almost there...almost there

one one my favorite lines from episode IV. alas, it didn't make afi's top 100 movie quotes. credit to doug for using it in his blog.

well, it's the day before the big day. rehearsal, rehearsal dinner tonight, then meeting friends at the local pub, manuel's. it's an institution--been going there since i was a freshman in college. rumor has it that manuel malooker, a loyal democrat, got wind that newt gingrich was stopping by regularly on his campaign (this is back in newt's hey day. he's a local boy and emory alum). one day manuel came out with a shotgun, pointed it a newt's group, and told them to get the hell out of there. true or not, i love it. given that manuel has pictures with him and bill and al when they'd stop by, i believe it.

well, we're pretty much on cruise control. last few errands to do. trying to figure out how much to tip our vendors. i asked them directly. what does, "it's not expected, but it is appreciated" mean? here's what i'm thinking:

• wait staff: $40 per waiter
• florist: $0 (she told me not to tip her)
• photographer: $0 (ditto)
  
• limo driver: $20
• videographer: $30 (he gave me the previously mentioned vague line)
• dj: $40
• officiant: $100
• string trio: $0

while, i'm at it, i thought i would rate all of my vendors. my criteria:

• professionalism = how much i like them as a person (i.e. are they nice to work with, punctual for meetings, responsive to questions, willing to use technology like email and electronic payment)
• flexibility = wilingness to work with our needs
• value = getting a good service/product at a fair (not necess. cheap) price
• do they pronounce my name correctly
  
• overall = would i recommend them to a friend (that i like)

i've forced ranked them to make it meaningful (maximum of two vendors in each tier):

1. the best you can get (definitely go with them): melissa at artistic touch and johnathan at evolution video
   
2. really, really good: monique at awesome blossom (would give her top tier status if she could pronounce my name) and reci at the courtyard marriot
   
3. they're good, but you might do as well with others: dj dan allen at dj unlimited and karleen at carole parks. i have to say, karleen has been an angel and cleaned up a major mess that our first coordinator at carole parks created. more about this later
4. great product, but kind of hard to work with: bonnie at london string trio, savvi formal wear (tuxedo shop)
5. they really made things a lot more difficult than they needed to be: the Palace (the Indian caterer) and our first coordinator at carole parks. on the former, it was really just a case of missed deadlines, not returning phone calls, and absolutely no concept of using email. it's 2005. come on. at carole parks, it so bad we were considering forfeiting our deposit and finding another caterer. thankfully, the coordinator went on maternity leave. the good news is that the second coordinator was actually fantastic. so i think the catering company itself is great--just one bad apple.
   
6. people who should refund the world for all of the oxygen they are wasting: you know who you are.
   

from what i hear from ms. wintermute, the folks at bride beautful are good as well.

and i don't rate dr. patteson (our officiant) b/c she is a saint and mentor and great friend and in another league.