Looking Back - Vendor Reviews
I've had some time to consider my choices, so here I am with my vendor and location reviews:
Hair: Cala Renee Salon A+
Up until the last minute, I was going to do my own hair, and then I realized that this would be a catastrophe -- doing the back of your own hair is hard! Marianne booked all four of us here, and it worked out really well. We had two stylists and they both did a really good job, and were relatively inexpensive. Lissette's hair in particular was very creative, and I was very happy with mine.
Limo: Real Sense Limousine D
It is unfortunate that I have to write this, but anything else would be a lie. Despite my very clear emails detailing schedules and addresses, this limousine company forgot to pick me up. They picked up the groom and groomsmen, but somehow did not remember that this wedding also had a bride. I was half an hour late to my own wedding, which yes, I know, just means that everyone else was half an hour early, but you can't expect me to be happy about it. They also did not call to confirm with me before the wedding as they had promised, and were impossible to get on the phone. They called to confirm with Geoff, which makes no sense since they had never talked to him before... I can only assume they called him because they wanted to save on long distance. At any rate, since they made this strange decision to call the groom and not the bride, and to not return any of the bride's calls, there was a misunderstanding as to how they would be paid, and instead of taking the money from my credit card as they had with the deposit, the driver insisted that I pay him cash while I was having my formal photos taken. This after having been forgotten.
Ceremony: North Parish Unitarian Universalist Church B+
It's kind of weird to review a church, but it isn't my church, so they were basically a vendor for me. The most obvious disadvantage of this location was that the church was in the middle of renovations, so there was the most hideous scaffolding all around the outside of the church, which was covered in the even more hideous orange plastic netting. On top of this, paint was peeling all over the inside of the church because they hadn't renovated this part yet. Other than that, though, the place was very nice. There was plenty of seating and room for our preparations, it was completely handicap- accessible, and the staff was very accomodating even on Memorial Day weekend. The best part of this church was the acoustics -- my tiny voice carried all the way to the back, and the singers sounded amazing. Once the renovations are done, this really will be a spectacular location.Officiant: Robin Zucker B+
Robin was a last minute choice that we were always a little sore about. Nothing against her at all, but we had wanted a family friend to do it, and that friend backed out at an inopportune time because he didn't believe in marrying a Christian to a non-Christian. Hiring her was fairly spendy, and I don't think we got too much out of the pre-marital counseling because we had so little time to do it. She was also very tense the day of the wedding, which put my parents on edge. Really, though, the service was beautiful, one I will always remember, and that is the most important part.
Flowers: Bella Fiore A+
I can't say anything bad about Bella Fiore. Their designs were beautiful, their prices were great, and they were so easy to work with. I used mine and my bridesmaids' bouquets as head table decoration at the reception, also, and they really looked pretty in vases. My only "problem" was that my Mom lost her corsage in the limousine confusion, so I never got to see it. I would also recommend against hydrangea bouts -- I don't think they hold up that well to a night of squishy hugs.
Photographer: Brett Alison Steiner B+
Brett was very courteous, helpful, and professional, and she was right there whenever a key moment happened (see right image). There were a few problems with some of the pictures though: for example, there were only two pictures of Geoff's sister Amy and Groomsman Ben singing at the wedding, and both of them were out of focus. Also, for some reason we cannot imagine, all the formal photos of the groomsmen are unusably over-exposed, even though every other photo is perfectly exposed, and even though the groomsmen's photos were taken in two separate sessions (see left image). It is like every time she saw their funny faces, she threw open to lens. We also missed photos of some details that I would have liked, like the bouts, but that is my fault.
Reception: Indian Ridge Country Club A+
I cannot say enough in praise of Indian Ridge, and especially their coordinator Joni King. Joni did everything for us, from helping us figure out the menu, to setting up my DIY centerpieces for me. She really brought the reception together. The only disappointment in the whole journey was that we could not taste the appetizers or meals ahead of time, since this venue was so small; in the end it did not matter, as they were all delicious. I really hope anyone planning a wedding for 100-150 guests would consider this place.
Music: Paul Eason, A Good Time DJ A-
Paul was not exactly what I expected -- the first thing he did when he arrived was to set up a disco ball and colored lights. He also played almost exclusively fast songs, and did not play our special request song (Love Her Madly, by the Doors) until almost everyone had left. Still, the party was very lively, and everyone enjoyed it and got dancing. I was surprised, but I definitely can't complain.
Cake: Fredericks Pastries A-
These people make great cake. They taste amazing. My only complaint here was that the flowers were sad -- I got very wilted hydrangeas on top of my cake. The frosting was not nearly as pretty as I had remembered, either. It probably melted a bit in transit. Still, what really matters is the taste, and this is an absolutely delicious cake.
Hotel: Staybridge Suites Andover A+
We did not find a hotel with a honeymoon suite in Andover, so I just reserved a suite at Staybridge, for about $80. This is one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. The rooms are huge, with luxurious bathrooms and full kitchens. The full breakfast is exactly what it sounds like, too, a real breakfast, with things like freshly cooked eggs and DIY waffles in addition to the regular continental fair. Definitely a good choice for OOT guests, as well, since the large dining room gives everyone a chance to meet up in the morning.
posted by jancola at 11:01 AM
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