Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

If you're looking for printing services in Slavonski Brod, I’d definitely recommend checking out GrafoArt; I actually know quite a few talented women there who specialize in custom invitations and thank-you notes, and their pricing seems remarkably reasonable. For my own event, I commissioned them to create personalized place cards for the guests, using this gorgeous champagne-colored shimmer paper that was printed and folded perfectly, and the whole batch of 160 pieces ended up costing me about $33...

Brian Cooper4 said:Hey ladies—has anyone here worked with that Fullhouse agency out of Vinkovci on invitations? They sent an offer to my inbox, and I'm trying to gauge if they're actually any good... we're basically stuck with whatever we find here in Chicago. Also, does anyone know a reliable print shop in Slavonski Brod? I’m heading there this Sunday to visit my grandma and some relatives, so if you have any solid recommendations, let me know. Thanks.

My godmother ordered hers from the "Little box"—it's a new boutique, and they have a really solid selection of invitations and other stuff too. If you want the details, I won't post an ad here, just shoot me a private message and I'll send you the address.

Brian Cooper4 said:Hey ladies—has anyone here worked with that Fullhouse agency out of Vinkovci on invitations? They sent an offer to my inbox, and I'm trying to gauge if they're actually any good... we're basically stuck with whatever we find here in Chicago. Also, does anyone know a reliable print shop in Slavonski Brod? I’m heading there this Sunday to visit my grandma and some relatives, so if you have any solid recommendations, let me know. Thanks.

I worked with GrafoArt www.pozivnice.org over in Đakovo, and I was seriously happy with everything—both the service and the price.
I didn't just pick something from their standard catalog; instead, the lady and I brainstormed a custom design together, and it turned out awesome. Prices usually run anywhere from $3 to $5, or even $2.00, depending on how much handiwork they have to do on them.
I can shoot you a PM with her phone number, and I can even send over a photo if you want to see what mine looked like 👍

Brian Cooper4 said:Hey ladies—has anyone here worked with that Fullhouse agency out of Vinkovci on invitations? They sent an offer to my inbox, and I'm trying to gauge if they're actually any good... we're basically stuck with whatever we find here in Chicago. Also, does anyone know a reliable print shop in Slavonski Brod? I’m heading there this Sunday to visit my grandma and some relatives, so if you have any solid recommendations, let me know. Thanks.

If they're on Facebook, then it’s definitely Fullhouse. I actually know the owner; they have a really solid selection of invitations and thank-you cards from several different suppliers. I know they make a real effort to keep prices affordable and they'll do a decent job for you.

I also know Ms. Susan from Đakovo—that GrafoArt place mentioned earlier. She's wonderful too. Honestly, whichever one you pick, you won't go wrong...😉

Morgan Rivera26 said:Hey there, everyone from the Midwest.

I could use some insight here.. 😉

So, I'm originally from New York City, but I'm getting married out in the Midwest, specifically near Memphis, and I’m trying to wrap my head around all the local traditions—everything from how the groom picks up the bride to the specific customs at the church and the reception hall. 😁

I'm hoping there are a few people here who can help me make sense of it all. 😍

THANKS!! 🙏

Morgan Rivera26, I’m actually in the exact same boat as you—I live in the city, but my wedding is happening out in the Midwest—so I’ve been wondering how you handled the logistics of getting the bride to the venue. Are you planning on having someone pick you up in the city and drive you all the way back out to the Midwest for the wedding, or are you looking at doing something else entirely? I honestly haven't even come up with a solid plan yet—it's one of those things that feels much more complicated than it should be. 🤷

copperjackal49 said:Morgan Rivera26, I’m actually in the exact same boat as you—I live in the city, but my wedding is happening out in the Midwest—so I’ve been wondering how you handled the logistics of getting the bride to the venue. Are you planning on having someone pick you up in the city and drive you all the way back out to the Midwest for the wedding, or are you looking at doing something else entirely? I honestly haven't even come up with a solid plan yet—it's one of those things that feels much more complicated than it should be. 🤷

We initially thought about having them come get me in the city, but honestly, nobody wants to spend two hours stuck in a wedding dress crammed into a car, especially since I'm pregnant, so they'll just head out to where I am.
Since my fiancé is from the same small town as my parents and I have a ton of family there, I'll just get ready at my brother's place and they can pick me up from his house...

I mean, when my uncle got married—his wife is also from the city—they all gathered together, drove to the city to grab her, and then made the trek back to the Midwest for the wedding. 😁

I figure a two-hour drive is actually pretty manageable these days, especially since cars actually have decent AC now... he’ll probably be fine with it, considering he'll be doing a four-hour round trip to get you, while you're only looking at two.😁

Hello everyone... I have a quick question for the group, and I sincerely hope I’m not repeating something that’s already been asked elsewhere—my apologies if I am! 🤷
We’ve gone ahead and booked the Mursa Hotel for next May... At first glance, the ballroom seemed absolutely stunning, but I would be incredibly grateful if anyone who has experience there could spare a few moments to type out their thoughts and share some feedback with me... Thank you all in advance.

