Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Brian Murphy7 said:Thanks, thanks, and thanks again! I’m really digging this room, Lucy. Someone already dropped a link earlier, and boldcrane143 did too. These kinds of venues are beautiful just as they are—they don't need much intervention. You don't have to go out and buy a mountain of decor just to make them look decent, unlike some places where you basically have to stage a production to make it look halfway alright. I have one concern, though: my guest list is looking like it'll be around 300 people. It definitely won't go over, and it might even be less since my relatives from the Midwest probably won't all show up. My worry is how that's going to look in a venue that holds 560, like Lucy's. Won't it feel half-empty? boldcrane143, how many guests did you have?

That’s exactly why we went with the Admiral—it’s gorgeous, plus you can actually partition off the space. We're expecting around 250 guests, and honestly, it would look pretty awkward putting a smaller group in a huge ballroom. I think Lucy is stunning, but it’s just way too big for us, so we crossed it off our list for that exact reason.

Austin Hayes2 said:That’s just the truth. It honestly makes me sick seeing people who shamelessly prey on others just to make a buck. Look, I have no problem paying for something I want, but you expect actual service—not some fake, forced smile plastered on someone's face. Honestly, I would never recommend Isabelle bridal boutique in Indianapolis to anyone. Their customer service is a total disaster.

I'm with you on that... The staff at that shop are a total disaster, seriously. On the flip side, I gotta give props to Nicholas—those girls are amazing, really top-tier service!

Hannah Garcia9, does Admiral have a smaller lounge available besides that massive one?

Sorry if I’m veering off-topic here...

I'm based out of Des Moines and my wedding is this August, but I still haven't secured a makeup artist. I am looking for someone truly reliable who can make it out to Des Moines by August 22nd.
Ideally, I would hire someone local, but honestly, nobody around here works with high-end products—and by that, I mean brands like Chanel, Dior, Sisley, or Lancôme.
I actually reached out to a stylist over at Nordstrom, but she’s fully booked that day; I tried contacting a few others, but they're all on vacation then.
Does anyone have a recommendation?????!! And if you happen to know what the rates are, I’d really appreciate it...
To be clear, she wouldn't be coming out just for me; I'll make sure there are at least five different clients booked for that day.

Please send your recommendations via PM.👋

I completely forgot to mention—in all the wedding stress—that I actually ordered the invitations from a local print shop in Des Moines, and I am absolutely thrilled with how they turned out. Since I’m living out on the West Coast, I had to coordinate everything with Susan, the owner, via email and phone. I sent her my exact specs on Monday, and by Friday, the invitations were sitting right on my doorstep. She is incredibly easy to work with; you make a deal, and she sticks to it, period.

For the reception, I’ve booked a band playing at a Chuck E. Cheese style venue... well, more like a high-end banquet hall, but anyway, I hired them specifically because they are phenomenal and, most importantly, they don't play that cheesy country music, which is a huge deal for me.

If there are any other folks here from the FBI who need some advice or have questions regarding venues, catering, cakes, flowers, or anything else, please feel free to ask...

jeanne7, where did you end up sourcing your wedding flowers, and what kind of vibe did you go with? I'm actually from the Midwest too, and I'm getting married next year...

Can someone please point me toward a hairstylist in St. Louis who actually knows what they're doing for wedding updos? There are plenty of options out there, but let's be honest—half of them are a gamble I'm not willing to take.

brightmarlin15 said:Sorry if I’m veering off-topic here...

I'm based out of Des Moines and my wedding is this August, but I still haven't secured a makeup artist. I am looking for someone truly reliable who can make it out to Des Moines by August 22nd.
Ideally, I would hire someone local, but honestly, nobody around here works with high-end products—and by that, I mean brands like Chanel, Dior, Sisley, or Lancôme.
I actually reached out to a stylist over at Nordstrom, but she’s fully booked that day; I tried contacting a few others, but they're all on vacation then.
Does anyone have a recommendation?????!! And if you happen to know what the rates are, I’d really appreciate it...
To be clear, she wouldn't be coming out just for me; I'll make sure there are at least five different clients booked for that day.

Please send your recommendations via PM.👋

Is it seriously true that nobody in Des Moines uses high-end makeup? I might just kill myself.😲
And what about that woman who used to run the perfume shop near the CVS and Kohl's? (They have a Victoria's Secret there now)—I heard she does makeup.🤷

Come on, give me a recommendation! I need someone for a makeup session in September—not even for my own wedding guests.

brightmarlin15 said:I completely forgot to mention—in all the wedding stress—that I actually ordered the invitations from a local print shop in Des Moines, and I am absolutely thrilled with how they turned out. Since I’m living out on the West Coast, I had to coordinate everything with Susan, the owner, via email and phone. I sent her my exact specs on Monday, and by Friday, the invitations were sitting right on my doorstep. She is incredibly easy to work with; you make a deal, and she sticks to it, period.

For the reception, I’ve booked a band playing at a Chuck E. Cheese style venue... well, more like a high-end banquet hall, but anyway, I hired them specifically because they are phenomenal and, most importantly, they don't play that cheesy country music, which is a huge deal for me.

