Captured with Love Photography
I am not even sure where to start with this review. I fell in love with Jenny and Chase before I met them. Their photography is amazing and after seeing what they did with my friend's wedding I knew I HAD to have them shoot my wedding. They are a husband and wife team (with a bundle of joy on the way, yay). It wasn't until the day of the wedding that I really got to see what professionals they really are. We had a giant wedding party and they did an amazing job keeping everyone in line. They never lost their temper but just enjoyed themselves. Their upbeat attitude kept Jared and I very relaxed through what could have been a stressful day. I am actually dying to get our prints back, just placed the order! Just visit their website and you will see what beautiful pictures they take. Visit HERE
Fordham Footage
Dale and his team were referred to us by our photographers as well. He was yet another vendor who had our money the second we met him. Aside from the beautiful work he does, his personality is what sold us. You can tell that he truly enjoys what he does for a living and believes in all the magic a wedding is about. Once again the day of the wedding we were blown away with his professionalism. He, Jenny, and Chase all got along very well (Dale was also their videographer) and kept our group on task. Our wedding video has allowed me to see all the moments I missed and that makes it priceless. I highly suggest looking at his website HERE.
Mager Designs
I instantly knew that I wanted the swooping fabric from the celling for our reception and luckily Chelsie from the Hilton was able to tell me what decorator would be best to go with. Yet another small world he also graduated from Napoleon (like my husband). I met with Chris twice to go over my vision. He also suggested doing a giant crystal hanging from the center of the room, my love for all things sparkle I was all on board with it. I felt 100% confident that he would be able to make the ballroom look amazing. And well he more than delivered, the day of the wedding I asked him to construct a curtain at the end of aisle. So I could stand without Jared seeing me before I was standing. He did an amazing job with such short notice. Oh my is he a decorative genius, the crystal chandelier was breath taking. I want one for my house. I was so lucky to have him on my wedding team. His website info is HERE.
Amanda Tittle
So Amanda is the sister of a classmate from Lourdes. After searching all over Toledo for the right makeup artist I finally found one. I did two trial runs and both times Amanda came to me. She was also newly graduated, so she knows all the latest trends. I actually loved her so much I used Amanda for my wedding, the two weddings I was in, and to put eyelashes on for my appearance on The View. You honestly cannot beat her pricing and she is extremely accommodating. She doesn't have a website yet, so if you want her contact info ask me and I can pass it along. I also forgot to mention she did not just do my make up but 6 other girls on my wedding day, plus multiple people on the other wedding days!
Elaine Bauman
Elaine is my genius hair dresser. She is one of the few I allow to touch my hair. Aside from being an extremely talented hair stylist, she is an amazing person. We have always had an easy time talking (maybe she is easy to talk to because its her job but I will pretend it is just with me), so obviously once I was engaged I knew exactly who would be doing my hair. I had two trial runs with Elaine because my original plan for my hair was a failure. Not by lack of skill by Elaine but me having tooooooo much hair. Naturally Elaine also did my hair for the other weddings I was in and recently freshened up my color and trimmed a few inches off :) Elaine owns a brand spanking new salon called Mosaic on Central Ave, right across from Cake in a Cup (yummy!). She has a great website and online booking which I LOVE! Definitely give her a try, even if you aren't getting married. Website HERE.Bee for the Day Wedding Planners
Hilton Garden Inn
Well since before we got engaged Jared and I decided that we had to have our reception at a hotel. I have always felt that is makes things a lot easier for the out of town guests and the those who don't want a DUI. We knew our guests would want to party into the wee hours of the morning so we had to pick a place that would allow an all night party and no driving. I had heard of a few people having their weddings at the Hilton Garden Inn, so as soon as I got back from Hawaii (see our engagement story HERE) I booked an appointment with the HGI. Lucky I did because August 10th was pretty much the only 2013 summer date they had left in September 2012! I booked our date immediately! They are on the high end of the spectrum but worth it all the way. The rooms are really nice plus they have a pretty bitchin' wedding package. Not to mention the food... oh the delicious food. (side note: if you or someone you know is having a wedding there please invite us we give good gifts and I want to eat there again!). I worked with Chelsie, she was always very prompt in her response and super helpful with all my silly bride questions. Definitely give them a chance and look into it! Website HERE
I cannot say enough good things about Michael at Decorative Sound. He is the definition of professional. He was the only DJ we met with and booked with him on the spot. Our photographer recommended him because they had him at their wedding, so we met with him. We were so impressed with his knowledge and how thorough he was. He gave us a bunch of paperwork to fill out and we were able to pick every song for each moment of our special day. Then the most important part of hiring Michael was his performance that day. He kept the party going all night. Never letting a dull moment happen. Hiring Decorative Sound is what made our reception so amazing. Their information is HERE.
