Opryland Hotel Wedding
Apr 5th, 2001 | 07:56 AM
#21
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The above poster is right on with her list of photographers. If you don't have one an ask Opryland for recommendations, they suggest Donna Edmonson for photography, they also have contacts for music, just ask your opryland planner if you don't feel comfortable making the arrangements yourself.
Apr 5th, 2001 | 10:29 AM
#22
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Ellen - just saw your post. I'm so glad you liked Opryland, it really is the perfet place for a wedding. In answer to some of your questtions . . .
I did not go through opryland for my photographer. My parents live about a hour and a half from there. I knew a wonderful photographer there and contracted him to do wedding. He charged me an extra $.35/mile for travel to a from wedding. For me this worked out better so I could go back to his studio easier for my bridal portrait prior to the wedding and to view the proofs afterwards, his company also did the video for for the wedding. The only thing I would have liked is for some pictures and video to be taken at the rehearsal dinner the night before which was not possible with the travel. Opryland does make suggstions if you don't know someone, but then you have to make contact with that person, they will not handle the arrangement for you. For my ceremony music, I wanted a string ensemble with violin, bass, harp, etc. I just contacted the Nashville Symphony orchestra myself and they gave me a name of someone in the orchestra who had a group who did weddings, they were terrific. for reception music we did use a suggesion which our Opryland planner gave us as we knew they would be reputable and worked with the hotel on a regular basis. As far as bringing things in, Opryland had no problem, we had silver bells to ring when bride and groom left with a poem attached. We just gave them to the set up people the day before and they set everything up at the place settings for us. Be sure if you need anything extra to let them know. We forgot to request until the rehearsal that we needed a big screen TV set up at the reception and had to do this last minute (we played a video before entering which included child hood photos of bride and groom as growing up etc.) As far as the rehearsal, they do block off your area the night before to rehearse but you only get one hour and it will not be set up with guest chairs etc. We did use the complimentary dressing room. Our pictures were prior to the wedding so we got ready in our hotel rooms but we had to check out of those by 1p.m. as we wre moving to the honeymmon si=uite which wasn't ready yet so we used the dressing rooms to relax for 30min. or so between the pictures and actual wedding. Another tip, the Salon there is wonderful! We started the day at 9a.m. there and the bridal party all had manicures, pedicures, their makeup and hair done there. It worked out great! Hope everything goes well for yu, if you have anyother questions, just ask!
I did not go through opryland for my photographer. My parents live about a hour and a half from there. I knew a wonderful photographer there and contracted him to do wedding. He charged me an extra $.35/mile for travel to a from wedding. For me this worked out better so I could go back to his studio easier for my bridal portrait prior to the wedding and to view the proofs afterwards, his company also did the video for for the wedding. The only thing I would have liked is for some pictures and video to be taken at the rehearsal dinner the night before which was not possible with the travel. Opryland does make suggstions if you don't know someone, but then you have to make contact with that person, they will not handle the arrangement for you. For my ceremony music, I wanted a string ensemble with violin, bass, harp, etc. I just contacted the Nashville Symphony orchestra myself and they gave me a name of someone in the orchestra who had a group who did weddings, they were terrific. for reception music we did use a suggesion which our Opryland planner gave us as we knew they would be reputable and worked with the hotel on a regular basis. As far as bringing things in, Opryland had no problem, we had silver bells to ring when bride and groom left with a poem attached. We just gave them to the set up people the day before and they set everything up at the place settings for us. Be sure if you need anything extra to let them know. We forgot to request until the rehearsal that we needed a big screen TV set up at the reception and had to do this last minute (we played a video before entering which included child hood photos of bride and groom as growing up etc.) As far as the rehearsal, they do block off your area the night before to rehearse but you only get one hour and it will not be set up with guest chairs etc. We did use the complimentary dressing room. Our pictures were prior to the wedding so we got ready in our hotel rooms but we had to check out of those by 1p.m. as we wre moving to the honeymmon si=uite which wasn't ready yet so we used the dressing rooms to relax for 30min. or so between the pictures and actual wedding. Another tip, the Salon there is wonderful! We started the day at 9a.m. there and the bridal party all had manicures, pedicures, their makeup and hair done there. It worked out great! Hope everything goes well for yu, if you have anyother questions, just ask!
Apr 6th, 2001 | 05:27 AM
#24
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Thanks Lori, Angie, and Charlotte. You guys have really helped me out and put my mind at ease. I have another question, I have lots of people coming from out of town for the wedding. Most are coming on thursday night and making a long weekend of it. though I think many of them are staying across the street at the Amerisuites other than parents and the wedding party. Any suggestions for something fun to do in nashville during the day on Friday before the rehearsal? Also any suggestions for a unique Rehearsal Dinner location (other than Opryland which we will do if we don't find anything else) I received a Nashville guidebook and saw dinner on the General jackson Showboat, could you get a private room on here for rehearsal dinner? What about the "dinner train" Looking for ideas for neat things in Nashville please!
Apr 13th, 2001 | 08:43 PM
#25
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General Jackson is nice, they will probably have a show going on and as you probably expect it will be pricey. I have been on the Dinner Train and am not too sure I'd recommend that - it would be much nicer when it's not daylight savings time! Practically the whole trip goes through the most industrial (ugly) part of Nashville, not alot of moving room, food way over-priced IMO etc.
Cool places for a rehearsal dinner might be...
