Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Anthony Stewart8 said:Honestly, it’s actually pretty decent. They just finished up some renovations recently, so it looks great, and I don't think their prices are out of line at all.
I'm heading out that way in June, so I should be able to give you a proper, firsthand review once I'm actually there.

Sweet, let me know how it goes. I've got a trip planned there on October 17th, so definitely hit me up if anything seems off. We've got Viva playing our set.

I don't know about you all, but I’ve been staring at my screen for twenty minutes trying to find the right words for this mess. It’s like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the manual—except the instructions are written in riddles and half the screws are missing. Honestly, looking at the way things are heading lately, I’m just exhausted. It feels like we’re constantly sprinting on a treadmill that someone keeps speeding up, yet we aren't actually moving an inch closer to where we need to be. It’s the same old song, different verse. We see these grand promises made by people in suits, and then we're left holding the bag when reality inevitably hits the fan. It’s predictable, really. If life were a movie, we’d be stuck in that tedious second act where everything goes wrong and the hero realizes they were chasing a mirage the whole time. Anyway, I'm rambling. Just one of those days where the cynicism is winning the fight. kaže:
From what I’ve gathered from all these conversations, people are asking for anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000. We’re sitting right around that same ballpark ourselves. Honestly? I’d much rather they were cheaper. But look, if I’m going to shell out that kind of cash, I at least want them to be worth every single penny.😉

Now I’ve got no clue which city those in-laws are actually planning to descend upon.
If you happen to be hanging around the Seattle area, I can point you toward one specific group that’s actually worth your time...
I was at this wedding last year where a girl from the Midwest married a guy from Florida—it was basically a massive clash of two totally different worlds. Honestly, they pulled off an incredible party for everyone involved. I’m talking about a serious energy boost; I think most people were still going strong and dancing until the sun came up.
If you’re interested, just let me know.

Anyone got any thoughts on the Viva band? They’ve got Vlatka Kopić ten singing lead

...The wedding guests will be gathered at a hall in a small town about 25 miles outside of the city, so I’ll definitely be in the loop regardless...🙂

rustyviper17 said:...The wedding guests will be gathered at a hall in a small town about 25 miles outside of the city, so I’ll definitely be in the loop regardless...🙂

The band goes by "Svirci." Honestly? They were absolute legends at those Midwest weddings I went to back in the day. They really know how to set a mood. But hey, don't just take my word for it—go ask around and see what everyone else thinks.
I honestly have no clue when you’re actually pulling the trigger on the wedding, but trust me on this one—you need to get those reservations locked in way sooner rather than later.
Look, just give it some serious thought. If you decide you actually want to go through with this, I'll see what I can do about tracking down that number for you. No pressure, just think it over.😉

Kimberly Kern2 said:The band goes by "Svirci." Honestly? They were absolute legends at those Midwest weddings I went to back in the day. They really know how to set a mood. But hey, don't just take my word for it—go ask around and see what everyone else thinks.
I honestly have no clue when you’re actually pulling the trigger on the wedding, but trust me on this one—you need to get those reservations locked in way sooner rather than later.
Look, just give it some serious thought. If you decide you actually want to go through with this, I'll see what I can do about tracking down that number for you. No pressure, just think it over.😉

I actually saw them play at a wedding once myself, and honestly, all I have is praise—even though that was probably four or five years ago. Who knows if the lineup has changed since then?🤷

I don't think so. Or, at least, as far as I know, the singer stays exactly the same...

Kimberly Kern2 says:
The musicians have names, and personally, I thought they were fantastic during those Midwest-style weddings back in the day—but hey, maybe go ask someone else if you're skeptical..
I’m not sure when your big day is, but I do know that most of these groups need to be booked well in advance.
Take some time to think about it, and if you decide you want them, I can try to track down their contact info for you.

Seriously, if you could manage to get that number, it would be a lifesaver. I've been hearing from several other people lately that they're top-tier... I just don't have the digits myself 🙄... You'd be doing me a huge favor if you could pull that off... 😛

rustyviper17 said:Kimberly Kern2 says:
The musicians have names, and personally, I thought they were fantastic during those Midwest-style weddings back in the day—but hey, maybe go ask someone else if you're skeptical..
I’m not sure when your big day is, but I do know that most of these groups need to be booked well in advance.
Take some time to think about it, and if you decide you want them, I can try to track down their contact info for you.

