durham09's reviews

I think one step that many wedding sites avoid is talking about the marriage itself, and not just the wedding. Nate and I knew that getting married was more than just a wedding party and we wanted to make sure that we were strong enough in our relationship to handle many of the challenges that marriages face. Our friends and family were so shocked when we told them the news that we were 'already' going to a counselor! I think it was the best decision of our life. Nate was starting a new job, I had just finished school and was having trouble deciding between working or going to back to school. Sandra really helped me come up with some good strategies about how we should talk about our issues, how to deal with stress, and how to talk openly with one another on everything. It really helped us to grow as a couple, and I think we are all the better for it! I thought Sandra was wonderful, she came highly recommended, and I recommend her without hesitation.

We had planned a small gathering for our family and close friends right before the holidays at the Event Center at Hill Ridge's Farm. It's a really fun place to go, especially during the spirng and early summer. The Event Center is really nice, and it was the perfect size for our family. It can hold 80 people easily, but we were around 60 with Nate' s family and friends as well as my family and friends. The event center is very affordable, and there is a kitchen there for use. They can put you in contact with a caterer, or you can bring your own food. We had plates made in town, and heated up a few dishes once we got there. They also have an audio system for rent in addition to the room, which we opted for. Having a microphone and also a sound system means you can play music for dancing, and then you can also give a speech without having to yell. I liked that it was so casual and that we had the whole place to ourselves. It's also a great place if family members or friends have young children, because you can turn them lose (something you can't do at a fancy restuarnt or hall). I can see this being the perfect place for a small wedding party, too. The room is really pretty.

I was so happy with this catering team! Nate and I had discussed for a long time about what our menu would look like because we have many friends who are vegetarians, and also many friends and close family members who prefer to eat organic. We were worried that by going having an organic menu would either be impossible, or would be super expensive. Green Planet is perfect because they use organic as much as possible, and they also use hormone free beef and chicken which is awesome. The menu we choose was amazing, I was so happy with every dish. I really recommend the mango glazed shrimp. We also got lots of compliments on the food. The price is about what one would pay for the menu we had, which means that we didn't necessarily pay more because the items we local and organic. I think it's becoming more affordable to eat this way, and I'm happy there is a catering company that can do this. The staff was amazing to work with, really professional, everything was set up and sent out in time. No complaints! Only praise!

This was the transportation company that my nephew used for his prom, but my car was no where near as fancy as his car was! Which is kind of shocking, but maybe it just has to do with the times. Regardless, Nate was the one who chose the 'fleets' that we would be using for my bridal party and then for his best man and groomsmen. It was a lovely limosine, and I can only think of one other occasion (my prom) when I had the chance to ride in such a fancy car. They also have this extra service where they will roll out a red carpet for your arrival, which was a really nice touch! I also like how they had a sign on the car that said "just married". It made me feel really giddy inside! I felt just like a princess getting inside the limo!

We love going to the farmer's market, it's something nice that we can do together when we have the time. You can get lots of pre-cut organic flowers at the Farmer's Market, but there are also some vendors that you can order bouquets and centerpieces from. Harland Creek Farms was wonderful to work with because they usually create lots of custom bouquets and centerpieces from local organic flowers. They also use flowers and plants that are in season. I think this made my bouquet look really unique and special. It was a work of art, and I loved how my bouquet looked. Judy and the whole staff there was really great about the planning, too. They were able to give me an idea right away of what would be in season, and what I could expect my bouquet to look like. It was great working with them!

I mention them again towards the end of my review. They did my make-up and hair for the wedding, they also did the hair and make-up of my bridesmaids. Because we were a large group we did need to put down a deposit to confirm and reserve our time. This was taken care of when we went in for our consultation to see how they would do my hair and make-up. It was perfect! The staff is really nice, and they all are very efficient with time! I looked beautiful, my hair stayed in placed all day, and I was really happy with the experience.

Bridal Shower:

My best friends treated me to a day at the spa a few weeks before the wedding! It was also a practical trip, because this was where I was also having my make-up and hair up-do done before the wedding. We fit it a consultation and a harmony facial at the same time! The harmony facial is with aromatherapy scents, so you feel really relaxed and soothed the whole time. It lasted an hour but I could have stayed all day. All my bridesmaids got facials, too, so we left the place feeling all glowly and wonderful. I really loved the day, and can't wait to go back!

I wanted to give something to my bridesmaids and maid of honor (my sister) for helping me plan the wedding, and for trying to keep it as stress free as possible. They had booked a suprize day at the spa for us, which I would have loved to have gotten them, and so decided that I should get them a necklace or a pin. I wanted something small but meaningful. One World Market has always been a favorite store of mine, I love going in there and looking at the decorations and furniture. I found the most beautiful necklaces in the world there! The necklace, which was from Kenya, was composed of these tiny ceramic beads. I loved elegant it could look, and how trendy it could look. I saw each one of my friends wearing the necklace very happily. I gave it to them on my wedding day, but they didn't wear them then (they had already chosen necklaces to match their dress). They loved them and I think I made a great decision.

I went to the April 2008 Southern Bridal Show and Expo, which was a treat for me and Nate by our mothers, who also came along. They were helping to pay for the wedding, so they wanted to see what vendors were out there. We are the first children from both our parents to be getting married, and this was kind of a big deal. The Show was huge! I can't believe the number of people who were there! I clutched Nate's arm liked a scared kitten the whole time. Our mothers were amazing, though, and right away they started speaking with wedding planners and caterers and setting up future appointments with the vendors they liked. This was where we found our caterer, Green Planet, who was amazing! I was really pleased to see that the Expo caterers to all kinds of brides, not just the traditional bride. I found lots of local designers and business, which made me very happy/ We also got lots of ideas for the planning, locations, reception places. I was really happy we went.

Two of the bridesmaids dresses needed to be taken in at the top, and my dress also needed to be taken in. We went to Lee's Tailor, which is where my sister usually goes when she needs to have something altered or hemmed. The price was perfect, I think it's about average for what one would expect for an expert tailoring. We were measured and the dresses all fit perfectly afterwards. I can't remember how long it took, I think it took about two weeks, but we were not in any sort of hurry and we waited until all the dresses were done before we picked them up. I hear that some bridal shops alterations can cost almost as much as the dress, so I was happy that everything turned out well and that we all looked great!

It seems kind of funny that I would buy an old dress and then my bridesmaids would buy new dresses from a chain store, but that's just the way it worked out! Banana Republic was having a sale and my sister stopped in last spring and saw that they had a whole rack of dresses that were in the color scheme I wanted. We all drove down the next day, the bridesmaids found dresses in their sizes (or somewhat in their sizes). They were able to buy really beautiful silk dresses for less than $90, and the dresses were originally marked at being $300. I would say that we were very lucky, but they had about twelve dresses in the style we bought in stock which made me question whether they were 'trendy'. The girls didn't care, they loved the dresses. I was told by my sister that she plans on shortening the dress so that she could wear it more often. I've stopped in the store a few times since and I can't believe the good sales they have. And the quality of the dresses are excellent, so I would really suggest checking it out.