Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

graniteridge6 said:Since you brought it up, I’ve been wondering—how does the whole "first wear" thing actually work? I haven't even started my bridal search yet, so I'm completely in the dark here.
Can you request that for literally any gown? And more importantly, what kind of a price hike are we talking about on average? For instance, if I happen to track down the perfect dress just a few months before the wedding, I can't quite wrap my head around why a shop would find it profitable to set it aside for a "first wear" rather than just selling it to the next person—I'm really not clued in on the mechanics of the business side of this.
If anyone has some insight, please let me know. 🙂

A bride told me a long time ago that she rented a gown from a boutique that isn't even in business anymore. She mentioned she opted for the first wear, and they actually called her specifically to break a seal on the dress right before she took it. I can't recall the name of the shop, but it was over in the County area, just a bit past the cathedral. To be honest, I highly doubt it works that way at most other boutiques, and I suspect some places might be pulling a fast one when they offer it...

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.

graniteridge6 said:Since you brought it up, I’ve been wondering—how does the whole "first wear" thing actually work? I haven't even started my bridal search yet, so I'm completely in the dark here.
Can you request that for literally any gown? And more importantly, what kind of a price hike are we talking about on average? For instance, if I happen to track down the perfect dress just a few months before the wedding, I can't quite wrap my head around why a shop would find it profitable to set it aside for a "first wear" rather than just selling it to the next person—I'm really not clued in on the mechanics of the business side of this.
If anyone has some insight, please let me know. 🙂

So, some old lady once mentioned to me that an acquaintance of hers from out in the sticks rented a gown way ahead of time, but she paid a ridiculous amount—something close to $3333. Honestly, though, your best bet is just to walk into a shop and ask. I don't think you can rent everything that way. When I was at Nicholas, I asked about a specific dress and the woman there told me it was already booked for this year and next. Apparently, that style is huge right now, but they basically just return the dresses to their original condition after someone's done with them...

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...

silentheron15 said:http://mybeautyadvisor.com/makeup-tips-ana-coric/
Ladies, has anyone here actually used this salon before?

Hey there! Anna did makeup for my godmother and me recently. My godmother wasn't thrilled with the foundation since Anna went for a more natural, lightweight look, and she prefers a heavier layer of powder, but they eventually worked it out 🙂
I personally loved both the makeup and the hair. During our first consultation, I told her I was happy to let her take the lead, so I wasn't nervous at all. The final result was great. More importantly: Anna wasn't a single second late—actually, I think she arrived early. She came right to my house and did an amazing job. You actually sign a contract with her, too; not sure if their other stylists do the same. There's also a Caper required upfront. She’s young, super sweet, and made me feel totally comfortable while getting ready for the big day.
🙂

casualbison8 said:A bride told me a long time ago that she rented a gown from a boutique that isn't even in business anymore. She mentioned she opted for the first wear, and they actually called her specifically to break a seal on the dress right before she took it. I can't recall the name of the shop, but it was over in the County area, just a bit past the cathedral. To be honest, I highly doubt it works that way at most other boutiques, and I suspect some places might be pulling a fast one when they offer it...

Frankly, I don't even care if they're being slightly dishonest about the specifics.
What matters to me—the absolute bottom line—is walking down the aisle in a dress that looks pristine (assuming it isn't actually brand new 😁). If you're paying a premium for "first wear," they ought to at least make an effort to ensure it looks the part, regardless of whether they're stretching the truth or not.
I have yet to hear a single horror story about someone having to scramble for a replacement right before the ceremony because their chosen gown turned out to be yellowed or frayed. 😳

(By the way, I recently put two and two together while reading posts on another thread and realized which Maya you are—you're definitely invited to my wedding, consider yourself booked 😁 😉)

graniteridge6 said:Frankly, I don't even care if they're being slightly dishonest about the specifics.
What matters to me—the absolute bottom line—is walking down the aisle in a dress that looks pristine (assuming it isn't actually brand new 😁). If you're paying a premium for "first wear," they ought to at least make an effort to ensure it looks the part, regardless of whether they're stretching the truth or not.
I have yet to hear a single horror story about someone having to scramble for a replacement right before the ceremony because their chosen gown turned out to be yellowed or frayed. 😳

(By the way, I recently put two and two together while reading posts on another thread and realized which Maya you are—you're definitely invited to my wedding, consider yourself booked 😁 😉)

I realized that too. 😉

Where are you guys getting your wedding rings? Where’s the best spot to shop?

Hey, I need some help finding a photographer and videographer around the Indianapolis area—and obviously, I need to know what they’re charging :-/

Elizabeth Adams19 said:Where are you guys getting your wedding rings? Where’s the best spot to shop?

Pleroo Jewelry over on Republic Avenue. Huge selection, and the clerk who helped my honey and me pick out our bands was incredibly sweet and patient. If I remember right, the price is $127/gram and they give a 20% discount for cash...

If you're looking for photographers, I’d highly recommend Artis by Jane Doe, Mary Peric, or the crew over at Coachella. People have already talked about the Zoom price on the earlier pages. Both the first two have Facebook profiles where you can check out their portfolios.

Ethan Ramirez7 said: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...

The band is awesome! Those guys are seriously talented. We couldn't be happier. 🙂

As for the Zoom price, it was $1.25, which seems like a pretty standard package. Honestly, I think those folks in Sacramento are some of the best around. I hear they stay incredibly busy and always have a packed schedule. So far, we're really pleased! We'll be waiting about 3 to 4 weeks for the photos and the DVD, so I won't be able to give my full verdict on the whole experience until then 🙂

graniteridge6 said:Since you brought it up, I’ve been wondering—how does the whole "first wear" thing actually work? I haven't even started my bridal search yet, so I'm completely in the dark here.
Can you request that for literally any gown? And more importantly, what kind of a price hike are we talking about on average? For instance, if I happen to track down the perfect dress just a few months before the wedding, I can't quite wrap my head around why a shop would find it profitable to set it aside for a "first wear" rather than just selling it to the next person—I'm really not clued in on the mechanics of the business side of this.
If anyone has some insight, please let me know. 🙂

The "first wear" option is really only available for gowns from the most recent collection. As far as I know, the premium for a first wear is over $1667, maybe around 🙂. If you happen to fall in love with a dress from the 2012 collection, it's pretty obvious it's been worn at least 20 times already.

Kevin Nguyen48 said:If you're looking for photographers, I’d highly recommend Artis by Jane Doe, Mary Peric, or the crew over at Coachella. People have already talked about the Zoom price on the earlier pages. Both the first two have Facebook profiles where you can check out their portfolios.

It’s definitely Artis for me. 🙂

Kevin Nguyen48 said:If you're looking for photographers, I’d highly recommend Artis by Jane Doe, Mary Peric, or the crew over at Coachella. People have already talked about the Zoom price on the earlier pages. Both the first two have Facebook profiles where you can check out their portfolios.

That sounds lovely—I actually really like their work too, so I’m thinking about grabbing a coffee with them sometime soon. I’ve already reached out to them via Facebook 🙂

They both seem absolutely wonderful, honestly.
Just feeling a bit playful today! 😂😂

bluemarlin62 said:Hey, I need some help finding a photographer and videographer around the Indianapolis area—and obviously, I need to know what they’re charging :-/

Maybe check out Marin Franov... he usually runs somewhere between $7,500 and $9,000 for the full photo and video package.

You can find more info on him over at WeddingWire.😉

So, my wedding is finally over, and I figured it was about time I sat down to recap everything for you all 🙂

The Crystal Ballroom (white venue)—honestly, nothing but praise here. The food was incredible, they had our drinks flowing all night long, the servers were on top of everything, and the banquet manager was basically our guardian angel. He handled the timing for dinner, the cake cutting, and kept us looped in on everything else—we didn't have to lift a finger or worry about a single detail, which is huge when you're supposed to be enjoying being newlyweds

Photography—Mary Berry and Jessica Alba—I know people have been talking about them quite a bit lately, but let me tell you, I recommend them 100%. They are so easy to work with and they really know how to make the whole photoshoot feel relaxed and fun rather than stiff, and the actual shots? Absolutely flawless 🙂

Mozaik Florist—the flowers were exactly what we discussed, no surprises there, and they stuck to every single agreement we made. My bouquet was so stunning I actually didn't want to throw it 😁 , and the centerpieces looked gorgeous on the tables. You can check out their work on their Facebook page; they even posted some of our photos one day! We went with this lovely purple and white theme paired with silver candlesticks

Desserts—Cookie Caffe—both the cookies and the cakes were delicious. The wedding cake itself was just beautiful. Plus, they handled the entire delivery to the hall and even packed up the little favor boxes for the guests, so we didn't have to stress about any of that logistics nightmare...

