Vendor Reviews West Coast Florida Vendors ~ Online/National Vendors West Coast Florida Vendor Reviews ***Note about my "grading scale": If a vendor was excellent and was just what we hoped for, they were given an "A." Those who went especially above and beyond for us (often in terms of being especially accomodating to us since we were out of town), earned an "A+". I just wanted to clarify that in no way does an "A" versus and "A+" indicate that we were disappointed or dissatisfied with the "A" vendor! Also, for more great vendor options in the West Coast Florida area, check out the West Coast Florida Knotties Bio! Ceremony: Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Buz Van Horne 727-822-3307 A+: The church was stunning and Pastor Buz was wonderful. He requires several meetings with him before the ceremony (sort of a pre-marital counseling thing), which we enjoyed, and he was very accommodating to our schedules whenever we were in town (because we live in DC). The church was so pretty on its own, we needed minimal decorations and it had just the feel we wanted. The organist was also very helpful and played nicely, and the office staff is very friendly. All around the perfect choice for us! Reception: The Mahaffey Theater Contact: Jill Warner or Toney Fullard 727-892-5798 A-: We had some issues with Mahaffey through the planning process, but I'm giving them an "A-" because our reception ended up being perfect. Jill handles the initial contract signing, and we had some problems with her losing our paperwork, etc, so it was a bit of a process to get the place booked. Then, you get passed along to the Food and Beverage Manager, Toney. We seemed to get off on the wrong foot with him, and got the impression he is really a "yes" man but weren't sure he would come through on a lot of what he said he could (he did, though, in the end). We also had some confusion with them over our beverage contract (they make you use their bar and bartenders) - he made a special package for us including beer, wine and rum punch, but did not tell us that the price was contingent on our estimated guest count. When we ended up with 25 fewer guests than expected, he would not drop them from our estimate. We ended up working out a compromise and all was fine. Despite the minor stress they caused during the planning process though, the reception really did end up being flawless and the setting just can't be beat. The view is spectacular, and we liked that there was a separate area (the Upper Atrium) that could be used for the cocktail hour. Overall, if we had to do it all over again, we'd go with Mahaffey in a heartbeat. (Good shot of the view from the ballroom!) Photographer: Jason Angelini Photography 813-240-6611 or [email protected] A: Loved him! Jason and his assistant arrived at my house right on time and started snapping away. He was so pleasant to be around, and I didn't even notice him through the wedding and reception. And of course, I am in love with my pictures! I'm even more in awe of him because his wife was pregnant and due the day after my wedding, but he still put out such an excellent product with that distraction in his mind! My only wish is that I had been more specific about certain pictures I wanted (certain family shots or detail shots), but that's my fault rather than Jason's. All in all, I say book him now! You won't be disappointed! How cute is this of Jason and my grandmother? Caterer and Bakery: Catering by Olympia 813-251-8225 A+: We worked with Valarie, and she was excellent. She was extremely helpful and prompt when responding to my emails or calls. The food and both cakes were excellent as well, both in looks AND taste! They also handled little details that we loved: square plates, roses in each napkin, etc. I think they were an excellent choice and highly recommend them! Ask for Valarie! DJ: Sword Sounds (Rob Sword) 727-447-3397 or [email protected] A-: Rob was our DJ, and he was great. He was very attentive to us, for example he came outside while we were doing bridal party pictures to see if we wanted anything to drink, etc. He also was able to get our shy crowd dancing, including my 85-year-old grandfather! Everyone seemed to have a great time on the dance floor (especially my mom)! During the planning process, his wife was very prompt in responding to emails or questions I had as well. My only complaint is that he went around the room asking people for requests, but a lot of people told me after the fact that even though he asked for requests, he never played them. Other than that though, he was great! Day-of Coordinator: MMD Events 813-789-1334 or [email protected] A: MMD Events consists of Amanda Allen and her husband Matt. Both are very nice and were very helpful through the planning process, even though they were mainly just our DOC (though they did help with Mahaffey throughout