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| My Community Bio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Knot Name: mizzouwedding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location: New Orleans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
About our wedding:
Getting Ready…
The Big Reveal!
Our Ceremony
Our Reception
Post Party
The Honeymoon: Ti Kaye in St. Lucia
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Vendor Reviews
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We highly recommend all of our vendors and sites, with one exception noted below. Please page me on the New Orleans board if you have additional questions!
Ceremony Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church on Baronne: This is a beautiful, regal church and we felt lucky to begin our marriage in such a special place. The church does not have its own parking lot but people found parking easily on the street and at nearby pay lots. The coordinator, Regina, was very helpful and patient and returned my calls quickly. While planing the ceremony she told me certain things would be up to our priest (like where the bridal party stands and where to place the unity candle), but at the rehearsal she said a few things like, “Well, normally this is how we do X.” My priest was polite, but got her to go along with what we wanted. The organist, Marijim Thoene, was another story. It was tough coordinating with her and other musicians that she had not recommended. In the end the music was beautiful and the problems were not enough to keep anyone away, but start discussion with her early and keep her informed. Soloist: Kitty Cleveland (www.kittycleveland.com)- Kitty is more expensive than other singers I priced but her voice is fantastic! She sent me 2 CDs of her work to help me choose music and you can hear her sing on her website. We communicated via email and she always answered my messages promptly. Trumpet: Jeremy Brekke (504-481-5956) I never met Jeremy in person, but he did a beautiful job and we were glad to have the extra “flourish” his music provided. He’s very laid back and just asked me when and where he should show up. Maggie’s Flower Shoppe Maggie is the best! She took my ideas and did just what I asked, even tracking down some roses she’d never heard of to make me happy. The Thursday before my wedding I dropped off some items I wanted attached to my bouquet and she gave me a preview of everything, even taking me into the cooler to see my flowers. You can tell she cares about her work and it shows in the final product. Reception Pavilion of Two Sisters at New Orleans City Park I can’t say enough about this place. The food is great, the space is great and the staff is the BEST! We booked in July 03 for Sept. 04 and you can’t book early enough at this place because it’s so wonderful. I think it’s the most reasonable place cost-wise to hold a wedding in New Orleans because you get so much for your money. You’re encouraged to come by before receptions to get ideas. That’s how we met our coordinator, KC. She’s very calm and professional. When we got out of the limo, KC gave us a big hug, then gave us a rundown of the night. I was nervous that the reception would be a big blur, but she helped me stay “in the moment” by giving me little updates and watching the time so I could enjoy the party. In the sales office I worked with Wendy, who usually returned my phone calls quickly and even called me once when she was home sick to answer my questions. I left items for the reception and detailed instructions with her on Thursday. Everything was done just as I asked. We’re still getting compliments about the food and the party in general. Some of my parents’ friends never stay to the end of any wedding and they were the last to leave the Pavilion! Band- FourUnplugged (www.fourunplugged.com) These guys made the party. Everyone commented on their performance and energy. I kept looking at the tables and thinking, no one is here- and then I’d look at the dance floor and it was packed! Even my Baptist cousins danced! The manager, David, and lead singer, Ricky, went out of their way to make me comfortable about the play list, even mentioning that the groom or I had requested certain songs as they played them. Haydel’s: Bride’s and groom’s cake I admit I was looking for a fabulous cake. I liked my cake, but it was not quite what I pictured in my mind. However, it tasted great! The groom wanted a king cake- but he had very specific requests and Haydel’s came through on everything he asked for. Our contact Ella was very patient with my husband and gave us great customer service. This was something we did VERY late in the planning process (about 5 weeks out) but they were able to handle all of our requests easily. Photography: Jeff Pounds The pictures speak for themselves. We were very pleased with the end result. Jeff can be tough to get in touch with (e-mail seemed to work best) but he was early the day of the wedding and worked until 1:30am! We had our proofs back within 4 weeks after the wedding. Jeff is very laid back and the best part of the night was his suggestion to take photos in the French Quarter. The limo dropped us off at the corner of Jackson Square next to the Cathedral and met us in front of Café du Monde. It took 15 minutes, we got some time to ourselves and people were cheering for us everywhere we went- such fun and we got some amazing pictures. As with any photographer, be direct about what you want captured on camera. Everything I made a point of asking to get a shot of, he did. But a photographer is not a mind reader! Invitations: Stationery Studio Fergie has infinite patience. Our invitations had an elegant style and flair thanks to her suggestions. She spent lots of time helping me make decisions and we used her for most of our paper products. A few times there was miscommunication about when items would be ready for pickup, but on the whole things were there when I needed them.
