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West Loop Studio
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Event Planning & Services Photographers Venues & Event Spaces, Photographers [Edit]
17 N Elizabeth StChicago, IL 60607
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop
(312) 733-5762
- Nearest Transit:
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Racine (Blue Line)
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Rinker Photography
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29 reviews for West Loop Studio
29 reviews in English
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Review from Gretchen O.
ASTORIA, NY
5/1/2011
When my fiance and I walked into this space about six months before our wedding, we knew we'd found exactly what we were looking for. This is no ballroom, no ornate banquet hall, no cold, modern gallery. It's a simple, clean, open space with plenty of opportunity for elegance.
The walls are white, the floors are a bright hardwood, and there are lots of windows. Even though our wedding was in April, a tenuous month, the space was bright and welcoming. Lots of room for different colors/decoration choices! We went with votive candles placed on top of ledges, tables and windowsills - which sounds dangerous, but really isn't once you look at the space. The effect was perfect, giving a warm glow to the mild but ample lighting.
Extra fun features: separate mens' and womens' bathrooms! A changing room for the wedding party, complete with makeup mirror! A roomy bar! A prep room for caterers! An back elevator, for deliveries and guests! Decent street parking! Nearby taxis!
And best of all, a room for photos in the back. West Loop offers lots of different photo packages, but I have to recommend the photobooth option. Guests were able to stop by the back room all evening long, and have fun, high-quality photos taken. The photographer prints one copy of each image, which can be taken home by guests, and then the bride and groom get a disc of all the images. We got a lot of beautiful memories, with zero forced photo-taking down time.
In terms of wedding planning, finding this venue was about 75% of our whole project. West Loop recommended a caterer we loved, a DJ that wowed us, and the perfect florist. The fact that all these people know each other and work together frequently made coordinating vendors a breeze. They all knew exactly what they were doing, and we could not have had a more wonderful experience. -
Review from Brian T.
Chicago, IL
9/16/2010
Simply put, West Loop Studio succeeded both my and my wife's imagination by providing services, products and venue space without compare.
The venue space is beautiful, modern, and trendy. Older guests surprised by the venue choice reacted very positively. Younger attendees enjoyed the simple and elegant decor and took advantage of the added intimacy, something lacking from virtually every other venue I have seen. For my wife and I, the studio took the perfect shape beyond anything we had pictured before hand.
The photography taken at the event was almost instantly available for view online. I know many of the guests went to the website and the simple navigation provided the type of follow up most weddings don't have. The photos were beautiful and the portraits hilarious. The photographers somehow happened to be nearby at every memorable momen. They didn't miss a moment, something I often hear newly weds complain about. The portraits room, something I would have never thought of, proved to be a huge hit. It almost replaced the need for "party favors", documenting each experience with a memorable image.
West Loop Studio did not provide catering for the wedding, but their recommendation of Hearty Boys was perfect. There weren't any sides of sea shell-shaped mashed potatoes at our wedding. The food was wonderful; I credit West Loop Studio for understanding their potential partners and recommending only the very best. That goes a long way toward a cohesively created evening.
Lastly,West Loop Studio's owner and manager, Steve and Jamie, were the very best part. Both went out of their way to assist in planning, coordinating of vendors, and just making sure every single guest had a phenomenal time. These are creative people who care about every aspect of their business and it shows in every action. I can't remember the last time this could be said about a vendor I have worked with.
Regardless of the type of event, if you are in need of a venue or photography or both, you could make no better decision than West Loop Studio. You will not regret it. -
Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
4/4/2008
I want to live here.
No, really...I do. It's everything I love about space. Hardwood floors, exposed brick, and floor to ceiling windows that allow the sun to flitter in with ease. Beautifully minimalist...white walls, open space, high ceilings. It's just...sigh...the perfect place.
It's absolutely the best venue I can think of for a smallish cocktail party/reception/wedding/event...well managed, tastefully decorated, well equipped (check out their list of vendors), with fine attention to the smallest of details. They are currently acquiring mid-century furniture and it will be available for events...excellent touch. The West Loop location is unbeatable, though it's on a quiet side street just off of Madison...
