Everything you need for a Midwest wedding

Jesse Morgan73 said:Hey everyone, I figured it was finally time for me to jump in here and join the conversation. My fiancé and I are planning to tie the knot next July—maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I just really want everything to be perfect. One major logistical headache is that my boyfriend is from Seattle, so I need to find a way to house all his guests. We’ve been looking at the banquet hall at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Seattle; it seems like our best bet because the venue is stunning and having the hotel right there makes it so much easier to tuck everyone away. I was wondering if anyone knows what the typical per-person rate is at the Hyatt, and specifically what’s included in that price? Or better yet, if anyone has experience booking large room blocks, do they actually offer any kind of discount or special rate? We’re looking at a guest list of about 250 to 300 people, so I guess I should also ask if the ballroom is spacious enough to handle a crowd that size without feeling cramped... hm. Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m really just at the very beginning of this whole process, and I’ll probably end up having a million more questions, but I suppose I should take things one step at a time.

I’m actually having my wedding at the Hilton. You can fit about 330 people in there easily. As for the cost, at least for us (our big day is coming up this May), it was $30 per person. That covers the first course and an open bar, plus the second course $5.00 per person if you decide to bring your own catering for things like roasted lamb or pork, but if you go with their signature stew, it's $10 per person. Then there's the brunch the next day which is $17 per person. I’m not totally sure about the room rates, though.

Jesse Morgan73 said:Hey everyone, I figured it was finally time for me to jump in here and join the conversation. My fiancé and I are planning to tie the knot next July—maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but I just really want everything to be perfect. One major logistical headache is that my boyfriend is from Seattle, so I need to find a way to house all his guests. We’ve been looking at the banquet hall at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Seattle; it seems like our best bet because the venue is stunning and having the hotel right there makes it so much easier to tuck everyone away. I was wondering if anyone knows what the typical per-person rate is at the Hyatt, and specifically what’s included in that price? Or better yet, if anyone has experience booking large room blocks, do they actually offer any kind of discount or special rate? We’re looking at a guest list of about 250 to 300 people, so I guess I should also ask if the ballroom is spacious enough to handle a crowd that size without feeling cramped... hm. Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m really just at the very beginning of this whole process, and I’ll probably end up having a million more questions, but I suppose I should take things one step at a time.

I've got some firsthand info regarding the Grand Ballroom since I'm having my wedding there on September 4th. here's the deal:😛the first dinner is $30 per person, plus a second course which adds another $20, so it's basically $50 per person total, and that includes all the drinks—nothing extra. the couple gets their room for free as a gift, and guest rooms are cheaper than usual, though I'm not entirely sure, I think $100 doubles are $83 and singles are $1667, and breakfast is included too, if I remember correctly! the deposit is 🙂. hope that helps!!🙂p.s. if you have a specific date in mind, I'd suggest booking ASAP because they fill up fast! I booked last March for this coming September. also, the hall fits 350 people. if you have more questions, just ask!🙂 🙂

Hi... just figured I'd jump in here. I've been lurking on this forum forever, but I finally got around to registering!!! My day has been 🙂. You guys have been such a huge help, so I decided to write out my whole experience from start to finish for everyone
. I'm originally from Memphis, and I really wanted to have my wedding there. So, that's exactly what happened...
The Church of Saint Philip and Jacob, wow!
Vukota Hall in Memphis—hm... well, the venue was lovely, prices were reasonable, they had several menu options to choose from, and all in all, it was fine !!! I don't have any complaints, but I won't go overboard with the praise either🙂
The band—Bolero... best wishes to them!!! The guys did an incredible job. It was so much fun, and they played all the songs we requested, which we had agreed upon beforehand. Everything went exactly how I asked... there were no breaks, except for dinner. They kept playing until 6 AM!!!
Makeup—Gallah Cosmetics in Memphis. Eva did my makeup, and honestly, I'm speechless... nothing but praise, praise, and more praise. Simply perfect !!! 😍
I recommend her to anyone and guarantee you won't be disappointed. Just make sure to ask for EVA !!!
Hair—Ivana vu Hair Salon. Well... okay, the style wasn't anything overly complicated or demanding, so I don't have much to say about it. Everything went smoothly!!!
Wedding dress—Stefanie Vk
Home decor—Karaka OS. Short and sweet: PERFECT !!!!!!!!!!
And the flowers—My Flowers 🙂 is an Exclusive !!! wedding decoration studio. The girls are new, based in Memphis. One of them used to work for someone in a different city, I can't remember exactly... anyway... everyone, absolutely everyone, was enchanted by what they created. They pay so much attention to detail—candles, crystals, glitter... their floral arrangements are very lush (in terms of volume) and they are affordable! I truly visited every single vendor out there, and my Maid of Honor recommended them to me... THANK YOU, MAID OF HONOR!!! Ultimately, the flowers were the absolute highlight of everything!!!😍
I also got my invitations, thank-you cards, and boutonnieres from them. As for the invitations $2.00, I couldn't find that price anywhere else... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM !!!🙏
Oh, right... they also gave me a faux bouquet as a gift, which was identical to my bridal bouquet. I tossed the fake one, while mine stayed with me, along with custom license plates featuring our names—all for free.
Finally, I have to mention the photographer... the one and only STUDIO 69... words truly fail me here, because words can't describe it!!!🙂 The price is a bit higher, but it is absolutely justified
Anyway, I've rambled quite a bit... that would be the short version🙂 If anyone needs anything, feel free to ask, I'm happy to help!!!👍

