Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Jamie Newman10 said:So, does anyone actually know what Kelbas is charging these days?

We’re probably gonna grab one of the bigger packages for $1833. $67 would just be their travel costs up to Indianapolis. You can see the two different packages and what they cover on the studio-kelbas.hr site. I guess everything is negotiable 🙂. They have a Facebook page too. Since they're pretty young, I figure they'll probably go the extra mile...😁

Patrick Morris6 said:We’re probably gonna grab one of the bigger packages for $1833. $67 would just be their travel costs up to Indianapolis. You can see the two different packages and what they cover on the studio-kelbas.hr site. I guess everything is negotiable 🙂. They have a Facebook page too. Since they're pretty young, I figure they'll probably go the extra mile...😁

But what’s the word on the deposit? For instance, one photo studio we looked at told us a deposit would be around $200—$133—but then, looking at Kelbas’s own transaction terms, it says they require 20% of the total price, which would end up being quite a bit for $1833...$367...so, yeah...

I’m curious, how much did you guys end up putting down for deposits?

Seriously, is it even possible that nobody here owns jewelry from Isabella?
I don't know if I just typed that weirdly—retyping it now. 🙂
I’m talking about an upfront deal at half price—you pay half, you get the whole thing.

It really bugs me when photographers don't give you a full quote upfront. Basically, a ton of them don't include thank-you cards or family portraits in the initial price if the gift portion isn't part of the package. Then, once they bill you $5$2.75 per piece, it ends up adding another thousand bucks or more depending on your guest list. Just watch out for that, because I've had some pretty awkward surprises after negotiating with several photographers...

Man, everyone’s getting all worked up over Kelbas lately... where did those $500 price hikes even come from? The website clearly says $5,000 🤷 😁

Quick question though—am I totally behind if I start hunting for a photographer this October for a wedding next July? 😍

Since I’m already hanging out here, I figured I’d just ask... in years past, it seemed like every girl was looking for guys who played the fiddle or some kind of country instrument. So, does anyone actually know if they ever managed to find them?? 🙂

Just gonna drop a quick group update here instead of quoting everyone.
The site shows one package for $1333, but then mentions another for 5500. Maybe I'm misreading something somewhere 🤷
I'm sending over the $167 deposit today. I think that's what we agreed on. Feel free to shoot Michael an email or give him a call; he was super helpful and walked me through everything... apparently, the packages can be customized to fit whatever the couple needs. So yeah... I guess. We'll see how it goes 🙂

So, I just went back and double-checked that... it says 5,500..🙂 my bad..🙂

Just one more quick thing though... how many people are actually included in that package? Like, how many photographers and videographers show up?🙂

I’m also curious about what the final damage looks like once you factor in those thank-you notes and all the family photos, just like someone else mentioned earlier?

Ethan Cox5 said:So, I just went back and double-checked that... it says 5,500..🙂 my bad..🙂

Just one more quick thing though... how many people are actually included in that package? Like, how many photographers and videographers show up?🙂

You get two photographers and one videographer. There are also extra options if you want a crane, so you'd basically have the whole crew there. But this package covers everything—getting ready shots for both the groom and bride, the ceremony, all that stuff.
Someone was asking about the thank-you notes: 3-$2.25.

Patrick Morris6 said:It probably depends on if you're just giving them a heads-up or actually sending out invites. If it's official invitations, then yeah, a month or two out is fine, but otherwise, you should probably call them way earlier. Like, several months... we’re planning to start calling people for September just so we can get an actual headcount.
Also, does anyone have a recommendation for a good local bluegrass band near Indianapolis? We booked a full band, but we're still missing some backup musicians...
And btw, someone was asking about that photographer Kelley—well, we went ahead and booked them, so we'll see how it goes 🙂 They have a special deal running through the end of February, they seem pretty decent and the price is reasonable. We'll figure out the rest after the wedding...😁

So, my cousin actually had this live country music band play at her place last year, and oh man, they were absolutely incredible! Like, seriously talented. I can't quite remember what they charged, though—I'm totally blanking on the price tag, honestly.
So, regarding her photographer, she went with Marinko Šarić—and I actually saw someone online asking what he’s like to work with. Honestly? From what I can tell, everything was top-notch. We're talking gorgeous shots, custom thank-you cards, even the DVDs were all handled perfectly. Everything looked super polished. But, just a heads-up if you're looking for a specific vibe: he doesn't necessarily shoot every single photo in one uniform style. He put together this absolutely stunning album that featured a mix of different styles, shapes, and sizes, which was actually really cool to look at, while the rest of the shots were tucked away on the DVDs. Oh, and she definitely made sure to pay extra for those thank-you cards because they were just that good!

Hey everyone, does anyone happen to know where I can track down some nice candle holders—you know, the ones meant for 3 or 5 candles? I'm looking to use them as centerpieces for table decor. Thanks a bunch!

jadeotter10 said:The crew at Chic is absolute perfection. 😍 I was in for a trial run recently, and "satisfied" doesn't even cover it—I was BLOWN AWAY! My only warning is that they stay incredibly busy, so if you're thinking about booking them, move fast... they barely squeezed me, my bestie, and my sister-in-law in, and I was actually the third bridesmaid that Saturday! 😲

I went ahead and booked them myself. I guess. 🙂

Does anyone here have much experience with lighting? I’ve been sitting here staring at price comparisons for a while now. I guess I'm just trying to figure out who actually delivers quality without completely draining my bank account. Who would you say is the best option that won't break the budget? Maybe someone has a recommendation.

