SLBride's reviews

We held a rehearsal dinner in our home, and had it catered by Chef Deb of Culinary Caravan. The dinner was to die for, her and her sous chef took care of everything. They even took care of dishes and cutlery so there was absolutely nothing for us to clean up afterwards. The food was absolutely delicious, and affordable. We also had Chef Deb do “drop and dash” trays for the morning of the wedding. She is very in tune with the needs for a wedding (eg: nothing garlicky, fishy, etc.) and put together some beautiful platters for the girls to nibble on all morning.

Gem is an independent baker that works out of her house. She is almost cheap compared to many bakers (my cake cost just over $300 for a three-tier cake), and her baking is delicious. She is well worth the money as not only does she make the cake look and taste wonderful, she brings the cake to the venue and sets it up with tulle, lights, and ivy, with the cake on pillars. You know it’s going to look beautiful without worrying about it! Only downside is that there are limited flavours – but it doesn’t really matter, because they are absolutely delicious!!

I originally met Steve at a bridal show, and his photography was exactly what we were looking for. He blends traditional and journalistic photography to create a wonderful mix. The prices are great, they offer many different packages but will not hesitate to take something off a package if you don’t want it, they’re very flexible. Steve makes you feel very relaxed, great personality and beautiful results! On top of wedding photography, they also do engagement shoots and boudoir shoots, as well as videography services.

The thing that I loved about working with Fiona was her honesty. She did not hesitate to tell me if she did not think something would work, which I appreciated. They’re the professionals for a reason, right? She worked within my (tight) budget, and the flowers looked beautiful. She did not hesitate to grab flowers from the back whenever we were discussing certain types, as she wanted to make sure that we were on the same page and that I wouldn’t be surprised by the look of anything. She is very reasonable, and will give you a range she can work within for the look and flowers you are interested in, so she gives you a lot of flexibility when putting together your flower budget. She did a beautiful job with the bouquets, and everything arrived right on time!

She is a WONDERFUL choice for anyone that wants either a beautiful non-denominational ceremony or an interfaith ceremony. In our initial meeting with her, she took a lot of time to get to know us individually and as a couple. She writes ceremonies to a couple’s specifications. She is a writer, and writes many of her ceremonies and readings on the spot. She wrote a quick blessing to end the ceremony when we were there (literally in two minutes) and it was so beautiful I actually started crying on her couch! She injects such a personal feel into the ceremony, like she has known us for years. She brought that special touch to our special day.

It is a naturally beautiful setting, overlooking a pristine golf course. It does not need much decorating, as it is beautiful all on it’s own. The part I loved was that the walkway wound behind a rock wall and lowered garden so I was hidden from view, unlike many outdoor ceremony sites. Even when we were outdoors, I was still able to have that grand entrance that brides dream of. The only critique was that they give you a short time frame to ensure set up and tear down is down. It worked out fine for us, as we had some great people working for us, but for people who can’t afford to hire a decorator, it could pose a bit of a problem if you want a lot of decorations at your ceremony.

The only negatives I can say about this salon is that they will not go mobile unless it is warranted (eg: must stay in a hotel the night before), and that you cannot bring in an independent makeup artist, as they have an esthetician on-site. These are my only criticisms. They shut down the salon so it was just my bridal party, and did a fantastic job of getting the whole wedding party in and out in a short period of time. The girls all had beautiful hair that was not your typical ‘bridal party’ hair, they looked great! I had a trial beforehand to ensure I had a style I loved, and it was relaxing, I wasn’t rushed at all, just sat and chatted until we came to the perfect look!

Brittany is the owner of the business, and she is completely mobile. She comes right to your house (or wherever you are). Her prices are extremely affordable ($60 per person). She does a fantastic job, her makeup application looks natural and lasts all day long. She can do makeup in a fairly short timeframe (25 minutes for bridesmaids, 35 minutes for bride). She is very sweet, and sets you at ease when your nerves are riding high. She did makeup for a very diverse group (age and colouring) and everyone looked fabulous. The only downfall is that you have to pay for your trial (but that is becoming more and more common nowadays), but I just booked mine for a day when I was going out that night, so I had perfect makeup for a night out!

I let my groom choose the tuxedo rental place, and he did a great job! The real bonus with Tuxedo Royale as opposed to other tux rental places is that they have everything there for the guys to try on, they’re not just ordering out of a catalogue. My groom actually had a fun time trying on different jackets, ties and vests. It was nice that the whole wedding party did not have to go in altogether, they could drop in when it was convenient, or call in their measurements, for those that live out-of-town. They bring the tuxes in a few days before in case alterations are needed. Everything was done smoothly, on-time, with no hassles.

Because I was working on a budget, I decided to go the DIY route for invitations. Tons of wedding magazines have Michaels coupons in them, so I used a coupon to buy my DIY invitations and programs, and altogether they cost $90. They have a beautiful selection of invitations (along with tons of other stationary products). My only warning is to make sure you have a good printer. The first printer I started on had a lot of trouble (vellum getting caught, ink smudging), but once I went to a newer printer, it only took me a few hours to get invitations, reply cards, and envelopes printed. You do need to set aside a fair amount of time to put everything together, but it’s definitely a good money-saver for budget-conscious brides.