John Ramirez10 said:I've got some firsthand info regarding the Grand Ballroom since I'm having my wedding there on September 4th. here's the deal:😛the first dinner is $30 per person, plus a second course which adds another $20, so it's basically $50 per person total, and that includes all the drinks—nothing extra. the couple gets their room for free as a gift, and guest rooms are cheaper than usual, though I'm not entirely sure, I think $100 doubles are $83 and singles are $1667, and breakfast is included too, if I remember correctly! the deposit is 🙂. hope that helps!!🙂p.s. if you have a specific date in mind, I'd suggest booking ASAP because they fill up fast! I booked last March for this coming September. also, the hall fits 350 people. if you have more questions, just ask!🙂 🙂

Thanks so much for all the info; you really helped me out there. I’m actually out of the country right now, but I’m planning to head back to the States in June. I just hope that won't be too late to get a venue booked. We have a rough date in mind, though honestly, whether it ends up being a week earlier or later doesn't matter much to me. My main priority is securing the specific hall, the band, and the photographer I want—everything else is secondary and can be figured out down the road. I attended a few weddings last year over in a small town in the Midwest, and I have to say, everyone was incredibly polite. The service was phenomenal, and the food was just as good—really, hats off to them. Regarding what exactly is included in the catering, I think I read somewhere that they provide soda, sparkling water, and maybe some Zeste Jeger and Stock? I'm not entirely sure if wine was part of it either... I honestly haven't the slightest clue how much of that is actually true.

Andrew Alvarez12 said:Hey ladies!

Saw some talk about flowers a few pages back, so I figured I’d jump in with my experience. Everyone kept telling me that Mrs. Ivanov had the cheapest rates, but I wasn't about to just drive out there and order without doing my homework first. I'm pretty meticulous, so I even did a couple of trial runs for hair and makeup.

After hitting up a bunch of different florists, I finally made my choice—and I definitely didn't regret it. First, I made a list of everything I wanted and took it to several shops to compare quotes. Honestly, the claim that she's the cheapest? Total myth. The prices at the shop over in the Midwest and the one near Trump's place were basically the same, within $100 $67 either way. For me, it wasn't just about finding the lowest price; I wanted quality too.

By the end of the night, everyone was staring at my flowers and asking who did them.

I was obsessed... the arrangements were so tasteful and incredibly fresh.

Mary from the Femme salon handled my hair, and Daria did my makeup. Their work was easily my favorite part. On the wedding day, people couldn't stop complimenting me—they actually couldn't believe it was me, since I'm usually such an athletic, low-maintenance type.

So, girls, don't just chase the lowest price. Look at the quality.

Aesthetics were my top priority, and honestly, everything turned out perfect.

It's true about that Jack person; everyone presents her as being cheap, but she really isn't. On top of that, I've heard from a few people that she charges more than what she initially quoted. I checked everywhere too...
and obviously chose the best option. 🙂

John Ramirez10 said:I've got some firsthand info regarding the Grand Ballroom since I'm having my wedding there on September 4th. here's the deal:😛the first dinner is $30 per person, plus a second course which adds another $20, so it's basically $50 per person total, and that includes all the drinks—nothing extra. the couple gets their room for free as a gift, and guest rooms are cheaper than usual, though I'm not entirely sure, I think $100 doubles are $83 and singles are $1667, and breakfast is included too, if I remember correctly! the deposit is 🙂. hope that helps!!🙂p.s. if you have a specific date in mind, I'd suggest booking ASAP because they fill up fast! I booked last March for this coming September. also, the hall fits 350 people. if you have more questions, just ask!🙂 🙂

The second course is an extra $2, which means $5.00 if you bring your own roast. But even then, you gotta pay because they won't let you bring meat without a receipt. Otherwise, the second course is just their stew for $10 (they don't do cabbage rolls in the summer because they "don't have cabbage"—which is freaking pathetic!!!!! There's always cabbage available!!)

