Vendor Reviews
Most of our vendors were wonderful. However, there is always one in every crowd that has to cause a problem
Ceremony- MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel, East Lansing- A+
The chapel is beautiful and the staff is wonderful. They worked with us so we could get in a little early to set up and were helpful when the transportation that was arranged to take our guests from the hotel to the chapel failed to show (more on that later). Cost was $675 for a Friday night.
Reception- Walnut Hills Country Club, East Lansing- A+
Awesome. Daelynn is a delight to work with and the staff is amazing. The food was great and they even were able to create the Maryland Crab Cakes that my daughter wanted. You do not have to be a member to have your reception there.
Day of Coordinator- ele3 Event Design & Planning, Grand Rapids- A++
Kate and Adrien really came through. They were organized and had everything under control (as far as the bride and I could tell, which is what counts) despite some challenges. They were well worth the money and anyone that is thinking about hiring a planner, I highly recommend it, especially if you have a lot of DIY to deal with. Kate blogged the wedding here:
http://www.ele3events.com/index.php/blog/entry/michigan_weddings-vintage_meets_art_deco-just_lovely/
Floral & Linens- ele3 Event Design & Planning, Grand Rapids- A+
The flowers and linens were gorgeous. Just what my daughter had envisioned. The arrangements were lush, full and elegant. The next day Kate delivered the remaining centerpieces to a local nursing home where they were much appreciated.
Chiavari Chairs- Chiavari Chair Rental, Ann Arbor- A
Great service and prices. Miriam is great to work with. The chairs and chargers we rented really finished off the vintage/art deco theme DD was looking for.
Photography- Dan Johnson Photography, Grandville - A+ ++
DD fell in love with their work when we first saw them at a bridal show. Dan and Jodi are a husband and wife team and they are great. Communication was wonderful and they are fun to work with. They are organized, creative and full of energy. The pictures are fantastic. I wish we had gotten some more posed pictures, but things were so hectic the day of, I'm not sure when we would have gotten the time. Here is the link to the blog entry:
http://danjohnsonphoto.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/brad-and-lauren-wedding-photography/
Videography- Deep End Films, Grand Rapids- A+++
Communication was awesome and they seemed to be everywhere filming but were never in the way. Here is a link to the highlight film:
http://vimeo.com/28417266
The full DVD is awesome. I highly recommend Ben and gang for your video. They are based in Grand Rapids, but travelled to Lansing without anytravel surcharge.
Ceremony Music- String Theory, Okemos- A
They are high school students or recent grads but you wouldn't know it. They have been playing for years. Even though the ceremony was delayed, they were troopers and kept playing. I would give them an A+ but they didn't show up at the rehearsal like they said they would, so they only get an A.
Cocktail Hour Musicians- Fred Knapp Trio, Grand Rapids- A+
They were great. They played during the cocktail and dinner hours and were exceptional. The price was very reasonable, compared to others that I found, and Fred is very easy to work with.
DJ- PushPlay DJs, Grand Ledge- A-
Again, another great job. The only reason they get an A- is that the DJ mixed up the father/daughter and mother/son dance songs. They danced to what was played and no one but the B&G and parents knew the difference, but it was still boo-boo.
Photobooth- Shutterbooth, Royal Oak- A
Everyone loved the photobooth. The attendant from Shutterbooth did a great job and I'm glad we decided to splurge on the booth. The photos were the favors and everyone got a vinyl bookmark sleeve to hold the picture.
Cake- A Piece O'Cake, East Lansing- A+
Kelly is a genius. DD and I met with her twice to discuss what DD was looking for in the cake design and Kelly nailed it perfectly. The cake was exactly what DD wanted and was delicious. She also made a groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner which was delicious. The groom loved it.
Here is a picture of the wedding cake:
/uploads/8/3/3/2/8332440/cake.jpg
Cookies and Pies- Sugar Shack, Lansing- A
All I can say is YUMMY! We had a variety of pies and cookies as the late night snack. They were delicious.
Wedding Dress- Becker's Bridal, Fowler- A
The ladies at Becker's were very nice and the store has a great selection of gowns in a variety of styles and price points. They also have samples in a variety of sizes, so trying on dresses was a much nicer experience than those stores that only have size 8 samples.
Bridesmaids Dresses, Bridal Veil and MOB Dress- Wedding Bell, Okemos, -A+
Katie and the other ladies here are marvelous. When we found out the bridesmaid's dresses were being discontinued, Katie called the manufacturer and got an extension on the order time so we could get everyone measured and the orders in. The dresses she carries are lovely and they really care about making sure everyone is happy.
Alterations- Hilda Schmidt, Okemos- A+
Hilda is a miracle worker. She added sleeves to my dress and made them look they were supposed to be there. She also did DD's alterations and the dress fit perfectly.
Hair- Douglas J Day Spa & Salon, Okemos- A+
Madison did my DD's hair and the MOH's hair. Both looked great and held up all night long. Riley did one of the BM's hair and it also looked great all night long.
Makeup- Angela Noble, VixiDust Designs, Lansing- A+
Angela teaches at the Douglas J academy. She came to the hotel to do our makeup and did a fantastic job. We used the airbrush makeup and it stayed all night long.