Seriously, if you could manage to get that number, it would be a lifesaver. I've been hearing from several other people lately that they're top-tier... I just don't have the digits myself 🙄... You'd be doing me a huge favor if you could pull that off... 😛

I actually have the number for a band based out of Indianapolis; they play just about everything (except country music)—not that I want to sound like I'm advertising too much, but just shoot me a private message and I'll send the digits over. They're actually playing my wedding, and I remember seeing them perform at some big events in downtown Indianapolis, so they're pretty popular, though I suppose you'd need to check if they happen to be free on your date.😉

Paul Taylor4 said:Anyone got any thoughts on the Viva band? They’ve got Vlatka Kopić ten singing lead

I have a comment... I’m getting married on October 17th in Miami, and Viva is playing my set.😲

Maybe there are two different groups called Viva? This one I know is based out of Los Angeles.

Maria Ramirez4 said:Maybe you guys locked in those prices last year, but obviously, inflation hit everything. 🤷🤷👎
As for the cabbage rolls, he said they don't do them because they don't want the hassle of dealing with cabbage. If we really want them, he said we can roll them ourselves 😲😲 and just bring them in for them to cook, which is totally 👎👎
ridiculous. We weren't feeling the beef stew at all and were hoping to pick something else for the second course, but that was the answer we got. 😂😂

Uncle Bob told us the exact same thing when we were asking around a couple of years back. 🤣

We gave up on GreenCrove pretty quickly because, on top of that price, he started listing all these extra things we'd have to provide ourselves, so it wasn't even that cheap in the end, plus everything else: our own drinks, the meat, desserts, certificates, store receipts, vet confirmations, and oh my goodness!!!

(He also told us he WON'T/DOESN'T WANT to serve stuffed cabbage because there isn't any good cabbage in May, so we'd just be stuck with the stew for the second dinner!)

Maybe someone else has had a better experience with them... but I guess that's just what we went through firsthand.

rustyviper17
I sent you my number via PM.

I wanted to check in and see if anyone here has any intel on that avant-garde band out of Indianapolis?.. Most of our other options are already booked up, so these guys are going to send over a recording for us to review😕 (since we’re unfortunately not close enough to catch a live set), and I'm curious about their actual vibe. They have a female vocalist, which is definitely a major selling point, and their rates are surprisingly reasonable😁... so please, let me know if you have any insight at all....😉

rustyviper17 said:I wanted to check in and see if anyone here has any intel on that avant-garde band out of Indianapolis?.. Most of our other options are already booked up, so these guys are going to send over a recording for us to review😕 (since we’re unfortunately not close enough to catch a live set), and I'm curious about their actual vibe. They have a female vocalist, which is definitely a major selling point, and their rates are surprisingly reasonable😁... so please, let me know if you have any insight at all....😉

I'm heading to a wedding on May 2nd where they're playing. I'll give you my take then, if you can wait that long.🙄

Anyone have the scoop on the banquet hall in Des Moines? I’m looking for the full rundown—menus, per-person costs versus renting the whole space, and whether the owners are actually reasonable people to deal with. Also, do they handle the booze themselves or let you bring your own?
PLEASE HELP 😢😢😢

Maria Ramirez4 said:Anyone have the scoop on the banquet hall in Des Moines? I’m looking for the full rundown—menus, per-person costs versus renting the whole space, and whether the owners are actually reasonable people to deal with. Also, do they handle the booze themselves or let you bring your own?
PLEASE HELP 😢😢😢

So, we were actually planning on hosting our wedding there because we heard the food and service were top-notch. But we ended up pulling the plug. We tried to work out a deal, but they couldn't make a Friday work for them, and honestly, once I saw the layout, I wasn't feeling it. There's this one wing of the building that feels totally disconnected from the main area, and I had no clue how to even host people there. Since we were expecting about 230 guests, everyone definitely wouldn't have fit in the primary space. On the bright side, everything is brand new, and it would've cost me $50 (for two courses plus drinks), which is a total steal.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find some Maggie Sottero wedding dresses in the Indianapolis area?

dustypanther12 said:Does anyone know where I might be able to find some Maggie Sottero wedding dresses in the Indianapolis area?

Oh, I’m afraid it’s just not possible... none of the bridal boutiques here in Indianapolis actually carry Maggie Sottero. You're probably going to have to make a bit of a road trip out toward Warsaw, St. Louis, or maybe even Savannah if you want to find that specific designer...

Does anyone have any firsthand experience—good or bad—with organizing a wedding down in Des Moines at the Downtown Perić venue?

I’ve attended plenty of weddings there, and they were generally fine, provided they didn't overstuff the venue. When they cram too many people in, seating becomes an issue. The chairs are packed so tightly you practically have to shove your way through the aisle just to stand up. Otherwise, everything was great. There were a few unpleasant incidents, but I won't air them here; if you're interested, send me a private message. 🙂The venue itself is quite beautiful, though.😉