First Things First...

With Emily from Cheekadee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                             Showing off my "I Do" panties...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is WORK!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With my mom...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girly Time...

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champagne toast before we go!

Boys Will Be Boys...

 He doesn't look too miserable yet... :)

Maybe that's because he's taking a bottle of Johnny Walker almost right into church WITH him!

                             This Is It!

The Ceremony - Fox Chase UMC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presenting...Mr. & Mrs. wldflwr!

 The V.I.P.s

With my brother and new sister-in-law

Maid of Honor & Best Man

   

                                                                           

 In the Knowlton Mansion wine cellar

 

The Reception - Knowlton Mansion

Inside the bridal suite...

That's a bumpin' dance floor - thank you Heartbeats!

 

Special Moments...

 

 Details & DIY Projects...

                                                          Programs, fans, door letters, and chair tags - DIY

                                                                                                                                                Poloaroid guest book - DIY

Table Numbers and Favor Boxes - DIY

                                         

                    Menu - DIY

                                     Escort cards - DIY                                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          

 

My friend Kristi, aka "Program Coordinator," hard at work assembling the programs.  None of my DIY projects could have happened w/o my ATG tape gun - highly recommended!

Bridesmaid Gifts

 

                  

 

                                                                   

         

 

 My parents, who I totally got my craftiness from, found these cheese boxes for $2 and have been painting them for holidays.  I had them whip up some for my bridesmaids with hydrangeas and each girl's name.  Each girl got some of the same items: a candle, shower gel/body lotion from VS, terry lounge covers I got on ebay for $5 that I had monogrammed with their initial, mints in a cute container with a mirror, Bigelow lip balm from B&BW (love it!), lounge capris, and a tank top that I made with iron pictures of me and each of the girls on the front, and "bridesmaid" on the back to wear while getting ready.  Yes, I know they wouldn't want to wear the tanks again, but the lounge pants were just cute ones from VS I got on sale during a semi-annual sale (great time to stock up!).  Then each girl got one personalized gift - one who loves truffles got a small box from Godiva, FI's sister loves "Life is Good' stuff, so she got a LIG hat, etc....

Welcome Bags

 

Along with a welcome/information letter, we included Herr's products, TastyKake products, Peanut Chews, PA Dutch Birch Beer, Hershey's Kisses and Candies, and gum.  I included the following note:

"We hope these snacks from the Philadelphia/Pennsylvania area keep you going this weekend:

Herr's Potato Chips and Snacks: originated in Lancaster, PA - still produced in Pennsylvania

TastyKake: baked in Philadelphia since 1914

Original Peanut Chews: produced solely in Philadelphia, PA since 1917

Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer: based on a century-old PA Dutch recipe, this is one of the country's oldest soft drinks

Hershey Kisses: a must for any romantic occasion, Hershey Kisses have been produced in Lancaster, PA since 1907

There - now you officially know why Philly is routinely rated as one of the nation's "fattest" cities - is ANYTHING healthy made here?"

  

Vendor Reviews...

 Quick note: I had a tremendous wedding day that overall I considered to go flawlessly.  The day of, I was happy with everything and really, there was nothing that drove me to the point of complaining.  So, when I mention some negatives below, it's not to say that I consider my experiences with any vendor particularly negative.  The information provided below mentioning some less-than-perfect aspects are just so that anyone looking at this for recommendations gets the full story.  But trust me, I really wouldn't complain about anything and hope it doesn't too much come across that way.  :)

Invitations: Kathryn's Kreationz (Kate Dean)

http://www.kathrynskreationz.com/

 I give Kate an A.

I was referred to Kate Dean through the Knot.  I was looking for someone to create unique and colorful invitations to match the ideas I had in my head.  I also wanted pocketfolds.  Being that pocketfolds can be expensive, and so can personal design, I didn't think I would be able to "swing" everything that I wanted.  With Kate I could.  She worked with me to capture all my ideas in terms of layout, look, and color scheme.  She always presented me with lots of options and truly incoporated my ideas and input.  Because Kate uses flat print instead of thermography (raised print), I was able to afford the look I wanted without sacrificing quality.  I really didn't mind what type of print was used on the invites, and Kate's prices are reasonable because it's not thermography.  Her customer service is phenomenal - incredibly speedy turn around.  She is very accessible and very willing to talk through different ideas.  Kate's a great resource!  If you want something innovative and the opportunity to include personal ideas, definitely talk to Kate.  Super nice and friendly too!  :)  A few minor errors were made but Kate got reprints out to me ASAP.