The owner is also a fantastic photographer, and there is a little studio set up right in the space (not intrusive). There is a green room of sorts as well (great for brides, etc), and a bar/food area available for caterers to serve guests.
What better place to throw a party than my dream home? I can't think of anywhere else...Listed in: Throwing a Party!
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Review from Andrea R.
3/9/2008
Planning an event (wedding, rehearsal dinner, corporate party) and looking for a different type of venue? This is it! I've been dying to check out this venue for oh so long, but with the 20+ weddings/events I go to each year I"ve never been to West Loop Studio.
I FINALLY made it to West Loop Studio on Friday night for Je Taime, produced by Mane Events. And West Loop Studio was even more beautiful than it is on the web site (if that's possible). The lofty studio is unique, intimate, and the type of atmosphere that you can really do anything with (when it comes to the decor) to turn it into your dream wedding/event destination! And Steve (the owner) and fellow yelper Jamie K (the studio manager) are dolls and I imagine would be fabulous to work with.
Steve is also a very talented photographer. He took our photo, which I posted in my Yelp profile pics and made my fiance and I look great (even though I was getting my famous drunk eyes after a few too many glasses of champagne).
So I know you're just dying to book your next event at West Loop Studio. Well, hurry up because I imagine this fabulous venue fills up quickly. Fees (which seem to be reasonable) and other info is posted on their web site if you'd like to check it out...and don't forget to invite me to the par-tay! -
Review from Bella E.
Chicago, IL
6/15/2008
Super cool, trendy space. Great location, and easy enough to park here.
I was here for a bridal event and thoroughly enjoyed the venue. I'd definitely host a party here. The great part is that the space is versatile and could be used for anything from weddings to book club meetings. -
Review from Megan L.
9/20/2010
I recently attended a wedding at West Loop Studio, and it was lovely! The room has a bit of a loft feel, open and airy. It's painted white, so there are no funky colors that might interfere with your wedding or party theme, and they have some Christmas lights strung on their beams, which were a nice touch as well (I realize that might sound kitschy, but really, it was nice).
Both the wedding and the reception took place here. The room is nicely set up to accommodate this. The area where the ceremony was held was cleared out afterward to become a dance floor. The food was tasty, and the service was excellent.
I would love to attend another event here!Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 9/21/2010
Thanks Megan for the nice review. We are glad you had a… More » -
Review from Mike P.
5/10/2007
A great alternative venue for a party or wedding reception. I was a guest to a wedding here in 2003. I can confirm that they throw an excellent wing-dinger of a party. The staff was on-point all night and everyone had a great time.
It's a great space. -
Review from Wes T.
9/15/2009
Came here for a friend's wedding.
Fantastic space. Fantastic staff. Fun. Fun. Fun.Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 9/17/2009
Thanks Wes! It was great meeting you and all your friends,… More » -
Review from Jon J.
Chicago, IL
11/13/2007
An awesome space that fit us perfect for our wedding here a couple of weeks ago.
It's unique, looks great, and has plenty of space for an average sized wedding (100 guests).
Yelper Jamie K. is the studio manager and she was great at coordinating things with all of our different vendors.
WLS is the venue owned by Ewert Photography, and they have a photo package that works perfect with the venue. Jamie is also the photographer and took some awesome shots of the party, and the owner Steve did some great portraits.
Highly recommended... we loved having our wedding here and would recommend it to everyone!Listed in: Wedding Dream Team
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Review from Molly S.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2008
Not only do I love the space, but I love working at West Loop. Jamie makes it so easy for us, as caterers, that I can only imagine how easy she makes it for brides (or other people planning events:)).
What do you get for your money at West Loop?
No hidden fees (some venues charge the caterer a fee for working there which, of course, gets passed on to the client; WLS lets you leave your rentals there overnight which can save literally hundreds of dollars)
A great partner with resources galore (Jamie)
A beautiful, open space that you can customize to be as simple or elaborate as you want
Great photographs (if you get them, which you should) -
Review from Mark H.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2011
If we had been able to design and build our own venue in our heads, we probably couldn't have made it any better. This place was perfect.
