Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

We ended up booking the Matićević venue; we’ve got about 250 to 300 people coming, so we needed the extra breathing room.
Regarding Bravo Band—I know they don't usually play house shows, but if I recall correctly, they bring their own backing band—those guys who play the traditional instruments—for private gigs. You should double-check the contract, but it says they’re booked from 1:00 PM straight through until 4:00 AM, so that’s that.
As for the time, haha, I haven't a clue. Just check your DMs once you log in; you'll see the edit options on the left sidebar. Go ahead and poke around in there.

Henry Thompson5 said:My guys are a Bravo band... they aren't folk musicians. They play just about everything except the traditional stuff. Since my fiancé is a rocker at heart, why would we want anything else?

So, you mentioned looking for a band nearby because the ones you hired only perform in their own rehearsal space—that got me thinking, are you actually hunting for a folk group specifically?

If so, I know a group that might fit the bill, and I can pass along their number if you want.👍

Sarah Taylor4 said:So, you mentioned looking for a band nearby because the ones you hired only perform in their own rehearsal space—that got me thinking, are you actually hunting for a folk group specifically?

If so, I know a group that might fit the bill, and I can pass along their number if you want.👍

Right... I could definitely use some bluegrass musicians. Send the info to my inbox.
Thanks...🙂🙂

Henry Thompson5 said:Right... I could definitely use some bluegrass musicians. Send the info to my inbox.
Thanks...🙂🙂

Aha, yeah—just waiting on that guy to hit me up with his number first.

I was wondering if anyone might be willing to share their thoughts on that band ExxonMobil from Ivankov...
Greetings 👋

rustyviper17 said:...The wedding is set for October 17th, and we still haven't booked a band. Everyone keeps telling me we’re running out of time, but we’ve hit a bit of a logistical wall since we aren't actually living in the Midwest—which is where the ceremony is taking place. Every single band we've contacted refuses to send over a demo, a CD, or even a digital recording so we can actually hear them. It feels incredibly reckless to book someone blindly, especially when we're about to hand over a significant amount of money; it's only common sense to vet them first. To make matters more complicated, I grew up in the Midwest while my fiancé is from a small coastal town in California, so he's naturally a bit skeptical about whether a band from the heartland can pull off the specific songs he's looking for. If anyone knows a reliable band from the Midwest or could pass along a contact number, please let me know before I completely lose my mind...😲

I ended up booking a band from Kutina called Blue Night. They aren't overpriced, either. I've seen them play at a few weddings and local events, and honestly, they're great. They have their own website, so you can just go online and listen to them there. www.boje-noći.com.

Can one of you ladies explain what a legendary Midwest wedding actually looks like? I keep hearing everyone claim that Midwest weddings are the absolute best, so now I’m curious—what makes them so special?

ironrider20 said:Can one of you ladies explain what a legendary Midwest wedding actually looks like? I keep hearing everyone claim that Midwest weddings are the absolute best, so now I’m curious—what makes them so special?

The last one I went to—it was for a close friend—went something like this: After getting my hair done, I headed over to her place around noon. We spent some time catching up and grabbing a bite to eat while she got ready. Then the photographer and videographer showed up for the pre-ceremony shots. Eventually, the wedding party arrived to pick her up—the best man handled the logistics for her—and there was a little bit of a celebration at the house before everyone headed to the church. After the ceremony and all the congratulations, they were met outside the church by a live band playing folk music, which was a nice touch. They did a few more photos, took a little drive around town, and then headed to the reception hall. From there, it was non-stop energy: dinner, dancing, cake, gifts, the formal dance with the bride, and finally the couple’s exit. Later on, the party just kept going. That's basically the drill.

Justin Martinez3 said:The last one I went to—it was for a close friend—went something like this: After getting my hair done, I headed over to her place around noon. We spent some time catching up and grabbing a bite to eat while she got ready. Then the photographer and videographer showed up for the pre-ceremony shots. Eventually, the wedding party arrived to pick her up—the best man handled the logistics for her—and there was a little bit of a celebration at the house before everyone headed to the church. After the ceremony and all the congratulations, they were met outside the church by a live band playing folk music, which was a nice touch. They did a few more photos, took a little drive around town, and then headed to the reception hall. From there, it was non-stop energy: dinner, dancing, cake, gifts, the formal dance with the bride, and finally the couple’s exit. Later on, the party just kept going. That's basically the drill.

So yeah, basically nothing different than any other wedding in America. And here I was thinking it was something special, like these super old-school traditions or something.

ironrider20 said:So yeah, basically nothing different than any other wedding in America. And here I was thinking it was something special, like these super old-school traditions or something.