 

 

Accommodations: Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia Northeast

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3194

 Four Points gets a B-.

All the rooms were recently renovated and have a real "homey" feel, which I liked because we got ready at the hotel and therefore didn't get to take our before pictures at home.  Some of the people who helped me with the room block were especially nice and helpful, especially Toni V.  I stayed in one of their suites, which was very nice and spacious and had everything we needed to get 9 women ready and out the door on time.  However, they messed up our block, telling guests it had closed a week prior to the date in the contract.  It took a while to get this rectified and get our guests the rates they were supposed to get.  Also, the day manager was, IMO, a huge a**hole - I had stayed in the suite with my two best friends the night before and therefore wanted the room changed before me and my new DH returned on the wedding night.  He basically indicated that it was impossible to have someone from housekeeping come in while we were getting ready in the other room of the suite even though I said I didn't mind.  For some reason he refused to budge on this - we just spoke to someone from housekeeping ourselves and they were more than happy to take care of this for me.  Anyway, I digress...in-laws hosted a brunch Sunday morning - all the food was very good at that.  I'd recommend the Four Points - you just may have to stay on top of things to make sure your guests get the guaranteed rates - I don't know if this was a fluke or not...

Hairstyling: Bella Angel

http://www.bella-angel.com/

                            

 Images from my hair trial.

Bella Angel (in this particular case - Michelle) gets a B-. 

Michelle was punctual and Bella Angel was good with customer service throughout the pre-wedding process, but on the actual wedding day, I was not impressed.  I thought she was borderline rude in the way she spoke to my friends and family - when she needed them to sit still or move a certain way, she was NOT nice about it.  She also was not open to their ideas and suggestions, flat out suggesting things would not work and not particularly willing to try what they wanted (and I don't think their requests were unreasonable).  Personally, I think my hair looked way better at my trial and the style was not even replicated even though she had all the pictures with her.  It wasn't like I hated my hair or anything, but to me, it just looked pretty different.  And I know they can't really reduce prices on the spot or anything, but all she essentially did to my mom's hair was to tease it a bit, it took less than ten minutes while she devoted over 40 minutes to some of the other girls, and the price was the same, which was not all that cheap.  Overall, I don't really think I'd recommend Bella Angel.

Make-up: Cheekadee Make-Up Artists (Emily A.)

http://www.cheekadee.com/

Emily gets an A++. 

Not only did everyone love their make-up and not only did both mothers and everyone else look beautiful, but the best thing about Emily is that she is just someone you really truly want to be around on your wedding day.  It's like having another friend there.  Everyone loved Emily's personality and talking with her, and this was not the case with all vendors.  Emily is special and she's highly recommended.

 

 Photographer: Jessica Heisen of Casual Candids

http://www.casualcandids.com/index.cfm

 Service: A++

Product: A

I was very happy with CC overall.  They are a great mom & daughter team, and at no point did I feel like they were annoying when taking pictures (and I HATE taking pictures!) - just funny and in good spirits.  They always asked me if I thought we had enough of a certain shot/location or wanted to keep going and went with whatever we wanted at the time.  I had a TON of pictures to choose from and they sent them to me literally 5 days after the wedding.  They took so many "details" shot which was something I really wanted so I could look back and see all the little touches I may not have been able to the day of.  Their prints are pretty pricy, but you get a CD of all images that do not have their watermark, so you can make prints for just a few cents anyway.  They went over the plan of the day with me several times to make sure they knew exactly where to be and what I wanted and their customer service is great.  I think I would have been happy to have a few more standard portrait type shots, but I know they would have done it if I asked for it - however, they work from the photojournalistic standpoint and so it's nothing I fault them for.  Casual Candids is highly recommended.  Both Jessica and Joyce are very sweet and a pleasure to have present on your wedding day. 