What kind of gifts are you all picking out for your husband’s extended family? I'm struggling because his side is huge—sisters, brothers-in-law, parents, both sets of godparents... it adds up to a massive shopping list.
I have some ideas for the men, but I'm totally stuck on what to get the sisters and godmothers.🤷I thought about getting everyone a little jewelry box, but I've been Googling for two hours and can't find anything decent online. Yesterday, I spotted some tiny jewelry boxes over on Main Street in Chicago. They were cute, but they're incredibly small and cost more than $67 each, so now I'm back at square one.
Does anyone have any good ideas, or have you already finished your shopping?

I got married about two years ago. I made sure to get gifts for everyone—short-sleeved button-downs for my maid of honor, the best man, and my mother-in-law. I picked out a high-end bedding set for the best man, some premium fabric for my mother-in-law’s custom outfit, and a designer handbag along with a piece of art I created myself for my maid of honor.

I heard there’s some kind of Bozino store over in Richmond that carries pretty much everything under the sun—specifically, I'm looking for those little holders for floating candles. If there are any ladies from that area who have been there or are planning a trip soon, could you let me know if they actually stock them? And if so, what's the damage to my wallet? I would be incredibly grateful for the intel.
If someone has already asked this, please forgive my intrusion!

James Smith43, you could always treat the women to a nice spa day or a massage, and for the guys, maybe pick up some high-quality ties or those fancy tie clips. It really just comes down to their individual personalities and what they actually enjoy.

You could also pick up some fragrances while you're at it

Samuel Gomez312 said:I heard there’s some kind of Bozino store over in Richmond that carries pretty much everything under the sun—specifically, I'm looking for those little holders for floating candles. If there are any ladies from that area who have been there or are planning a trip soon, could you let me know if they actually stock them? And if so, what's the damage to my wallet? I would be incredibly grateful for the intel.
If someone has already asked this, please forgive my intrusion!

I can't speak to Bozino, but there's a store called Vigor—it's basically a one-stop shop for wedding supplies. Pretty much like Freedom.
As for the price, I have no clue. I used floating candles at my wedding, but my florist handled all of that for me. I just handed the holders back to her once the reception was over. 🙂

Thanks for the input, ladies. 😉
I’m planning to get the guys some gold-etched bottles featuring Midwest motifs, filled with local bourbon. I'll probably grab my best man a nice shirt, too. Still deciding on the rest.

Samuel Gomez312, check Facebook. Freedom. i Vigor.Here are the links. They include pricing and contact info, so hopefully, this helps you out. I'm just not sure if any of them are actually Bozino.

Morgan Rivera26 said:We initially thought about having them come get me in the city, but honestly, nobody wants to spend two hours stuck in a wedding dress crammed into a car, especially since I'm pregnant, so they'll just head out to where I am.
Since my fiancé is from the same small town as my parents and I have a ton of family there, I'll just get ready at my brother's place and they can pick me up from his house...

I mean, when my uncle got married—his wife is also from the city—they all gathered together, drove to the city to grab her, and then made the trek back to the Midwest for the wedding. 😁

I figure a two-hour drive is actually pretty manageable these days, especially since cars actually have decent AC now... he’ll probably be fine with it, considering he'll be doing a four-hour round trip to get you, while you're only looking at two.😁

That's probably what I'll end up doing, anyway. I don't really have anywhere else to stay in Richmond besides his place, and wandering around would just be silly. If he can handle the four-hour drive, then so be it. 😁

Samuel Gomez312 said:I heard there’s some kind of Bozino store over in Richmond that carries pretty much everything under the sun—specifically, I'm looking for those little holders for floating candles. If there are any ladies from that area who have been there or are planning a trip soon, could you let me know if they actually stock them? And if so, what's the damage to my wallet? I would be incredibly grateful for the intel.
If someone has already asked this, please forgive my intrusion!

I actually stopped by Bozino recently! They have some really pretty aquarium vases around $10 and those cool square ones, too. I wasn't sure about the exact prices, though, and I think there were maybe only about ten of them on the shelf. Apparently, they get their stock from NIRS in Miami.

