The rental agreement was easy. Unfortunately we have to figure out how to transport everything ourselves. But on the plus side, it was easy to find everything we needed from tables, chairs, glasses, and a dance floor all in one place. Their prices are relatively the same or less than other places I was searching. They also had a tent rental, but I just went with the venue’s higher priced rental for the convenience of not having to deal with transporting and setting it up and the costs associated with that. 
 
 


It was easy to find a sale at Macys, unfortunately there is not much selection. We got a suite for the groom and vests and skinny black ties, white shirts, and black slacks for the groomsmen. They were one of the only stores to have everything we needed either in stock or on line. Also, we could tell the groomsmen who are in different states to go to their own macys and try things on. It was a choice of convenience, which is all we are looking for this close to the wedding. They also carry the name brands the groom likes.

The folks at the Smashbox counter were incredibly helpful and patient with all my bridesmaids surrounding me while we picked out colors and had our makeup done. They staff was very knowledgeable and got my make up exactly how I wanted it. They knew it was an outdoor venue and what would come out best for the pictures. We took some practice shots inside and outside just to double check. I feel secure and relieved that my make up is all set for the big day. 
 


They do not have the most luxurious rooms, but some of them do have a kitchenette for guests that I am having stay longer than the weekend. They were easy to do business with and did not require a credit card when I drew the contract for ten rooms over two nights. The pool is indoors and a bit small, but enough for my nieces and nephews to be entertained. They also have a small shuttle that I was able to rent to transport my guests to the wedding site only a couple miles away. I was also able to negotiate them down to $75 per night by getting rates of neighboring hotels. 
 


The knot had a sale going on for favors for a dollar a piece. I was able to get sandalwood fans for a buck a piece and a small shipping price. It was at least 99 cents less than anywhere I had looked and it was exactly what I wanted. They were shipped to me in less than 2 weeks and came in their own individual boxes. They had lots of other cute favors on sale but I had to restrain myself.

The secluded Cabin package gives a beautiful view of the city and a great tent that protects one from the elements. There are several beautiful gardens for pictures and they are very helpful in accommodating what the bride wants. They are closed over the winter, but the coordinator has been very available and open to answering all my bride-questions. It is a park I went to as a child and it is as beautifully kept up today as it was back then. It offers privacy and a great deal of space.

The owners of the Fernwood Restaurant themselves to the catering. They met with me and went over every detail of the reception to make sure they met all my needs. I went with the BBQ style buffet menu which had a fairly comparable price at $12.50 per serving. They are sometimes a little difficult to reach, but always return phone calls when you leave a message. Calling is better than emailing. They knew my reception site very well already and helped me in the layout of the tables.

My father and I went to a cake tasting here and it was delicious. They were very patient with us because I had to go back several times to finally decide on a flavor (several layers with different flavors) and design. It was a little pricey at $3 per serving, but they were very accommodating and suggested I have the wedding cake a smaller size and supplement the extra servings with a sheet cake which looks the same once it is cut up and is only $1 per serving. They folks were very helpful and eager to help me, the bride, get exactly what I wanted.

It was a little overwhelming at first walking in, but the way the expo was separated by vendors made it a lot easier to navigate. I would definitely take a notebook and a pen to jot down as much information as possible from each vendor and then go back and sit down at my leisure to see what it was I needed. I ended up getting a lot of emails, I would have signed up for less information had I known how flooded my inbox was going to get. Overall it was great to have all the CT vendors in one location. I got several ideas of what I did and did not want at my wedding.

David’s bridal was a little more expensive than I wanted for bridesmaid dresses, but it was the easiest way to get my bridesmaids the same color dress across several state lines. Make sure to have an appointment because weekends are so chaotic that you might be unable to try on dresses. It was nice that they had several dress styles in the same color I was looking for. Unfortunately some of them take months to come in once they are ordered. Be wary of ordering a size too large or small, alterations are very costly.