Posts by rustyjackal26

It feels like every time we get some momentum during preseason, someone inevitably goes down to the training room. Does anyone else feel like the first week of camp is just a waiting game to see who survives the grind?

Ladies, I have a quick question for you. Where have you all been sourcing your rosemary lately?
I'm looking for someone reliable—someone who isn't just shoving random sprigs into a bag or tying them up with cheap little ribbons.

Douglas Walker2 said:I’m curious, has anyone been to a wedding at the Vuković shopping mall over in that > lately? We’ve been looking at venues, and honestly, the quotes we got from places in St. Louis make the Vuković option look like a steal—we're talking a €2,100 difference! 🤷
My experience was about four or five years ago, and everything went pretty smoothly back then. But you know how things change, right? I’d love to hear if anyone has any recent intel or stories they could share with me. 🙄

If it means anything to you, my friend, we were there back in October and had an absolutely stellar experience. The service is top-tier, the food is divine, and the facilities are kept spotless and well-maintained. A close friend of mine was actually just telling me about her recent visit, claiming the food and service there even outshone some of the spots in Indianapolis.

silentraven18 said:Dear rustyjackal26, I can't tell you how sorry I am to read everything you've been through, but I'm so glad you aren't giving up on the day. It’s going to be such a beautiful wedding, filled with so much heart 🙂

Where is the wedding being held? Which venue? In principle, I wanted to suggest that maybe you could host the gathering right in front of the hall instead. I know there's a special feeling to leaving your own home behind—there's something nice about celebrating in your own space—but maybe this isn't such a bad workaround. A lot of venues actually do a lunch before the ceremony now. Instead, you could set up platters just like you originally intended and celebrate in the venue's courtyard or perhaps a front indoor area. You could rent a few high-top bar tables and those large umbrellas (you know, the white ones)—maybe just one or two depending on how many people show up for the afternoon gathering—and set up one or two large tables where all the food will be laid out. Let the venue keep the drinks inside and maybe ask them to provide two or three servers to pass around the snacks and check on the guests.
I'm here if you need any more help. 😍

Thank you so much for the post and for your kind wishes. We are hoping for the same thing—that everything turns out beautifully and leaves us with even better memories than we anticipated. 🎉
The venue is the Tena Hall in Little Rock; fortunately, it hasn't flooded (at least not entirely... 😁). However, the church in Gun is underwater, and apparently, there was a break-in too, so it looks like a total loss. We are trying to get a hold of the priest to figure out the specifics. 🤷 Because of that, we are considering moving the ceremony to the church in Little Rock instead. As far as the wedding party goes, we are very low-key people; that’s how we planned it from the start—nothing flashy or extravagant, just decent and tasteful. Given the current circumstances, we were thinking of telling the relatives to meet at the church, have the service, and then head straight to the hall. There will be a table with hors d'oeuvres and fruit available before dinner so people can help themselves.
My only real fear is that half the family won't make it because they are scattered all across the Midwest, and frankly, I don't even want to get into our current financial situation. 😢 But, we are hoping for the best, just so we can have a little something to celebrate after these heavy, chaotic days. 🙂
As for offers of assistance, I posted on the local marketplace asking if anyone has any leftover wedding supplies they'd be willing to part with—nothing else comes to mind... Thanks in advance, everyone! 🙂

Amanda Brooks18 said:Has anyone here actually heard of the band Dropbox? I ended up booking them for a wedding—I went off a recommendation and some online buzz—but a few friends just got back from a wedding they attended where they were playing, and they said it was a total disaster. Apparently, there was a break every fifteen minutes??

They’re playing at my event too, and from what I've seen, I'm satisfied. As for those constant breaks—that's just plain stupidity...😂 They stick to the agreed-upon schedule, and they'll even throw in some helpful suggestions if you're unsure about anything... you won't regret it...😉

Honestly, ladies, what can I even say? We almost had to postpone the whole wedding because we're in an area hit by major flooding... the house is underwater, everything is ruined from the drought issues earlier, and don't even get me started on the appliances and furniture... 😢 but we decided to push through and hold it no matter what happens. 🙂 We still have two months until the big day, but half of our plans (the couple's welcome party, the backyard celebration before the ceremony) are now totally off the table... 😢

Brandon Jackson said:Greetings everyone... I am officially joining the ranks of the prospective wedding planners 😉

Well, my partner and I have finally settled on a date (May 2015), so I’ve been spending quite a bit of time reading through this forum. There is so much helpful advice and so many recommendations here, which is honestly such a relief given that we are both complete novices at this... 😍
Regarding the venue, we’ve had a positive initial response from Crystal Springs (we have a meeting scheduled for next week), but I find myself leaning toward Perdue in Des Moines as well. If anyone here has firsthand experience with them, I would truly appreciate it if you could share some details...