Calligraphy: I used two vendors for this job, and I highly recommend both. I care about calligraphy but I knew most of our guests could care less, so I used the more expensive calligrapher for a small portion of my guest list. It worked out well and people thought both styles were beautiful. I’ve posted an example of each so you can see the difference. Betty Legrange (Calligraphy by Betty) cost $1.10/envelope. She made pickups and deliveries in Metairie and also to my mother’s house in Mandeville. She worked fast and did a great job. (1-888-610-2898) Maria-Helena Hoksch (504-363-9129) cost $3.50/envelope. She tailors her style to compliment your invitation’s font and even mixed ink to match our grey lettering. Her work is truly an art form! You have to go to her in Algiers Point but she works quickly.
“Save The Date” postcards: We wanted to use postcards but most New Orleans postcards are, let’s face it, pretty tacky. So when I found this line by MiniArtures I was sold. Produced by G2 Ltd, a local company, they showcase our city in a contemporary design. We chose 4 designs in a 4x6 size, and since we bought them in bulk, we got a price break. I worked with Kathy Green (504-818-1716.) Wand Rubber Stamp Works (504-467-7878) created a simple stamp for the back of the postcards. They’re located out by the airport. I think the stamp cost me less than $15.
Apparel/Shoes: Town and Country/ BM dresses, MOB dress, shoes: Our orders came in on time and the staff is very helpful. They pressed the girls’ dresses for free the week of the wedding. The girls wore Vera Wang style #14M19 in lame- color was moonlight. My sister is getting married in October and we’re in that store all the time- the whole staff really goes out of their way to make you feel welcome! A note about my dress: I wore a Romona Keveza style #343/ “Gloria.” It was the very first dress I tried on in New Orleans but it did not come with the shrug pictured in the RK ads. However, it DID come with a price tag that was not in my budget! I searched the web for discount gowns, and found the entire dress while shopping in Kansas City. The store sold me the sample for nearly 50% the original price. I did go back to the original New Orleans vendor but they could not give me the same deal. I tell this story because I believe if you explore every avenue, you will find the right dress at the right price. My sample was in perfect condition! The silk is just unbelievable. I LOVED wearing my dress and even wore the shrug most of the night. Veilshop.com- My veil was reasonably priced and the customer service was good. One example: they were flexible with their return policy when it became clear I needed more time to consider my purchase. Diva Beads (Mandeville) Laura custom-made several items for me based on photos, all for very reasonable prices. (My wedding day necklace, BM earrings and necklaces) I also got my cake pulls for less than $2/each (lots of choices, too!) Tuxes: Perlis: The tuxes looked great, but we had some miscommunication. My husband believes this could have been avoided if we had made a few more check-up calls the week before the wedding. The customer service was easy and quick. They even taught my husband how to tie a bow tie! Transportation: New Orleans Limousine Service: Because I walked from my hotel to the church, we saved money by only booking a limo for 2 transfers- from the church to reception, and then back to our hotel. The car was clean. The driver was on time and accommodated us when we wanted to stop by the Quarter before heading to City Park. London Livery: We rented a limo bus for our entire bridal party and our parents. The bus stayed at the reception and was available to transfer people all evening- which worked out well for one groomsman with an infant who left early. Because our reception went a little longer than planned, we had the bus for an extra 45 minutes. London Livery contacted us about a month after the wedding about the extra charge and we asked to be billed. Several calls from them later for payment and we still had not been properly billed as requested. So the company just took the amount out of my husband’s debit account (which we used to reserve the bus.) It upset me that they couldn’t follow procedure- we never disputed the bill, but we wanted to actually GET a bill before we paid. Rehearsal Dinner: Riverview Restaurant/Top floor of the Marriott Our rehearsal dinner was even better than we expected. We knew the view would be impressive, but the food and service were great. They really worked with us on the menu choices and prices, and tailored the room and seating to our event.
Bridesmaids luncheon: Commander’s Palace My aunt graciously hosted this event. We had the “Little Room” and it was the perfect size for our party of 12. The food was great and the prices are very reasonable!
Other details: Ritz Carlton Spa: Do not recommend It’s a great spa. But the customer service is severely lacking. They booked our appointments at the wrong time of the day. When I realized their mistake a month before the wedding day, they were already booked up at the correct time and I was out of luck. No apology, no explanation, just “Oh well!” Part of the allure of the spa was the “special treatment” they offered and I feel they did not deliver on this promise. I did enjoy my massage but the stress that came with making the appointments wasn’t worth it. My advice: make detailed notes of your calls, and get everyone’s first AND last name. Or save yourself the headache and just find another spa in the French Quarter. CelebrateOurLives.com: Website Best 70 bucks we spent. Our guests loved seeing photos of us and found the maps and directions very helpful. Tamara made all of our updates quickly and even found a fleur de lis for our page- no charge! Beads By the Dozen This was really my husband’s project and they gave him great customer service. They can do just about anything imaginable! Due to Hurricane Ivan the shipment was somewhere in Pennsylvania 2 days before our wedding. But the company went out of its way and delivered the beads directly to our reception site while our ceremony was going on. The beads were a big hit with our guests!