Rooms are $200 for singles and $350 for doubles. They don't give any bulk discounts and there are only 19 rooms total!!!

Jesse Morgan73 said:Thanks so much for all the info; you really helped me out there. I’m actually out of the country right now, but I’m planning to head back to the States in June. I just hope that won't be too late to get a venue booked. We have a rough date in mind, though honestly, whether it ends up being a week earlier or later doesn't matter much to me. My main priority is securing the specific hall, the band, and the photographer I want—everything else is secondary and can be figured out down the road. I attended a few weddings last year over in a small town in the Midwest, and I have to say, everyone was incredibly polite. The service was phenomenal, and the food was just as good—really, hats off to them. Regarding what exactly is included in the catering, I think I read somewhere that they provide soda, sparkling water, and maybe some Zeste Jeger and Stock? I'm not entirely sure if wine was part of it either... I honestly haven't the slightest clue how much of that is actually true.

For the hard stuff, you get Stock, Pelin, brandy, and berry vodka. There's no plain vodka and definitely no Jeger :(((((( ! Wine is included—Frankovka and Graševina. Honestly, they should've offered better wines given the price tag. They include all the sodas in original 1L bottles, which is great because you don't end up with watered-down Coke. Plus mineral water and coffee after dinner are included too!

To be honest, it feels way too expensive for me. I wanted lamb for the first night, but they don't include that in the $28 price point, so I'd have to pay extra for the Jeger too...
And they charge $3.25 per chair for the covers....
The venue is gorgeous, the food is great, and the service is solid, but man, it's just overpriced for today's economy...

You're basically paying for the chandeliers because they're paying off a massive loan on them! :-))

Hey, does anyone happen to know a reliable DJ for a wedding? I’ve managed to scrape together a few numbers from various websites, but I don't really have any actual recommendations since weddings with a DJ aren't particularly common around here—at least, I don't know anyone who has attended one like that.😢

I’ve been wondering, how far in advance do you guys usually start sending out wedding invitations? Honestly, I’m starting to get a little bit of anxiety thinking I might run out of time to get them all in the mail...

quietbear8 said:Hey, does anyone happen to know a reliable DJ for a wedding? I’ve managed to scrape together a few numbers from various websites, but I don't really have any actual recommendations since weddings with a DJ aren't particularly common around here—at least, I don't know anyone who has attended one like that.😢

My sister actually used a DJ for her wedding, and he was absolutely phenomenal! I don't have his contact info on hand, but I can track it down from her tomorrow.
😉

rowdypanther16 said:I’ve been wondering, how far in advance do you guys usually start sending out wedding invitations? Honestly, I’m starting to get a little bit of anxiety thinking I might run out of time to get them all in the mail...

When exactly is your rehearsal dinner? I have no idea what the standard timeline is—or how everyone else handles it—but my personal plan is to have everything sent out about two to three months before the big day.🤷

Sandra Hernandez9 said:My sister actually used a DJ for her wedding, and he was absolutely phenomenal! I don't have his contact info on hand, but I can track it down from her tomorrow.
😉

That sounds great, thanks so much. 🙏

Hi everyone!
I’ve been lurking here for almost a year now because I’m getting married soon... I finally decided to register, and I really need some help. If anyone knows a fantastic makeup artist—or if there are any talented ladies on this forum who do makeup professionally—please reach out. Maybe it’s just bad luck, but my wedding is set for May 1st, which is Labor Day. Help me out, ladies—those dark circles under my eyes are a total nightmare!!!🤷

silentstag02 said:For the hard stuff, you get Stock, Pelin, brandy, and berry vodka. There's no plain vodka and definitely no Jeger :(((((( ! Wine is included—Frankovka and Graševina. Honestly, they should've offered better wines given the price tag. They include all the sodas in original 1L bottles, which is great because you don't end up with watered-down Coke. Plus mineral water and coffee after dinner are included too!

To be honest, it feels way too expensive for me. I wanted lamb for the first night, but they don't include that in the $28 price point, so I'd have to pay extra for the Jeger too...
And they charge $3.25 per chair for the covers....
The venue is gorgeous, the food is great, and the service is solid, but man, it's just overpriced for today's economy...

