great too, and our centerpiece was super cute with those little floating fairy lights, tiny sunflowers, and ribbons... honestly, everything was such a steal.
Maybe just some rosemary? I guess.Maybe it was Emma from Springfield (we even got some for free!)
Maybe some cookies? I guess.I don't even need to bring it up, I guess. BrooklynPeople were saying it was the best iced wind they've ever had, and honestly, the cake looked pretty amazing too.
Decorations: Good partnerI guess they have a warehouse out in Indianapolis. Their website is actually pretty great. All the other shops buy from them, including Microsoft, and of course, they probably charge double...
Shoes, a ring box, some garters (got an extra pair just in case), jewelry... I grabbed everything on eBay, mostly from the UK, and it should be here in about five days.
Rings.I guess I wouldn't really think about handing that kind of cash over to big jewelry chains. Hit me up in the DMs if you want the info.
I guess Smith's drinking. If you aren't planning some massive wedding and don't feel like driving across the border, I guess Smith is actually a pretty solid choice. It’s cheaper than all the big retail chains, and you can even return unopened sodas, which is pretty handy.
Hair and makeup: LeonilaI guess both work, though the makeup was a little heavy for my taste. I don't really wear much myself, so I might not be the best judge, but they have a Facebook page where you can check out the photos. I can't really access external Facebook links like that, I guess. Maybe try copying the text here instead? I'd love to help you out!
Oh yeah, some local moonshine straight from Brooklyn. 🙂 Everyone—including my friends from the Midwest and down in Florida—said they’ve never had anything like this before. They seriously polished off every last drop.
Little decorative jars, wedding favors, and fancy table bottles: Bumble Inc. is honestly the best. They were super helpful and went out of their way for me since I'm all the way from Seattle...
I think that's everything, I probably missed something here or there, but oh well.
Hopefully this helped at least a little bit! Good luck everyone, and if I can give one piece of advice all women get when they tie the knot—don't even bother stressing about it 😁
It was raining on and off during my photo shoot and back home too, and I totally stepped on my dress, but honestly, I had an absolute blast!

Can you drop the link to the seller? 🙂

dustytinker58 said:Hey there,
Our big DAY has finally come and gone! 🙂 😍
In case anyone is curious about the details of where we were and what we had planned...
For dinner, we hosted everything at the Perić Center Ballroom—it was absolutely stunning, and the service was top-notch. Honestly, if you ask me, it’s easily the best venue in Indianapolis.
Photography was handled by Zoom Photos
The music was provided by the Flower Band
Flowers were from Stella Bridal
As for the wedding dress—it was custom-made, and let me tell you, she does incredible work!! If anyone wants to see a photo, just let me know and I'll send it over.

How did you find the band? We're actually looking at booking them ourselves... 🙂

Also, what did you end up paying Zoom Photography? We're originally from Indianapolis, but honestly, not a single photographer here (within our budget, anyway) has managed to meet my standards, so I'm planning on heading over to the area to hunt for someone better...

I’ve hit a bit of a crossroads and could really use some input. I’m torn between Click Photography and Top Slav Photography, both based right here in our neck of the woods. Looking through their portfolios, they both produce stunning work, and honestly, their pricing seems to be pretty much on par. So, if anyone has any insight—pros or cons—for either of these studios, please let me know... 🙂 Since we’re local to the area, I feel like there might be a slight edge to choosing Top Slav just because they’re neighbors and likely already have all the best local spots scouted out for shots... 😕 but then again, Click might have a massive amount of experience shooting weddings specifically around this part of town...
And hey, if anyone has a different photography studio they swear by, feel free to throw those suggestions my way too! 🙂

Oh, and just to clarify, I haven't actually reached out to anyone yet, since we won't have a finalized date set in stone for at least another week or two...

quietcobra52 said:Can someone give me some advice? The invitations are finally here—wedding and reception is set for October 26th—so tell me, how early did you guys start sending them out? I was thinking about diving in this Sunday and just knocking a few out every week to get it over with... is it too early to start calling people?

It really just comes down to how many people are on your guest list, but honestly, you aren't being too early by any means... I'd much rather you call someone a few weeks ahead of schedule than find yourself scrambling at the very last minute. Just dive in and get moving, especially if you've got other things going on; if you wait, you might find one day you're too busy and the next day half your guest list isn't even home.🙂

Out here in the Midwest, traditions tend to shift depending on which small town you happen to be passing through...
But honestly, in our neck of the woods, the custom of dancing with a young lady has stayed pretty much intact over the years. 🙂

coastalbadger86 said:Ladies, does anyone happen to know where I can track down some Orangina bottles to repurpose for my homemade spirits? I’ve been searching everywhere but have zero luck. I need about 30 of them... 🙂

So, I was out grabbing a drink today and ordered an Orangina, so I figured I’d just ask the waitress if they actually give the bottles back—since I heard they’ve started doing that lately—and if I could just take one for myself, and she handed it right over, saying they don't want them back! Honestly, your best bet is probably just asking at the specific bar you frequent, or if you have a buddy working as a server, maybe they can stash a few for you.

wearybear10 said:Is it actually true that at weddings out in the Midwest, once the cake cutting is finished, you're expected to cough up some cash just to get a dance with the bride?

Look, in most of these types of receptions, there isn't a formal gift presentation where the couple sits there handing out favors while guests drop off gifts; instead, the gifting happens right when you go up for that dance with the bride. That’s how things work on my side of the fence, anyway. Though, I will say, people are slowly starting to move toward gifting without the dance requirement. For instance, at my own wedding, I am definitely going to keep the dance with the bride as the primary way to give a gift because that tradition still holds weight and it's what most of my family and future in-laws are used to. 🙂

You might want to double-check if the dance is the only option, or if it's more of a combined thing where only the immediate family—you know, parents, aunts, uncles—get that special dance, while everyone else just presents their gift during the formal part when the couple is sitting down handing out those thank-you favors! 🙂

coastalbadger86 said:Hey everyone, I could really use some help here... Does anyone know of a folk ensemble that performs both traditional string music and vocal harmonies? I think I saw someone mentioning a group from the Savannah area on a forum once, but I need the actual details—specifically the band's name and how to get in touch with them... 🙂

Check out TS Source... I've listened to them before and they are absolutely fantastic! 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tambu...513907?fref=ts

mellowjackal85 said:Hey everyone, finally jumping in here. 🙂
We’ve locked in Crystal Hall over in Slough for October 4th next year—booked the Vagabond Band from New Gradiska based on a friend's tip. Haven't caught them live yet, just listened to some clips online and liked what I heard. Everything I've gathered about them seems solid.
Has anyone actually seen them perform?

Just need to track down a photographer and then I can breathe easy for a while... still plenty of time before the wedding, though. :-)

I actually attended a wedding where they were the ones playing... If my husband gets his way, they'll be our top choice, too... They are just fantastic. 🙂They have a female vocalist, which you know is a plus, and they don't just play music—they sing, they entertain, and honestly, I think you're going to have an absolute blast. 😉The Stage was a little on the small side for everyone who wanted to hit the dance floor, though.