as well). My only minor complaint is that the ceremony seemed to be a bit disorganized - it started about 15 minutes late because there was some boutonniere confusion that I think could have been avoided, and then the parents/grandparents processional seemed a bit disorganized as well. However, the reception was absolutely amazing. Everything was set up just as I had asked - in fact, even better! There were several extra touches that I hadn't even thought of, such as our pew flowers re-used on the backs of the bridal party chairs at the reception. Both Amanda and Matt were a real pleasure to work with! Amanda and my dad Hair and Makeup: Darla Stafford 813-929-9263 or [email protected] A+: All I can say is that all the wonderful things you hear about this woman are absolutely true. Darla did my hair and makeup, and all my bridesmaids' hair. Her assistant Julie did makeup for all but one of the bridesmaids and my mom. Everyone looked stunning, and both Darla and Julie were a true pleasure to have around all day. Plus, I absolutely loved that they could come to my dad's house rather than us going to the salon - it made the day feel more relaxed and personal. Also, Darla stayed until the end of the ceremony for touch-ups and even gave me a lip gloss to use for touch-ups throughout the night. After the wedding, she also sent me some pics of me waiting for the ceremony to begin, which I loved. Book her immediately!!!! Bridesmaid Molly's hair My hair Closer view of my makeup Limousine: Sunshine Limousine 1-866-667-6840 or [email protected] A+: Amazing! They were the cheapest company we found, and they were fabulous. We were able to change our itinerary with them the day of the wedding with no problem. Our limo driver was Rob, and he was the best! He was very attentive, and really went above and beyond. For example, I was sitting in the limo with the bridesmaids waiting for our cue to go inside the church for the start of the ceremony, when I realized that I still had our wedding rings and needed to get them to the best man. He took them in and tracked down the best man for me! He also waited with us before going down the aisle and kept offering me water, and he was ready to fluff my train as I walked down the aisle if Amanda hadn't been there to do it. I would definitely use them again! Driver Rob escorting me into the reception in the rain Alterations: Alterations and Creations 813-932-1755 A: Emmalina was great. She showed me a couple of different options for my bustle so I could pick which I liked (I ended up with a 9-point french bustle). She also did the alterations for my sister's dress, which ended up perfect. She did some minor beading repairs to my dress as well, which made it look like new again (it was a store sample when I bought it). Very good! Corsages and Boutonnieres: Petal Heaven Florist 727-522-0291 A: I used this florist because they are the same florist I used to get Eric's boutonnieres from for homecoming/prom when we were in high school! It's a mother and daughter shop, and they did a very nice job. I was pleased! Ceremony soloist: Heather Baird [email protected] A+: Okay, I'll go ahead and disclose my bias here, my soloist was my sister so naturally I think she's amazing. But really, she sang beautifully. She studied vocal performance at USF and currently works as a singer at Busch Gardens, and performs for weddings and other functions occasionally on the side. If you're looking for a soloist in the Tampa/St. Pete area, drop her an email! Sibling bias aside, she has a beautiful voice. Hotel Blocks: The Pier Hotel and The Heritage Hotel Both hotels were chosen for both the rates they were able to give me and the fact that they do not require you to guarantee a certain percentage of your room block to be booked. The Pier Hotel: A+ Great. Very friendly, very accommodating, great rates. The hotel has a 1920s feel and is very quaint. Most of our guests stayed here and loved it. Their favorite part was the free happy hour every afternoon! The staff was always great and our guests really seemed to enjoy their stay there. The only negative: no elevator for their three floors. Not a big deal for some, but something to keep in mind if you have elderly or disabled guests. The Heritage Hotel: A No complaints at all, but fewer guests stayed here so I didn't get as much feedback on this one. We had no trouble blocking the rooms and the rate was comparable to the Pier Hotel. The staff was always friendly when we stopped in or called. Wedding Night Hotel: The Vinoy C: Maybe our expectations were too high, but we were thoroughly unimpressed. We splurged to stay here, and got a room with a private hot tub. The hot tub ended up being the most disappointing part! It was not hot at all, even though it was turned on over 6 hours before we got there. So, we ended up calling their maintenance guy to