Videographer: Dolbow Video Productions (dvp)

http://www.dolbowvideo.com/

 Service: A

Product: TBD

I went with dvp based on their reasonable prices and the fact that they offered a payment plan.  Being that the video was something that was basically on top of our budget, this was really important to me.  dvp was very attentive to the pre-planning and always reminded me when something was needed and responded quickly to any of my questions.  On the day of, I can say I really didn't notice them and never once felt they interfered or were pestering any guests.  They were friendly and professional and always made me feel comfortable when the cameras were around.  I am excited to see what they came up with and will report back!

Day-of Snacks/Lunch: Wedibles (Knottie: what wedding)

http://tempfishie.googlepages.com/home

 WW gets an A++.

I don't know how the girl does it - we got waaay more that what I paid for.  In an industry where everything is jacked up three times what it actually costs, it's unbelievable that she offers such a fabulous spread for the prices she does.  You can tell our friend legitimately does this because she enjoys it, and it's so nice to experience this on your wedding day.  Everything I tasted, from sandwiches to sweets, was delicious, and of course the spread was adorable.  We had a wonderful lunch of soft pretzels (shaped into hearts and our initials), veggies/dip, two types of sandwiches/wraps, two types of scones and spreads, assorted homemade pastries and mini cinnamon buns, amaretto tortes, fruit salad, Oreo truffles, fresh strawberries with melted chocolate dip, and a "to-go" box packed for us with mints, gum, candies, wet ones, and snacks for along the way.  Everything was made FRESH and still tasted fresh when I was snacking on pastries the morning after.  Props to WW for offering such impeccable service at an affordable rate!  Everyone was amazed and impressed at her spread and thought it was such a great idea.  Wedibles is highly recommended.  And yeah, she did manage to incorporate fresh hydrangea!

Day-of Coordinator: Jeannine McKnight

http://jeanlouisedesign.com/Home.html

 Jeannine gets an A.

At all of our meetings prior to the wedding, it was obvious we were very much on the same page - uber-organized!  It's obvious that Jeannine is personally dedicated to your event and would take personal responsibility if their was any problem she could not fix.  By the time she showed up to help coordinate the rehearsal, I felt like I had another friend there beside me.  Jeannine took care of everything I asked her to and handled so many little details.  There are definitely a lot of special aspects of the day, many which people commented on particularly, that I don't think I could have pulled off it Jeannine was not on my side.  Additionally, I heard from several other vendors that Jeannine definitely has a different "vibe" than most coordinators and she conveyed to them that she was there to assist, rather than control or micromanage, and that they really appreciated this.  Jeannine worked HARD in 90 degrees plus...and she was 8-months pregnant at the time!  Any time I tried to tell her before the wedding to take it easy, she felt the need to assure me she would be working even harder than usual to make sure I received the same service as anyone else despite her current state.  Jeannine was a true asset on 7/12.  The only reason she did not get my highest rating was there were times during the day where she definitely came off as a little over the top intense to some of my friends and family.  I know this was only because Jeannine was so committed to doing her job well, but she did get a bit harsh when looking for certain things or giving recommendations about how to handle something that rubbed some people slightly the wrong way.  But like I said, I know that's just because she wanted to much to insure that everything was exactly as I envisioned.  Jeannine is highly recommended as a DOC.

Dress: Jasmine Couture - La Bella Moda (Conshohocken, PA)

http://www.jasminebridal.com/html/en/web1_couture_3_a.asp?id=1253

 Second fitting!

La Bella Moda gets a C.

Overall, I do not think I would recommend La Bella Moda.  The place is always too busy/crammed for the amount of staff on hand and their business style is way outdate - i.e., no computer system to keep track of orders.  For this reason, I was actually amazed that all my girls' dresses and my dress actually arrived and arrived correctly, esp. since every time I left there I felt like they had no idea what was going on.  Anna, the salesperson I worked with, and Gloria, the seamstress, were great, but overall, the staff can be rude at times and do not really place to much of an emphasis on customer service. 

Veil: my "something borrowed" from my bridesmaid, Laura

 Accessories: Nadri (available at Nordstrom)

 

Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy Group - La Bella Moda

http://www.dessy.com/dresses/bridesmaid/2057/  (Color: Mint)

Guest Shuttle: Hagey Transportation (school bus :)

http://www.hagey.com/school/reservation.html

 Hagey Transportation/TSI gets an A.