You're basically paying for the chandeliers because they're paying off a massive loan on them! :-))

I wonder if there's any way to negotiate with them—like, instead of the brandy, could they provide something else? My grandparents produce about 400 liters of homemade brandy a year, so it feels a bit silly to pay for it here when they'll just be handing it over anyway...
And regarding those chair covers $3.25? I feel like that's a bit much and you could probably find a cheaper option, assuming they'd even allow me to rent them from somewhere else. If necessary, someone from my family could just come and put them on themselves 🙂. I'm also not entirely sure how the whole cover situation works, but I was actually looking for those heavy, wipeable ones for the chairs. Do they have those, or just the standard white covers? Maybe I'm being a bit tedious, but I don't know what to do when every little detail matters to me 😛.

silentstag02 said:The second course is an extra $2, which means $5.00 if you bring your own roast. But even then, you gotta pay because they won't let you bring meat without a receipt. Otherwise, the second course is just their stew for $10 (they don't do cabbage rolls in the summer because they "don't have cabbage"—which is freaking pathetic!!!!! There's always cabbage available!!)

Rooms are $200 for singles and $350 for doubles. They don't give any bulk discounts and there are only 19 rooms total!!!

Oh man, sorry, silentstag02 is right. I messed up regarding the second dinner; I thought it was $2, but it's actually $10. I'm not bringing my own roast, so the price for the second dinner works fine for me.🙂

Jesse Morgan73 said:I wonder if there's any way to negotiate with them—like, instead of the brandy, could they provide something else? My grandparents produce about 400 liters of homemade brandy a year, so it feels a bit silly to pay for it here when they'll just be handing it over anyway...
And regarding those chair covers $3.25? I feel like that's a bit much and you could probably find a cheaper option, assuming they'd even allow me to rent them from somewhere else. If necessary, someone from my family could just come and put them on themselves 🙂. I'm also not entirely sure how the whole cover situation works, but I was actually looking for those heavy, wipeable ones for the chairs. Do they have those, or just the standard white covers? Maybe I'm being a bit tedious, but I don't know what to do when every little detail matters to me 😛.

I used their covers before and they do have the heavy-duty ones... As for the drinks, I honestly don't know, you'll have to ask the owner!

quietbear13 said:Hi... just figured I'd jump in here. I've been lurking on this forum forever, but I finally got around to registering!!! My day has been 🙂. You guys have been such a huge help, so I decided to write out my whole experience from start to finish for everyone
. I'm originally from Memphis, and I really wanted to have my wedding there. So, that's exactly what happened...
The Church of Saint Philip and Jacob, wow!
Vukota Hall in Memphis—hm... well, the venue was lovely, prices were reasonable, they had several menu options to choose from, and all in all, it was fine !!! I don't have any complaints, but I won't go overboard with the praise either🙂
The band—Bolero... best wishes to them!!! The guys did an incredible job. It was so much fun, and they played all the songs we requested, which we had agreed upon beforehand. Everything went exactly how I asked... there were no breaks, except for dinner. They kept playing until 6 AM!!!
Makeup—Gallah Cosmetics in Memphis. Eva did my makeup, and honestly, I'm speechless... nothing but praise, praise, and more praise. Simply perfect !!! 😍
I recommend her to anyone and guarantee you won't be disappointed. Just make sure to ask for EVA !!!
Hair—Ivana vu Hair Salon. Well... okay, the style wasn't anything overly complicated or demanding, so I don't have much to say about it. Everything went smoothly!!!
Wedding dress—Stefanie Vk
Home decor—Karaka OS. Short and sweet: PERFECT !!!!!!!!!!
And the flowers—My Flowers 🙂 is an Exclusive !!! wedding decoration studio. The girls are new, based in Memphis. One of them used to work for someone in a different city, I can't remember exactly... anyway... everyone, absolutely everyone, was enchanted by what they created. They pay so much attention to detail—candles, crystals, glitter... their floral arrangements are very lush (in terms of volume) and they are affordable! I truly visited every single vendor out there, and my Maid of Honor recommended them to me... THANK YOU, MAID OF HONOR!!! Ultimately, the flowers were the absolute highlight of everything!!!😍
I also got my invitations, thank-you cards, and boutonnieres from them. As for the invitations $2.00, I couldn't find that price anywhere else... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM !!!🙏
Oh, right... they also gave me a faux bouquet as a gift, which was identical to my bridal bouquet. I tossed the fake one, while mine stayed with me, along with custom license plates featuring our names—all for free.
Finally, I have to mention the photographer... the one and only STUDIO 69... words truly fail me here, because words can't describe it!!!🙂 The price is a bit higher, but it is absolutely justified
Anyway, I've rambled quite a bit... that would be the short version🙂 If anyone needs anything, feel free to ask, I'm happy to help!!!👍

Oh, and where can I find those amazing flower girls? Do they have a website? Are they super expensive? Sorry for all the questions

rowdypanther16 said:I’ve been wondering, how far in advance do you guys usually start sending out wedding invitations? Honestly, I’m starting to get a little bit of anxiety thinking I might run out of time to get them all in the mail...