come take a look at it at 1:00 a.m. on our wedding night. He then refused to turn it up for us (there are no external temperature controls, they have to do it for you), so we had a lukewarm tub of water instead of the romantic hot tub we expected. Everything else was fine, we just didn't feel it was worth the price. We felt we could've stayed elsewhere for $200+ less and been satisfied. We just felt it was the one bad call we made with how we spent our money on this wedding. Rehearsal Dinner: Cha Cha Coconuts, at the St. Petersburg Pier Contact Charlie at 727-822-6655 A+: Cha Cha Coconuts was a great location for our casual family rehearsal dinner! We had about 50 guests, and they were able to accommodate us in their outdoor area. They were also very willing to work with us in developing a menu that fit our budget. We were able to enjoy a gorgeous view of the Bay, live music, and delicious Florida food, which was a great treat for our northern guests and just what we were looking for! I highly recommend them! Back To Top Online and National Vendor Reviews Dress: Maggie Sottero's Capri from Ebay seller Bridal's Best Both dress and seller: A+: Bridal's Best is a bridal salon that sells their store samples online. I just happened to find my dress, right colors and size, at their ebay store. When the bidding ended, I was the highest bidder but the reserve had not been met. They emailed me within an hour or two to offer it to me at my bidding price anyway! They were extremely courteous and helpful, they kept me informed about when my dress would ship, and were all-around a great seller. The dress itself was gorgeous as well. I know not everyone cares for pick-ups, but I felt beautiful in it and my husband loved it! Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff #315 from RK Bridal RK Bridal: B- They beat competitors' prices, but the process was a bit of a hassle. I found it inconvenient that they don’t have email ordering, everything has to be faxed. I had to call them multiple times to sort out shipping confusion and pricing errors (on their part). After the shipping instructions were (I thought) understood and the order was complete, they send a confirmation email that does not list the total cost, so I also had to call to figure that out. Turns out they hadn’t honored the 10% off coupon I had sent, so I had to call them to get that done. They did that but then forgot to beat the price by 5%, so I had to call AGAIN. Salesperson (Natalia) was friendly enough, but it was still all a bit of a mess. The dresses shipped a month early, BUT…I received a shipping confirmation email saying that only one dress had shipped, to bridesmaid Molly, at my address. I was concerned because of all the hassle/cost I had gone through to have them ship each dress to each girl. I called the store, spoke to the shipping department, and was told that each dress shipped to the correct address and that “UPS just gets lazy” and that’s why my email was confusing. The man I spoke to even specifically read back the address he claimed he had shipped Molly’s dress to, which was her correct address. Well, the next day, Molly’s dress showed up at my house in Virginia, NOT her house in Illinois. I was not pleased that their shipping department had lied to me. Dress: A As for the dress itself, it was well made and beautiful. The dresses were very flattering on all of the girls. The Bill Levkoff sizing was a bit strange, as the dresses were big on almost all the girls in the chest. Other than that, we were very pleased! Men's Attire: Men's Wearhouse Men's Wearhouse overall: A; Clearwater, FL store in particular: B We placed the order for our tuxes at the Men's Wearhouse near us in DC, and let all the guys go to the store nearest them to get fitted. There were no problems with that, and the store that we went to in DC had decent service. However, when all the tuxes arrived in Florida and the guys went to pick them up, there were numerous sizing issues that needed to be corrected. All was fixed in time for the wedding with minimal hassle, so that is why the chain overall gets an "A". The Clearwater store gets a "B" because of rude sales people (for example, one argued with my husband over one of the groomsmen's jackets being WAY too small, telling him not to be ridiculous because "it doesn't matter if the jacket won't button, nobody buttons their jacket anyway"...but it was so small he couldn't even get his arms all the way in it!). But, the guys ended up looking fabulous so really we can't complain too much. TIP: If you use Men's Wearhouse, be sure to print out the coupons they have on their website before you go! We got $20 off everyone's tuxes using one of their coupons. Bouquet/Pew Flowers: FreshRoses.com A+: I'd have to say that doing our own bouquets and pew flowers was one of the better decisions we made for our wedding. We