Sparty- MSU Student Alumni Foundation, East Lansing- A
Communication was very easy and Sparty and his assistant arrived just when we wanted them to. He stayed for an hour and posed for endless pictures and spent a lot of time on the dance floor. B&G did not know he was going to be there, so it was a great surprise.
Transportation- The Limo Company, Okemos- D
I really wanted to be able to give this company a good review, they are a young couple starting a business and I really wanted to be able to help them out. We booked this vendor to supply a party bus to transport the bridal party from the hotel to the chapel and then around after the ceremony for pictures and then on to the reception. They were also to supply a trolley to take guests from the hotel to the chapel and then from the chapel to the reception. About a week and a half before the wedding I began trying to contact them to arrange to make the final payment and set up the schedule. I sent several e-mails, and left voice mails on the company line and the owners cell phone. All with no response. After 4 or 5 days I finally heard from them. Communication was still spotty after this, though they said they would improve.
The day of the wedding the party bus arrived as planned and the bridal party was on it's way. Then a 5 minutes to 6:00 (when the ceremony was to start) we get a call from the guests at the hotel that the trolley had never showed up. The guests ended up taking taxis to the ceremony, which ended up starting 45 minutes late, do to the transportation issues. Thanks to Kate and Adrien, fortunately, the trolley did actually show up to take the guests from the chapel to the reception. Although, after much discussion, they did agree to refund half of the cost of the trolley for the screw-up, it truly doesn't make up for the stress and aggravation they caused on the wedding day.
Shuttle Service- L-Town Cab, Lansing- A-
They were hired to provide a shuttle from the reception back to the hotel after the reception. We started the shuttle at 9:30 and it ran until 12:30. They did a great job. I give them an A- because one of the cabs had been the victim of a vomiter earlier in the week and the cab still smelled. The driver then explained, in detail, to the passengers the details of the mishap, which they didn't appreciate.
However, I will say they certainly came through when the Limo Company failed in picking up our guests. They came and provided the shuttles to the chapel at no cost to our guests and no guarantee that they would be paid. The owner called me on Monday requesting payment (which I agreed to). I am very impressed that they would do this without any promise of payment.
Hotel Block- Courtyard by Marriott, Lansing- A
The hotel is very nice and Alyse is great to work with. My only complaint is the lack of an elevator. They are scheduled to have one installed, but it isn't in yet. We were able to request our rooms be on the first floor, and they were able to accommodate this for most of our guests. I would recommend that if you use this hotel that you check the status of the elevator installation or make sure to have your guests request a first floor room.
Ceremony- MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel, East Lansing- A+
The chapel is beautiful and the staff is wonderful. They worked with us so we could get in a little early to set up and were helpful when the transportation that was arranged to take our guests from the hotel to the chapel failed to show (more on that later). Cost was $675 for a Friday night.
Reception- Walnut Hills Country Club, East Lansing- A+
Awesome. Daelynn is a delight to work with and the staff is amazing. The food was great and they even were able to create the Maryland Crab Cakes that my daughter wanted. You do not have to be a member to have your reception there.
Day of Coordinator- ele3 Event Design & Planning, Grand Rapids- A++
Kate and Adrien really came through. They were organized and had everything under control (as far as the bride and I could tell, which is what counts) despite some challenges. They were well worth the money and anyone that is thinking about hiring a planner, I highly recommend it, especially if you have a lot of DIY to deal with. Kate blogged the wedding here:
http://www.ele3events.com/index.php/blog/entry/michigan_weddings-vintage_meets_art_deco-just_lovely/
Floral & Linens- ele3 Event Design & Planning, Grand Rapids- A+
The flowers and linens were gorgeous. Just what my daughter had envisioned. The arrangements were lush, full and elegant. The next day Kate delivered the remaining centerpieces to a local nursing home where they were much appreciated.
Chiavari Chairs- Chiavari Chair Rental, Ann Arbor- A
Great service and prices. Miriam is great to work with. The chairs and chargers we rented really finished off the vintage/art deco theme DD was looking for.
Photography- Dan Johnson Photography, Grandville - A+ ++
DD fell in love with their work when we first saw them at a bridal show. Dan and Jodi are a husband and wife team and they are great. Communication was wonderful and they are fun to work with. They are organized, creative and full of energy. The pictures are fantastic. I wish we had gotten some more posed pictures, but things were so hectic the day of, I'm not sure when we would have gotten the time. Here is the link to the blog entry:
http://danjohnsonphoto.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/brad-and-lauren-wedding-photography/
Videography- Deep End Films, Grand Rapids- A+++
Communication was awesome and they seemed to be everywhere filming but were never in the way. Here is a link to the highlight film:
http://vimeo.com/28417266
The full DVD is awesome. I highly recommend Ben and gang for your video. They are based in Grand Rapids, but travelled to Lansing without anytravel surcharge.
Ceremony Music- String Theory, Okemos- A
They are high school students or recent grads but you wouldn't know it. They have been playing for years. Even though the ceremony was delayed, they were troopers and kept playing. I would give them an A+ but they didn't show up at the rehearsal like they said they would, so they only get an A.
