Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

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. 😉

Quick question regarding marriage prep courses—is this actually mandatory? Like, do you really have to show up and sit through the whole thing, or can you skip it?

Jamie Newman10 said:Quick question regarding marriage prep courses—is this actually mandatory? Like, do you really have to show up and sit through the whole thing, or can you skip it?

I guess it’s only if you want a church wedding. You usually need proof that you finished the prep. For us, they even gave us a list of lectures and marked the one we missed. But honestly, it probably depends on the priest. Maybe only one of the couple has to go? People are busy working and traveling and stuff, so I suppose there's some flexibility.

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

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!

I'm currently facing two specific hurdles 🙂 regarding the tent and the decor.

The formal dinner is being held at the Amiral in Mirkovcats. As the bride, I 🙂, coming from Ilok, need to find a tent that fits in my courtyard—something no larger than 4x8m. It seems everyone I've spoken to has a minimum size of 5m 🙂. If anyone knows a vendor with a more diverse selection of smaller sizes, please let me know.

As for the decorations, I'm torn between Exclusica Decorations El Paso and the Iris Ivankovo Flower Shop. For those of you who have worked with Iris, do they handle bringing the car decorations and the boutonniere to the groom, considering he'll be over in El Paso?

Thanks in advance 😉

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...😉

rustyjackal26 said: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...😉

I mean, I don't know, I guess I heard about that from a few people. 😢 They honestly seem great, and you can definitely work things out with them. I actually told my husband today that when we go to settle the details for my thing, we should probably bring up those issues with the restroom... I mean, is it really that bad?🙂

Andrew James2 said:Hi everyone! I’m looking to gather some advice and firsthand experiences regarding live bands and photographers. For our band, we are specifically searching for a group with a female vocalist. Our top choice was originally SoundCloud, but unfortunately, they are already booked for our date on 😢. Right now, we are considering Twisties, The Band, or The Beach Boys. Personally, The Beach Boys and Twisties seem to have a much more upbeat and energetic vibe, but I am debating whether it is truly worth paying an extra $200 or $300 for them. If anyone here has attended a wedding where they were performing, I would love to hear your impressions...
As for photography, does anyone have experience working with Click photo and video? We looked into some of the major production houses, but their quotes are just astronomical. I have a feeling it might be possible to find high-quality work for significantly less money, wouldn't you agree?
Hallelujah

Regarding the band, my cousin actually hired Orion and they were seriously amazing, and out of the ones you mentioned, I've listened to Sto Posto before and they were pretty great too!

Hey there!

I'm new here, and looking through the threads, I see people have covered just about everything. 🙂

Our wedding is set for next September, and even though I swore I wouldn't, I've officially started to panic. Honestly, nothing is stressing me out quite like picking the photographer and videographer.

I'm actually going to design my own invitations since I work at Gala Design 🙂—just thought I'd brag a little!
As for the venue, we're playing it safe and hosting the wedding at Crystal Salo in Belišće.
We've already locked in the Sirius group from Savannah because they’re a sure bet; we’ve seen them play several weddings in Savannah and they were always incredible.

Now, for the photographer and videographer... I'll admit, I'm being pretty demanding and a bit of a nitpicker.

So far, my top picks are Timeless studio and NVS studio. Have any of you heard anything about them or seen their work? Also, does anyone know what NVS charges?
Timeless offers a basic photo package starting at $1500, which seems pretty reasonable!

Thanks in advance!

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?

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?

That’s an older tradition—one that I personally haven't run into at any weddings for a few years now.

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: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.

Ethan Ramirez7 said: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! 🙂

In my circles, that wasn't really how it worked.
Giving gifts is one thing, and the bride's dance is quite another. During the dance, people toss money into a basket—maybe $10, $20, $50—$33, much like they might throw confetti at a parade. Some even do it multiple times 😳
. The absolute worst part about that old-school tradition, in my opinion, was that the bride would end up completely exhausted from dancing with every single living soul there (and sometimes even twice 😳) —to the point where you'd eventually have to pay the Best Man to tell her she could finally sit down.
Anyway, in more modern American weddings, that whole ritual is pretty much dead; the dance is usually reserved for the closest family members, and naturally, there's no "pay-to-play" involved.

We used to have those traditions where everyone would dance with the bride, too, but honestly, it feels like that died down once brides started showing much more advanced stages of pregnancy. After pushing through the exhaustion of the entire day, the last thing anyone wants is to be expected to hit the dance floor with everyone else 🙂

Keith Johnson9 said:We used to have those traditions where everyone would dance with the bride, too, but honestly, it feels like that died down once brides started showing much more advanced stages of pregnancy. After pushing through the exhaustion of the entire day, the last thing anyone wants is to be expected to hit the dance floor with everyone else 🙂

Hahahaha, alright, fair point. 😁

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. 🙂

graniteridge6 said:Hahahaha, alright, fair point. 😁

Thanks, thanks 🙂

Anyway, Vision Studio is booked up for September 6, 2014. Honestly, though, my obsession with these high-end studios is starting to fade. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it feels like I might be overthinking this and just making my own life difficult. 🤷

Has anyone here worked with Photo Inch out of Indianapolis? Specifically, Damir Korov?

This deal looks like the best value to me:

The Mini Cooper service package includes: $3500

-two separate crews consisting of two videographers and two photographers

* prints ranging from 4x6 to 8x12 inches (color, B&W, or sepia)
* photos organized in a standard leather photo album (B&W) pages
* edited shots using basic filters, presented in (B&W) frames with mats
* all high-resolution photos delivered on a DVD
* coverage at multiple locations

THANK YOU PHOTOS FOR UP TO 50% OF GUESTS

* photos printed on standard quality paper (matte or glossy)

* Full HD video recording + cinematic shots +
steadicam equipment + (VIDEO CRANE if technical conditions permit)
* shooting time lasting until the early morning hours
* full video and audio editing (intro, highlight clips, and wedding ceremony footage, including vows and speeches from the couple and guests...)

* delivery of 5 DVD sets in leather cases + a Blu-Ray disc

* dedicated audio recording and processing
* use of wireless microphones