Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Chloe Hughes5 said:Amarillis

Where are you planning on picking up your flowers in Des Moines, and what kind of budget are we talking about?
My in-laws are coming to visit in Mimi on August 7th this year, but I haven't even started looking at floral arrangements yet, and honestly, I don't even know what my full checklist should look like🤷🙈.
We only got engaged three weeks ago, so we rushed ahead and booked the venue and the band,
but everything else is a complete blank; I have no idea what needs to be done next. It's a mess.

Also, can anyone point me in the right direction for getting thank-you notes made?
Do I get those where I pick up the invitations, or is that something through the photographer? I'm totally lost when it comes to the essential details.
And I’m still flying blind regarding the packages in Mimi... they wouldn't even tell us the pricing for the different hall options, even though we already put down a deposit. They just brushed us off and said they'd let us know once we sat down for a formal meeting. But how am I supposed to plan anything if I don't even know the price points or what's actually included in each package?!
Help me out, guys... I'm struggling because I'm expected to organize everything while being completely in the dark, and my fiancé is all the way in Germany...

Well, you're getting married a day before me! 😍
I heard that Palma florist over in Des Moines is actually really great, though I have no clue about their pricing. As for the thank-you favors... our photographer mentioned he could handle them, but he charges extra for it—and the price changes depending on whether you need more or less than 100. You should probably just get them made early so you can hand them out to guests when they leave, or during the gift exchange, or whenever you feel like doing it!🙂

M&M's prices fluctuate depending on the guest count. For our group of 450 to 500, we gave them an estimate up to $2,500. Regarding flowers... Palm is great, but they’re popular, so they tend to gouge you. I’d suggest visiting several places to see what fits your style. Personally, my favorites are Palm, Stella, and Iris—and those last two actually have reasonable pricing.

You can check thank-you card options through your photographer; most offer something. If you find something you love, order it directly from him. Otherwise, you can look at florists, bridal boutiques, or just head to a local print shop. Prices vary wildly, from basic colored cardstock to high-end designs, but nothing is cheaper than the absolute basics. If you have more questions, ask. I went through this process fairly recently. 🙂

One thing: when you go to negotiate the venue, don't go alone. If your fiancé can't make it, bring someone else. You need to be extremely careful about how you finalize the agreement because there is significant money involved. These venues often leave loopholes in their contracts, and the final price rarely stays what was originally quoted. Research their service fees thoroughly and double-check everything ten times over. I haven't experienced it personally since we haven't had our meeting yet, but I've heard plenty of warnings from people who hosted weddings there. This isn't just about M&M's, though I'm mentioning her specifically because I already put down a deposit with her.

When little hands work together... anything is possible, absolutely anything 🙂

Way to go, ladies! Seriously, I’m just so impressed by how you all teamed up and covered for one another. Such great teamwork.

Chloe Hughes5 said:Amarillis

Where are you planning on picking up your flowers in Des Moines, and what kind of budget are we talking about?
My in-laws are coming to visit in Mimi on August 7th this year, but I haven't even started looking at floral arrangements yet, and honestly, I don't even know what my full checklist should look like🤷🙈.
We only got engaged three weeks ago, so we rushed ahead and booked the venue and the band,
but everything else is a complete blank; I have no idea what needs to be done next. It's a mess.

Also, can anyone point me in the right direction for getting thank-you notes made?
Do I get those where I pick up the invitations, or is that something through the photographer? I'm totally lost when it comes to the essential details.
And I’m still flying blind regarding the packages in Mimi... they wouldn't even tell us the pricing for the different hall options, even though we already put down a deposit. They just brushed us off and said they'd let us know once we sat down for a formal meeting. But how am I supposed to plan anything if I don't even know the price points or what's actually included in each package?!
Help me out, guys... I'm struggling because I'm expected to organize everything while being completely in the dark, and my fiancé is all the way in Germany...

There's a place in Des Moines called Grafoart where a lady can custom-make whatever invitations or thank-you notes you want, and they have a huge selection of ready-made samples too. You can even browse some designs at http://www.pozivnice.org

cosmicmarlin20, look, I know Lucy handles the staffing and the catering side of things near $5667, but it really just depends on your guest count. For a crowd of maybe 300 people—or even fewer—it works. Honestly, your best bet is to just head over there and talk to their manager directly. She’ll walk you through everything, so don't be intimidated; just ask whatever you need to know.
A friend of mine hosted her wedding there last summer (and she actually has another one coming up this year), and everything went flawlessly. Given how stunning the venue is, the prices aren't even that bad.
In my opinion, it’s always better to rent the hall separately and bring your own food...

hey, so I actually went to the venue,,, and had a chat with the manager,,, she's great,,, and the place itself seems awesome,,,, the 2010 rates were higher than what they're doing now,,, and $18,000 is just for the space alone,,, but honestly, I'd rather go with the UK menu option,,, $65 was back then,,, maybe we could just bring our own drinks,, we'll see about that...