Maria Williams55 said:Around my neck of the woods—we’re talking the Midwest area, local folks only—we don't really do that whole "bride sale" thing. I always figured that was more of a tradition from over in Canada, though I heard from a friend near Slavonski Brod that they do it there too. Basically, at midnight, the maid of honor takes off the bride's veil or whatever headpiece she's wearing, puts it on a tray, and then sits there with it in her lap. Then they put a scarf on her head—well, lately people just wrap it around her neck—which is supposed to signal she isn't a girl anymore, but a woman. It's because back in the day, once women married, they started wearing scarves. After that, guests line up to put money on the tray or leave gifts on a special table, and then you have the male guests dancing with the bride and the female guests with the groom. We don't do that thing where you gift the groom's family, and we definitely don't announce out loud who bought what or how much they gave. Oh, and another custom that's sadly dying out is when the guys all get together and beat the groom with their belts. It was like some kind of lesson so he'd know what to expect if he wasn't good to his wife. Obviously, nowadays it's mostly symbolic, but back then, they used to leave some pretty serious bruises. 🙂

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here is actually from the Požega area? I’ve been looking at hosting the wedding at Stanišić Villa, Schon blick, or maybe that Fisherman's House in Lukač. It's still a bit early for me to pull the trigger on a reservation, so if anyone here knows anything about their pricing or what's actually included in the package, I'd love to know. Or even suggest another spot like that—a hotel or a restaurant. That Grgin Dol place looks kind of tacky to me because of those dark orange walls... I mean, how am I supposed to coordinate a two-tone wedding with orange? It's just... meh. Maybe they repainted? The photo I saw online is from two years ago.

I'm not sure what you mean by "original." 🙄 Both my parents and their parents before them were born in the Midwest, so this custom is deeply rooted in our family traditions. I have nothing but respect for Joe Smith, but there isn't a single Joe Smith in my lineage. So, claiming that selling off a bride is some specific Joe Smith tradition just doesn't hold water for us.

Maria Williams55 said:Around my neck of the woods—we’re talking the Midwest area, local folks only—we don't really do that whole "bride sale" thing. I always figured that was more of a tradition from over in Canada, though I heard from a friend near Slavonski Brod that they do it there too. Basically, at midnight, the maid of honor takes off the bride's veil or whatever headpiece she's wearing, puts it on a tray, and then sits there with it in her lap. Then they put a scarf on her head—well, lately people just wrap it around her neck—which is supposed to signal she isn't a girl anymore, but a woman. It's because back in the day, once women married, they started wearing scarves. After that, guests line up to put money on the tray or leave gifts on a special table, and then you have the male guests dancing with the bride and the female guests with the groom. We don't do that thing where you gift the groom's family, and we definitely don't announce out loud who bought what or how much they gave. Oh, and another custom that's sadly dying out is when the guys all get together and beat the groom with their belts. It was like some kind of lesson so he'd know what to expect if he wasn't good to his wife. Obviously, nowadays it's mostly symbolic, but back then, they used to leave some pretty serious bruises. 🙂

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here is actually from the Požega area? I’ve been looking at hosting the wedding at Stanišić Villa, Schon blick, or maybe that Fisherman's House in Lukač. It's still a bit early for me to pull the trigger on a reservation, so if anyone here knows anything about their pricing or what's actually included in the package, I'd love to know. Or even suggest another spot like that—a hotel or a restaurant. That Grgin Dol place looks kind of tacky to me because of those dark orange walls... I mean, how am I supposed to coordinate a two-tone wedding with orange? It's just... meh. Maybe they repainted? The photo I saw online is from two years ago.

I'm actually from near Topeka myself. Honestly, the selection of restaurants that can handle up to 200 guests is pretty thin—desperate, even. The Biltmore is gorgeous, but you're realistically looking at a max of 80 to 100 people there. It’s the same story with Scenic View and the Fish House. I personally love Majetić Winery, but again, it tops out at 80 people; you wouldn't even have room to dance. As for prices, I haven't a clue. Just pick up the phone and call them. 🙂

James Smith43 said:I'm not sure what you mean by "original." 🙄 Both my parents and their parents before them were born in the Midwest, so this custom is deeply rooted in our family traditions. I have nothing but respect for Joe Smith, but there isn't a single Joe Smith in my lineage. So, claiming that selling off a bride is some specific Joe Smith tradition just doesn't hold water for us.

It’s pretty obvious that traditions vary quite a bit depending on where you are in the Midwest. Take the area around Topeka, for instance. You don't see people buying out the bride there, nor do they go through the whole ritual of tallying up exactly who contributed what, or even doing those gifts for the groom's side of the family at the wedding. It's just different. Different everywhere, really.

Around here in the Midwest, we rarely see weddings where the bride isn't essentially purchased. I assumed this was universal until I realized it’s just how things work in our neck of the woods. The only time you see actual gift-giving to the families is during engagement parties. As for the weddings themselves, I've yet to witness anything else.