Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Henry Harris5 said:Sage... it's actually way more affordable than what you'd find at Grandma's Creek...

Do you even know how much that Sage costs right now?

I've seen those makeup recommendations floating around, but they're all based in Indianapolis. Since we’re getting married up in Portland, it feels like a massive hassle to trek all the way down to Indy just for a makeup appointment.
Does anyone know a solid pro in the Portland or Savannah area?

restlesshawk48 said:Man, if you want the good stuff, just grab some treats from a small town in the Midwest—definitely the best you'll ever have.🙂

They’re supposed to be the best, but they just aren't. 🙄 Look, you can't argue with taste. It's subjective. Period.

Henry Harris5 said:Sage... it's actually way more affordable than what you'd find at Grandma's Creek...

I'm with you—best cookies I've ever had, hands down. 😁 I gave them a taste. Honestly? I’d go back for seconds, thirds, and fourths if I could. They're that good.

stormybear37 said:Well, we actually went to see them in person. We set up a tasting session and they gave us a bunch of pastries—completely FREE—just to sample. And honestly? They were absolutely delicious. They had that wonderful, genuine homemade feel where you can actually taste the unique ingredients in every single piece; they didn't all just blend together into one sugary mass. Plus, the woman running things was so easy to work with regarding the arrangements. I'm just so relieved and happy that we got everything sorted out so smoothly!!

Every single bakery we checked out for the wedding dessert order offered us a free pound of sweets.

restlesshawk48 said:Do you even know how much that Sage costs right now?

I'm not sure if they still are. $20Per pound.

gentlehound9 said:I've seen those makeup recommendations floating around, but they're all based in Indianapolis. Since we’re getting married up in Portland, it feels like a massive hassle to trek all the way down to Indy just for a makeup appointment.
Does anyone know a solid pro in the Portland or Savannah area?

Most of the makeup artists I mentioned in my post just head home—wherever they live—to prep the bride and, obviously, any other girls who want in, like the maid of honor, the mom, or the bridesmaids.

I agree, everyone has their own personal taste preferences.
I actually spent quite a bit of time searching Google myself because I saw that fly in the cake.
I am not suggesting it couldn't happen to anyone else, but still...

restlesshawk48 said:Do you even know how much that Sage costs right now?

From what I could tell, it’s about $17 per pound! There’s a bakery called Sage over at the Walmart on Facebook, so I just caught a quick glimpse of the price tag 😁

Hey,

New here. 🙂 Trying to lock down a band and a photographer so I can actually relax for a year before the wedding hits. 😍.
I'm looking for info on that Coca-Cola band out of Indianapolis. Anyone dealt with them? Do they play stuff that isn't just listed on their website—like some country or folk stuff? Hit me up in the DMs with prices. I'm based in Washington, D.C., but the wedding is way out in the Midwest, so I'm pretty lost on the local scene.

Any info helps.

Thanks 😁

Has anyone used a catering service lately?
I'm looking for some recommendations for a guest reception near Indianapolis.
Thanks

Elizabeth Phillips9 said:Hey,

New here. 🙂 Trying to lock down a band and a photographer so I can actually relax for a year before the wedding hits. 😍.
I'm looking for info on that Coca-Cola band out of Indianapolis. Anyone dealt with them? Do they play stuff that isn't just listed on their website—like some country or folk stuff? Hit me up in the DMs with prices. I'm based in Washington, D.C., but the wedding is way out in the Midwest, so I'm pretty lost on the local scene.

Any info helps.

Thanks 😁

Also, a word of advice: pick a venue first. Seriously. Don't end up like me, having to reschedule everything because you couldn't line up the hall and the band at the same time. It's a nightmare.

I don't know anything about Vigor—have you tried contacting them directly?

Alexander Rodriguez2 said:Has anyone used a catering service lately?
I'm looking for some recommendations for a guest reception near Indianapolis.
Thanks

Bulgarian Food 🙂

casualbison8 said:Bulgarian Food 🙂

I'm totally with you on this—they really are awesome!

..iPhone using Tapatalk..

Has anyone here had any recent luck booking the Laura hall over in Ivankov?

I haven't booked Laura yet, but I have some basic information on hand... Feel free to ask whatever you need to know, and I will let you know if I have the answer
That said, you should definitely give the manager a call. He is incredibly polite and is happy to show you the venue whenever it fits your schedule.