got more than enough flowers for bouquets and the pews (which included 100 Black Magic and 100 Sweet Akito roses, stephanotis, and 6 gardenias), plus all the supplies for prep and assembly, for $200 including shipping. The flowers arrived on Thursday and were open and gorgeous by Saturday. I just wanted simple hand-tied bouquets, so putting them together was no problem at all. I also liked FreshRoses.com because they offered gardenias in August, which I used for my prayer book bouquet and the sweetheart table arrangement. The gardenias were stunning - large and so very fragrant. I would highly recommend FreshRoses and DIY bouquets to anyone who wants something pretty simple and doesn't mind a little effort to save a lot of money! **(See below in the "Wedding Week" section for pictures of the flowers when they arrived and the assembly process)** Rose Petals: PetalGarden.com A: We ordered freeze-dried rose petals in burgandy and blush for our centerpieces. They arrived in plenty of time and looked great. They were a little stiff, but a little humidity softens them up a bit (put them in the bathroom when you shower, or if you live in Florida, just put them near a window for a summer wedding!). They looked very elegant in our centerpieces, and we had enough to accent our guestbook and cake tables as well. My recommendation: when ordering rose petals, always order more than you think you'll need - there's ALWAYS a place to put them! Invitations: Design By Sofia A: Loved, loved, LOVED our invitations! Sofia was great to work with through the design process, and we ended up with exactly what we had wanted. Her prices are amazingly reasonable (not much more than DIY, after I did the math) and the quality is superb. Our guests loved them too! Sofia was also kind enough to send us the graphic she used on our invites so that I could use it on our thank-you notes, table numbers, and programs (I'm a big stickler for continuity). I highly recommend Sofia! Earrings:White Aisle A: Excellent. My earrings were gorgeous, and just what I was looking for. They have some really pretty stuff! Hair Brooch: QVC.com A: Gorgeous! I loved this brooch. I searched high and low and this was one was definitely what I was looking for. QVC shipped it quickly, and I was very pleased. For those who might be wondering, it's the Jacqueline Kennedy Art Noveau brooch. UPDATE: I've had lots of questions about if I'm selling my brooch, or where you can find it. No, I am not selling it, and from what I hear, QVC no longer sells it. If you google "Jacqueline Kennedy Art Nouveau Brooch," you should be able to find a few other retailers who sell it. Or, your best bet is to try ebay - I've heard from several people that they've been able to find it easily on ebay, and for a good price. My Engagement and Wedding Ring: Tiffany & Co. A: Great, as can be expected! The customer service was superb when my husband bought my engagement ring (or so I hear!), and my wedding band was perfect. Only negative - expensive engraving! That's why we went to Helzberg's for that (see below). Husband's Wedding Ring, my Blue Topaz Ring, and Engraving:Helzberg Diamonds A: We had a great experience at the Helzberg's in Pentagon City Mall in Virginia. Our salesperson was very helpful, and we were very pleased with my husband's ring and my blue topaz ring. Plus, their engraving was very affordable ($16/each for as many characters as will fit), so we used them for the engraving in both our wedding bands. Keepsake Garter:The Garter Maker A: This site always gets good reviews on the Knot, and this one is no different! My garter turned out very nicely and the turn-around time was very reasonable. Toss Garter:Ebay Store "Custom Garters" A: I thought the Gators garter was very cute, and I liked that I could just buy one instead of having to buy the toss/keepsake set of two. Shipping was fast and the garter was great - my husband was sad to see it go! Shoes: Nina Ettora from Solestruck.com A+: My shoes get an A+ because I absolutely loved them. I saw them in Knottie ihearttim's bio (link below in "favorite bios" section), and solestruck.com just happened to have my size left in pink. They shipped in one day and were just great. I even wore them through most of the night! I didn't even need to take them off until the spontaneous Cotton-Eyed Joe line dance, late into the evening. I'd say that's pretty good for heels! Groomsmen's Gifts: Customized bobbleheads from Whoopassenterprises.com A+: Awesome product! I think there were some issues with their website when my husband placed the order, but he was able to get it all straightened out and it was well worth it. The groomsmen absolutely LOVED their bobbleheads - they were a total hit! I highly recommend this as a fun and original gift idea. Pics of the bobbleheads and a pic of each groomsman for comparison! Photobook Gifts: My Publisher B: This is a tough one, because I ordered a lot of books and most came out just fine. I ordered books for all of the bridesmaids, my parents, and a photo guestbook. The bridesmaids' books all came out perfectly. The guestbook was missing the last page, but it wasn't a big issue so that was fine. However, my dad's book was also missing the last page, which was a heart-felt note to him so kind of important. My mom's book was missing ALL BUT THREE PAGES! I contacted MyPublisher immediately, and they sent me a code to re-order my parents' books for free with free overnight shipping (this was the week of the wedding, so I didn't have time to spare). The really annoying part was that I had to re-upload everything, which took forever. So, I re-ordered them, and this time my mom's came out fine but my dad's was missing about half the pages! I did not have time to re-order his book for a third time, so they just gave me a refund. Their customer service was very responsive, which was nice, but it just amazed me that they don't have anyone who checks to make sure the books are satisfactory before they are shipped out. I see no reason why it should take a minimum of three tries to get one book right. I ended up just hand-writing the note to my dad in the last page of the first book and giving it to him as-is. MyPublisher claims the problem was because I used their plug-in for iPhoto on my Mac, but I'm not sure if that's true or not. It seems that if it's their program, it should work. Regardless of the issues, the books that did end up as ordered were great quality and a huge hit. So, I suppose I would cautiously recommend MyPublisher...just order early in case of mishaps like mine. My dad's book Our guestbook Wedding Album: Designed by me and printed by Blurb A+: I could not be happier with how my wedding album turned out! I designed all of the pages myself in PowerPoint, then saved each page as a jpg file and used Blurb's Bookmaker software to put it all together. The software is a bit sluggish, but mostly user-friendly. It uploaded to their website quickly, and I felt the price was fantastic. I got a 135 page book for $40 + shipping. (Shipping is a little expensive, but I googled and found a shipping discount coupon to use.) The book seems well put-together and the print quality is excellent. I absolutely love my book! Another plus to Blurb was that I could make my book "public" on their website, allowing my family to order their own copies of my album directly from Blurb themselves. Very convenient! I've been too lazy to take pictures of the actual book, but below are the image files of a few of the pages I designed. To view the entire book, click HERE If you're designing your own album and would like any help, feel free to email me! Other online vendors: (All good unless otherwise noted!) J Crew Shower and Rehearsal Dinner Dresses RomanticFlowers.com Bouquet ribbons and glassine bags for favors Ebay store "Doubles Distributing" Gummi lobsters for favors (yum!) Ebay store "George's Surplus Hardware" Table number/sign holders Paper Source All paper products for table numbers, programs, placecards, and other signs (actually bought in-store, not online) Ebay store "Angel's Bridal" Three-hoop skirt crinoline PagePanties.com C-: Good product, crappy service! I ordered custom panties from here (sorry if this is TMI) because they had satin bikinis like I wanted. I had read a good review of them on here. I ordered them a month before the wedding, and the website said they should ship within two weeks. Three weeks later, still no product. I emailed repeatedly and got no response, and tried to call their toll-free number but got some elderly woman who hung up on me when I tried to figure out what was going on. So, I just ordered some from elsewhere. The panties did finally show up while we were on our honeymoon. They're nice, just a few weeks too late! Purple Daisy Design Co. Personalized panties - they were very helpful and made sure I got them in time, after Page Panties fell through! Scottish Lion.com Family tartan fabric swatch to pin inside my dress Executive Gift Shoppe.com Alligator cufflinks for my husband's gift Gator Haven.com Florida Gator bride and groom cake topper (I ordered online, but for West Coast FL brides they have a store on 66th St. in St. Petersburg) All Bibles.com Keepsake Bride's Bible for my bouquet Vistaprint.com STD magnets, thank you cards and Shutterfly cards Zazzle.com Personalized stamps for invites and thank-you's (I know people think this is a waste of money, but they did not go unnoticed - people thought they were great!) Customized Girl.com "Mrs." halter top for getting ready, and "Just Married" T-shirt for honeymoon Announcing It.com Rehearsal dinner invitations - we used the Palms & Hearts invitation and printed them ourselves. They turned out great! Back To Top