kblove's reviews

WOW! All I can say is they are beyond fabulous. I scoured the knot, when, midway into our planning we decided we wanted a videographer. We had heard from so many brides that this was something they were so glad they got, or something they regretted not having.

We didn't want something cheesy-looking or really stiff. We wanted something that captured our day and our personalities effortlessly. When we saw two Penny Productions, we knew we were getting just that. They have a really artistic eye for weddings, and a complete, genuine love for what they do.

Meeting with them sealed the deal. We worked with Adam and Huyn, who were both joys. Adam is sincere and friendly, who was in the midst of planning his own wedding, and Huyn is so funny and creative. To top it all off they are both VERY talented videographers (and editers!). They picked a song for our video and they hit the nail on the head with our style. We just got our highlight video back 2 weeks after the wedding, and it was everything we wanted and more.

http://www.vimeo.com/5807626

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BB&B FOR YOUR REGISTRY....

1) They make buying gifts easy-- they allow guests to buy a gift that you can pick up in your local store (if someone is out of town)
2) Registering is so easy and you can change your registry anytime online.
3) THEY ACCEPT ALL RETURNS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I returned used glasses without the box or receipt, and I got a full refund of store credit. As long as it is on your registry, they will take it back UP TO A YEAR after you event. I don't know any other store that does this.
4) They have the 20%, never-expire coupons.
5) They have the same selection as the big department stores, and if it's not in the store, it's online (including flatware)

This is the only place we registered, and we loved it. Two thumbs way up!

Heidi is amazing!!! She works out of her incredibly adorable home, and she is very easy to work with and down to earth. She's fresh and creative, and really listens to the bride. I brought her very specific pictures of what I wanted for our wedding day, and I gave her my PW bio, which she checked for updates on ideas! She was really helpful in giving direction and helping my hydrangea theme come to life. She has tons of books with pictures of different weddings she has done, so when we were at a loss for an idea, she gave her advice.

I think what makes a good florist a GREAT florist is an attention to detail. Just by talking with her you can tell that she gives 100% to every wedding she does. Our day was no exception. Our wedding day was exquisite, and much of that is owed to Heidi... our flowers were stunning, fresh, and perfect. She set up our votives, our head table (with tulle and lights) and made the "reception hall" a beautiful wedding celebration. I couldn't have asked for more. She was hands down one of our best vendors.

We booked a 1 week cruise to Alaska on the Coral Princess. We took the inside passage, and it was one of the best trips of our lives. Because we were on our honeymoon, they gave us a free upgrade to a room with a balcony--this absolutely made the trip because we viewed the mountains and glaciers during scenic cruise days from the balcony. So stunning.

Obviously, the backdrop of Alaska plays a big role in how much we loved our vacation. We wanted something unique, and I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this cruise line and route. The dinners on board were excellent and the staff on Princess is very friendly and helpful. Below are my tips and advice for maximizing your trip.

*****DO NOT book your excursions through Princess. They charge you a service fee and you will be stuck on a bus with 30-60 other people taking the same tour. We booked everything through companies highly rated on www.cruisecritic.com and we traveled with 3-6 other people on each excursion. It was an intimate group...it totally changed whale watching and our mountain bus tour, for example.

*****Invest in a nice jacket with layers. I bought a jacket from Land's End (it was a $200 coat I got for $70 during a sale during the summer months). It had an outer and an inner shell that could be removed as the weather changes. If you travel during the summer months the temperature can swing from 40 deg. to 70 deg. in one day.

*****Get a room with a COVERED balcony. This changed our cruise. They upgraded us at the last minute--- we were on our balcony every day. Especially when it rained, we could still be outside enjoying the beauty and 19 hours of sunlight!

*****You don't NEED medication. Please talk to you doctor first, but don't freak out about getting seasick. The inside passage is very calm, and you don't enter the rocky, open waters of the Pacific. Bring some Ginger tablets and you should be fine.

*****Bring on your own booze. I wish we did this...we spent a lot of money on drinks over the weeks. They have a special where you can buy unlimited soda for $25 when you get on the ship, and you can mix it with alcohol. I wish we thought of this. They do have good Alaskan beer on board, though.

*****YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING GRATUITY ON EVERYTHING- If you are a first time cruiser you will feel obligated to tip everyone who helps you. Don't. You pay your room steward $10 in tips per person, per day just to clean your room and 15% to everyone else who helps you. All drink tips are calculated into your tab. If someone gives you exceptional service, by all means make an exception, but constant tipping does add up.

*****Pack a "cruise lunch." I know this sounds silly, but since the cruise ship gives you so much food including sandwiches during breakfast-time, take some with you on the excursions! You can easily spend $50 a day in the ports on food and snacks alone, so unless you have something specific you want to try, save money and eat cruise food on the go. We did this every day. We saved $200 which paid for our massage in the spa. So worth it :)

*****Don't buy the $25 Coupon book (UNLESS you are wanting to spend $500 or more on diamonds). They tell you that you can get a bunch of stuff "free" from the stores, but it is allll junk. Trust me on this. Save your money and buy a sweatshirt.

DO NOT MISS EXCURSIONS:

Ketchican- Float Plane Tour to the Fjord. This is breathtaking. Bring your camera. There is a lumberjack show in town that is also a riot!