We used WLS as our wedding reception venue and Jamie and Steve as our wedding photographers (a combination we'd highly recommend). It's worth knowing that the folks at WLS are moving in November 2011 to a new Platinum LEED certified space called "The Greenhouse Loft" (google it), which sounds incredible, so instead of focusing on the beautiful space they're leaving behind, I'll focus on what they're taking with them (i.e. how awesome they are).
Jamie was one of the most friendly, professional, and downright cool people you could hope to work with on a wedding reception. You kind of end up wishing that you could be friends with her. She made excellent recommendations about decoration, layout, and other vendors, but was never pushy and always totally responsive to the way we wanted to do things. She's also a really talented photographer who did a great job of capturing the feel of the event. We just got our photographs back, and we can't stop looking through them - they're beautiful. Our ceremony was in a church on the north side, so she went and scouted it out in advance, as well as visiting various different sites for possible outdoor photos and sending back test shots so we could pick the places we liked best.
After some consideration we ended up taking the option of having Steve open up the studio at the venue for portraits, and we're so glad we did. People were in and out of there all night, so when we got the photos back there were hundreds of beautiful, high quality portraits of our friends and family in there, without any need to have people lining up for hours after the ceremony to get every possible combination. Steve has this slightly disconcerting way of issuing quick-fire directions on how to sit, what to do with your hands, etc., but you should just trust him - the guy knows exactly what he's doing. All of the portraits came out looking stunning, with a really nice mix of straight and fun poses that really captured the personalities of the people in them.
It's honestly pretty much impossible to find anything bad to say about these guys. All of our guests, young and old, loved the space and the photographs. West Loop Studio wasn't the first, or even the second or third place that we looked at for our reception, but we are so, so glad that the other places turned out to be booked. Like I said, we really couldn't have imagined a better experience.Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 6/23/2011
Thank you Mark! You and Cassie were wonderful to work with!… More » -
Review from Christina A.
Chicago, IL
11/25/2009
My husband and I recently got married at the West Loop Studio. From the moment we walked into the space, we knew that this was where we wanted to get married. It has all the cool urban charm of a Chicago loft venue with exposed brick, exposed trusses, large windows, high ceilings, etc., but is very warm and polished with white walls and hardwood floors. And the owner and studio manager -- Steve and Jamie -- are as charming as the venue.
Planning the wedding at WLS was surprisingly stress free, as they are extremely accomodating and helpful. As for the day of, everything went very smoothly -- both the ceremony and the reception. With 140 guests, the space was intimate, while being very comfortable for our cocktail-style reception. We booked Steve and Jamie's photography services as well, which turned out great. The portraits and candid shots are unique, honest, and beautiful.
Overall, the venue was perfect for the type of wedding we wanted (elegant, approachable, fun!). And the WLS staff couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. -
Review from Amy Elizabeth S.
Chicago, IL
1/7/2008
I too, am a friend of the studio manager's, but that aside... I still think this is one of the best wedding spaces I have been to.
I have attended two weddings at West Loop, and both events were totally different: one was more of a cocktail party with heavy appetizers, and the other had a formal sit-down dinner; One was just a reception, where the other had a large wedding service prior to the reception; one had a formal photo package with a staging area, the other just candid photographers wandering the room throughout the night.
Besides the accommodating nature of the space, the one thing that really impressed me was the food at both events. The "planner" has the freedom to choose a caterer from a list of approved vendors. Both weddings had two different caterers, but the food was remarkable both times. It seems that West Loop Studios' approved catering list is well thought out and polished (I have eaten at other events here as well).
My more formal experiences here may have been at two totally different weddings, but both were *magical* memorable evenings. -
Review from nikki c.
6/23/2008
"check out the big brain on brad..."