Here’s my experience...
Our wedding is April 17th. We started handing out invites the weekend before last (so, right at the start of March). We visited his relatives on Saturday and mine on Sunday. I spent one day seeing my friends and another day visiting family friends. He finished up the rest of his list this past weekend since that was his only free time. For anyone living far away or just scattered across the US, we'll be sending those invitations by mail.
Don't panic. In my opinion, you can get it all done in a week or two, depending on your guest count and how much free time you actually have. If you spend about 10-15 minutes per person, you'll make it. 🙂 Seriously, there's no reason to stress. 😉

quietbear13 said:Hi... just figured I'd jump in here. I've been lurking on this forum forever, but I finally got around to registering!!! My day has been 🙂. You guys have been such a huge help, so I decided to write out my whole experience from start to finish for everyone
. I'm originally from Memphis, and I really wanted to have my wedding there. So, that's exactly what happened...
The Church of Saint Philip and Jacob, wow!
Vukota Hall in Memphis—hm... well, the venue was lovely, prices were reasonable, they had several menu options to choose from, and all in all, it was fine !!! I don't have any complaints, but I won't go overboard with the praise either🙂
The band—Bolero... best wishes to them!!! The guys did an incredible job. It was so much fun, and they played all the songs we requested, which we had agreed upon beforehand. Everything went exactly how I asked... there were no breaks, except for dinner. They kept playing until 6 AM!!!
Makeup—Gallah Cosmetics in Memphis. Eva did my makeup, and honestly, I'm speechless... nothing but praise, praise, and more praise. Simply perfect !!! 😍
I recommend her to anyone and guarantee you won't be disappointed. Just make sure to ask for EVA !!!
Hair—Ivana vu Hair Salon. Well... okay, the style wasn't anything overly complicated or demanding, so I don't have much to say about it. Everything went smoothly!!!
Wedding dress—Stefanie Vk
Home decor—Karaka OS. Short and sweet: PERFECT !!!!!!!!!!
And the flowers—My Flowers 🙂 is an Exclusive !!! wedding decoration studio. The girls are new, based in Memphis. One of them used to work for someone in a different city, I can't remember exactly... anyway... everyone, absolutely everyone, was enchanted by what they created. They pay so much attention to detail—candles, crystals, glitter... their floral arrangements are very lush (in terms of volume) and they are affordable! I truly visited every single vendor out there, and my Maid of Honor recommended them to me... THANK YOU, MAID OF HONOR!!! Ultimately, the flowers were the absolute highlight of everything!!!😍
I also got my invitations, thank-you cards, and boutonnieres from them. As for the invitations $2.00, I couldn't find that price anywhere else... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM !!!🙏
Oh, right... they also gave me a faux bouquet as a gift, which was identical to my bridal bouquet. I tossed the fake one, while mine stayed with me, along with custom license plates featuring our names—all for free.
Finally, I have to mention the photographer... the one and only STUDIO 69... words truly fail me here, because words can't describe it!!!🙂 The price is a bit higher, but it is absolutely justified
Anyway, I've rambled quite a bit... that would be the short version🙂 If anyone needs anything, feel free to ask, I'm happy to help!!!👍

Could you tell me how much you paid the photographer? I'd love to use them too. Also, could you tell me how far in advance you booked them? One more thing... regarding the home decor—karaka OS 😕... as far as I know, that's a restaurant, or maybe I'm mistaken... what exactly did you mean by "decorating"?

Robin Torres5 said:Hi everyone!
I’ve been lurking here for almost a year now because I’m getting married soon... I finally decided to register, and I really need some help. If anyone knows a fantastic makeup artist—or if there are any talented ladies on this forum who do makeup professionally—please reach out. Maybe it’s just bad luck, but my wedding is set for May 1st, which is Labor Day. Help me out, ladies—those dark circles under my eyes are a total nightmare!!!🤷

Where are you located? Where is the wedding being held?🙂