The school bus arrived on time and was clean.  I thought they gave us a reasonable price.  No problems with people getting from place to place throughout the night.  The driver was also a sport about not getting annoyed when it took awhile to load everyone up at the end of the reception.  If you're going with the school bus route, I'd definitely recommend Hagey.   

Bridal Party Transportation: Crown Limo

Crown Limo gets a B-.

They arrived on time, the limos were clean, and they basically got us where we needed to go.  I really shopped around to try to find reasonable limo prices, because it was just not something I cared that much about, and they were among the most reasonably priced.  So, all in all, I didn't really expect anything spectucular.  The driver of the guys' limo spoke limited English and had trouble understanding when they tried to convey something to him.  At first, he took them to an entirely wrong location even though I sent detailed timeline/directions.  I woulnd't give them a glowing endorsement, but they were reliable and like I said, got us where we needed to be.  If you need a reasonably priced company, I would recommend them, but with some reservations. 

Florist: Honeybunches Floral Design (Honey Gorny)

http://www.honeybunchesfloral.com/

 As much as I'd love to give Honeybunches a higher grade, I'm going to have to give her a B overall.

To note the positive, all our bouquets were incredible - I ADORED mine and the girls' bouquets looked great.  Honey is super fun to work with, very creative, and truly loves what she does and is always willing to offer input and feedback.  However, even though we spoke about it extensively and I gave her pictures from the get-go, the colors of my main centerpiece flowers were not what I had in mind and I had coordinated a lot around this.  Mind you, they were still beautiful but I was just a tad disappointed when I saw them.  I also expected more flowers in the centerpieces and moms bouquets etc. for what we paid in floral costs.  I know that hydrangeas are an expensive flower and Honey definitely stayed within my budget (and later my revised budget :) so I don't really think this was anyone's fault - I just really wouldn't have spent so much on flowers for what we got - I think I would have just gone in another direction for centerpieces or something.  I believe Honey is truly a creative spirit, and one result of this is that she's a bit "scattered" at times - I felt I had to refresh her several times on things that we had talked about and even had down in emails, and it was a bit frustrating.  I guess that's why when things didnt really look as I had expected I felt some of that could have been avoided.  However, most people have nothing but raves about Honey and like I said, I truly wish I could give her a full on A. 

Ceremony Music: Bella Musica String Quartet

http://www.bellaquartet.com/

 Bella Musica gets a B.

Overall, their sound is good - I am basing that on hearing them perform at a friend's wedding a month ago, because I obviously took in very little of their performance on 7/12.  :)  Their prices seem to be reasonable for the service, as they came in about $100 less expensive than most other quartets I looked into.  The reason I didn't give them an A was because a member called me the day before the wedding, and had some songs incorrect even though we had met in person to go other the list and she left with the list in writing.  She said they "might" know the song I was asking for, even though she had indicated at our meeting that that song was in their repetoire.  I do remember hearing them play it (for the processional) but it sounded pretty shaky.  So just some last minute things didn't seem quite altogether...overall, I would recommend them, but with some reservations.

Reception Site: Knowlton Mansion - Conroy Catering

http://www.conroycatering.com/docs/knowlton.html

Overall Pricing/Flexibility in Costs: B

Pre-planning and communication: A  (Bridget C and Lauren A were my girls!)

Day of Service/Attention to Detail/Attention to Guests: A++

Food: A++

I am so happy we ended up at Knowlton.  The place looked gorgeous and everyone raved about the unique touches, such as the wine cellar.  With the high ceilings and all the windoes in the conservatory, it was a great "indoor" option for a summer wedding - still felt like we were outside.  Food, from the first appetizer I tasted to cake, was absolutely delish!  I believe everyone received exceptional service, but the attendants assigned to take particular care of DH and I, Dee and Karen, were so incredibly attentive and never once made it seem like it was their "job" to be waiting on us hand and foot.  When they handed DH his jacket and reminded him to put it on before cake cutting, I told them I officially wanted to take them home with me.  :)  Everyone at Knowlton gave me a great evening.  However, Knowlton can be an expensive place and there are some costs that are just absolutely ridiculous ($300 for a sandwich tray for the band - hello?) but they were at times willing to negotiate with us or try to help us come up with ways we could cut costs or get around things.  Bridget and Lauren were AWESOME about this and so responsive to my emails, many times when even I thought I was asking a lot or for something that was borderline unreasonable.  Overall, Knowlton is highly recommended and I have nothing but wonderful memories. 