...if you want to learn something about me, when you see me quoting pulp fiction, its a sure sign something is hot, messy and sticking in my mind to the point of meshing with other hot and messy thoughts in my brain.
west loop studio is damn smart.
simple. functional. casual yet sophisticated.
a hot beat with just a kick and a hi hat
a guacamole recipe to die for with just 3 ingredients
a beautiful "picture of you and I engaged in a kiss..."
..and now out comes the prince;p
seriously...smart.
if you're not too brain blessed then fake it and find yourself here for whatever event where you need to look good without the sweat and smell of desperation.
...and scene! -
Review from Renu J.
Herndon, VA
9/8/2010
Just got back from a wedding at this spot and I have to say I am super unimpressed. First, my mother is in a walker and the place is not ADA compliant. Well, I guess it is, but no one was around to show my mother the elevator until after we had sent her away. How sad. Had this establishment done their part and had people around to actually answer questions (we only found one staff member willing to field our question) perhaps she could have enjoyed the venue --- errr, but probably not because the venue sucked.
The climate control here is horrible. It was way super got and these geniuses opened up a window. It's like 90 degrees outside - that's right, let the hot air in. The layout is long, not wide, so it's awkward. It is not a venue for more than 50 people that's for sure. Expect to have your guests elbow to elbow and in this heat? Egh, no thanks.
The reason for the 2 stars is because the food was pretty good. Not sure if it was part of the studio or a separate entity. Regardless, it was good. My only complaint regarding the food is that the server "in" door to the kitchen/prep room clashed with the guests (remember, it's crowded!) so when they would come out with trays, they'd run into guests. In hind's site, it was comical.
Lastly, I think the photographers here are horrible. The groom showed us some photos a few days ago (which prompted my review) and I he was complaining how ugly the camera angles were and the lighting, etc. I had to agree. Bottom line - I think there are much better studios and photographers in the Chicago area and your money should really go elsewhere. Oh and my mom is the groom's Godmother so needless to say her not being able to participate in the wedding was a family letdown. Shameful.Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 9/16/2010
Hello Rebecca, We just saw your review on yelp and I'm… More » -
Review from Julie R.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2010
If you ever need a photographer for an event, Jamie Kelter from West Loop Studio should be your person! We initially met Jamie when we looked at the studio for our wedding. We decided on another location, but we liked Jamie's work so much, my husband and I hired her for our wedding. Leading up the wedding, she scouted our location (Dearborn/Kinzie area) for pictures and was part of the day from very early until the end. Just four days after our wedding we had a link to pictures that were amazing.
Thank you Jamie for capturing our day so perfectly. -
Review from Michele O.
St Paul, MN
4/16/2011
This beautiful space provided the perfect venue for my son's wedding last weekend. Fairy lights and tea candles lent a touch of magic to an simple and elegant setting. There was more than enough room for conversation tables and an exuberant dance floor. The caterer Fig provided a variety of finger foods at themed stations around the room, offering a taste of the familiar and the exotic, and it was all very, very good. The music selected and played by Toast and Jam kept the guests dancing all evening. But it was the photographer who blew it out of the ballpark. Each photo captures the joy and the fun of the evening.
A note to out-of-towners: the studio is located a convenient half-block from a busy street and a veritable fleet of taxis, but there's also plenty of parking (a rarity in Chicago.)Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 4/16/2011
Michele, Thank you so much for the nice words. It was such… More » -
Review from mindy m.
Chicago, IL
3/24/2007
Ok..... So I'm the studio manager's friend. But I'm also really in tune to details and appreciate things that are out of the norm. I'm telling you, if you want a creative space to host a wedding, meeting or shower--you should definitely check out West Loop Studios. Every time I go there I feel so comfortable--and the space can be transformed so easily and so dramatically!
What a great space. -
Review from Melissa D.
Chicago, IL
4/24/2009
My husband and I celebrated our wedding and reception at the West Loop Studio last Saturday. The event was a huge success! We loved the urban feel of the studio and the elegant environment the studio's open space provides to caterers, florists, etc. We were so pleased.