1. Granite Falls - reserve a section, great food/atmosphere, prices
2. Merchants (downtown location) - reserve the entire upstairs room, excellent food, bit more $$
3. Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse - reserve entire room. More old-time atmosphere but well-respected in town.
4. The Hermitage Hotel - $$$ but beautiful
5. Sunset Grill - $$$, fabulous
6. Carabba's in Green Hills - a bit futher South but great, reserve entire room
7. The Boundry - $$$ but excellent atmosphere/food
That should help! I am definitely partial to Granite Falls, depends on how big your dinner is though.
Cool places for a rehearsal dinner might be...
1. Granite Falls - reserve a section, great food/atmosphere, prices
2. Merchants (downtown location) - reserve the entire upstairs room, excellent food, bit more $$
3. Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse - reserve entire room. More old-time atmosphere but well-respected in town.
4. The Hermitage Hotel - $$$ but beautiful
5. Sunset Grill - $$$, fabulous
6. Carabba's in Green Hills - a bit futher South but great, reserve entire room
7. The Boundry - $$$ but excellent atmosphere/food
That should help! I am definitely partial to Granite Falls, depends on how big your dinner is though.
Apr 16th, 2001 | 08:34 AM
#26
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Thanks Lori for the rehearsal dinner ideas I will forward these on to the future in-laws as they are of course planning the dinner but are visiting the city of Nashville for the first time emorial weekend to check things out and set up the dinner. We may end up having it at Opryland just because everyone in attendance will be from out of town ans many have never been to Nashville. I don't want everyone getting lost in the city looking fo rthe dinner. Also many are flying in and taking airport shuttle to hotel, they will not have cars for the weekend which limits us unless everyone can fit and carpool together. What do you suggest for an activity during the day on Friday to occupy everyone's time? Any neat must sees or a museum or zoo or anything?
Apr 16th, 2001 | 11:21 AM
#27
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Keeping your rehearsal dinner to the Opryland area, consider Opry Mills (I'm sure there is a shuttle from the hotel -it's in walking distance). Jillian's is nice (huge), we had a company party there once. There are several rooms that can be reserved - one has a habachi grill, etc. It is not "fancy" per say, more at an O'Charley's/Chili's level but very nice/fun. There are other restaurants in OpryMills too but that one is probably the best option.
For daytime activities there is the Nashville zoo (it's "ok" in my opinion). The Frist Museum just opened downtown and is supposed to be great. OpryMills of course could be an entire daytime shopping activity, there is also a golf course right by the hotel. Further south is Cheekwood, a great place to visit as well. Or The Hermitage, 15 minutes east.
www.fristcenter.org
www.oprymills.com
www.jillians.com
www.cheekwood.org
www.thehermitage.com
For daytime activities there is the Nashville zoo (it's "ok" in my opinion). The Frist Museum just opened downtown and is supposed to be great. OpryMills of course could be an entire daytime shopping activity, there is also a golf course right by the hotel. Further south is Cheekwood, a great place to visit as well. Or The Hermitage, 15 minutes east.
www.fristcenter.org
www.oprymills.com
www.jillians.com
www.cheekwood.org
www.thehermitage.com
Apr 16th, 2001 | 11:58 AM
#28
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good to hear your plans are coming along Ellen. As far as rehearsal dinner goes, you can still do it at opryland even if you doon't want a formal catered affair. There is a good Italian restaurant (not sure of name offhand) at the hotel. an idea would be to reserve a room there and have people orer off the menu or easier yet ask them to set up a buffet which they do and pay a per person cost.
I have been to Jillians in lousiville, Ky many times but not nashville. It is loads of fun but very casual and NOISY. The waitresses at the habachi grills ask guests to do the limbo and sing along to loud crazy songs. They also have a huge room of many pool tables and more video games than you can count, even a dance club room on Saturday nights. I would not pick this for a wedding rehearsal dinner. However, you asked about something to do fun during hte day on Friday, this may be a lunchtime option and the guys will go crazy over video games! Another suggestions for Friday afternoon would be golf for the guys and for the girls, either an organized shopping trip or a day of pampering and girlie stuff at the spa. have fun!
I have been to Jillians in lousiville, Ky many times but not nashville. It is loads of fun but very casual and NOISY. The waitresses at the habachi grills ask guests to do the limbo and sing along to loud crazy songs. They also have a huge room of many pool tables and more video games than you can count, even a dance club room on Saturday nights. I would not pick this for a wedding rehearsal dinner. However, you asked about something to do fun during hte day on Friday, this may be a lunchtime option and the guys will go crazy over video games! Another suggestions for Friday afternoon would be golf for the guys and for the girls, either an organized shopping trip or a day of pampering and girlie stuff at the spa. have fun!
Feb 8th, 2002 | 07:13 AM
#34
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Hi everyone, I can't believe this topic came back.
Just an update, I called the big wedding off. My groom worked for a large energy company in the Houston area, and was laid off from his job last summer. His savings were lost and he is still unemployed. We ended up getting hitched, but in a small ceremony in my brothers back yard.
Just an update, I called the big wedding off. My groom worked for a large energy company in the Houston area, and was laid off from his job last summer. His savings were lost and he is still unemployed. We ended up getting hitched, but in a small ceremony in my brothers back yard.
Aug 23rd, 2002 | 07:40 AM
#39
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They advertise that the decorations are up through something like the 7th of January. we stopped by the Opryland Hotel the weekend after New Years this past planning on seeing all the stuff without all the crowds. Some lights are still up, but not many at all. It was a disappointing visit.
