We interviewed and researched several jewelers, and Mark Katzeff was unforgettable. We were looking for an artist: someone who could take our love story, our likes and dislikes and create a one of a kind ring. Within minutes of sitting down with Mark we knew we had found our guy. He listened to a bit of our history as a couple, we went through a few photos to get an idea of our aesthetic, and the next thing we know he pulls out pencils and paper and drew a couple of designs right there! Other jewelers asked us for a $500 deposit before they would even consider a design, but within a few minutes Mark cut the ring from the paper and curled it around my finger! Amazing. We went back and forth on a few different designs over a period of around 6 weeks. This time period was pretty well our fault, as we couldn’t make a decision. Once we decided what design and materials we wanted (what karatage and colour of gold, etc), Mark got to work and had them crafted in just under a week. ONE WEEK! For a set of two beautiful, hand crafted wedding rings.
Mark is a very busy guy; every time we were there there were multiple customers ordering or picking up or coming in to have a ring polished. Expect to wait a little while on phone calls, emails and even in person visits. He explained to us he has tried to hire apprentices but struggles to find someone who will work to his quality standard. And his quality is incredible. We were a little frustrated the first couple of times we had to wait, but in hindsight I don’t mind at all. He dedicates his time to the craftsmanship of the jewelry, not administration. Seeing as we got our rings within a week of ordering them, I can’t complain about waiting a few days for a return email.
We were working on a budget, and Mark did his best to keep the costs down, suggesting a few ideas that could help create a beautiful ring, while not spending outrageous amounts of money. Mark was THE ONLY JEWELER that did this. Most other places wanted us to SPEND SPEND SPEND. Mark explained his philosophy that he wanted us to leave with a piece we loved, and was more concerned about that than anything else. We have received SO MANY compliments on our rings. We love them, and a month after the wedding, WE can’t stop commenting on them to each other. They are unique and personal, subtle and beautiful. They are so perfect.
We booked a shuttle service through Canmore Cabs. They were easy to deal with and very affordable. The shuttle service is booked by the hour and unlimited rides for your guests available within the times you book. I know this is a small detail, but it was probably my favourite thing about booking them: they made sure my groom and I got a free ride home at the end of the night even though we were well outside the time we had booked.
I ordered my wedding gown and veil online from JJs House, including all shipping, duties and the alterations my lace dress cost me less than $300 CAD.
Customer service was fantastic. They responded within 12 hours to most of my emails. When I was not 100% certain about the dress, they offered me a small discount. They were polite and friendly to deal with. Also, my dress arrived in my hands IN ONE WEEK! It was a custom sized dress and shipped from China.
The fit was perfect. The only alteration I paid for was to have a bustle put in, as JJs House does not offer this service.
The quality of the materials is mediocre at best, but “you get what you pay for”. There were a few details on the dress I was unhappy with (eg. My mom switched the buttons on the back to something a little more elegant), but overall it was completely acceptable considering the price I paid.
I was hesitant to order online, but it all worked out beautifully in the end.
Jodi was great! We ordered our paper, double sided tape, envelopes, etc. from Prairie Paper Haven for our homemade invitations. She had great prices, was so friendly to deal with, and always quick to respond to my questions. When we received our box of supplies in the mail, it was well packaged, and she included a sweet handmade card thanking us for our business and wishing us well for the wedding. It is little touches like that that always make me so happy I chose to order local (besides, her prices were better than the box stores – win win!) I look forward to ordering supplies from her for our wedding album and would recommend her shop to anyone.
Kevin, you were a great DJ! You executed all the things we asked of you, gave us a great rate, kept everyone on the dance floor all night, and we're a pleasure to deal with before and during the event. We had nothing but compliments from or guests regarding our choice of entertainment. Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding reception the dance party we were hoping for! The volume was perfect, song choices were well thought out, your quick reactions to my last minute requests were spot on, the light show you added was so fun, and you were professional through it all. I would recommend you to anyone!!!