Jamie and Steve were easy and fun to work with and also took our wedding photos. If you are able to swing it, go with their "portrait" option. Our guests had a blast getting their pictures taken. The pictures went online this week and we are beyond impressed.Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 5/11/2009
Thank you so much Melissa for your review. Your wedding was… More » -
Review from Polishbadger d.
Chicago, IL
9/17/2010
Perfect wedding anyone? That is what I had at West Loop Studio this past summer. I do not even know where to begin...I guess at the beginning.
I first came across this space while searching for a venue for my company holiday party. After seeing other loft type spaces in the city, and doing some price comparisons, West Loop blew everyone else out of the water. While ultimately my company did not use this venue for our holiday party, I KNEW that I would want to get married here.
Flash forward to early spring 2010. I took my fiance to check out the space and he loved it. We already knew we wanted a super casual, yet classy wedding in a space that was quintessential Chicago. We live in the West Loop and having a wedding in a HUGE, white industrial loft, with beautiful wooden floors and huge windows was exactly what we wanted.
Enter Jamie, the most magical and helpful Studio Manager this side of the Mississippi. As I mentioned, my fiance and I did not want a over the top wedding, with crazy details and structure. We described our wedding as a huge party with our friends and family, that we just happen to be getting hitched at. Well Jamie totally got the vision. Having been married in the space herself, she really understands and can help translate your vision into a beautiful reality. I will be honest, I did not have a huge plan for what I wanted, I basically told her black and white, simple and candles. And lots of colorful wild flowers. Jamie made it happen. After we picked out our caterers ( shout out to the Hearty Boys!!!!!), Our DJ ( What's up Carrie from Toast & Jam) our florist ( Lynn at Pollen) and our photographer (Bridgette at Outer Focus Photos) we were set. Our vendors coordinated with Jamie and the next time we met up was about 2 weeks before the wedding. We went over final details, made a loose floor plan, and that was it. Jamie also has great ideas for decorating the space. We DI NOT want to have a slide show at our wedding, but did want to share some photos of us with our guests. Jamie suggested hanging the photos on this huge white wall with twine. so guests could look at them while sipping on drinks from the high boy tables against the wall. This was a huge success.
I think I should interject that I was a very laid back bride. I have seen to many episode of Bridezilla to freak out about anything that had to to with our wedding. If you are a bride and are reading this, remember, it is JUST ONE DAY. No one will care if you have napkins with your wedding date engraved on it or if you have elaborate center pieces. Let it go. Just have fun.
THE BIG DAY: I showed up via a taxi to the space about an hour before the guests were to arrive. My sexy fiancee was already there with our families. Jamie had everything under control, and was so kind when my extended family was milling around in the space while things were being set up. We went outside for some photos and then came inside to start the party. While it was not SUPER hot outside, the space was so cool. We had 130 guests and it was the perfect space. We started out with a cocktail party, so our guests could all loosen up a bit, had a quickie ceremony and then opened up the dance floor and grazing stations for eating. And the night progressed. Perfectly. We had so many people come up to us telling us this was the coolest wedding they have ever been too. It was the wedding many people wanted ( but their parents would not let them have.....whoops). We were lucky that our family knew this was our day, and let us do what we wanted. It was a true reflection of us.
Jamie is on hand at your wedding, checking in with the caterers, as well as the bride and groom. One bonus of West Loop is they have a door man ( free of charge) that greets guests and helps with parking. He also helped guests that could not walk up the stairs to a service elevator. And he stayed there for the entire event!
So , if this review has not convinced you to do business with West Loop Studio, then you must be one disgruntled panda. I wish I could get married every year at West Loop, because the experience was flawless. -
Review from Rebecca H.
Chicago, IL
3/24/2009
I went along as a guest to a friend of a friend's wedding. I don't know who was running the place that evening but the service was lacksidasical at best. The space looks wonderful and is very unique but unfortunately what I remember most from that night is the terrible start of the night, getting lost on the way there and trying to call the space getting no answer, and then the service.
Listed in: wedding list as per request
Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 11/13/2009
Hi Rebecca, thanks for your review. I'm sorry about your… More » -
Review from Jacqueline M.