I’m not entirely sure which "ancient traditions" you're referring to, but honestly, there are still plenty of old-school customs hanging on around here. You've got the whole bride price thing, gifting towels to the best man and the bridesmaids—and if the wedding is traditional enough, they do that at the reunion celebrations too, depending on the family. Some brides still have the best man lead them up to the altar; if the house is close to the church, they walk there in a procession accompanied by a brass band playing and singing all the way. The best man covers the church fees, there's roasting meat for the newlyweds' table, the maid of honor leads the wedding party, and when the bride starts her first dance with the guests, the best man pays to kick it off with the sponsor, and then he also pays for her to keep dancing until she finally closes the set with the groom.

I don't know how they do it in other parts of the country, but around here, the groom goes to pick up the best man first, and then he goes for the bride.

I’ve been scrolling through this thread, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed... 😬 So, here’s the deal: I’m getting married near Kutina. And frankly, none of the advice here is actually helping me because it’s all focused on Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or Washington, D.C. It's like trying to find a mechanic in New York when you're stuck in a tiny town in the Midwest. Does anyone else here live in my neck of the woods—around Kutina, Novska, or nearby? Or better yet, does anyone know a decent local bakery that handles wedding cakes and desserts? If there’s a specific part of this forum where people actually talk about local vendors, please point me in the right direction... I am completely lost right now...😢

Kimberly Kern2,

Could you please send me the contact info for that tent vendor in Pittsburgh?
I’m originally from Savannah, by the way, and I actually had my invitations done at Grafoart—I was honestly so impressed with them.
Susan is absolutely wonderful; the invitations turned out stunning, and I paid $833 for 170 invitations along with the matching thank-you notes. You can pretty much hash out all the details directly with her... I highly recommend her services.😉

$833 Isn't that just incredibly pricey...
By the way, if you rent a gown over at Nicholas' Bridal Boutique, they offer invitations for $0.33...

Justin Martinez3 said:I’m not entirely sure which "ancient traditions" you're referring to, but honestly, there are still plenty of old-school customs hanging on around here. You've got the whole bride price thing, gifting towels to the best man and the bridesmaids—and if the wedding is traditional enough, they do that at the reunion celebrations too, depending on the family. Some brides still have the best man lead them up to the altar; if the house is close to the church, they walk there in a procession accompanied by a brass band playing and singing all the way. The best man covers the church fees, there's roasting meat for the newlyweds' table, the maid of honor leads the wedding party, and when the bride starts her first dance with the guests, the best man pays to kick it off with the sponsor, and then he also pays for her to keep dancing until she finally closes the set with the groom.

I don't know how they do it in other parts of the country, but around here, the groom goes to pick up the best man first, and then he goes for the bride.

Well, that's a different story entirely—you guys actually have a ton of traditions. From the two weddings in the Midwest I've been to, there wasn't anything super specific or out of the ordinary, everything felt pretty much like any other part of America, but people were constantly going on about how Midwest weddings are the absolute best.

ironrider20 said:Well, that's a different story entirely—you guys actually have a ton of traditions. From the two weddings in the Midwest I've been to, there wasn't anything super specific or out of the ordinary, everything felt pretty much like any other part of America, but people were constantly going on about how Midwest weddings are the absolute best.

Though, it feels a bit silly for me to claim Midwest weddings are always massive affairs with 300 or 400 guests, because let's be real—that’s not the case for everyone.

I don't even know 200 people well enough to invite them to my wedding, let alone a giant bash. 🤷

But hey, being from the Midwest, I’ll always be biased toward saying our weddings are the absolute best, haha.

Has anyone ever used Photo Studio C over in Indianapolis? We’re hunting for a photographer right now, and honestly, I’m dreading it—I absolutely loathe being in front of a camera. If you’ve got any leads or recommendations for the Indianapolis area or anywhere nearby, let me know. It would be a huge help!

Leon Productions out of Indianapolis—their shots are fantastic, and they even do light effects if you’re looking for that extra touch...

Does anyone happen to know where I can rent stands, vases, or candelabras for restaurant decor (minus the flowers, obviously) around Columbus, Indianapolis, or the surrounding areas?

ruggedtrucker5 said:Leon Productions out of Indianapolis—their shots are fantastic, and they even do light effects if you’re looking for that extra touch...

Does anyone happen to know where I can rent stands, vases, or candelabras for restaurant decor (minus the flowers, obviously) around Columbus, Indianapolis, or the surrounding areas?

maybe check out a local party supply shop😕

ruggedtrucker5 said:Leon Productions out of Indianapolis—their shots are fantastic, and they even do light effects if you’re looking for that extra touch...

Does anyone happen to know where I can rent stands, vases, or candelabras for restaurant decor (minus the flowers, obviously) around Columbus, Indianapolis, or the surrounding areas?

Regarding the candelabras... my uncle rents them out. 😁 If you want, shoot me an email and I'll send over a few pics. I'm based in Indianapolis... 👍

Does anyone have recommendations for where to pick up wedding rings in Richmond? I’m also on the hunt for a solid makeup artist/salon recommendation.