Reception Band: The Heartbeats

http://www.theheartbeats.com/about/

 The Heartbeats also get an A++. 

Here are all the wonderful things about the Heartbeats: they included just about every song on our "must play" list; they learned several songs that were not on their play list just for us, some within a week, and did an amazing job with them; Nick did a great job managing the flow of the night, always giving us a heads up when something was about to happen and running things by us to make sure it was exactly as we wanted; our dance floor was packed all night and they included a perfect mix of songs for the younger versus older set and knew exactly when to bring in the drunken party songs at the end of the night; though we were a bit worried about it, the volume was perfect and no one complained about the noise level; and they just sounded AMAZING on every song.  We heard from so many different people that they were the best wedding band they ever heard.  Being that they are so reasonably priced for a band of their size, we were absolutely thrilled the night of to have them their.  I really think, more than any of the other major things we paid for, they made the night and we could have changed a lot of other things and still had the Heartbeats there and had an incredible party.  I don't have a single "but" to report on them - they nailed it.  The Heartbeats are highly recommended.

Reception Lighting: Synergetic Sounds

Synergetic Sounds get an A.

When we were running into budget issues late in the planning stage, we almost had to nix lighting.  I am so glad we didn't - it really added a special touch to the evening.  And, when facing this problem, Jason was really helpful in working with me to change some things around so that we could afford to have them there.  They really took the lead in terms of helping me figure out what we needed, and what we didnt, to accomplish the look and I loved it!  SS is highly recommended.

 Bridal Shower (Cutillo's Restaurant in Pottstown)

 

      

I gave both the moms and my bridesmaids a little shower gel and poof decorated with "girly" rubber duckies that I found on ebay.  Attached a note that said, "Hope all your showers are as nice as the one you just gave me."

Here are the shower thank yous, ready to go.

 

 

 Most of my bridal party (Emily was still in England): MOH Kendra, Jenn, me, flower girl Kaycee, Laura, Mary, & Ellyn 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone went ALL out to decorate this gift with my hydrangea theme - I like this shot because it captured my adorable shower espadrilles from J. Crew.  :)

Bachelorette Party

The girls planned an AWESOME beach weekend for me in LBI, where one of the bridesmaid's family has a house.  Friday night we had a bbq they prepared for me/just hung out at the house,Saturday we had an incredibly perfect beach day topped off by a late afternoon stop at a beach bar, went to dinner on the bay, and then out dancing.  One of the best girl weekends of my life!

              

 Rehearsal Dinner (Blue Ox Bistro in NE Philly)

I made him wear the purple tie - it was somewhat of a battle.

 Honeymoon - Taveuni and Qamea Islands, Fiji

 Please email me if you are considering Fiji and want to chat about it.

We had an amazing, unforgettable trip!

Our front yard at Qamea.

B-Pix

(Group Session - Kamila Harris)

http://www.kamilaharris.com/

 

I was so glad I did these.  Number one, it was great motivation for the gym for a couple months prior to the shoot.  :)  Number two, I know I will appreciate them down the road when the years have passed and my abs just aren't quite what they used to be!  It was a fun experience working with Kamila - her package is definitely recommended in comparison to some others - more reasonable in terms of pricing as well.  I could have done with a little more direction in terms of what faces to make or what was working/not working than Kamila gave, but at the end of the day, I was very happy with my pictures, so I guess she knew she was getting something she could work with.   I'd recommend ANYONE to do a b-pix shoot at some point in their life - it's so crazy to see yourself from a totally different perspective.

Random

He's such a good boy - FI acted like he didn't pay attention to anything wedding-related, but midway through planning, he remembered to have a bloom of hydrangea put in with my Valentine roses.  :)

 This one was an instant classic.  :)

Laugh all you want - I had a master schedule and proud of it!  :)

A Few Words...

