Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Anyone have any idea what the general price range is at Stephanie? I heard their most expensive gown is $1667 for a first-time rental—not sure if that's actually true. Is $1667 way too much for a wedding dress?

So, I’m finally back from the trade show. I actually won a bouquet worth $167 😁 in the charity raffle, which was nice, but honestly? I’m beyond frustrated. It turns out the advertisement wasn't even for the Stephanie bridal salon in Indianapolis—Taylor Kelly2's ad was definitely not for them. They weren't even exhibitors! I had my heart set on one of their dresses and was dying to check their pricing, but apparently, I'll have to settle for the massive discount I found at a salon in Dakota instead. If the dresses at Stephanie end up being too pricey, that's my backup plan. After binge-watching enough TV shows, I’ve started questioning why anyone would even bother with the "new collection" anyway; last year's show featured the exact same styles. Actually, if I recall correctly, there were way more vendors present last year than this time around. And as for the jewelry? There weren't any local jewelers from Indianapolis, just Argentum, which happens to carry gold wedding bands in one of its branches.

Ethan Wilson94 said:Anyone have any idea what the general price range is at Stephanie? I heard their most expensive gown is $1667 for a first-time rental—not sure if that's actually true. Is $1667 way too much for a wedding dress?

I checked with another boutique today, and the starting price for a brand-new gown from the latest collection was $1667. Of course, that climbs much higher depending on the specific dress—and keep in mind, we're talking about rentals here.🤷

So, here I am. I stopped by Stephanie’s today and officially put down a deposit on my wedding dress. Their new collection is absolutely stunning $1500----I only tried on one gown—the one I’ve been obsessing over for two months—and honestly? It fits like a glove. It's light, fresh, and just perfect 😍, so I've completely scrapped my plans to have something custom-made or ordered online since my sister was sweet enough to chip in on the cost 🙂)))))) The staff there were so lovely; even though I didn't have an appointment, they were kind enough to let me try things on 🙂)) I'm thrilled 🤣. I practically floated home

jadeskipper85, do you happen to have a photo?

Here is 🙂 http://www.eddyk.com/lillyanna/l13f.html

It’s truly beautiful 😉

Same here...
My in-laws are getting married in Dakota. I've already locked in the heavy hitters—the venue, the band, and the photographer—so now I'm left dealing with the smaller, more tedious details. I have a few dilemmas.
1. Has anyone ever ordered cookies from Marina's in Garvin? Does anyone know their pricing?
2. Which florist in Dakota offers the best rates? What kind of flowers should I be looking at?
3. What are your thoughts on invitations? Is Grafoart still the top choice?
☕

Welcome, Morgan Scott68. 👋 I’m actually planning a wedding in Dakota myself. Since I don't live there, trying to pull this whole thing together is becoming a massive headache. To start with, finding a venue is proving to be a nightmare. I really liked Nikolin's place, but they don't even have their own website. 😢 No pricing listed—all I could manage was scrolling through a few photos on Facebook. So, I'm curious, which one did you end up picking? Honestly, I haven't even scratched the surface of what's available 🤷. Any advice would be much appreciated. 😉

Hey everyone!
We went with the Mima venue (just because). It’s a beautiful space and incredibly spacious, featuring round tables that seat eight people each. You could easily fit 700 guests in there, though you can partition the area off if you need something more intimate. The Peric center is also located near both Mima and Nikolin, though it feels a bit smaller than the others to me. Then there's the Karamarko hall, which has very low ceilings; personally, I found it a bit claustrophobic. There is also the Blažu hotel and a few other venues, but they are older and frankly not worth mentioning.🙂
As for pricing, it depends on whether you choose a per-person catering package based on the menu, or if you opt for your own arrangement, in which case the hall rental is about $2,500. I hope this provides some helpful insight.😕