I was looking for a low cost flower option for our wedding. I searched Costco, florists, wholesale places & farms, but found very few in my budget or available in Western Canada. Thankfully I found Tierra del Sol. I called late in the afternoon & one of the sweet daughters from this family business answered, told me her mom is the main contact for weddings, and gave me her cell. Barb picked up right away even though she was in the field. From this point I was already happy with this company & hoped their pricing would be decent. Because our wedding was late in the fall Barb couldn't supply our flowers direct from her farm, but she sourced some from BC. The cost was fantastic. We supplemented with some dried items from our family's garden, selected low cost, big impact flowers & did all the arranging ourselves - 4 bouquets, 8 boutineers, 16 small centerpieces came in under $300!
Barb & her family were friendly and polite every time I spoke with them. They responded quickly to my requests, helped with flower count to create our masterpieces (I'd never done flower arrangements before & didn't know what I needed), got my flowers to me on time and in good condition. We were waiting to see what we could harvest from family gardens, so our order was very last minute and Barb handled all my frantic requests with ease and grace. There was a small slip up and one bunch of flowers did not get ordered, but Barb reacted perfectly to the mistake: she helped me figure out where to source a local replacement and sent a new invoice with the item removed plus a discount. As a consumer this speaks more than if the order had been complete. It was an easily missed item that I added to the order last minute, and she more than rectified the situation.
I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this family farm for any event. I can't wait to visit in person, and hopefully order from again someday. Thank you so much for the help Barb!
Oh man! If you are reading this review as a newly engaged couple, can I PLEASE give you one piece of wedding advice?!? BOOK THE WALKERS! You cannot and will not find a better team of photographers.
I don't even know where to start with the praise for this fantastic husband and wife team: the crazy natural talent, the thirst to gain skill and knowledge, the ninja skills (my dad asked me days after the wedding if I noticed Sandra laying on the floor taking shots during our vows, I never saw her!), the value for money, the willingness to go above & beyond or their awesome personalities! Your photographers are people who will be around you ALL DAY on "the best day ever", you want at the very least to be able to tolerate them... With Sandra & Scott, it is well beyond tolerance, we loved hanging out with them! Our engagement session was one of the most fun, least stressful days we had during wedding planning. Even a few members of our wedding party said things like "I want to be friends with your photographers! They are so fun!"
Our photos are unreal. Of course I am a little biased, but they truly are the most awesome photos I've ever seen. They are great at both capturing the moments as they happen, and scripting people into staged shots. They see scenes I could never have imagined.
Furthermore, I did not "LOVE" my dress the way most brides seem to. I didn't really even like it all that much. And when I see it in all the photos people took that day? I shudder a little. When I see it in the Walkers' photos? I look incredible. They took my cheap dress and made it look like a million bucks. My groom and I look fantastic in every picture, even the ones that are the angles of my face I don't usually like!
I also need to mention the ridiculous amount of work that these two did for our wedding that is NOT part of what we paid for. Our reception venue, caterer, ceremony space and lodging was all hired through one company & they closed their doors and cancelled all events 5 months before our wedding day. Sandra stepped up and helped us replan the whole wedding. She used her personal and professional contacts to help get us back on track. Sandra & Scott offered to drive around and scout locations for us to use for the wedding or for photos (as we were planning the wedding from out of province). Additionally Sandra helped me select a make up artist, she was a sounding board when I was purchasing my dress and there were days she just let me moan & groan about the wedding!
The hours of work they did before, during and after the event is so much more than what we paid for. They were on location taking photos from 9am until 1am. They arrived to take detail shots of the reception space before "getting ready" started, and stayed well after cake cutting; taking pictures of the dance, the bouquet toss, and doing a night time bride/groom portrait session under the stars. Two photographers, sixteen hours. Plus our free engagement session. Plus a ton of time editing and sifting though the 10,000 photos they took. Plus all the crazy hours spent helping us plan! Money was a big factor in our wedding planning; my groom & I were paying for everything, and we were concerned about costs. The Walkers were unbelievable, worth so much more than the money we spent.
It comes down to two incredible people. Trust me, you want to hire these guys for your wedding.