Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

silentgull5 said:Just a heads-up for anyone out there hunting for a wedding photographer or videographer: stay far away from Anić from Belišće.

We had our wedding at the start of August, and honestly, we’re still sitting here waiting on the DVD. We paid him a 10% deposit upfront, and according to the contract, the rest wasn't due until we got the footage—which was supposed to be about a month after the big day. But then, just a few days after the wedding, he calls us up demanding half the money early, claiming he needs it for "supplies" or whatever. So, we pay him, and that’s when everything goes south. All we've received so far is the photo album and some shots of the guests during the gift-giving. As for the actual video? He keeps making these excuses about "technical issues" that he clearly hasn't fixed by now... We're planning to sue him once New Year's Day rolls around...

So yeah, that's the situation with Maria Anić (Manic studio) out of Belišće.

Well, we finally got everything we actually paid for today. Honestly, both the photos and the DVD turned out great. It’s just such a shame all that drama had to happen first. 😢

Hey everyone,
I have a quick question for you. I'm looking for a wedding cake. Nothing fancy—just a classic three-tier round cake with frosting (my aunt is going to handle the decorations herself)... so nothing over-the-top or complicated. I stopped by Caitlin's Bakery today to ask about pricing, and I nearly fainted when they told me what a wedding cake costs. $333 😵 Look, I respect their quality and everything, but that price tag is just way out of my budget. Does anyone have some better ideas for something reasonably priced that still tastes great? 😉
Thanks.

Sandra Campbell9 said:Ladies, where have you all been hiding? I was wondering if anyone could tell me where you're planning to order your invitations from. I’m specifically looking for recommendations within El Paso-Srijem County... though I suppose anything near Indianapolis would work too, I guess.
Thanks 🙂

Have you considered looking toward Mexico? I found some beautiful ones for 50 cents apiece, excluding printing. They feature textured paper with heart motifs and a thick center insert. It seems quite budget-friendly compared to similar options I've seen here in the States, which run closer to $2.75.

Jason Howard5 said:I'm also thinking about making my own invites, maybe even thank-you notes too. Does anyone know where to find the best supplies for invitation making? And how are the prices looking?

Thanks in advance 🙏🙏🙏🙏

If you're looking for paper in Indianapolis, check out Hobby Lobby, Golden Hand (but man, they'll charge you an arm and a leg), or that stationery shop on Main Street right across from STUC. For ribbons, beads, and all that extra flair, Hobby Lobby and Vigus have stuff, plus Bagat, but honestly? You’ll probably save a ton if you just order online through DTP.

blueowl88 said:Hey everyone,
I have a quick question for you. I'm looking for a wedding cake. Nothing fancy—just a classic three-tier round cake with frosting (my aunt is going to handle the decorations herself)... so nothing over-the-top or complicated. I stopped by Caitlin's Bakery today to ask about pricing, and I nearly fainted when they told me what a wedding cake costs. $333 😵 Look, I respect their quality and everything, but that price tag is just way out of my budget. Does anyone have some better ideas for something reasonably priced that still tastes great? 😉
Thanks.

So this lady who's making my cake is asking for $50 for just one tier... which means $200 4 tiers.. because apparently every single tier is its own separate cake.

Jason Howard5 said:So this lady who's making my cake is asking for $50 for just one tier... which means $200 4 tiers.. because apparently every single tier is its own separate cake.

That sounds great! That works perfectly for me. 👍 Can I get a receipt? It’s important because the restaurant insisted I have one. If you don't mind, send me her name and number. Thanks.

Christian Taylor8 said:Yeah, she comes by. Last year we paid $27 per person, and honestly, our makeup looked flawless even after being out in 100-degree heat for 12 hours and dealing with about 200 people offering congratulations. DM me for her number

COUNT ME IN TOO!

Jason Howard5 said:Mary Perry and Jane Russell from Indianapolis take the absolute best wedding shots I've ever seen, period. I mean, they're way better than anything from Leo Productions, but man, those guys are pricey as hell.

Best regards........👋👋

I'm based in Indianapolis and have a wedding coming up this October in Green Valley........ I'm thinking about hiring Maya Peric and her crew for the photography, so I wanted to ask if anyone knows what their DVD quality is like. I saw her wedding shots on Facebook and they are incredible..... seriously impressive.....🙏...but I have no idea how their DVDs turn out...🤷.....does anyone know.....

Christian Mendoza6 said:Best regards........👋👋

I'm based in Indianapolis and have a wedding coming up this October in Green Valley........ I'm thinking about hiring Maya Peric and her crew for the photography, so I wanted to ask if anyone knows what their DVD quality is like. I saw her wedding shots on Facebook and they are incredible..... seriously impressive.....🙏...but I have no idea how their DVDs turn out...🤷.....does anyone know.....