Thanks. You were a huge help, obviously. 🙂 Look, I get that the venue is massive, but I’m praying we can scale things down. We aren't going to have more than 100 or 120 people anyway. Honestly, I'd prefer something much more intimate. And one more thing—can I bring my own food but have them prep it exactly how I want? I’m thinking a more custom menu, maybe some stuffed or breaded dishes, rather than the standard wedding fare: soup, roast, coleslaw, and stew. How does the billing work in that scenario? 🤷

That hall is honestly massive; I think it’s way too big for a group of 100 to 120 people. Most other venues offer those oval tables, so you might want to reconsider a smaller space. You can likely bring in your own catering and have them whip up whatever you want. It's best to just give them a call or shoot over an email. I have that exact flexibility at my venue!

Man, I think I’m in for some trouble. All these mistakes feel massive right now. I was just scrolling through some older posts, and they’re all saying Nikolin is way too much to handle. (I actually tracked down their website, so I’m going to go deep dive into that now). But honestly, I really dig 🙂. Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I’ll probably end up bugging you about other stuff too, 😍 since you’re from 🤣. Oh, by the way, when’s the big wedding?

Hey everyone... I'm new here. Has anyone had any experience working with Incha Photo Studio over in St. Louis? Also, I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the band Sons of the Plains (the new lineup)?

Hey, hey! It’s finally time to put down a deposit on a wedding venue in Indianapolis. Since I’m not from around here, I don't have any experience with their local spots. If anyone has been, please give me some recommendations.

Me again, looking for some help. Hopefully once I'm through this, I can pay it forward and help someone else out too.🙂

Any good bridal boutiques in Columbus? How much time should I set aside for each stop—does the fitting process take forever? Also, do I need to book an appointment ahead of time😉 just so I can get my schedule sorted out?

Tyler Campbell59 said:Man, I think I’m in for some trouble. All these mistakes feel massive right now. I was just scrolling through some older posts, and they’re all saying Nikolin is way too much to handle. (I actually tracked down their website, so I’m going to go deep dive into that now). But honestly, I really dig 🙂. Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I’ll probably end up bugging you about other stuff too, 😍 since you’re from 🤣. Oh, by the way, when’s the big wedding?

Hey! That hall is seriously way too huge for the guest count you mentioned. I was there when they had 800 people and there were still empty spots everywhere.
Sorry, but I think you're going to have to look for something else.

urbanpanther18 said:Me again, looking for some help. Hopefully once I'm through this, I can pay it forward and help someone else out too.🙂

Any good bridal boutiques in Columbus? How much time should I set aside for each stop—does the fitting process take forever? Also, do I need to book an appointment ahead of time😉 just so I can get my schedule sorted out?

I’ll leave my two cents here as well. I spent about half an hour at one shop for a fitting—though I suppose the girls who have tried on dozens of dresses can tell you exactly how much time you actually need. If you're looking for options, check out Isabelle’s, Claire’s, Stefanie’s, or The Bride. There’s also a place right next to Isabelle called Mi-Mo, and if you want something custom, Maya is a great local fashion house that does their own sewing. Also, if you want a discount at Isabelle’s or Claire’s, I actually have some coupons from a bridal expo that I can give you. As for me? I ended up getting mine at Stefanie's.

Does anyone else still need some wedding fair discounts for
? Quatro Band is offering 20% off
. Atelier St. Jackson has 30% off their new collection
. The Kas folk ensemble is doing a deal: free music for the afternoon portion before the ceremony, 50% off bachelor parties, 50% off bachelorette parties, and 5% off the standard wedding rate
. Photo Joe $167
. Isabelle Salon $167 (their location is in Indianapolis)
. Claire’s Bridal Salon is 10% off
.

Tyler Campbell59, I am sorry about the venue 😢 There are plenty of better small halls out there; I am certain you will find one... It doesn't matter, just don't let them "get to you." I love being helpful! Mine are in May! To get the dress 😍
Where on earth did everyone get their cakes????