Toss petals: 2dozenroses.com I ordered these 5 days before our wedding- they arrived on time, in perfect order and were beautiful. We got 5 pounds for about $100, which was enough to fill 200 cones and still had some left. OOT boxes: Boxes from papersource.com Zapps bags bought in bulk at Sam’s Crystal hot sauce bottles Maps- contact the New Orleans’ Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-672-6124) and ask for the “taxi maps”- they are in color and we got 100 FREE Labels from myownlabels.com (don’t order last-minute because they took a while to be delivered) We added beads, a note from us, and a list of our favorite places and things to do around town. People really noticed the extra effort and even took some of our suggestions! Hotel blocks: We called the Visitors Bureau and they sent out a bid on our behalf. We got about 40 responses, which is how we found the Astor Crowne Plaza ($99/night) and the Alexa on Canal ($79/night). They gave us a great rate and kept us up-to-date about room reservations. My family stayed at the Fairmont Hotel. Darlene was kind enough to deal with my mother’s many questions and also gave us a very good rate. We found that the Fairmont is one of the few large hotels in the city that allows group photos in their lobby even if you are not holding an event at the hotel. NOTE: Room rates at any hotel vary with season and demand, so set your room block early if you’re planning a fall or spring wedding. Honeymoon: We spent a wonderful 7 nights in St. Lucia. The island was our third honeymoon destination choice. We nixed Hawaii after considering the flight time, and dumped Italy when it became clear the planning was stressing me out. St. Lucia was the perfect combination of beaches, lush scenery and a short flight away. We chose Ti Kaye because we are not big partiers and didn’t think we would eat and drink enough to justify all-inclusive prices. We stayed in cottage G: an ocean front unit w/plunge pool. We booked the petit honeymoon package and added 3 nights. Our a/c did not work the first 3 days but the resort amended our bill enough to satisfy us. I grew a little tired of the outdoor shower by the end of the week, but my husband loved it. The staff was friendly and helpful and always willing to answer our questions. I highly recommend the in-room massage- excellent! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Ti Kaye. We felt it was a great mixture of privacy and social opportunities. The food was amazing- and we’re used to good food! My husband is still raving about the lunchtime burgers. Some favorite memories include sharing a bottle of wine with new friends on the restaurant’s patio and enjoying a locally brewed Piton beer on our cottage porch or on the beach. We spent a fun morning shopping in Castries and had a great time on Ti Kaye’s sunset sail. In the end we could have skipped a few of the guided tours and just hung out at the beach, but it was a relaxing trip overall. A few notes about transportation: We intended to explore more than we actually did, but after the harrowing taxi ride from the airport my weak stomach was done. Water taxis are the way to go! Delta flies direct from Atlanta to St. Lucia every Monday. This allowed us to not only skip a layover in San Juan but also spend extra time with family on Sunday. We flew out EARLY Monday morning to Atlanta. There, we upgraded to first class for $150/each. Best $300 we spent on our honeymoon! If you’re interested in this option on any flight I’d get to the airport early- we got the last 2 seats available. Personal Trainer: Clarence Saizon: (251-5798) I met Clarence through my gym, and he worked with me for nearly four months before my wedding. Once we changed our honeymoon plans from Europe to the tropics, I knew I needed a pro to help me get into shape. I lost inches everywhere – even had to resize my engagement ring!- and I credit Clarence for my success! Clarence is a great motivator and is very creative with his routines- I don’t think I did the same workout twice. Clarence trains at the Downtown Fitness Center but he also works at other gyms. I am still training with him off and on, and the best advice I have for any newlywed is to schedule training sessions for AFTER your wedding so you have a reason to get back into the gym. |
My Advice (for what it’s worth…)
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Do as much as you can to personalize your day. We included family members in our ceremony, highlighted our alma mater in a few small ways and used family wedding photos at our reception. These are not new ideas to those of us obsessed with weddings, but they meant something to me and my husband and people picked up on that. Have a receiving line. We put a limit on how much time we spent shaking hands but it really was the best way to say hello to our guests. Do the dollar dance! (If you’re in the south, that is…) We had just one song and some people were disappointed that they didn’t get to dance with us. It’s an easy way to see some extra people- and it gave us a little extra honeymoon cash! I don’t think anyone saw it as a raw request for money, just a way to give us a little “green goodwill!” Have your hair and makeup people come to you. It made the day so much smoother and eliminated time wasted in the car. Do take photos before your wedding. My husband was originally against this plan but now even he agrees it was the best way to go. It was wonderful to have a few calming moments just the two of us before the ceremony. It also allowed us to go to the French Quarter between the ceremony and reception for some quick pictures but not miss out on too much of the party. Have someone take pictures of your groom getting ready. We used a family friend and some of the shots are priceless to me. Be a gracious bride. People are taking time out of their lives to celebrate a new beginning in your own life. In the end, it’s not about the food or the flowers but the friends and family who are there- make sure they know you appreciate them! |