Just grab her for coffee! They'll probably let you look at a sample DVD right then and there.
Honestly, my video was just okay... I ended up using them too.

Anyone here actually dealt with Bouquet before? What’s the damage looking like with prices lately?
Is it even possible to just show up with a photo and have them whip up something similar, or am I stuck picking from whatever's in their catalog?

Look, my take is this—if you actually show up with a photo and lay out exactly what you're looking for, they shouldn't be giving you some "close enough" version. They should be able to nail THAT specific bouquet, not just some vague approximation of it.

Bradley Wright said:COUNT ME IN TOO!

Would anyone be willing to share Diana's number with me? My wedding is coming up this May and I honestly have no clue who might end up being my partner yet...
Does anyone happen to know a great florist around here, and does anyone have an idea of what the typical costs for wedding flowers look like these days? Thanks so much!

swiftcrane31 said:Would anyone be willing to share Diana's number with me? My wedding is coming up this May and I honestly have no clue who might end up being my partner yet...
Does anyone happen to know a great florist around here, and does anyone have an idea of what the typical costs for wedding flowers look like these days? Thanks so much!

I'm in the exact same boat! A friend told me she paid for the bouquet, boutonnieres, and those five little things for the bridesmaids $900 and honestly? That sounds freaking insane. So yeah, if anyone actually has experience with this stuff, please spill the tea on flower and bouquet prices🙄🙄👍👍

I haven't heard back from Diana with that number yet. As soon as she gets back to me, I’ll shoot you a private message right away.
As for my own experience with wedding prep—everything from the venue decor and the bridal bouquet to decorating the getaway car—my maid of honor actually took care of all those details for me. $900
It was at a place down in Georgia, just off one of the main streets.

I’ve been totally cut off from the internet for a while now, unless I managed to sneak onto someone’s computer while visiting 🙂
I sent the makeup artist's number via DM to all the girls who asked, though I didn't mention she's based out of Pittsburgh.

Jason Howard5 said:I'm in the exact same boat! A friend told me she paid for the bouquet, boutonnieres, and those five little things for the bridesmaids $900 and honestly? That sounds freaking insane. So yeah, if anyone actually has experience with this stuff, please spill the tea on flower and bouquet prices🙄🙄👍👍

That is quite a hefty bill, isn't it? It feels like a lot to me too... ladies, please help me out! Time is just flying by, and I haven't even begun to look at floral arrangements yet 🙂))

Hey everyone! Just wanted to reach out and let you know that if anyone happens to be looking for some affordable custom mechanical seal fabrication, feel free to shoot me a private message. We can chat about the details and work out a plan from there. Hope you're all having a great day!

swiftcrane31 said:That is quite a hefty bill, isn't it? It feels like a lot to me too... ladies, please help me out! Time is just flying by, and I haven't even begun to look at floral arrangements yet 🙂))

Here is how it went for me... Based on my experience... I checked four different places. Three had basically the same pricing, but Fantazija in Downtown was abnormally expensive. At least for my budget.
Boutonnières, bracelets for the flower girls, the wedding bouquet, car decor, the venue, the church... everything revolves around $1000. It depends on how many boutonnières you need, the type of flowers, how much greenery goes on the head table and the car, and how many tables in the hall or restaurant need decorating. For me, the focus was strictly on live flowers. I wanted Alstromeria and roses under the centerpieces, but I allowed for other flowers that blended in nicely. Basically, Alstromeria quoted me around $1067 (since I wanted glasses with floating candles on all the tables, and we're expecting about 130 people). Naturally, the more elaborate the vision, the higher the price. 🙂 I think I actually got lucky because I caught one of their promotions involving a gift card. So, I bought a $567 gift card and that's how much extra credit I'll get from them. I also heard they might be running a deal at Alstromeria where you get a free wedding bouquet if you book all your flowers there. You'll have to check that yourself. The best move is to bring some photos of what you want (even just rough ideas) and start visiting florists. They will break everything down by item and price. There you go. Hope this helps. Good luck!

For anyone else who was feeling totally overwhelmed about picking a wedding cake...
I did a little digging to help us out...

Katini Sweets $333 cake
Crown $33 per lb
Bagarić (Chepin) $20 per lb
Bos (Vinkovci/El Paso) approx $233 cake
Bagette (Đakov) $133 with whipped cream, $300 with marzipan.

blueowl88, I honestly can't thank you enough for all your help!