JmBoehl's reviews

We did our wedding invitations ourself with a kit we bought in the wedding section of Joann's fabric in Brandon. They were very affordable and we were able to use a 50% off coupon when we joined the mailing list on Joann's website. We got an ad every week or so which included similar coupons so we were able to go back several times for other decorative items we needed. They have a good little wedding section and lots of dress patterns if you are able to sew or are hiring a seamstress to do your gowns.

We stayed at the Daytona Beach Shores location. I believe this is the only oceanfront Days Inn. Its very clean and quiet and has a nice pool and jacuzzi as well as beach access from the pool deck. There is a wide variety of restaurants (both fast food and traditional sit down) and entertainment as the hotel is right on the A1A and you can drive all over Daytona from there. I believe all the rooms have microwaves and mini fridges. My only complaint is that the smoking floor is on the sixth floor so if you want a non smoking room you shouldn't stay on the 7th floor. When we first came we were placed there and had to ask to change rooms because it smelled very strongly of cigarette smoke as it was rising up from the smoking floor below us. However the staff was really friendly and did not mind switching us to the same style of room on a lower floor.

You can find this Dj's contact information at www.thefinestdj.com We used Skipper Schmitt; but I think he employs a couple other Dj's as well. (This company belongs to him) Skipper is really well priced and has all the latest equipment. He was very agreeable as to setting up a payment plan that worked for us and he remembers any special requests you tell him about songs you do or don't want played, styles of music, etc. He's also really easy to get ahold of by email or phone. In addition to DJ services he can do light shows and stuff as well. He is a very good MC as well and keeps the party going. Plus he's been in business for about 25 years so he has every song you could want both old and new.

This is actually a combination of a cafe and a butcher shop in Brandon, FL. They seem to be family owned and offer catering as an additional service. We used them to cater all our main dishes and their prices were much more reasonable than anyone else. They rented us lovely chafing dishes for serving the food in which was included in the price I estimated. We ordered their baked ziti and baked ham. Both were awesome. They offer a 10% discount for AAA members.

Taylor's is great if you're looking to do some things yourself. We rented several chafing dishes for our buffet style dinner as well as a large cooler and a few other serving dishes; but they offer absolutely everything. Most everything is in wonderful condition and the prices are very reasonable. They also are very flexible about your return times. We rented from the Taylor's location in Seffner/Brandon.

My engagement ring was purchased at the Jewelry Exchange in Tampa for a significant discount compared to what it retailed for in major jewelry stores. We only spent $450 for a 14k gold band with an oval shaped diamond solitare of just over .50 carats. In major stores like Kay's we saw the same rings in similar clarity and carat weight retail for about $1500! I was pleased with the service. They resized my ring within a day. If we had come a bit earlier (we went around 4pm) they would have been able to provide the ring same day. I was also very surprised that the diamonds still had very good clarity. We had been concerned that the lower price was because the diamonds they used were lower quality; but they really weren't. They didn't have as good of a selection in wedding bands though, particularly not in larger sizes for ladies.

We didn't have a lot of money and with a wedding in the Florida heat in June I was worried that fresh flowers would be a waste and wilt before anyone got down the aisle, much less last the whole day. I got beautiful pre-made silk bouquets for myself and my 3 bridesmaids for only about $12 each. I also got floral tape, floral wire, wire cutters and free standing silk roses and made all our boutonnieres by hand for only a few dollars apiece. All of the above came out beautiful in photos. No one knew our flowers weren't real and when I mentioned to some close friends that the boutonieres were handmade and fake they were amazed.

Buca di Beppo restaurant in Brandon has been a favorite of mine and my husband's since before we were married. The family style portions are lots of fun and the food is always fantastic. The service was wonderful and family style is a great option for a large party because you can choose several dishes together and everyone can have a little of whatever they want. Join their eclub for great coupons.

We didn't have a terribly large budget for my wedding and I couldn't imagine spending $300+ on a cake. So we went with Sam's Club because we were able to buy both a cascading cake stand and 3 cakes to serve as the 3 tiers for a sixth of the price of the cheapest traditional wedding cake we saw anywhere in town. That and their cake is delicious.

I would have to say that their commercials don't lie: it's true that "You'll love David's Bridal." Over the course of my wedding planning I visited the local salon in Tampa on Westshore Blvd about 2 times. My only complaint that stopped me from rating them five stars is that you NEED an appointment and, even with an appointment, you will most likely have to wait awhile before a consultant takes you to a fitting room. I did also find it a little cheap that they charged me $5-10 for the dry cleaning style bag you take your dress home in. That should come complimentary with the gown and accessories. They're very good if you're on a budget. I bought my wedding gown during a $99 gown sale. The $99 gowns are few and far between but the sale does also include varying discounts from about $100-$400 off the other gowns depending on their normal price range. Also I was able to find a dress really last minute that fit off the rack without any alterations needed at all.