🙂Just wanted to drop a little something here to brighten everyone's day... The 3rd Annual Chicago Bridal Expo is officially happening from February 13th through the 15th, 2009. 🙂🙂🙂

Jesse Murphy76 said:🙂Just wanted to drop a little something here to brighten everyone's day... The 3rd Annual Chicago Bridal Expo is officially happening from February 13th through the 15th, 2009. 🙂🙂🙂

Where's it being held?

cosmicmarlin20 said:Where's it being held?

I guess nobody really knows yet, believe it or not, since it all depends on what the local city officials decide to do. They were originally planning to hold the fair over in San Antonio, but since they're busy renovating everything for the National Archery Championships, I suppose it's still up in the air where the fair will end up. I might have heard a little rumor through the grapevine that it could potentially move to Central Park... at least, that's what one of the vendors who signed up mentioned to me, though nothing has been officially confirmed by the organizers just yet! ☕

As for GrafoArt, we actually placed an order with them for some cookie boxes—$1.00 pieces. They're honestly quite affordable, and the lady running it is just incredibly sweet and easy to talk to. They have some lovely invitations and thank-you notes too, but I think we had already ordered ours from somewhere else...

They mentioned that this year's convention might move over to the new arena, though it all really depends on whether they can reach an agreement first.

Anyone know where I can rent a wedding tent around Slidell😉

Lawrence Vaughn5 said:Anyone know where I can rent a wedding tent around Slidell😉

I think I caught a glimpse of a billboard out near the zoo in San Diego. I don't know much else about it since I almost never drive through that area. Let me know when you find out more; we were actually thinking about getting a canopy for ourselves.

thanks Christian Taylor8..

So, what’s the verdict on the band Standard Chartered over at VCG??? I’ve been hearing they’re actually pretty solid, but has anyone here actually seen them live or dealt with them??

cosmicmarlin20 said:So, what’s the verdict on the band Standard Chartered over at VCG??? I’ve been hearing they’re actually pretty solid, but has anyone here actually seen them live or dealt with them??

🙏
They actually played at my sister's wedding about six months ago, and honestly—they were fantastic. I’m not sure what everyone else's experience has been, but that night they really managed to hit the right note for everyone, from the older crowd to the kids, whether they were feeling that Midwestern vibe or more of a Floridian energy...
After the wedding wrapped up, everyone was basically just talking about the band; the singer had this knack for reading the room, switching things up between folk, rock, some classics, and those upbeat songs that get everyone moving at the end. 👍
They even bring their own backup musicians—some local acoustic players—and they aren't nearly as pricey as you might expect..

Hey ladies!

Does anyone happen to know anything about the wedding cakes over at Magnolia Bakery? Like, what kind of styles do they do and what are we looking at price-wise... say, for a massive three-tier situation?

When I gave them a ring, they basically told me I had to come down in person with the designer to actually talk shop, but I’d love to get at least a ballpark idea first. I need to know if it's even worth making the trip out there before I waste my time.

Thanks! 😁

One more thing... I’m curious if anyone here knows anything about GreenCove.

My in-laws are hosting the wedding this coming spring, so I’m trying to get the lay of the land based on your experiences... maybe some little details I should be looking out for.
I heard a rumor they use those tall, skinny glassware arrangements for the centerpieces? Does anyone actually know if that's true?
And is there any rule against decorating the wall behind the newlyweds?

We have our final sit-down with the owner coming up soon, but I’d love to go in knowing as much as possible! 😁

Christian Taylor8 said:I think I caught a glimpse of a billboard out near the zoo in San Diego. I don't know much else about it since I almost never drive through that area. Let me know when you find out more; we were actually thinking about getting a canopy for ourselves.

here's the address for that spot in Russia, 15 Victims of Russia St. phone is 035 457-515😁

cosmicmarlin20 said:So, what’s the verdict on the band Standard Chartered over at VCG??? I’ve been hearing they’re actually pretty solid, but has anyone here actually seen them live or dealt with them??

👍👍👍👍👍👍
you might want to get them on the books sooner rather than later... before someone else grabs their dates.

I suppose I should probably say something here, though I can’t quite shake the feeling that we're all just shouting into a void that doesn't particularly care to listen back. It’s all a bit exhausting, isn't it? kaže:
Where can I actually rent a wedding tent around Indianapolis?😉

If memory serves me right, there’s this guy who rents out tents over on that street near the Medical School. If you're walking from the farmer's market toward that area, just pass the school and head straight; somewhere along the way on the right, there's a house or maybe a gate with a sign saying they rent tents... so, just a thought if you ever find yourself wandering around that neighborhood.🙂

Joining the conversation here... Even though my wedding is still quite a ways off (years away!), I thought I'd ask... Does anyone know how one goes about getting married in a different parish? For example, if the groom is from an Island community and I'm from Indianapolis... does anyone know what the process looks like to marry in a church over on the Island?