Juneau- WHALE WATCHING. You MUST do this... in July we saw a group of 16 humpback whales gathering food. It's an amazing sight. The Mendenhal Glacier is also here and well worth seeing. Make sure you walk the trails to the waterfall to the right of the glacier. It's very romantic. There ARE bears in this area. Do not carry food with you.

Skagway- Take the train tour to the top of the mountain and then take the van ride back. You will get a personalized tour of Skagway and really get to learn about the Gold Rush days. It's very interesting. There is a pretty informative museum downtown about the Gold Rush that I would reccomend seeing first so you have some background knowledge.

Glacier Bay- (This is viewed on the ship). Make sure you spend time on the top deck to watch the glaciers "calve" or break on the surface. It is an amazing sight. If you have a balcony you can also view from there, but the ship constantly rotates around the bay so you might lose view of the glacier at times.


Everything we did was worth every penny. On board the Coral Princess I highly recommend the formal dinners, getting a room with a balcony, taking advantage of shows and games, and the Lotus Spa. Book your excursions elsewhere and don't be sucked in to buying "Tanzanite" or diamonds in the ports. The ships owns all of the stores.

Overall I HIGHLY recommend Alaska on the Coral Princess. It's a great ship, a fun time, and they spoil you like crazy...everything a honeymooner deserves.

Diane at Northville Hills is AMAZING. It was difficult at times to plan a wedding out of state, but when I was in town, she met with me numerous time to make sure my wedding vision came to life and ALL my questions were answered. She acted as a DOC and set up all of my DIY projects on the big day (and there were quite a few). The attention to detail was flawless. No one had to worry about last minute details being taken care of.

As the bride I never had to deal with the "stuff" that inevitably comes up at weddings. She is very organized and takes a lot of pride in the service of her kitchen staff, so they were also wonderful.

Northville Hills is pricer than some of the surrounding venues, but it comes with a DOC and a reputation for being the best. I HIGHLY recommend this venue. We had both our ceremony and reception here, and it was excellent.

I've been going to Gina Agosta for 10 years, and I HIGHLY recommend this salon, hands down. It came as no surprise that my hair and makeup were perfect on my wedding day. The salon allowed us to cater lunch for the bridesmaids while we got ready, have a videographer present, and completely kick back and relax.

Leena did a great job on my makeup, and was really receptive when I was nervous about my false eyelashes bothering my eye. I think she even used some of her break time to give me extra help.

Nita did a beautiful job on my hair. It was exactly what I envisioned and really suited to my face. At the last minute I was concerned about my bangs, so she gave them a quick trim to make sure they would stay in place and be perfect. I loved my hair.

Thank you, Gina Agosta!

Mark Bak, the owner of Bak photography, has been in the business for several decades and is a *fantastic* photographer. We booked him because he shot our friends' wedding, and being in the bridal party, we knew exactly what we were getting: quality work and professionalism.

Mark is a very precise person. He puts thought and a creative eye into each photograph. He will stop and say "flatten your hair" or personally "groom" your sweater to remove the fuzzies. While some precise people drive you crazy, Mark is personable, charming, and enthusiastic.

We worked with him to shoot our e-pics and just adored how they turned out. They were posted online in a timely manner, and the CD was sent to us as soon as we ordered it. The studio is very open to answering any questions, and doesn't make you feel "shoved to the side" once you put down your deposit.

Mark has yet to shoot our wedding day (review to come), but so far I highly recommend Bak Photography! Take it from me: pay a little more to get very high quality work. Literally, nearly EVERY shot he snapped was put-in-frame quality.

I didn't realize it at the time of shopping (because I hadn't been to enough stores), but there are some great things about B Ella that set them apart:

1) Welcoming, walk around in bare feet atmosphere. The is such a charming setting. You grab whatever dress you want or ask for help.
2) Beautiful unique dresses (important to me)
3) They are one of the only stores in Michigan that carry La Sposa gowns (which I <3 and ended up buying)
4) YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES! YAY!
5) The staff is not at all pushy... in the least. I really appreciate that. I never felt like they were gossiping behind my back or didn't 100% mean what they said (which is more than I can say of other stores)

My dress arrived early in perfect condition and they held it for an extra week for me at no charge b/c I live out of state. I went for alterations 3 times, and they were patient when I wanted to change the bustle and they worked with me to make it PERFECT.

They were very professional during my bridal doubts when, at the last minute, I decided I didn't like the tiara I had purchased from them. I ended up being able to exchange it for another one that was more suited to my dress at no cost.

I also did my alterations through B Ella. They were very friendly and receptive, and again, they listened to my wishes before making any adjustments.

I had a great experience. My dress was PERFECT on my wedding day, and after steaming was pin straight. I couldn't have been happier.

Because it is a small business, they are close for a 2 week holiday in December, and their store hours vary depending on the seasons and time of day (even if it lists they are open). Just make sure you call ahead of time and schedule an appointment so you have someone to work with you. I had 2 consultants helping me during the peak summer months-- just let them know in advance!

Thanks B Ella!

I am very glad I used this website... they are overall very easy to work with, and when I e-mailed with a question, I received a very timely response. Be prepared to wait several months (3 or more) if you order a parasol or something custom, but it is totally worth it. I <3 my parasol!

Reeds has a beautiful selection of jewelry and really good prices. We purchased both of our rings on sale and we couldn't be happier. The women who work there always ask us how are are, and are so excited when we come in to clean the ring.

My center stone became loose a few months ago, and they fixed it that day--- if you are ever in the mall they will always give you a free cleaning. Top notch service and a beautiful product!