What’s the price look like, what exactly is included, and is there any room to negotiate? For instance, could we take them up on the drinks, meat, and small stuff like spices, while we handle the veggies, pasta, and cakes ourselves?
Also, are chair covers included in that quote? What about lighting?
I’ll probably give him a call in the next few days and then head over this weekend to chat in person, but I just wanted a rough idea beforehand. 🙂

Hey ladies—I actually went ahead and started my own Facebook page for wedding inspiration, just so I’d have everything organized in one spot—plus, if anyone else is feeling stuck for ideas, you can take a look. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Weddi...7399440?ref=hl
p.s. Hopefully you'll find something you actually like in there. I haven't even posted any dresses yet, since I'm planning to organize the albums by designer later on...🙂)

northernseal15 said:What’s the price look like, what exactly is included, and is there any room to negotiate? For instance, could we take them up on the drinks, meat, and small stuff like spices, while we handle the veggies, pasta, and cakes ourselves?
Also, are chair covers included in that quote? What about lighting?
I’ll probably give him a call in the next few days and then head over this weekend to chat in person, but I just wanted a rough idea beforehand. 🙂

Laura was our second choice; it turns out we didn't end up visiting her venue, but I have a general idea.
If you are asking about the chair price, it depends on the guest count, but it is usually around $50 per person.
It is also possible they might offer a lower rate since the date isn't particularly popular.
You cannot leave the cakes out of the calculation; I am not sure if it even makes sense to source those separately. I asked Renica where they source their ingredients, and she mentioned either Boso or Babina Greda (presumably based on the couple's preference), though I recall someone mentioning a vendor out of Ivankovo as well.
I also seem to remember that at Laura's, cousins were offering free chair covers; otherwise, they cost about 5-$$3.25 depending on the number of guests, just so you know how to negotiate.
You can certainly try to negotiate bringing in your own supplies, but based on my calculations, it isn't really worth it.
Take liquor, for example: they deduct the amount actually consumed, not the total amount they would have purchased if I hadn't brought my own, and they calculate that by the $10 liter.
If someone is planning to make homemade pasta, feel free to bring it, but it won't significantly reduce the overall bill. The standard for 350 people is about 6 kilos of pasta, and they likely charge a few dollars per kilo.🙂

That sounds awesome, thanks! We’re actually planning to swing by there this weekend or maybe next. Honestly, they’re way more affordable than anywhere else in Vegas. Island is a bit too much of a drive for us, and I’m not really feeling Renic—that whole vibe just isn't my thing. Laura is absolutely lovely, though, especially since they just finished the remodel.
I was originally thinking about making our own cakes, but maybe we could work something out with them. I was at a wedding they catered once where everyone—aunts, cousins, the maid of honor—brought their own homemade treats. 😁
We’ll be bringing all our own veggies and pasta (my boyfriend's mom grows and makes everything herself), so if they can trim the price by $333, that would be huge. It’s basically the difference between being on budget or overspending, especially since I heard it's $0.67 per person, and we’re looking at about 450 guests.

As for dessert... I definitely wouldn't recommend Boss. Seriously, skip it! To me, their stuff is pretty bland, and honestly, the hygiene standards and how they treat their staff are just terrible. :-(

gentlehound9 said:Also, a word of advice: pick a venue first. Seriously. Don't end up like me, having to reschedule everything because you couldn't line up the hall and the band at the same time. It's a nightmare.

I don't know anything about Vigor—have you tried contacting them directly?

Already got the hall booked for 😍 4/11/2015.

Gonna reach out to them for sure. I wanted to hear what the crowd actually thinks—they’re obviously gonna hype themselves up, that much is obvious. 🙂

-donna-...what about lunch on the second day? Is that still included in the price of the chair?

Gratuity isn't included, though typically you're just paying for the servers; the food, drinks, and desserts are usually leftovers from the dinner service.
I believe it's roughly $5.00 per person, and it's actually more cost-effective if you order by the seat—which is how most wedding guests are handled.
As far as the desserts go, I'm not particularly concerned about them, likely because I am not much of a 😉
enthusiast. I know the reputation regarding worker treatment at Bosin isn't exactly stellar, but their pastries are considered a staple. They are most popular for weddings, and I haven't heard any complaints. Their pricing is reasonable, and because they have such large-scale production capabilities, you can easily place an order a week in advance.
I would personally lean toward Grandma's Bakery, as their offerings look quite lovely 🙂 (though I can't recall if I've actually tasted them), especially the cakes. However, everything comes down to the price point; if they end up being significantly more expensive than Bosin, then so be it...

It looks like they changed the rules this year since it was totally free last time!
My best friend's maid of honor works out in the Midwest, so she sees all this stuff firsthand... that's why I'm telling you!

A guy I know just caught up with a colleague who had his wedding out in Laramie a couple of years back. It sounds like we’re getting closer to just renting the hall and bringing our own catering, then handling the rest ourselves. He said he saved about $1,500 doing it that way. Honestly, it’s not a bad deal—just cover the DJ and the photographer, and you're set.