As for photography, I see a lot of people pointing toward the ladies over at Artes—they are currently my favorites, though the $10 $0.00 price tag for the photo and video package makes me hesitate just a little 🤷—and then there is Zoom Des Moines, plus the work coming out of the Bot studio looks quite interesting.

Our biggest dilemma right now is the band. We definitely want a group that features both male and female vocals, but we are completely drawing a blank on ideas (aside from perhaps catching Babylon when we visit our godparents in May, and maybe putting down a deposit if they're good)... I notice a lot of praise for Still and Sto Prosto, so perhaps we can try to catch one of them live...

That is all for now; I will continue to follow the threads here and soak up all the information I can... 😁

A relative of mine held her wedding at Perry last year, and I can't say enough good things about them. The staff is incredibly attentive, the food was delicious, and the venue itself is stunning. A perfect ten out of ten. 👍
I would definitely recommend Zoom for photo and video; their work is fantastic, and they're quite a bit more affordable than the options you mentioned. I booked them myself and am counting down the days until our shoot. 😍
When it comes to music, you might want to look into the Viva Box band from Indianapolis. They feature both male and female vocalists (that's who I went with), they play incredibly well, they know how to get a crowd moving, and they're actually very helpful with song selection and advice. Plus, I think they're more budget-friendly than most bands in the area. 🎉 Hope that helps even just a little. 😉

Mine is an Apple too...😍

Since we're on the subject, I really ought to make the trip out to see her soon to hammer out the specifics of the renovation... only about three and a half months left.😁

Alexander Thompson93 said:Nicholas definitely works at the shop on Main Street, but I'm not 100% sure about the one over by the Super Target/Target combo. 😉

..iPhone talking..

It’s basically the same salon, just that they moved everything over to Isabelle’s place and my mom's because the power got cut off at the supermarket due to those construction projects...😉

Not that I recall, but if my memory serves, they were from the babin greda area and Kolačić was based out of Indianapolis.
Ladies, I have a quick question regarding body care services in Indianapolis or the surrounding areas. Does anyone have a solid recommendation for a cosmetologist who specializes in treatments for the décolletage and back?

Alexander Thompson93 said:The fair is looking pretty mediocre this year...

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Unfortunately, I have to side with you on that one... 😢
As for my plans, we already put down the deposits for what we intended to secure. Regarding the desserts, you get a 10% discount if you register at the expo. For us, the cake and pastries for 300 guests will end up costing roughly $967.

For all you hopeless romantics out there, my godmother and I hit up the fair in Savannah recently. It felt like a much smaller turnout than last year, with way fewer vendors lining the aisles. ☕ But hey, we didn't go empty-handed; we spent our time sampling those delicious cookies from babin greda and ended up buying a whole stash. 😍 We also decided to treat ourselves at Sardonix jewelry and picked up some gold earrings. 😁

@Quote : MirtaZ: I think Tena is a great choice. I’ve actually been there myself, and since the wedding is scheduled for the summer, I really doubt anyone is going to be freezing... 😁 As for the marriage ceremony, we went to a local church near Indianapolis. Every church does maintenance a few times a year, so you should probably check their schedule ahead of time so you don't end up showing up to a closed building. 🙂

@Peter Nelson: You won't find that shop here in the States. The closest one to me is over in Birmingham, Alabama. Everything else is located in Mexico.

Hey everyone, my wedding date is slowly creeping up on me—August 2nd is the big day. 😁
We’ve pretty much locked down almost everything we need; now it’s just those last-minute technicalities that pop up right before the ceremony. 🙂
Just kidding: Teni, Small Town, USA
Photographer: Zoom, Local Band Area
Band: Subscription Box, Indianapolis
Hair & Makeup: Studio Chic, Indianapolis
Bridal Boutique: Nikoline, Indianapolis
Cakes: Local Business (we’re putting down a deposit this weekend at the wedding expo in Indy)
Florist: Camellia, Small Town, USA