Band—Apocalypse Band from Chicago—you can go look them up under the bands thread 😉

The Dress—Bella Bridal Salon—everything went exactly according to plan. The dress was breathtaking, and the ladies at the shop were absolute lifesavers; they managed to squeeze all my alterations (taking it in and shortening the hem) into a single day because I live way out in Indianapolis and I really didn't want to make two separate trips... you can find them on Facebook too 🙂

If anyone has questions, seriously, just shoot me a DM!!!
Good luck with all your planning!!

silentraven18 said:--
So, my dear husband was a best man last year, and after the Sunday brunch, he basically brought home half the wedding gifts they had bought—it felt like a huge haul—plus he got presented with an entire cake at the reception itself. Later, I chatted with my mother-in-law about it, and she mentioned that for families who still hold onto certain traditions, that's just how it goes... and that we'll probably return the gesture to them down the road.
As for me, I was a maid of honor about three years ago, and I didn't receive anything at all. As the maid of honor, I was technically supposed to provide the cake, but her mother ended up paying for it and told me it was from me—though the bride mentioned that it wasn't really my tradition to pay for it, so I wouldn't be expected to.
Personally, I don't really dwell on these things—I don't feel like I need all that stuff—but since it's their custom, I try to be respectful of it.
Maybe you could just check in with your own family or the people you're standing in for—you know, see what they expect or what kind of traditions they personally follow.

Exactly. In my house, it’s really just my mother-in-law who clings to these old-school traditions. It doesn't mean much to me personally, especially since many modern weddings skip these customs entirely, but I’m happy to let her have her way. She insists that we receive a cake from the wedding party and then give one back—of course, in a different style—but I don't mind either way, as I wouldn't know what to do with extra cakes anyway; I'll just share whatever is left over. I’m mostly asking because of my own maid of honor; neither she nor I have any clue what she is supposed to expect, and that's where the confusion lies. 😕

Does anyone know a great hairstylist in Columbus who specializes in really good highlights?

Everywhere I've gone lately, the color just ends up looking way too yellow.

I definitely want to go lighter, but without that brassy, yellow tone.

Since my hair is naturally brown, I think they just use bleach and then it turns out all yellow.

I would be so grateful if someone could recommend a stylist at Great Clips.

Grace Kern55 said:So, my wedding is finally over, and I figured it was about time I sat down to recap everything for you all 🙂

The Crystal Ballroom (white venue)—honestly, nothing but praise here. The food was incredible, they had our drinks flowing all night long, the servers were on top of everything, and the banquet manager was basically our guardian angel. He handled the timing for dinner, the cake cutting, and kept us looped in on everything else—we didn't have to lift a finger or worry about a single detail, which is huge when you're supposed to be enjoying being newlyweds

Photography—Mary Berry and Jessica Alba—I know people have been talking about them quite a bit lately, but let me tell you, I recommend them 100%. They are so easy to work with and they really know how to make the whole photoshoot feel relaxed and fun rather than stiff, and the actual shots? Absolutely flawless 🙂

Mozaik Florist—the flowers were exactly what we discussed, no surprises there, and they stuck to every single agreement we made. My bouquet was so stunning I actually didn't want to throw it 😁 , and the centerpieces looked gorgeous on the tables. You can check out their work on their Facebook page; they even posted some of our photos one day! We went with this lovely purple and white theme paired with silver candlesticks

Desserts—Cookie Caffe—both the cookies and the cakes were delicious. The wedding cake itself was just beautiful. Plus, they handled the entire delivery to the hall and even packed up the little favor boxes for the guests, so we didn't have to stress about any of that logistics nightmare...

Band—Apocalypse Band from Chicago—you can go look them up under the bands thread 😉

The Dress—Bella Bridal Salon—everything went exactly according to plan. The dress was breathtaking, and the ladies at the shop were absolute lifesavers; they managed to squeeze all my alterations (taking it in and shortening the hem) into a single day because I live way out in Indianapolis and I really didn't want to make two separate trips... you can find them on Facebook too 🙂

If anyone has questions, seriously, just shoot me a DM!!!
Good luck with all your planning!!

I was wondering, how much did you guys end up paying for the cake and the sweets?
Thanks