Toledo Train Station
Oh the Train Station a place that I will hold very dear to my heart forever. So the way of found out about the Train Station is a very long one, I will skip it and get to the point. After months of stressing about where we would exchange our vows, we found the hidden gem of Toledo. If you are planning a Toledo wedding you definitely have to check this place out. I got a lot of sideways looks before about having the ceremony there but lets clear something up, they have a second floor that is strictly for events. Plus the station is closed on Saturdays, so no creeps wandering into your private event. Also a huge perk it is a cheap rental fee. You have to contact the Lucas County Port Authority for leasing information. My contact was Gilda Mitchell, very nice woman. Their website is HERE, just ask for Gilda.
Cake in a Cup
And I am drooling just thinking about them... as many know Cake in a Cup is an award winning cupcake bakery. They won Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Now I can't really remember how I discovered this wonderful place but thank the good lord I did. Jared and I just live around the corner and we visit there far more than I would like to admit. After we were engaged I didn't really feel the pull to have a traditional cake, I wanted something out of the box (although cupcakes are becoming more and more popular). Once I decided on cupcakes I knew exactly where I was going. I have yet to experience a bad cupcake. Not to mention they were far cheaper than any bakery is per slice for a cake! Cake in a Cup is another locally owned business and their location is on Central Ave. If you don't need them for a wedding, birthday, or special event, just drop in any day for one or two of their delicious cupcakes. Toffee Crunch is my favorite but I am dying to try their new Grasshopper (my favorite dessert drink!). Their website is HERE, check their monthly flavors for the flavors of the day!
Grand Lubell
Grand Lubell is a photographer but he also owns a photo booth. It was one of the only photo booths that I found that the camera could adjust so that anyone in a wheelchair didn't look like a floating head. Plus all the pictures were uploaded to a website where our guests could access the pictures themselves. His website is HERE
Chiavari Chairs Toledo
I also got very caught up in making my wedding into a Pinterest event. So obviously I HAD to have chiavari chairs. I highly doubt any of my guests noticed the chairs they sat in but I thought it made the room look very elegant. This is yet another locally owned company so you can't go wrong with giving them your money. I can also say Jared didn't notice them until we were looking at pictures together and he said I thought we had chair covers.... yep ladies the boys only care about the food and booze that day or maybe he was too busy being in love with me that day...haha. Their website is HERE
The Paper Peacock
I decided that I wanted some fancy custom wedding invitations (which isn't necessary, I got caught up in the wedding show excitement). This is a fairly new business and I think I experienced a lot of the new business hiccups. Our end product was gorgeous and she was extremely accommodating with correcting my issues or compensating me. I would say if you don't have much experience on what a wedding invitation should say or the little details that need to be included on the invitation, this company may not be the one for you. Hopefully she learns as time passes and becomes the company she has potential for. Her website is HERE, I suggest taking a look at her designs. Her work is incredible.
Atlas Bridal
Well I literally have zero bad things to say about this bridal shop. Every encounter I have had with them has been amazing. Not many know but many moons ago Atlas Bridal actually donated my prom dress to me. Because of this generosity, in a time where I really needed it, I swore I would buy my wedding dress from them. And boy am I glad I did. Every visit was pleasant. They were incredibly understanding when I completely forgot one of my fittings (the month before the wedding I was a total space cadet). I highly recommend anyone looking for a wedding dress, prom dress, bridesmaids dresses, or even mother of the bride dress go to Atlas, you won't regret it. Their website is HERE. Atlas is also locally owned which is a perk as well.
David Swesey Florist
Another locally owned company. I decided to go with David Swesey because my mom had a connection with them but I am very glad I did. While I don't think there is such thing as reasonably priced flowers, I was pleased withe price and that I got my favorite TULIPS! FYI if you have a favorite flower you must have on your wedding day check when it is in season and pick a date then. It will save you hundreds of dollars. I didn't do this and my checking account took quite the hit. Every time that I had the pleasure of meeting with Rozanne she made me feel very special. If you are looking for a florist who actually cares a whole lot about how your wedding turns out, go here. Website info HERE
Limousine Toledo
Not to be confused with Limo Toledo, they are based out of Detroit I believe but don't charge extra for Toledo locations. They were the cheapest party bus I could find. And I did a lot of research since a 30 passenger bus' price is freaking outrageous! The bus was incredibly clean and the driver was very good, we were also provided with two bottles of Champagne! I highly suggest this company to anyone looking for a limo or party bus. Their website is HEREVanAusdale Image Center
I am very lucky to have a multi talented mother-in-law. One of her many talents is having a tuxedo rental out of her shop. We were able to get classic tuxes for a very reasonable price, obviously we got a family discount but I promise her regular price is far cheaper than most of the big guys. She is located in Napoleon, take a minute to check out her website and her many services she offers HERE.