Chicago, IL
7/15/2010
West Loop saved the day! My original wedding venue fell through 3 days before my wedding, and West Loop came through! Even though I was a last minute bride, I still feel like I got a lot of attention and that my wedding was just as important as though booked a year a in advance. West Loop has a very nice clean, freight elevator, there is even a guy at the front door directing people to it and another operating it. West Loop is very good at what they do!
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Review from carrie j.
IL
5/11/2009 1 photo
my husband and i had our wedding and reception at west loop studio on new year's eve 2007-8, and it was spectacular!
the space easily lent itself to a modern party/elegant dinner, making a smooth transition from ceremony set-up to a cocktail hour in what seemed like seconds. we had a sit-down buffet with 110 people and it never felt cramped. the loft ceiling, giant windows and cool white decor looked perfect with our black, white and silver color scheme and amazingly, the open layout kept things very intimate while allowing the crowd to never feel "crowded."
onto the dance floor! the sound quality was surprisingly great, even with all of that space. there's no reverb, the music travels clear and the dance floor was packed all night (btw, awesome dj dustin drase of toast and jam...their music collection is a dream.)
and then there is jamie! the studio manager. a jack of all trades, she was a great help from the moment we began to plan, recommending a caterer that fit perfect with what we wanted (the hearty boys, yum!) she's got a great relationship with all kinds of vendors and was ready with advice on pretty much any wedding-related conundrum. during the wedding and reception, she kept things running smoothly and shielded us from potentially distracting situations; which is what you need at your wedding if you're really going to enjoy it.
plus she takes beeeautiful photos.
this is the place to go if you want a stylish, intimate event that exudes down-to-earth coolness. big ups. -
Review from Melissa G.
Chicago, IL
3/17/2009
My husband and I recently got married at West Loop, in February. We had the time of our lives and definitely ended up with the wedding we really wanted. In addition to the West Loop staff being extremely helpful, they also allowed us to create the space we wanted - it felt very personal, down to the last detail. This doesn't even begin to describe how amazing the pictures are! We are thrilled with them! We chose West Loop because we loved the space, but also because they had wedding pics that looked totally unique and unlike anything we'd seen. They definitely delivered for us on that and we are very happy with the end product. I would recommend West Loop Studio to anyone I know who is getting married or just looking to have some great pictures taken. They are great!
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Review from Justin H.
Chicago, IL
12/4/2008
I am an owner of a catering company in Chicago and we have done several events at the West Loop Studio. It is one of the more comfertble venues in the city and the photographers are the best. I highly reccomend checking them out for your next event.
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Review from Ayanna B.
10/14/2009
Went there for a wedding reception. Really pretty studio. Layout is perfect for this type of event. Wish there was an elevator (given high heels and alcohol consumed). Otherwise it was perfectly charming and prettily decorated. They even had contacts for photographers and caterers.
Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 11/12/2009
Hello Ayanna, Thank you for your review, glad you enjoyed… More » -
Review from Sara G.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2009
I had the same experience of Aurora B. I wanted a modern place that was different, but after them not getting back to me I went eslewhere.
Comment from jamie k. of West Loop Studio 8/26/2009
Hello Sara, I read your review of our space and I can't tell… More » -
Review from Jana W.
Portland, OR
9/17/2010
I went to a wedding here this past summer and I have to say if I lived in Chicago I would book my wedding here... hands down. The space was absolutely perfect and the wedding was a blast. Excellent, spacious dance area. Comfortable temperature on a super hot day. Beautiful yet subtle decorations. Bright and sunny due to the numerous large windows before sunset... at night it transformed into lovely white lights strung along the perimeter. The ambience was classy and the mood was fun and casual.... which I thought was perfect.
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Review from Aurora B.
Chicago, IL
8/12/2008
I am in the midst of wedding planning and was really excited about West Loop Studio as a potential space. Unfortunately, after emailing them multiple times through their website and never getting an answer, I gave up and booked another location. I have no clue why they never responded, it seems out of character based on their other reviews, but this was just my experience.
