We didn't want the typical school portrait / glamour shot cheese that so many wedding photos become. I wanted something more editorial, edgy and magazine style. My friend referred me to Ashlea Wessel, a magazine photographer from Toronto, Canada. Admittedly, I was a little nervous hiring someone from Canada, but she was dynamite! She arrived early in the morning to take prep photos and stayed with us until about 10 pm. I couldn't believe how ambitious she was! She literally got photos of everyone who attended. She had brilliant insight into which angles and settings would make the funnest photos. Ashlea's prices were amazingly affordable, even when you count her travel. I couldn't have made a better choice.
My wedding was definitely the best day of my life, but the next 7 came pretty close! We took a Princess Cruise to the Caribbean Islands -- San Juan, Dominica, Grenada, St Thomas, Aruba and Bonaire. It was totally stress-free. The food was incredible and I liked that we could just walk into a dining room at any time and get a private table for 2. We didn't really see any kids on the cruise either, which was ideal for honeymooners. They had plenty of shows, a huge movie screen over the pool and a dance club. The suite's balcony was a chill place to grab a glass of champagne. We booked several shore excursions as soon as we got on the boat, including horseback riding, snorkeling and bus tours. Every detail about our honeymoon was enjoyable. We're already dreaming of our next Princess cruise.
Hoyler Jewelry Shop in the Ellicott Square Building is one of those places that spreads like wildfire by word-of-mouth. My engagement ring was put together by Mr. Hoyler, who did a superb job and recommended the exotic black diamonds, rather than any of the other black stones out there. He knows me all too well -- I break everything! I was a little disappointed in the selection of ring settings for my actual wedding ring. He has a very broad selection of contemporary and modern ring styles. However, I was looking for something vintage, which I had to order online. He did take some of the tiny white diamonds out and give us a great deal on exchanging them for black diamonds so both my rings matched. Mr. Hoyler is very professional and accommodating.
My wedding dress was even more beautiful in person that it looked online! The intricate bead work and soft satin was absolutely perfect for the occasion. The bridesmaid dresses ran a little big, so some people had to return them. Yet, the returns were a cinch and the service was super fast.
Imagine a 17-piece swing band decked out in tuxedos playing everything from Benny Goodman to Frank Sinatra for your wedding party! They were on-time, professional and all-around fantastic! Once the band started to play, I felt like the night just flew right by. Music was one of the most important things to me and Ambassadors Big Band didn't disappoint. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a classy wedding.
Daniel at The Cheesecake Place really outdid himself! We were referred to The Cheesecake Place by a family member who had used them for a previous wedding. Still, to this day, people talk about how delicious their cake was! Not only did they bake up the most delicious chocolate cake I've ever had and shower us with samples of cakes and cheesecakes, but Daniel was so enthusiastic and creative about the design that we just HAD to go with them! Everything was perfect from the presentation to the flavor. He somehow made buttercream look like fondant and the whole presentation appeared like an Art Deco building rather than a cake. I couldn't have imagined it better.
I looked at three different places and found just what I needed at Woyshner's. Other places made me feel rushed, shot down my ideas, tried to tell me what I wanted and charged exorbitant amounts. David at Woyshner's was very creative. I thought I wanted some huge table decor with calla lilies and peacock feathers, but he came up with the idea to submerge a few purple calla lilies in water for a more elegant ambiance. He ran in the back room and whipped up a demonstration to show me what he meant and I knew he was the best choice. The flowers were delivered on-time, fresh, vibrant and well put together. To top it off, his prices were half that of a vendor downtown. I highly recommend this florist.
Perfect. The champagne was chilled, the party lights were on, the music was playing, and the driver arrived early whenever we needed him. What more could you ask for?
We had an excellent time learning to swing dance at Iacono Ballroom! We took 10 private lessons with Lihann to prepare us for our big dance, but they were also willing to put together group lessons for our wedding party. They have a lot of fun events throughout the month, including Friday dances with wine and cheese. Everyone is really nice and the instructors are very patient.
Niagara Landing offers affordable wine favors that come in bottles holding about 2 glasses of wine. We gave one to each couple. They engraved a customized graphic that we found online and made helpful recommendations as to which colors might look best. They also provide discounts for bulk offers. Their wines are generally sweet, compared to others, which makes Niagara Landing a suitable choice for favors going out to the masses. You can bet no bottle went to waste or was left behind! We were very satisfied with our experience.