If there are any other folks here from the FBI who need some advice or have questions regarding venues, catering, cakes, flowers, or anything else, please feel free to ask...

I wouldn't trust Budweiser for a second, honestly.
So, which venue did you end up booking?

Sarah Taylor4 said:Is it seriously true that nobody in Des Moines uses high-end makeup? I might just kill myself.😲
And what about that woman who used to run the perfume shop near the CVS and Kohl's? (They have a Victoria's Secret there now)—I heard she does makeup.🤷

Come on, give me a recommendation! I need someone for a makeup session in September—not even for my own wedding guests.

The girl you're thinking of was the go-to when she was the only pro in town. Now, from what I’ve gathered, there’s this person named Anita (I don't know her last name or number, but I can dig it up if you need) who works with MAC and L'Oréal. But honestly, maybe I'm just being high-maintenance, but for MY big day, I want to look flawless with top-tier products. I mean, I already use Chanel foundation, CK lip gloss, and Dior mascara... why on earth would I settle for cheap stuff on my wedding day? I won't! I am more than willing to pay whatever it takes because, honestly, the makeup feels just as important as the dress itself. Am I asking for too much? Maybe!

I’ll track down Anita’s cell number for you in a few days and shoot you a DM.

On another note, I heard there’s a really talented male makeup artist out there... I think his name is Alan Lubic and he teaches at that cosmetology school over in the suburbs. Has anyone heard of him? If anyone has his contact info, please let me know. I would be incredibly grateful. 🙏

Yeah, yeah, Andrijana—I couldn't quite wrap my head around her name for a second there...
Look, if you can track down a number for Anita, let me know. I'll just give her a call myself—I'm heading out to the suburbs next month anyway.
Thanks.

Has anyone heard anything about the makeup services at Butterfly in Indianapolis? I'm looking for someone who’s been there or seen their work for wedding guests—it's kind of urgent!

P.S. Feel free to DM me a photo if you have an example of their style!

Henry Thompson5 said:Can someone please point me toward a hairstylist in St. Louis who actually knows what they're doing for wedding updos? There are plenty of options out there, but let's be honest—half of them are a gamble I'm not willing to take.

The stylists at the Lowe's over on Main Street do great work, but they're pretty pricey, I guess.

Justin Martinez3 said:Hannah Garcia9, does Admiral have a smaller lounge available besides that massive one?

From what I know, yeah they do. Not sure if those smaller spots are specifically set aside for weddings, though. That big hall can be partitioned off—which is exactly what we'd need to do. I was actually at some smaller wedding receptions over at the Navy recently where they split up the main ballroom, and honestly? It looked great. No shade intended. The Navy has its own website too, so you might want to check there to see their full layout and what they offer.

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....😉

We actually ended up booking them without seeing them live first, so fingers crossed! We just wrote down our requests on paper, and I think everything will go smoothly..
The wedding is on July 11th, so I'll let you guys know how they were!

brightmarlin15 said:I completely forgot to mention—in all the wedding stress—that I actually ordered the invitations from a local print shop in Des Moines, and I am absolutely thrilled with how they turned out. Since I’m living out on the West Coast, I had to coordinate everything with Susan, the owner, via email and phone. I sent her my exact specs on Monday, and by Friday, the invitations were sitting right on my doorstep. She is incredibly easy to work with; you make a deal, and she sticks to it, period.

For the reception, I’ve booked a band playing at a Chuck E. Cheese style venue... well, more like a high-end banquet hall, but anyway, I hired them specifically because they are phenomenal and, most importantly, they don't play that cheesy country music, which is a huge deal for me.

If there are any other folks here from the FBI who need some advice or have questions regarding venues, catering, cakes, flowers, or anything else, please feel free to ask...

We also got our invites from that same print shop, and we're super happy—everyone says they look gorgeous.
The whole setup took maybe 3 minutes...
They confirmed via email, we picked them up, and it was smooth sailing.

casualsailor49 said:We also got our invites from that same print shop, and we're super happy—everyone says they look gorgeous.
The whole setup took maybe 3 minutes...
They confirmed via email, we picked them up, and it was smooth sailing.

I actually used Grafoart back when I was in Denver and I couldn't have been happier with the results,
if I remember correctly, there’s an album showing off their work sitting right in the Vegas Golden Knights arena in the Baron Trenk lounge!

Hey there. I'm looking for a photographer based in Indianapolis or somewhere nearby. I've got everything else squared away, but I left the photography for last. Any leads? Please help me out.

We actually went with Talaja from Indianapolis for our photos, and honestly, their prices are such a steal compared to everyone else

Do you have a PM with their contact info?

Thanks, but I haven't heard of them. I’m looking for someone a bit more modern—I actually asked around yesterday and checked out a few studios in Indianapolis, plus a couple in small towns in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Prices are hovering around $6,000$2167. The only real difference is that some photographers bring their own lighting setups and reflectors for the venue, and they say the price stays the same regardless. Now I'm stuck wondering which way to go. If anyone has experience with specific photographers, let me know! Thanks!