Ceremony and Reception Location:
Chevy Chase Country Club, Wheeling, IL
http://www.chevychasecountryclub.com/home/index.php
Grade: A
There is no need for a day-of coordinator of any kind, with Chevy Chase. Jan Berg gave us 100% confidence leading up to the wedding, coordinating the cake, menu, room set-up and timeline with us pre-wedding. Jan ordered a larger round table to accommodate all of the people we wanted at our table, when we couldn't figure out what to do about that. She arranged for us to do our cake-tasting there, so we didn't have to travel to the bakery. She is a total GEM and was so happy for us. We dropped off our various DIY projects two days before the wedding, and went through out set-up desires. I had provided a VERY in-depth document outlining (with pictures) how things should look. Monica and Cindy were our day-of go-to people. When we got there day-of, it was amazing- they followed my wishes to a T and even took over some of the to-do items I'd asked my husband to handle that day. Like putting orchids at each placesetting, putting a fan on each ceremony chair and scattering the extras elsewhere. They also left the previous party's wedding arch up for us to use for free, which really improved what little we contributed to decorate the ceremony area. Chevy Chase also really delivered on the food. The chicken was moist and perfectly herbed. The appetizers were plentiful and enjoyed by all. The dessert table went lightning fast. The head Chef came out during the meal to make sure everything was to our liking, which it was- and I appreciated. We got tons of compliments on the food. And Chevy Chase kept to our timeline, which we were anal about. This is an underrated facility, for sure- I'm very, very happy we went with Chevy Chase's Devonshire Room.
Officiant:
Tom Brandsness
http://www.revontherun.com/Officiants_About_Us.html
Grade: A
We wanted an extremely meaningful, non-religious, short ceremony reflecting our personalities and beliefs. In our officiant, we looked for someone who could deliver a ceremony we wrote as if he wrote it- with good tempo and a rich voice. Chaplain Tom did wonderfully. We threw a non-traditional reading at him, and also asked him to announce that we would return post-ceremony to dismiss our guests ourselves. He didn't bat an eye at these and made them work. His voice is great, he showed up early and he gave us a nice discount for writing our own ceremony. Apparently he usually includes this with his fee. We'd only met with him once before the ceremony (our choice), yet it still felt like he knew and understood us.
Photographers:
Dave Suarez and Ewa Hu for Bella Pictures
Dave: http://www.davesuarez.com/
Bella: http://bellapictures.com/
Grade: TBD
We have not received our pictures yet (we will, in about a week), so review is TBD. I can comment on our photographers day-of performance. They really added to our day, instead of distracting from it. They both showed up on time and ready to do- very professional and no bad behavior of any kind (we've all heard the horror stories of smokers, cell phones, etc.). They managed to get my MIL to smile, when she is not a smiler in pictures. Ewa, our second photographer, added very exciting creativity to the photography. Dave is a very calm, happy person who (from what we can tell) orchestrated posed shots (our request) easily and is very clearly an expert. We are anticipating a wonderful mix of traditional, photojournalistic and creative shots- we'll see soon!
Florist:
A Perfect Petal, Mount Prospect, IL
http://www.aperfectpetal.com/
Grade: A
We worked with owner Rebecca. I prepared a document for her showing her exactly what we wanted (since the centerpieces were a replica of what Mark sent to my work after we got engaged). She was very open to what we wanted, and gave creative suggestions when we didn't have ideas. We saw a trial of our centerpiece, and it was great. Day of, we had Mark (groom) go and pick up the bouquets, corsages and bouts so we'd have them for the photographs. He then asked them to also handle our caketopper, which they were very willing to do. For a last-minute change like this, we were grateful for their flexibility and willingness. One less thing for us to do! The bouquets, corsages and bouts were amazing. Perfection. As were the centerpieces and cake flowers. Great communication, pricing and delivery.
Loose Orchids for each Placesetting and to Scatter:
Hale Akamai (Hawaii)
http://www.iakamai.com/islandproducts/
Grade: A
Truth be told, I had my doubts. I ordered these months in advance, and had the distinct feeling I would never see these orchids. Hale Akamai proved me wrong- keeping me updated as the months progressed and delivering on the Thursday before the wedding (from Hawaii) as promised. I was thrilled with the quality and quantity. There were no "bad" orchid blossoms, and were had so many to work with- and they had very clear instructions on how to keep them beautiful. They were packaged wonderfully. We used them on the table placesettings and scattered elsewhere. We were very happy to bring a little Hawaii (our honeymoon destination) to our wedding.
