Frustrated with flowers and photos deals from Wedding Center
I have a place that I'd really like to have my wedding reception at but it's a bit pricey. We are on a budget. However, they are in conjunction with a wedding studio that offers ALL services which brings the price down and allows me to have the wedding on a Sat. PM any time of the year which is great because I am looking at next Spring-May or June 2010.
The problem is, I am a creative sort, graphic designer/amateur photographer, and not the type that just walks in and takes what I can get for the best deal. Some brides actually don't know what they want and aren't that picky. I don't mind the limo, DJ, and invitations but I don't need the free tux rentals, I'd like some input on the flowers and I'm concerned about the photography. They seem to offer only roses and whenever I put in my 2 cents asking for seasonal flowers or using my bridesmaids bouquets on the sweetheart table, they shot those ideas down. The seasonal flowers outside of roses, are an upgrade. Everything was an upgrade. I also asked if certain parts of the photo packages could be taken out and put towards the flowers but still an upgrade. I don't need parent's books. My fiancee's parents are deceased and so is my father. I can design one for my mom on my own. After all, I am a graphic designer. I don't want the typical 75 thank you photos. I plan on designing my own thank you cards with our pic on the card. No one wants that stupid wallet sized pic of us except family.
Again regarding flowers, I was told I can only have roses. I don't mind that the centerpieces are low rising and roses. They offer the standard bride bouquet, maid of honor bouquet, parent's corsages, groom and 2 usher boutineers and 10 centerpieces. I will need 4 more bouquets for my bridesmaids and a few more boutineers plus something for the 6 semi-young kids walking down the aisle but I certainly don't need bouquets for them all.
I can go without the church flowers which she added in for extra. I can only have lilies according to her anyhow. Hydrangea will curl up she said and Gerber daisies' heads will droop. I've seen bridemaids bouquets having Gerber daisies. I don't want all roses and thought daisies or posies would be great and low costing for bridesmaids. For my bouquet, I would like a mixture of red, pink and orange if it can be done tastefully but if all roses, it will be monotonous in texture and shape. If SOME orange with a different shape can be put into my bouquet, I'd be happy. Again, an upgrade if not all roses.
Why is it an upgrade to get seasonal flowers? Will Gerbera's head's droop. I figured the kids walking down my aisle can hold one flower with a ribbon on it because I can't afford a bouquet for everyone. She was pricing in smaller bouquets, church flowers which MUST be lilies which I don't like and flowers for the head table. I argued that between my bridal bouquet and 5 bridesmaids, they can put their bouquets at the head of my table. She didn't think that would look good. I don't see how 5 extra bridesmaids' bouquets, 3 boutineers and a few extra flowers for the kids can cost an additional $1,000 to the price of the package. My input wasn't met with approval and as I said, always an upgrade. With what I need, I was hoping to spend no more than $1,300 on flowers. I got a complete package and still they want $1,000 extra. That defeats the purpose of keeping my price down so I can have it at that reception hall.
Additionally, I love photography and all I am seeing are these digital books with too much going on in the background. I want tight shots of details and all I see is lots of posed people. I hope I get Sepia, B/W, photojournalistic shots with this photographer. It will only be him and a separate graphic designer to put the book together. I would rather go with a photographer that will charge us $2,400 for her artistry and the hi rez images with all rights to print on a CD and make my own book or wait later when I can afford it. I
I asked if they could take out the things we don't want and put the cost towards the flowers and they said yes, but I still got a list costing $1,000 more for flowers because everything was an upgrade. Without this stupid wedding center, I can't afford this venue. Am I being too picky like beggars can't be choosy? Why do I have to have all roses? Is it rude to have some creative input. Either I am the wrong bride for that kind of 'deal' or they are hoping to rope me in with a deal and then, upgrade me until it's no longer a deal or just the basics.
What do you think? Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks
The problem is, I am a creative sort, graphic designer/amateur photographer, and not the type that just walks in and takes what I can get for the best deal. Some brides actually don't know what they want and aren't that picky. I don't mind the limo, DJ, and invitations but I don't need the free tux rentals, I'd like some input on the flowers and I'm concerned about the photography. They seem to offer only roses and whenever I put in my 2 cents asking for seasonal flowers or using my bridesmaids bouquets on the sweetheart table, they shot those ideas down. The seasonal flowers outside of roses, are an upgrade. Everything was an upgrade. I also asked if certain parts of the photo packages could be taken out and put towards the flowers but still an upgrade. I don't need parent's books. My fiancee's parents are deceased and so is my father. I can design one for my mom on my own. After all, I am a graphic designer. I don't want the typical 75 thank you photos. I plan on designing my own thank you cards with our pic on the card. No one wants that stupid wallet sized pic of us except family.
Again regarding flowers, I was told I can only have roses. I don't mind that the centerpieces are low rising and roses. They offer the standard bride bouquet, maid of honor bouquet, parent's corsages, groom and 2 usher boutineers and 10 centerpieces. I will need 4 more bouquets for my bridesmaids and a few more boutineers plus something for the 6 semi-young kids walking down the aisle but I certainly don't need bouquets for them all.
I can go without the church flowers which she added in for extra. I can only have lilies according to her anyhow. Hydrangea will curl up she said and Gerber daisies' heads will droop. I've seen bridemaids bouquets having Gerber daisies. I don't want all roses and thought daisies or posies would be great and low costing for bridesmaids. For my bouquet, I would like a mixture of red, pink and orange if it can be done tastefully but if all roses, it will be monotonous in texture and shape. If SOME orange with a different shape can be put into my bouquet, I'd be happy. Again, an upgrade if not all roses.
Why is it an upgrade to get seasonal flowers? Will Gerbera's head's droop. I figured the kids walking down my aisle can hold one flower with a ribbon on it because I can't afford a bouquet for everyone. She was pricing in smaller bouquets, church flowers which MUST be lilies which I don't like and flowers for the head table. I argued that between my bridal bouquet and 5 bridesmaids, they can put their bouquets at the head of my table. She didn't think that would look good. I don't see how 5 extra bridesmaids' bouquets, 3 boutineers and a few extra flowers for the kids can cost an additional $1,000 to the price of the package. My input wasn't met with approval and as I said, always an upgrade. With what I need, I was hoping to spend no more than $1,300 on flowers. I got a complete package and still they want $1,000 extra. That defeats the purpose of keeping my price down so I can have it at that reception hall.
Additionally, I love photography and all I am seeing are these digital books with too much going on in the background. I want tight shots of details and all I see is lots of posed people. I hope I get Sepia, B/W, photojournalistic shots with this photographer. It will only be him and a separate graphic designer to put the book together. I would rather go with a photographer that will charge us $2,400 for her artistry and the hi rez images with all rights to print on a CD and make my own book or wait later when I can afford it. I
I asked if they could take out the things we don't want and put the cost towards the flowers and they said yes, but I still got a list costing $1,000 more for flowers because everything was an upgrade. Without this stupid wedding center, I can't afford this venue. Am I being too picky like beggars can't be choosy? Why do I have to have all roses? Is it rude to have some creative input. Either I am the wrong bride for that kind of 'deal' or they are hoping to rope me in with a deal and then, upgrade me until it's no longer a deal or just the basics.
What do you think? Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks
