| Ceremony Location - Bexley United Methodist Church
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| A: A very pretty church that we chose in large part because it was so welcoming. I got pretty tired of calling churches to check availability only to be denied because we weren’t members or because DH and I are different religions (I’m United Methodist, he’s Lutheran). Frank (the Minister) was very nice and accommodating of our busy work schedules. We continue to receive compliments on what a personal and sentimental service it was.
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| Reception Location - Westin Great Southern Hotel
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| A+: It’s a beautiful venue and for the price we expected great service, but we were blown away at how wonderful and attentive the staff was. Everything we wanted, needed, or may have wanted but didn’t think about…they did. They took our gifts and cards up to our suite, took the centerpieces from the ballroom to the brunch area for use the next day, sent extra dinners to our room because they knew we would be hungry at the end of the night…they were amazing. You can’t get better service in Columbus than we did at the Westin from Michael, Elsie, Anna and the rest of the staff there. The food was terrific, the service was outstanding…it was simply fabulous.
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| Cake Creator - Le Gateau
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| A: The cake was tasty, but there was a mix-up on the flavors. Not a big deal since I was the one that made the change at the last minute. Sue does a beautiful job on her cakes and the design was exactly what I wanted. Her tasting (selection and variety) was the best of any we went to and that’s why we chose her.
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| Florist - Flowers on Orchard Lane
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| A+: Jan is wonderful to work with and I can’t say enough great things about her and her staff. She did two huge crystal trees that were gorgeous (and will be available for rent from Jan). She also did my centerpieces, bouquets, church decorations, and a lot of other stuff (and there was a lot)…it was all amazing. She did things exactly the way I wanted it and the ballroom and church were simply gorgeous due in large part because of her work.
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| Photographer - Simon Yao
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| A+: Worth. Every. Penny. That really is the only way to describe how happy we are with Simon. He was a bit of a splurge for us and I couldn’t be happier with our decision. We are beyond thrilled with our pro pics! He is the ultimate professional, a real joy to work with, and one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.
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| Videographer - True Video
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| A: Our video is amazing and Matt and Brian were wonderful to work with. I thought it might be awkward having a video camera following me around, but they blend right into the background and you don’t even realize they are there. They were a last minute addition for us and I think I will be forever thankful that we had them there.
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| Disc Jockey - Encore Entertainment
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| A+: Rob was our DJ (and owner of the company). He was a pleasure to work with before the event and gave us some great suggestions for music selections and well as tips for helping the night flow smoothly. He checked in with us often during the reception to see if we needed anything from drinks to additional time for table visits, etc. It was difficult to keep everything moving along quickly in the beginning to remain on schedule for the band and he did a fantastic job!
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| Musicians - Buckeye Brass: OSU Pep Band
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| A+: An alternative to the alumni band and they were fantastic! We had them do a "tunnel entrance" into the ballroom immediately following the formal dances (m/s, f/d, etc.) and it got everyone in the party mood immediately! DH and I led script Ohio and I even dotted the "i." They are easy to work with and very reliable…no need to worry whether or not they will show up! One of the best memories from the day and I would recommend them to any Buckeye fan!
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| Transportation - Urban Express
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| A: They were added at the last minute when I realized I forgot to book the Bexley Beat. They shuttled me and the bridal party from the hotel to church and then shuttled the guests from the hotel to the church and back again. After the ceremony they picked us (and the bridal party) back up at the church and took us to the hotel. Arrived on time and the driver even gave me a little book about happy marriages as a gift. Expensive, but that’s what you get when you wait until the last minute!
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| Invitations - Paper Occasions
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| A+: Ann and Kim were a joy to work with and everything (programs, escort cards, table numbers, signs for baskets, etc.) turned out perfectly! Kim has great ideas and they get everything done in a timely fashion.
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| Rental Company - Connie Duglin Linens
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| A: They saved the day when I’d lost my patience with the disorganization at Lasting Impressions (review below). Their linen prices are by far the best in town (beating Lasting on a nearly identical linen by almost 50%). They custom made linens to coordinate for my tuscan table…those were pricey, but they turned them around in about a week. Good service, great prices.
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| Jeweler - Denig Jewelers
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| A: A family-owned store in Worthington. We worked with Mike Cress and had a great experience.
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| Tuxedos - Men's Wearhouse, Polaris Location
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| A: Everything came in on time with no mistakes or adjustments needed! Can't ask for much more than that!
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| My Dress - Classic Bride
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| A: Across the street from Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati. An adorable store with excellent customer service.
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| Bridesmaid Dresses - NetBride.com
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| A: Great prices, dresses arrived early, and good customer service.
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| Hair Stylist - Amanda Walters
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| Amanda does a lot of weddings and it shows! I did two trials with her (hair down and then I decided I wanted an updo) and I loved both of them. I’m very picky about my hair and she didn’t mind me jumping in to "help." A+: On the day of the wedding she arrived at the hotel on time, everyone loved their hair, and she even did some curls for the flower girl who wanted "Barbie hair" like her Mom (my MOH)!
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| Makeup Artist - Muhka Spa: Tim Maurer
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| A+: As you’ve read on the board before, Tim is a hoot to work with. Sanito (his partner) should be nominated for sainthood for working with him for so many years! Tim is truly talented (just ask him!), I loved my makeup and my Mom looked as beautiful as I’ve ever seen her. I enjoyed bantering with Tim while getting ready…he definitely brings a fun, light-hearted vibe to the atmosphere!
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| Wedding Coordinator - Panarello Consulting: Jo Panarello
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| F: I was excited to hire a planner to assist with all of the planning details and help me manage all of the vendors…instead I got another vendor I had to manage. Jo came highly recommended and to this day my other vendors talk about how great she is. I didn’t experience the greatness. Jo didn’t return phone calls, lost e-mails, and generally had poor communication and organizational skills. I spoke to her about it several times in the months leading up to the wedding, but nothing changed. Jo became attentive about one month prior to the wedding and was helpful with the timeline, but by then I had planned most of the wedding myself with little guidance from her. The day of the wedding flowed perfectly and I’m sure there were little hiccups that she took care of that I didn’t know about. However, that isn’t enough to compensate for the frustration I experienced during the planning process and I would not be comfortable recommending her as a planner or even a DOC.
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| Honeymoon Destination - Hawaii: Oaho, Kauai, and Maui
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| A+: Amazing. We're already planning our return trip for our first anniversary!
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| Travel Agent - Active Travel
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| A: We worked with Fred at Active Travel, but he left and Jeanie became our contact. I'd work with both of them again, but I found that Fred was more responsive and proactive. He's with Grandview Travel now.
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| Other Vendor - Chivari Chairs and Crystal Chargers: Lasting Impressions
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| F: I found them to be extremely disorganized and their prices were high (and seem to get higher if they think you have the money to spend). I had selected linens, gold chivaris, and chargers from them with the help of my planner. I’m not sure if it was my planner or Jodi (who was the contact at LI), but the prices and availability kept changing every time we had contact with them. I finally decided to go elsewhere for the linens, but had to use them for the chairs and chargers. I didn’t have any problems on the day of, but I would not recommend them due to my experience during the planning process.
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| Other Vendor - Pianist: Don Coe
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| A: Unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear even a minute of his music. However, the folks that did enjoy the cocktail hour commented on how wonderful he was. Very reasonably priced and came very highly recommended.
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| Other Vendor - Ceremony Musicians: Encore Ensembles
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| A: Easy to work with and the little bit of the music I did hear was just perfect!
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