We also finished our pre-cana course at the church. Now it’s just the small stuff: boutonnieres, home decor, bows, wedding bands, a suit for my guy, and SHOES... Honestly, I haven't found anything I actually like in any shop around Indianapolis, so I'll probably just head to Marry Ed (http://marryed.com/). Does anyone have recommendations for wedding bands here in Indianapolis or nearby? I'm looking for someone who makes beautiful pieces without the massive markup you find in the big jewelry stores. 😍

mellowsurfer41 said:Hey everyone!
Our big day is about 6 months away. I've taken plenty of time to plan this out, so we’re moving slow and steady with the organizing because I really want everything to turn out exactly how we pictured it.
We knew who we wanted for the band right off the bat—Sto Posto Band—and personally, they're awesome. We’ve caught them playing a few weddings before and they’re great 😍. They know their stuff, play whatever you ask, and basically only stop for dinner breaks 😉. The singer has a killer voice, and the female vocalist is pretty solid too 😍. As for the venue, we were hunting through just about every quote out there... Bendek was one option, but when we went to check it out, the waiter was super rude and basically brushed us off when we mentioned our date, kind of like, "What do you want a year in advance?" 🙂 Like, hellooo, most couples book 2-3 months out... It just ticked me off. But they closed down shortly after anyway, so I guess it worked out for the best 😂. In the end, we went with Kopik Restaurant and were blown away by the service and how they run things; you can tell they actually care. Ivanka is lovely and easy to work with on all the details. We'll have around 100 guests, which fits their hall perfectly. Since we're doing a Friday, we got a discount, so dinner will cost us $63 per person, including dessert! The only thing left is the wedding cake; we were thinking about getting it from Babin Greda, but we're still looking. Also, they provide the lighting for $500, and the guy who does it has a Facebook profile, so we can coordinate everything—colors, decor, the whole bit—all within that price. Now for the best part 😉: the dress 😉. I scoured the web for different boutiques and even hit up a bridal expo... Definitely went with Nikolin! The lady there is so sweet and not pushy at all; she actually listens and has patience. I originally just went in to ask about a specific dress I saw on their website; they didn't have it in stock then, but they called me as soon as it arrived. I tried it on and that was it. Love at first sight. I got $233 and $333 off the price, plus I get a bolero or a shawl for the church, hair accessories, a basket for the boutonnieres, and a little dress for the flower girl, plus a ring pillow. So, a huge chunk of stuff is already 😉 sorted. For the photographer, we hired someone from Savannah, Photo Click, $1333 and they seem decent. They also have a Facebook page, and for that price, we get an album, three DVDs with 4 hours of footage, and a thank-you note ranging from 5 to $2.25. We opted for the $2.25 version since we aren't having a massive wedding, so there's no point in overspending. Still need invitations and boutonnieres. We were thinking of Gal Studio—I think they're based in Belišće—they're on Facebook. They're pretty affordable and have a nice selection. Regarding boutonnieres, we're leaning toward badges, which are cheap at Magic Team; they even give a 30% discount for bulk orders.
My godmother is doing my hair (she's a stylist), but I am BEGGING you girls to let me know if you know any good makeup artists. Also, does anyone know where I can go in Indianapolis for that spray tan thing? I'm not allowed to go to tanning salons 😢. And how do you guys feel about spray tans?
Thanks!

Just a heads-up: the restrooms are a complete mess. They’re consistently lacking toilet paper and hand towels, too. You might want to have a word with them about keeping things clean and actually staying stocked up...😉

Roger Cooper5 said:I completely agree. A few things regarding their contract process felt unclear to me as well🤷, so we ended up passing on them altogether.... I have some reservations. Thanks for the heads-up..!!🙂

No worries at all. 😉 Good luck with the planning. 🙂 By the way, when I was looking for wedding venues in Indianapolis, my top picks were Zelenkrov and Crystal Salo (the blue one). Their catering is excellent, the variety is solid, the halls are beautiful, and the staff actually does their job. If you’re looking at something more intimate, I’d suggest the hall from Prehrana over on Radićev. The food is incredible and the service is top-notch. Mind you, the restroom isn't exactly state-of-the-art, but it's clean and well-kept. 😉

Roger Cooper5 said:Has anyone here actually eaten at Chili's in Indianapolis, or is anyone planning to go?