Blessing of the Hands: I found this on someone's bio and used it in our ceremony.  I just think it is so special and was one of the most sentimental parts of the ceremony.  A lot of guests asked for a copy of it just for keeping.  Thought I'd share it with all of you as well.

K and J, take hold of each other’s hands so that you can see the gift they are to you.  These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you pledge your commitment to each other and promise to love each other all the days of your life.  These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.  These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your secrets and dreams.  These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.

 

These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.  They will comfort you when you are sick, and console you when you are grieving.  These are the hands that with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other.  These are the hands that will love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.  And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

 

God, bless these hands that you see before you this day.  May they always be held by one another.  Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment.  Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love.  Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection.  May K and J see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter, and guide.  We ask this in your name our Lord.

 Amen.

Planning: Based on my experiences on the Knot and experiences with friends, seems to me brides fall into one of two camps: the "The rest is just details" camp and the "It's ALL in the details" camp.  Most Knotties seem to fall in the latter group, myself certainly included.  :)  I think either attitude toward wedding planning is right, depending on who you are.  Personally, I loved planning and think it had nothing to do with being a bridezilla and expecting the Perfect Day - I simply enjoyed trying to add personal touches wherever I could and doing whatever I could to make the day as fun and special as possible for the friends and family members that I love.  So, for all you other "It's ALL in the details" ladies out there, I hope you enjoy as well and don't get too much slack for it.  I am happy for everything that I did and truly enjoyed a wonderful day that I feel really reflected DH and me.  Have fun, and if you ever want to talk about how to make a DIY project happen or anything else, please feel free to contact me.

Budget: I went over.  In a pretty substantial way.  This is NOT fun.  Do not kid yourself months out that the money will appear or you will be able to save more than you plan to, etc., etc.  You know when you go to the mall and want to buy something you really shouldn't and find a way to justify it in your head?  This technique should NOT be applied to wedding planning when the figures are in the thousands.  Because in the end, you always need more money than you expected for even the basics, and extra money is simply not leftover.  I learned this the hard way and was seriously sweating it out in the final weeks and months before the wedding.  It caused a LOT of stress and arguments with FI that we did not feel like having over what was supposed to be such a great time.  I know this is advice that is given in every single bridal magazine, but I'm just putting it out there one more time.  Everything adds up. 

I thought I'd be saving money on DIY projects, but all that ribbon, glue, and cardstock gets costly too, so before you tackle large projects, just keep that in mind. 

Don't fool yourself into believing at least half the guests will order the cheaper meal - you really need to bank on most people getting whatever is most expensivce and if you get lucky, so be it. 

I totally blame myself - and am not having a pity party here.  I did not always act wisely and like I said, had to deal with a lot of worries when I wanted to ENJOY the weeks before.  There are definitely some things I would have sacrificed and some things I would not have.  The linens I thought I HAD to have to complete the look - certainly could have gone by the wayside.  I would have chosen less expensive centerpieces.  Our guest list got out of hand, and I would have spoken up more to the parents, even though they were giving us money toward the event - sometimes you HAVE to do this.  I would have negotiated WAY more.  I hate to do this, but it really works.  It never hurts to bring the FI in as "bad cop" if this is not your strong suit and you don't want a negative relationship with your vendors.  I was very surprised at some of the things we got when FI stepped in that I thought was ridiculous to even ask for.  But, you need to do this BEFORE signing the contract, not a month prior to the wedding obviously.  So ASK - you really may be surprised.Even though I loved our photogs, I would have shopped around via the Knot more before signing the contract. 

Like I said in my review, the Heartbeats MADE our event, and with them present, we could have taken away a lot of the little touches and still had a great event, so I"m glad the money was spent on having them perform.  And I was very happy with the lighting, even though it was something I almost had to cut.  Knowlton was worth it, but I think we definitely would have altered some of our entree choices - seems like not a big deal at the time, but this really added up to a few thousand dollars based on what people selected. 

Just my experiences - I definitely would have liked to be more responsible with the spending.  It was in my mind a PERFECT day, but it's always hard to say if it justified all the spending or if it would have been any less perfect with a lower price tag.  For what it's worth...