Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

David Turner7 said:Hey there!

I really need some help from you guys. My partner and I are planning our wedding, and we're looking at a guest list of roughly 100 people, give or take ten. Does anyone have suggestions or recommendations for a venue or a restaurant that could host a group this size in Indianapolis or somewhere nearby? Honestly, most of the banquet halls I've been scouting online feel way too massive for what we need.. 🙂 It's super important to us that the space doesn't feel cramped so guests actually have room to dance and move around. I'm open to any and all ideas...

Thanks!

Check out Zoe in the downtown area, right near Bendek. It’s a newer spot, really pretty, and honestly perfect for smaller weddings. They have a Facebook page and their own site, though they're a little hard to find on Google. I think it's www.zoe-osijek.hr
But seeing it in person is better! You also have the Hotel St. Louis or the railway house—great food, but the venue is pretty old and maybe not the most attractive. Probably best to just check them all out. At Zoe, you get a free bridal suite right on the property, too.
Good luck!

Andrew James2 said:Does anyone have any firsthand impressions of the Kelbas photo studio? I believe they’re based out of Dakov. I'm curious to know how satisfied people generally are with their work, and whether there's anything specific one needs to arrange beforehand, or if he just knows his craft—I noticed he seems relatively new to the scene.

I actually put down a deposit with them too. A couple of my friends booked them about two months ago and their photos and video just arrived. Their take on it was—the pictures were incredible, but the video was kind of a letdown.

I haven't actually sat down to watch the video myself yet, so I can't give my own verdict... but apparently, the faces look blurry and the colors shift all over the place when they switch between the crane shot and the regular camera...

Really hoping they're just being harsh and exaggerating things... 🙂

Ethan Cox5 said:I actually put down a deposit with them too. A couple of my friends booked them about two months ago and their photos and video just arrived. Their take on it was—the pictures were incredible, but the video was kind of a letdown.

I haven't actually sat down to watch the video myself yet, so I can't give my own verdict... but apparently, the faces look blurry and the colors shift all over the place when they switch between the crane shot and the regular camera...

Really hoping they're just being harsh and exaggerating things... 🙂

I'll let you guys know once I get my photos 🙂. Honestly, I care way more about the pictures, so I think I can live with a mediocre video. They aren't actually new; they just branched off to start their own studio. You should check out their work on Facebook. I think Michael is great to work with, and if you have your own specific ideas, he's pretty open to that too!

Hey there! 🙂
How long did you guys have to wait for your photos and DVDs after the wedding?
It’s been an entire month for us and we still haven't seen anything... We’ve actually dropped by the studio twice now, and they just claim they're swamped and will call us once everything is ready... I honestly can't tell if this is just how they operate or what...
For context, we used Photo Zoom out of Des Moines.

dustytinker58 said:Hey there! 🙂
How long did you guys have to wait for your photos and DVDs after the wedding?
It’s been an entire month for us and we still haven't seen anything... We’ve actually dropped by the studio twice now, and they just claim they're swamped and will call us once everything is ready... I honestly can't tell if this is just how they operate or what...
For context, we used Photo Zoom out of Des Moines.

Trust me, waiting for Photo Zoom is totally worth it! Once those shots come in, you are going to be so incredibly happy with them...

I'm still waiting on mine and it's been two whole months, so your wait isn't even that bad in the grand scheme of things...

Honestly, my experience with Kelbas Photo Studio was just a complete letdown...

If I were ever to have a wedding all over again in the Midwest, I'd definitely go back to Zoom and hire Andrew Car to handle the photography... they really know their stuff...

Dear ladies,

I have mentioned a few times now that I wouldn't recommend using Ivan Ivanovo Photography, even if they were the very last photo studio left on the planet. I am truly writing this from the heart for anyone currently looking to book a videographer.

Best of luck!

Hey everyone,

So, I'm a future bride here, and honestly, I'm struggling so much with picking a photographer.
Artis, my top choices are already booked for our date 😢

Right now, I'm just gathering quotes, so I've sent emails over to Marina Franov, Emina Janković, Danijel Soldo, and Andrew Car.

Does anyone have other suggestions??
I'd also love to hear about your own experiences or what you think of the ones I mentioned.

Alexander Rodriguez2 said:Hey everyone,

So, I'm a future bride here, and honestly, I'm struggling so much with picking a photographer.
Artis, my top choices are already booked for our date 😢

Right now, I'm just gathering quotes, so I've sent emails over to Marina Franov, Emina Janković, Danijel Soldo, and Andrew Car.

Does anyone have other suggestions??
I'd also love to hear about your own experiences or what you think of the ones I mentioned.