Sam Campbell2 said:So, my cousin actually had this live country music band play at her place last year, and oh man, they were absolutely incredible! Like, seriously talented. I can't quite remember what they charged, though—I'm totally blanking on the price tag, honestly.
So, regarding her photographer, she went with Marinko Šarić—and I actually saw someone online asking what he’s like to work with. Honestly? From what I can tell, everything was top-notch. We're talking gorgeous shots, custom thank-you cards, even the DVDs were all handled perfectly. Everything looked super polished. But, just a heads-up if you're looking for a specific vibe: he doesn't necessarily shoot every single photo in one uniform style. He put together this absolutely stunning album that featured a mix of different styles, shapes, and sizes, which was actually really cool to look at, while the rest of the shots were tucked away on the DVDs. Oh, and she definitely made sure to pay extra for those thank-you cards because they were just that good!

I hired Marinko too. I don't get why people are tripping about the photo printing; it’s clearly just about what you agree on beforehand. When Michael and I were hashing out the price and details, we were super clear: we wanted everything on a DVD, plus one photo album and some thank-you cards. That was the quote he gave us, so we took it. Once the wedding guests cleared out, I'll just sit down and pick which specific photos I actually want printed and in what format.

Help! I have my wedding coming up this September and I still haven't booked a photographer, found a florist, or even picked out a dress... I’m starting to get a little hit by the nerves. Is it getting too late? Should I be panicking and rushing through all of this right now? What do you guys think, and when did you all actually start your planning process?
I'm looking at booking Elijah ???? for photography and Stella's floral shop over in Savannah. If anyone has worked with them before, please let me know how it went! 😉

dustytinker58 said:Help! I have my wedding coming up this September and I still haven't booked a photographer, found a florist, or even picked out a dress... I’m starting to get a little hit by the nerves. Is it getting too late? Should I be panicking and rushing through all of this right now? What do you guys think, and when did you all actually start your planning process?
I'm looking at booking Elijah ???? for photography and Stella's floral shop over in Savannah. If anyone has worked with them before, please let me know how it went! 😉

This year? Oh, you probably should've started already 🙂. Most people—bands, venues, etc.—are usually booked solid. I actually just started a month ago and barely managed to find a band and a photographer. But hey, give it a shot, you've got nothing to lose 😉.
September is super popular, just like May. Around here, most girls tend to lock everything down a year or more in advance 😁.

dustytinker58 said:Help! I have my wedding coming up this September and I still haven't booked a photographer, found a florist, or even picked out a dress... I’m starting to get a little hit by the nerves. Is it getting too late? Should I be panicking and rushing through all of this right now? What do you guys think, and when did you all actually start your planning process?
I'm looking at booking Elijah ???? for photography and Stella's floral shop over in Savannah. If anyone has worked with them before, please let me know how it went! 😉

Honestly, you’re still fine on the dress and the flowers... but you might run into limited options with photographers if you wait much longer. We actually locked everything in a year and a half ahead of time just to be safe.
If you head over to Nicholas, they have the best selection of dresses around. Start looking now! 🙂) Good luck! 🙂

Patrick Morris6 said:This year? Oh, you probably should've started already 🙂. Most people—bands, venues, etc.—are usually booked solid. I actually just started a month ago and barely managed to find a band and a photographer. But hey, give it a shot, you've got nothing to lose 😉.
September is super popular, just like May. Around here, most girls tend to lock everything down a year or more in advance 😁.

Henry Harris5 said:Honestly, you’re still fine on the dress and the flowers... but you might run into limited options with photographers if you wait much longer. We actually locked everything in a year and a half ahead of time just to be safe.
If you head over to Nicholas, they have the best selection of dresses around. Start looking now! 🙂) Good luck! 🙂

I actually had my venue and band sorted out way back in June last year, but I let the rest slide... honestly, I don't even know what I was waiting for! 😕 Now I'm starting to panic a little bit, 🙂 but oh well, these are all such "sweet" problems to have, right? At least that's how I see it... just try not to stress! :sad: 😁
I'm going to start searching immediately! 🙂 Thanks!

dustytinker58 said:Help! I have my wedding coming up this September and I still haven't booked a photographer, found a florist, or even picked out a dress... I’m starting to get a little hit by the nerves. Is it getting too late? Should I be panicking and rushing through all of this right now? What do you guys think, and when did you all actually start your planning process?
I'm looking at booking Elijah ???? for photography and Stella's floral shop over in Savannah. If anyone has worked with them before, please let me know how it went! 😉

Stella from Savannah is fantastic—she really knows her stuff and does an incredible job

I am curious though, does anyone know what Elijah ???? usually charges?

Thanks for the help

dustytinker58 said:I actually had my venue and band sorted out way back in June last year, but I let the rest slide... honestly, I don't even know what I was waiting for! 😕 Now I'm starting to panic a little bit, 🙂 but oh well, these are all such "sweet" problems to have, right? At least that's how I see it... just try not to stress! :sad: 😁
I'm going to start searching immediately! 🙂 Thanks!

Then you can just rush through the photos... I haven't even glanced at wedding dresses yet either 🤣D
Good luck!