Cocktail Hour Musicians- Fred Knapp Trio, Grand Rapids- A+
They were great. They played during the cocktail and dinner hours and were exceptional. The price was very reasonable, compared to others that I found, and Fred is very easy to work with.
DJ- PushPlay DJs, Grand Ledge- A-
Again, another great job. The only reason they get an A- is that the DJ mixed up the father/daughter and mother/son dance songs. They danced to what was played and no one but the B&G and parents knew the difference, but it was still boo-boo.
Photobooth- Shutterbooth, Royal Oak- A
Everyone loved the photobooth. The attendant from Shutterbooth did a great job and I'm glad we decided to splurge on the booth. The photos were the favors and everyone got a vinyl bookmark sleeve to hold the picture.
Cake- A Piece O'Cake, East Lansing- A+
Kelly is a genius. DD and I met with her twice to discuss what DD was looking for in the cake design and Kelly nailed it perfectly. The cake was exactly what DD wanted and was delicious. She also made a groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner which was delicious. The groom loved it.
Here is a picture of the wedding cake:
/uploads/8/3/3/2/8332440/cake.jpg
Cookies and Pies- Sugar Shack, Lansing- A
All I can say is YUMMY! We had a variety of pies and cookies as the late night snack. They were delicious.
Wedding Dress- Becker's Bridal, Fowler- A
The ladies at Becker's were very nice and the store has a great selection of gowns in a variety of styles and price points. They also have samples in a variety of sizes, so trying on dresses was a much nicer experience than those stores that only have size 8 samples.
Bridesmaids Dresses, Bridal Veil and MOB Dress- Wedding Bell, Okemos, -A+
Katie and the other ladies here are marvelous. When we found out the bridesmaid's dresses were being discontinued, Katie called the manufacturer and got an extension on the order time so we could get everyone measured and the orders in. The dresses she carries are lovely and they really care about making sure everyone is happy.
Alterations- Hilda Schmidt, Okemos- A+
Hilda is a miracle worker. She added sleeves to my dress and made them look they were supposed to be there. She also did DD's alterations and the dress fit perfectly.
Hair- Douglas J Day Spa & Salon, Okemos- A+
Madison did my DD's hair and the MOH's hair. Both looked great and held up all night long. Riley did one of the BM's hair and it also looked great all night long.
Makeup- Angela Noble, VixiDust Designs, Lansing- A+
Angela teaches at the Douglas J academy. She came to the hotel to do our makeup and did a fantastic job. We used the airbrush makeup and it stayed all night long.
Sparty- MSU Student Alumni Foundation, East Lansing- A
Communication was very easy and Sparty and his assistant arrived just when we wanted them to. He stayed for an hour and posed for endless pictures and spent a lot of time on the dance floor. B&G did not know he was going to be there, so it was a great surprise.
Transportation- The Limo Company, Okemos- D
I really wanted to be able to give this company a good review, they are a young couple starting a business and I really wanted to be able to help them out. We booked this vendor to supply a party bus to transport the bridal party from the hotel to the chapel and then around after the ceremony for pictures and then on to the reception. They were also to supply a trolley to take guests from the hotel to the chapel and then from the chapel to the reception. About a week and a half before the wedding I began trying to contact them to arrange to make the final payment and set up the schedule. I sent several e-mails, and left voice mails on the company line and the owners cell phone. All with no response. After 4 or 5 days I finally heard from them. Communication was still spotty after this, though they said they would improve.
The day of the wedding the party bus arrived as planned and the bridal party was on it's way. Then a 5 minutes to 6:00 (when the ceremony was to start) we get a call from the guests at the hotel that the trolley had never showed up. The guests ended up taking taxis to the ceremony, which ended up starting 45 minutes late, do to the transportation issues. Thanks to Kate and Adrien, fortunately, the trolley did actually show up to take the guests from the chapel to the reception. Although, after much discussion, they did agree to refund half of the cost of the trolley for the screw-up, it truly doesn't make up for the stress and aggravation they caused on the wedding day.
Shuttle Service- L-Town Cab, Lansing- A-
They were hired to provide a shuttle from the reception back to the hotel after the reception. We started the shuttle at 9:30 and it ran until 12:30. They did a great job. I give them an A- because one of the cabs had been the victim of a vomiter earlier in the week and the cab still smelled. The driver then explained, in detail, to the passengers the details of the mishap, which they didn't appreciate.
However, I will say they certainly came through when the Limo Company failed in picking up our guests. They came and provided the shuttles to the chapel at no cost to our guests and no guarantee that they would be paid. The owner called me on Monday requesting payment (which I agreed to). I am very impressed that they would do this without any promise of payment.
Hotel Block- Courtyard by Marriott, Lansing- A
The hotel is very nice and Alyse is great to work with. My only complaint is the lack of an elevator. They are scheduled to have one installed, but it isn't in yet. We were able to request our rooms be on the first floor, and they were able to accommodate this for most of our guests. I would recommend that if you use this hotel that you check the status of the elevator installation or make sure to have your guests request a first floor room.