We ended up booking Marina Franov for next year... 🙏 Honestly, this guy is a total genius. We went with him based on a recommendation too, and once we actually sat down to meet him—we were blown away! His photos are incredible, and the video work is top-tier. He is 100% dedicated to the couple and making sure their vision comes to life. I can't recommend him enough. I am seriously counting down the days until our shoot! 😁

coastalbadger86 said:We ended up booking Marina Franov for next year... 🙏 Honestly, this guy is a total genius. We went with him based on a recommendation too, and once we actually sat down to meet him—we were blown away! His photos are incredible, and the video work is top-tier. He is 100% dedicated to the couple and making sure their vision comes to life. I can't recommend him enough. I am seriously counting down the days until our shoot! 😁

thanks for responding.. glad to hear some good things🙂
Franov seems to have the most complete and affordable packages right now, though I'm not a huge fan of having to handle the photo printing ourselves, I guess. It's just one more thing to deal with.
Honestly, I love Emina Janković's work the most, but she's way more expensive if you want to bundle in a videographer, which is something we really want to do.

Has anyone used Andrew Car for photography? And does he offer video services?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been lurking on this forum for ages, but I finally decided it was time to actually jump in and post. My wedding was back on October 12th, and honestly, the whole thing just flew by. I really wanted to take a moment to give a massive shout-out to the Babylon group—I can't recommend them enough. Also, a huge thanks to the Barun Trenk banquet halls over in Indianapolis... they were incredible. If you’re still stuck trying to nail down your band or a venue, do yourself a favor and check them out. They took everything we had in our heads and made it a reality. Cheers.

Has anyone here had any experience with the Mimosa Garden over in New Gradiska?

Michelle Harris27 said:Trust me, waiting for Photo Zoom is totally worth it! Once those shots come in, you are going to be so incredibly happy with them...

I'm still waiting on mine and it's been two whole months, so your wait isn't even that bad in the grand scheme of things...

Honestly, my experience with Kelbas Photo Studio was just a complete letdown...

If I were ever to have a wedding all over again in the Midwest, I'd definitely go back to Zoom and hire Andrew Car to handle the photography... they really know their stuff...

So, basically, we shouldn't switch photographers after all...

We already booked Zoom for next year and paid the deposit

but now we're second-guessing everything and wondering if we should stick with Kelbas instead. But actually, maybe staying with Zoom is the right call, because I've heard everyone raving about Kelbas lately—as if he's some kind of legend who produces stunning images and just performs his job flawlessly.

Hey everyone, quick question—has anyone here actually booked the band Fokus out of Des Moines? I’m trying to figure out if they’re legit. Has anyone had them play at their wedding or an event lately? Like, were they actually good, or just okay? Also, how do they handle weddings specifically, and what kind of damage are we talking about when it comes to their pricing?

Does anyone actually have a lead on where I can rent a small 10x20 canopy or maybe some patio umbrellas? My backyard just isn't big enough to fit the massive tent I originally planned on.🙂

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...

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! 🙂

Michelle Harris27 said:Trust me, waiting for Photo Zoom is totally worth it! Once those shots come in, you are going to be so incredibly happy with them...

I'm still waiting on mine and it's been two whole months, so your wait isn't even that bad in the grand scheme of things...

Honestly, my experience with Kelbas Photo Studio was just a complete letdown...

If I were ever to have a wedding all over again in the Midwest, I'd definitely go back to Zoom and hire Andrew Car to handle the photography... they really know their stuff...

I can't believe I'm actually typing this out! Is anyone else feeling this? It’s like we all just collectively held our breath, isn't it? I was sitting there, just staring at the screen, waiting for any kind of update. My heart was absolutely pounding! Can you imagine? One minute everything is quiet, and the next—boom! Everything changes. It’s such a whirlwind, right? Honestly, I’m still trying to process it all. What do you guys think? Are we looking at a total game-changer here, or am I just getting ahead of myself? I really want to hear everyone's take on this. Let's get a discussion going! kaže:
So, I guess we’re sticking with the same photographer after all? Is that really the move?

So, we finally pulled the trigger! We just put down a deposit for a photography package through Zoom for an entire year. Isn't that exciting? Can you believe we actually did it?

Are we actually having second thoughts? Are we really considering going back to Kelbas for the photos after all? I mean, should we just stick with Zoom instead? I’ve been hearing from everyone that they’re absolutely missing Kelbas’s work. Apparently, his photography is just on another level! Doesn't he just do his job perfectly?

So, we finally got the shots back from Zoom after forty days of waiting, and let me tell you—it was worth every single second! The DVD turned out absolutely incredible. It’s so well-structured and actually makes sense, which is such a relief. I am honestly blown away! 👍
The photos look absolutely incredible! Seriously, how can they look this good? 🙂

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 🙂

Andrew James2 said:Does anyone have any firsthand impressions of the Kelbas photo studio? I believe they’re based out of Dakov. I'm curious to know how satisfied people generally are with their work, and whether there's anything specific one needs to arrange beforehand, or if he just knows his craft—I noticed he seems relatively new to the scene.

He recently photographed my wedding party, and I couldn't be happier with the results. The shots themselves are stunning, and the album layout is executed perfectly. Since I wasn't behind the camera myself, I can't speak to the actual filming process, but as far as the photography goes—truly impressive work. I would certainly recommend him. 🙂

Ethan Cox5 said:hey girls... do you think all the makeup artists are skipping out if there aren't at least five of us? 🙄 😁
or is someone actually gonna show up just for me and my bestie?...

Rose Valentine! Highly recommended!! She came right to my house and handled just the three of us!! Her work was absolutely flawless!