The venue itself is tiny, and frankly, the restroom situation was a disaster—filthy and falling apart. On the flip side, the food was actually quite delicious. I was there recently, though not for a wedding, just a different occasion. To be honest, it feels like there are much better options out there than Kopika, even if I haven't fully crunched their pricing yet... so, I'm not sure how much this helps you.🙂 For me, personally, having a clean restroom is a non-negotiable when it comes to weddings. I need toilet paper, I need it to be sanitary, and I certainly don't want it smelling terrible... which was exactly the experience I had there. ☕

I figured I’d chime in here and share my own experience following my surgery.🙂
I underwent a septum correction on July 10th at Holy Spirit Hospital in Chicago. While they were at it, they performed an aesthetic refinement as well. The procedure itself went smoothly, even though it ran a bit longer than expected—about three and a half hours. They removed the packing on day five, which was also when I was discharged. On day nine, I went back in to have the cast removed and get the stitches taken out; they applied some patches to keep things steady while the swelling subsides. By day sixteen, I returned for a follow-up, where they removed the patches and did a quick cleaning of the nasal passages. My recovery has been excellent; the bruising and swelling cleared up much faster than anticipated—even the doctor seemed surprised by how quickly I bounced back 😁). I’ve been consistently rinsing with saline and applying Contractubex. Since Friday, the swelling has subsided even further, so I expect everything to look perfect in about a month or so. My only real concern now is making sure I don't bump into anything—or better yet, that nobody accidentally bumps into me—since you can't even tell I had work done. 😁
Now, regarding the surgeon... I was under the care of Dr. Raguž. He’s a younger physician, but he is incredibly kind, professional, and approachable. Honestly, I couldn't say enough good things about him. 😍
As for the nursing staff and the other doctors, I have nothing but praise for them as well... 🙏 Everyone was truly top-tier. I have to admit, I haven't encountered a more compassionate or capable group of people. They were there for us 24/7, attending to every tiny detail, offering support, and even sharing a joke when needed. No one was ever grumpy, no one raised their voice, and no one made it feel like our care was a burden. That level of care makes a massive difference when you feel like a 500-ton steamroller just flattened you. 😁
So, ladies, if you're looking into surgery for your septum, sinuses, or whatever else, I would absolutely recommend Holy Spirit Hospital. Regardless of which doctor you select, you really can't go wrong. 😉
I also want to give a special shout-out to Dr. Gudelj (who wasn't my primary surgeon). He took the time to check in on all the patients over the weekend, even though he wasn't required to. That kind of initiative tells you everything you need to know about his character as a person... 👍

Kevin Nguyen48 said:I went ahead and booked Anne. As for her own personal makeup style, I think she’s a pro and will style every girl based on their specific face shape, skin tone, eye color, etc... from looking at her work, I haven't seen anyone look anything less than perfect when she does them...

Well, if you're so sure, why don't you send me a photo of yourself after she's done with your makeup?😉 Like I mentioned before, the fact that she offers house calls and can even bring her own hairstylist along is a huge plus—at least, that's what I've heard. I've looked at some of her work; some pieces were fantastic, while others felt a bit too conventional. Then again, maybe that's just what younger clients are looking for.🙂 The problem is I haven't found much of her work online, and it feels awkward to walk into a salon and demand to see a physical portfolio.🤣 Meanwhile, those girls over at Chic have a massive gallery on Facebook, and they really are 😍

Kevin Smith7 said:Which band are you all planning to hire?

Dropbox... I love their sound. Everything is already set; the guy has an incredible voice, and they even have Serena Williams singing with them. They create such a great vibe that I’m honestly thrilled with how everything turned out...😍 though now I still need to figure out my photographer... ☕
Girls, let me ask you something... where are you planning to get ready? I'm torn between Studio Chic here in Indianapolis or Coco Gauff... though I have to say, Coco really caught me off guard at the trade show... she showed up to represent herself and her salon looking like she hadn't washed her hair in a week, and the makeup wasn't exactly great either... look, I get it, they were probably slammed that weekend, but if you can't find ten minutes to wash your hair, that's just unacceptable. My hair is almost down to my waist and I can wash and dry it in about twenty minutes flat... but anyway, moving on... the girl working those booths for Portanova was actually quite pleasant. She was a tall, curvy girl with beautiful brown hair... I can't recall her name...
with Coco, the plus side is that she comes to your house to do the whole routine, whereas with the others, you actually have to travel to a salon... so I'm still weighing it up... I'd love to get my maid of honor, my mom, and maybe another cousin all done at once...🥳

Here is a quick little update from my side...🙂
I finally sorted out the band situation... We managed to move the wedding date up to this weekend...😁 Luckily, the venue was wide open, so now we have both the hall and the band we actually wanted...😍 My only remaining headache is finding a photographer. I’m leaning toward Mark from Indianapolis...😉 Has anyone here worked with him before? From what I've seen, his portfolio is fantastic and his rates are pretty reasonable...🙂