Pittsburgh Wedding Vendor Reviews

so, you know. don't play these.

i'm a lyric-listener. i love the music, but i'm all about the lyrics when thinking about my favorite songs, the ones that really move me.

some folks aren't. some folks are all about the beat and the mood of the notes but don't really care much about the lyrics. or just assume that the lyrics go right along with the music.

you'd think!

when choosing the music for your wedding and reception, maybe have a gander at this list of songs that might not be about what you think they're about.

Old Economy Village

Outdoor wedding site. They did not have enough chairs for everyone who came. Also, about an hour before the ceremony, a lady and her teenage son showed up. He listened to an Ipod while he set up chairs. I think they set up all the chairs they had, so if you are having your ceremony there, I would make sure they have enough chairs to accommodate you or you might have to rent some. I don’t know what their backup plan is if it rains.

Morning Glory Inn

Terrible, terrible service. The innkeeper is beyond gruff. Do a Google search for this place and you’ll find some of the reviews. However, the inn itself is very pretty and a unique location. I would only recommend this location for casual small weddings/receptions.

The room where my friend got ready was extremely, extremely small. The stairs leading up to it were very steep. However, this is to be expected as it is a very old house.

The ground is uneven outside (it is bricks) and there is not an area for dancing. However, the bride walked in from the street, behind a fence, which was very beautiful. A tent was erected in the courtyard area, but it looked tacky because it was secured on cinder blocks on one side. The cake was beautiful and kept inside the house.

A tree branch fell very close to me right before the ceremony started. Your guests have to stand during the ceremony. Even when the reception started, seating was very limited.  It is hard for guests to balance a plate and drink while sharing a concrete bench with three other people! I think a lot of people left Michelle's wedding early, because they got tired of standing for hours.

When I was there, the owner put CD’s in a boombox as entertainment. I do not think a DJ is allowed. The owner seemed annoyed that he had to make announcements and act as the emcee.

While it is pretty and unique, I don’t recommend this place, especially after my interactions with the owner. Parking is on street and can be a problem for guests.

St. Sebastian's Church - A+

I've been a member practically my whole life, so I'm a bit biased. Seriously though, the church was wonderful. The marriage prep weekend was well done and we got a lot from it. Our wedding day coordinators were beyond great and we appreciated them so much, the music director, the priests, everyone involved was just a joy to work with.

Rev. David Herndon (A+)

We were so lucky to find a minister that got us 110%!  His ceremony was so touching and a perfect way to start our marriage.  My grandparents who weren’t thrilled with a non-church ceremony even commented that it was the most beautiful ceremony.

Grand Hall at the Priory (A+++)

It was the perfect setting for us to have an intimate ceremony with a church-feel.  Paulette, Heather, and Walter were incredible.  Sure, there were glitches and miscommunication along the way – mainly because I was an OOT bride planning with primarily email but they pulled off an incredible affair beyond my wildest expectations.  I just can’t even begin to write anything that will truly say how awesome everything was.

advice from LisaBe

Well, I'm always full of advice, so I have no idea how I'd ever put it all in one post, but here's a bit as I look back through my wedding pictures.
1. Look like you, only better.
2. Spend the day with people you love. Not just the ceremony and reception, but all the getting-ready parts, brunch, whatever. All of it.
3. Wear comfortable things from the skin out, from head to toe. And the only way to know things are comfortable is by doing trial wearings of everything, for a whole day, on a day that has a climate much like you expect your wedding day to have. Of course, you can't wear your wedding gown all day, but everything else--undergarments, shoes, accessories, hair, makeup--do a test run. If you can feel it in any negative way by the end of the day, find a substitute for it on your wedding day. Because you'll feel everything more that day.
4. Love everything about that dress. The way it feels, the way it looks, the way it hangs, the price you paid, the place you bought it, and the person who altered it.
5. Love your shoes. If you want to wear slippers, wear slippers. If you want to wear sneakers, wear sneakers. If you want to wear red shoes, wear red shoes. If you want to wear heels wear them. Love your shoes.
6. Before your wedding day gets here, pack a bag of things to take to the ceremony and reception. Don't wait till the wedding day, even if you'll have time. Your hair will frizz and your makeup will spoil.
7. Put someone in charge of pinning on corsages and boutonnieres if your florist can't do it.
8. Enjoy every minute.
9. Hire a great photographer to capture you enjoying those minutes.
10. Carry a hanky.
11. Love the ones you're with.
12. Turn off your cell phone before you go into the ceremony.
13. Reserve a parking space outside the ceremony for whomever is dropping you off, if you need one.
14. Before you begin your processional, pause and look at everyone gathered to celebrate and witness your union.
15. Before you begin your processional, lock eyes with your husband-to-be, and don't let go.
16. When the unexpected happens, and it will, laugh. Smile. Roll with it. It's a party, all for you, and no one wants to see you unhappy. No matter what, never let anyone see you sad, pouty, angry, or hurt. It shouldn't require any effort at all, if you're focused on what matters. :)
17. Listen to the vows you're making.
18. Enjoy the trembling, the crying, the laughter, whatever comes out. Everyone else will, too.
19. Hire a coordinator to take the details off your plate.
20. Let your friends help. They will.
21. Embrace the spontaneity of children. Hire child-care help if you can.
22. Kiss with joy.
23. Run into the arms of your new family.
24. Thank your vendors like they're the most welcome guests there--they are among them.
25. Spend time with every person there. If you can't, you've invited too many people.
26. Eat, drink, and dance. In whatever proportions you like best.
27. Choose vendors you like and whose work you trust, then let them do their jobs. Remember: *your* job is to be the bride. You wouldn't want them doing that, would you? ;)

Beth Shalom Synagogue - A

Ceremony & Reception - Beth Shalom Synagogue  (Squirrel Hill) - this was our first choice for a beautiful place to get married. We used the main sanctuary which was gorgeous and just fit our needs. I highly recommend having your ceremony and reception in the same place if possible. My guests really appreciated the flow of the day and the convenience of everything. The staff at Beth Shalom was very helpful and always available to answer my many questions.

www.bethshalompgh.org

412-421-2288 - Michelle Vines

St. Vincent Basilica (St. Vincent College, Latrobe, PA)

I graduated from St. Vincent College and my former professor, Fr. Vernon Holtz, married us.  It was a special place, a very personal ceremony, and just simply beautiful (and I didn’t have any additional flowers besides our bouquets and some flower swags that I made on a few pews to reserve for family).  The coordinator that comes with venue was a bit militant (even Fr. Vernon joked about that) but she kept us on time which was great for pictures after the ceremony. We’re thrilled now that St. Vincentis now a shared experience for Hank and me.

Old St. Luke's (A)

I know another knottie had some problems with them, which made me aware of that possible problem. Luckily, there were no other weddings there that day, so we had no issues. The church ladies were rather rude to me at the rehearsal…they made me feel like a moron for having an uneven bridal party, no altar flowers or pew pows. They also lied to my photographer after the ceremony and told him we had to leave cause our time was up (which it wasn’t)…but we just ignored them. Overall, I loved OSL. It was beautiful and because it was so small it made for a very intimate ceremony. The Reverend we used through OSL’s recommendation was ok. He didn’t use the vows and ring exchange I wanted and he said he’d used, so that was annoying…but he did his job.