Band:
Patti Lupo Music
e-mail Patti at plupomusic (at) aol.com
Grade: A
Patti Lupo Music performed at my sister's wedding, so we knew they are good. They delivered- our ceremony musicians worked perfectly, and so did the cocktail and dinner music- and of course the dancing music! Patti also handled all announcements (cake cutting, toasts, etc.), which was nice. This band sounded incredible and kept people on the dancefloor. They respected our no-requests and no-line-dances policies and played a polka when we asked, though we'd never discussed this. We got tons of compliments on the band. They were SO MUCH FUN! And Patti really cared about us and how happy we were.
Cake:
Lovin' Oven Cakery (part of reception package)
http://www.lovinovencakery.com/
Grade: A
Chevy Chase includes a cake from Lovin' Oven Cakery with their reception package... lucky us! We never had to go to their facility, communicating our simple cake design (polka dots on white buttercream) to Chevy Chase and having our tasting there. We had an almost obscene number of choices in cake flavors, fillings and frostings. Very generous samples. We chose vanilla white cake with vanilla french silk filling and buttercream frosting. The day-of cake matched our design desire perfectly and tasted sooooooooo good. Moist, no fake-tasting flavor- yum. People gobbled the cake up.
Favors:
Milk Chocolate Bars from Ethel's Chocolates (their shipping is high, order in-store). I used my Discover Card Cashback Bonus to get Ethel's gift certificates, to help off-set the cost.
http://www.ethelschocolate.com/
Grade: A
We went in and wiped out the Deer Park location's stock of 22 milk chocolate bars... that's when they offered to order us the other 150 bars. Sold! They took our gift certificates with no problem and our chocolate order has already arrived- ready to pick up. We love their milk chocolate- it is nicer than Hershey's without being ridiculously priced and tastes soooo good.
Guestbook Platter:
Forever & Always
http://www.foreverandalways.com
Grade: A
This was one of our best decisions, after waffling on what to do for a guestbook. People had fun signing the platter and the final, signed product is a wonderful keepsake. My sister had a malfunction with the pens (she pulled off the cap AND a section of the pen, making it explode). My brother in law saved the day and picked up a bunch more at Dick Blick. That wasn't the fault of Forever & Always. The platter baked in the oven without issue. People even signed the underside, when the top got full. I recommend getting pens in different colors- it added to the platter.
Engagement and Wedding Rings:
Fey & Co.
http://www.feyjewelers.com/
Grade: A
Fey & Co. have been wonderful. First, Mark found the most beautiful diamond (and he knows his stuff!) at their LaGrange location, and they put it in the perfect solitaire compass setting, to my size. We decided to repeat our business with them and get our gold wedding bands from the Naperville location. The sales associate was great and we love our bands. NO issues at all.
Tuxes:
MW Tux
http://mwtux.com
Grade: A
We went to the Vernon Hills location for the groom's tux. They had prompt and courteous service. The groomsmen went to other locations. We had no issues whatsoever- the tuxes came with all the pieces and in the correct sizes and color. They looked great.
Bride's Dress:
The Crystal Bride, Geneva, IL
http://www.crystalbride.com/
Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero, Style Francis
Grade: A
This is a small, clean, personal-feeling shop. They don't use pressure tactics and are upfront about the gown style numbers, names and pricing. I was so happy to find a dress there, because I felt very comfortable with them. My dress was ordered when they said they would order it and came in when they said it would. I used their alterations person, Amparo- who is talented and very nice. She hemmed my dress, added bra cups, moved the "piano" behind my corset, and shortened the corset ties. My final product was perfectly altered, pressed, clean and ready to go on time. My sister also ordered her dress here, and they did a rush order for her without issue. Highly recommend!
Bride's Headpiece:
DIY, Susan.
Bride's Shoes:
By Touch Ups, from Shoebuy.com
http://www.shoebuy.com/
Grade: A
Fast shipping, great price, easy returns. I returned the first pair to go up half a size. I put Insolia inserts into them for comfort, purchased at Walgreens.
Bride's Earrings:
From Etsy Seller Handwired
Etsy.com
Grade: A
These earrings are very well-made and complement my dress beautifully, without being another sparkly thing.
Personalized Hoodie/Hot Pants:
Customizedgirl.com
http://www.customizedgirl.com/
Grade: A
I ordered these two items separately, and have been happy with both. Especially the hoodie. The colors are good and the type/designs are crisp. Shipping was fast. Check for coupon codes before ordering.
Makeup Artist:
Makeup by Dana
http://makeupbydana.com/
Grade: A
My trial was fantastic! Dana is adorable, and that got me so excited for the wedding day. She was absolutely one of my favorite vendors. She showed up exactly on time to my hotel suite, and proceeded to apply makeup (including airbrush foundation) to my 6 ladies (2 moms, 4 bridesmaids) before me. They were each thrilled with the results. Then she did my makeup, taking even more care to make it last. And it lasted beautifully on all of us. I can't recommend Dana enough! She was such a happy, talented addition to our day.
Boudoir Photography:
Ray Lloyd
http://www.raylloydphoto.com/
Grade: A
This was a big risk on my part. I'm a conservative person. But I wanted to do this as a gift for my fiance because I knew he'd love it and be surprised, and I wanted to do this for myself. I have no regrets! Ray has a home-based photo studio, with a private area to dress and have makeup applied. I hired a makeup artist that he recommended (Ange) and she was fun and boosted my confidence. Ray made me feel very comfortable and excited about the shots he captured. He showed me his shots along the way and helped me with posing and expressions. I left feeling like I rocked it, thanks to him. He delivered the pictures on CD early, and I was floored by the quality. I looked like a million bucks, and the lighting he created enhanced and added incredible mood. I highly recommend this experience, and Ray Lloyd photography.
Boudior Book:
Blurb
http://www.blurb.com/
Grade: B
I used Blurb to print the boudoir photos in a book. I'm a graphic designer and found the process to be very easy. I ordered a softcover image-wrap book with about 25 pages. I used a black and white photo on the cover, and this came out blue in tones. So I wasn't thrilled about that. The barcode on the back (not shown on their templates) also covered up some artwork I'd put there. Plus, I wished they had a hardcover option for me. A week later- they introduced their hardcover imagewrap option. Argh! Being anal, I redid my book with this option. I put a color photo on the front this time. The finished product is exactly what I was looking for- so I recommend this option.
Save the Dates:
Design by Susan, Printed by VistaPrint
http://www.vistaprint.com/
Grade: A
I designed the save the date postcards in Adobe Illustrator and uploaded the design to VistaPrint without issue. The proof looked pixelated, but the actual print job was crisp and beautiful (thanks to my using vector type in Illustrator, instead of raster type in Photoshop). They went through the mail without issue.
Invitations:
Etsy seller no longer on Etsy. Type design by Susan.
Invitation Stamps:
Zazzle (do not recommend! not linking to them.)
Grade: F
They sent my over $80 shipment to someone else's house, in Texas (I'm in Illinois)- and sent me her shipment. They did not even believe me when I contacted them over this. It is unforgivable. She and I ended up sending our packages to each other. The quality was okay at best.
Map Cards, Programs, Table Number Cards, Menu Cards, Cardbox, Votive Holders, Paper Leaves under Centerpieces, Bouquet Charms:
DIY, Susan.
Table tents were purchased from Paper Source- I just glue dotted the printed design on each side. The woven cardbox was purchased from Michael's on sale- I just wired the opening and added the sign. The votives that I painted were also from Michael's, on sale (so was the glass paint). Other materials came from Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's. The gold votive candles came from Target after Christmas- a test burn revealed that they burn for upwards of 6 hours.
Pink Parasol for Photos:
Luna Bazaar, Japanese Fuschia Pink and White Swirl
http://www.lunabazaar.com/
Grade: A
Came quickly, and it is beautiful. Confession: we forgot to use it day of. Oops!
Pashminas for Bridesmaid Gifts:
Amazing Collections
http://www.amazingcollections.com/
Grade: A
I ordered four of the cashmere pashminas in Hot Pink. No problems ordering or receiving. The hot pink color is mouthwatering in person- so vibrant and rich. This was the bridemaids' favorite part of their gifts.
Personalized Necklaces for Bridesmaid Gifts:
Etsy seller KathrynRiechert
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=15771
Grade: A
I ordered four of her custom letter charm necklaces as part of the bridesmaid gifts. I had her put a lowercase initial on each necklace for the bridesmaids. They came out adorable and are high-quality sterling silver, and were packaged beautifully.
Porcelain Bowls for Bridesmaid Gifts and Ringholder:
Etsy seller palomasnest
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5358026
Grade: A
I ordered five custom bowls total from Paloma's Nest. One for each bridesmaid with a different word or saying for their personality, plus a ringholder for us with custom wording and holes to string a ribbon through it. These are unique, fun and beautiful. They shipped on time and packaged beautifully.
"Childhood" Frames:
From JoAnn's on sale. Reprints of childhood photos from Kodak online.
Sandalwood Fans for Ceremony:
150 purchased from The Knot. Do not recommend.
Grade: D
Some fans were dirty and they initially shortchanged us by 13 fans. Slow shipping, as well.
Shepherd Hooks (2) for Ceremony:
Save-On-Crafts
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/
Grade: A
We had no problems ordering from here. It came pretty quickly and the hooks are fine. The vases are from Cost Plus World Market.