Happy Monday, everyone! Last Wednesday was our very last Vacation Bridal School of the season and all the vendors did a great job of going over what you will experience after the initial planning period and after all wedding fun is over. We had Clear Choice Orthodontics, The Campbell House, Trips to Cherish, The Nick Ratliff Reality Team, Spina Bifida, and KM Russell Photography.
We started off the night with The Campbell House telling us all about room blocks and some things you may not have known. Some notable tips I took away were, you need more than 9 rooms in order to have a room block and not just individual reservations, they come at a cheaper rate, and you need to be in contact with your out of town guests and ask them what their plans are when they come for the wedding. The Campbell House has also undergone some major renovations recently and will blow you away with how classic and elegant the rooms are, (especially the suites)! My sister and her new husband stayed at The Campbell House after their wedding last Saturday and I heard nothing but amazing things about the service, room, and of course, breakfast!
Outside The Campbell House after their big day! Congratulations, Samantha and Andrew Cook!
Next up we heard from Clear Choice Orthodontics, which was extremely helpful in answering any questions we had about getting a straighter smile before the big day. We learned about Invisalign, which is a clear retainer that aligns your teeth much faster and less noticeable than braces. Mr. Durbin answered questions like, “Does insurance cover Invisalign?”. The answer is, probably! If your dentist will cover it, it is normally covered at Clear Choice because they work hard to make sure almost all insurance plans are accepted. He left us with a tip- Simply Love Studio brides get a discount when they come to Clear Choice! So be sure to join us at the studio to learn all about it.
The Nick Ratliff Reality Team taught us all about the importance of having help when looking for your first home. After the wedding and maybe even a little further down the road, you may be thinking about purchasing your first home or upgrading from an apartment. Searching for houses on your own is a tough task to do on your own, and Sarah highly recommends the Nick Ratliff Reality Team for a couple reasons. They listen to every detail about location and budget to help you find the home of your dreams. Having a professional help you in this process makes it a lot less stressful and potentially a lot more successful!
Next up we had Spina Bifida first tell us who they are, and what they do (because we were a little confused). Spina Bifida is a health agency that educates women and couples planning, or even not planning, on getting pregnant about the dangers of spina bifida. Spina Bifida is a birth defect in which a developing baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly. There are precautions you can take to lower the chances of this birth defect which come in the form of pills. Free samples of vitamins were given to each bride because even if you’re not planning a pregnancy, they are great for your hair, skin and nails.
One of the last vendors to speak was the lovely couple of KM Russell Photography, a husband and wife power team! They are Kentucky photographers that have been in the business a long time that really enjoy what they do. This couple talked to us about photo albums for after the wedding. This keepsake would be one of the most important you could have because after the wedding is over, its one of the only things you’ll have, (besides memories and your dress)! They 100% recommend making an album at least for yourselves to keep or maybe even give to your parents as a special gift. It is not included in their photography package but after seeing some of their work, I highly suggest investing in one.
Last but not least, one of our favorite vendors of the night, Trips to Cherish. Jessica, who is a private, romance, travel agent, gave us guidance on one of the best parts of the wedding being over, the honeymoon! She has lived on almost every continent, and if she hasn’t lived there, she’s been there! We picked her brain about Jamaica, Italy, Australia, Japan and more. She gave us tips and the inside scoop on the best resorts, flight prices and places to stay. Her knowledge of travel is extensive, and she made the excellent point of- “If you’re not paying me to help you find your destination, you’re paying someone else (whether it be a website or other resort), so you might as well get it cheaper and a non-biased opinion.” She is open to helping you find your perfect destination at a comfortable price for you!
Needless to say, I learned so much during my time at Vacation Bridal School this fall. I ate a lot of good food, made some friends, learned about everything from teeth to flowers and I am totally ready to take on next January to learn more! Thanks for following along on our journey and we hope to see you when it’s a little colder out! Have a wonderful week!
