The Brides' Review - My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

cluelessbride Posted: Nov 02, 2004 05:17 AM+

cluelessbride MEMBER SINCE: 8/02 TOTAL POSTS : 4570 WEDDING DATE: Oct 23, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 05:17 AM

My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

We had a fabulous time!!!!!!

Our wedding would have been very different if not for LIW. My name on this site is 'Cluelessbride' because I knew nothing about weddings. Even though I do some event planning at work, I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of throwing a party where a large part of the crowd is used to the typlical 'LI Wedding': the reception hall, the dj, yadda yadda yadda. My DH and I wanted a reception that felt more like us - fun, not stuffy, not traditional, not making us the center of attention.

So my first thanks is to everyone on LIW: all the brides (and grooms), past and present, all the hlepful vendors, even all the crazy people because they gave me insight into what some people may be thinking when they think 'wedding'. To all the members of LIW a big gay hug to you:

Vendors I found on this site and would honestly have never ever found anywhere else:

SonicStefDesign
LA Blossom
LA Productions
Mark Kaufman
Wild Rose
Clarin Cohen
Bridesave.com
Fauxwax.com
Ultimate Class Limo

All my vendors were fantastic. I'll give them all a review, but let me say I'm not going to go over an A+ b/c honestly I can never count all the +++++ and we all know that an A+ equals a superstar!

SonicStefDesign A+
Stefanie was the first bride who 'caught my eye' when I first lurked on this site. Not only was she from my old neighborhood in Brooklyn

more importantly everything she did was amazing! She 'found' black magic roses, she made the programs on here a mini-obsession, and for a while EVERYONE was going candle placecard holder crazy! All from Stef's ideas and creativity. And she was so helpful! She shared templates, tips on where to buy supplies, honest opinions, and always with a sense of humor and good spirits. So when Stef opened her business I was so psyched.

Stef made my invitations, programs, favor tags and fortune tellers. Paper things are important to me. I just love stationary and cards and fonts, etc. So this was my favorite part of planning. Everything came out just perfect, better than I imagined. And let me tell you - people notice the details. I really believe that without Stef's designs my wedding would have been just ok. Her work put it into the excellent category (ok, so I'm a little biased!!!!!

)

LA Blossom A+
Who was a crazy indecisive bride? I WAS!!!

Who calmed me down, let me change my mind a jillion times and never looked at me like I was nuts? LAURIE!!! Who made the most amazing flowers so that when I saw my bouquet I cried like a baby!?? LAURIE!!! If you have not booked a florist yet, I implore you to meet with her. She is creative, sweet, easy going, responsive. She's real- I chained smoked one day outside Starbucks with her and she just let me be crazy and we talked flowers. I felt like a lunatic (it was about 2 weeks before the wedding) and Laurie made me feel very secure and calm. Many people commented on my flowers and how lovely they were. I am very, very happy I worked with Laurie and I only wish she had a 'regular' flower shop that I could stop by and buy stuff from. Call her if you haven't already.

I'm moving on to another page b/c I'm afraid I'll lose this one. BRB.

cluelessbride Posted: Nov 02, 2004 05:37 AM+

cluelessbride MEMBER SINCE: 8/02 TOTAL POSTS : 4570 WEDDING DATE: Oct 23, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 05:37 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

LA Productions A+
Can Laura just be my sister? Or my right hand in life? Listen to me, if you take one piece of advice from anything you are reading on this review, this is it: hire a coordinator!! Are you listening??? Hire Laura!!

Let me rattle off just SOME of the things Laura did that - trust me - NO ONE else would have done: set up favors, set up Pottery Barn picture frame sign-on thing - which had to be unscrewed by the way, and yes, Laura had a screwdriver; pinned my dress to my bra b/c unbeknownst to me or my seamstress I was showing lots of bra in my dress (swear to God never was like that until the big day: Murphy's Law)

, and according to my mother, who b/c of Laura was able to have a good time and enjoy herself, Laura did a million other things that I didn't see. She was my peace of mind, my security blanket - I would see her and think 'all is well, here is Laura'. Just hire her and you will thank me later.

Mark Kaufman (Angelica Studios) Tony and Jackie A

No getting the A+ only b/c Mark moved his office without telling me and for about five minutes I thought I'd have a heart attack as I was driving around with my dad so I could give Mark a check. Also, he 'set up' a meeting with me and Tony but guess who he forget to tell? ME! OK, but here is the deal: he and Tony and Jackie and all the photographers whose work I have seen are amazing.

DH and I did not want traditional wedding poses: the one where you are looking out the limo for some reason makes me nuts. Tony was totally in sync with me. He likes to take all the pics you want but he's looking for the untraditional, unique shot. That style is not for everyone, but it makes me very happy. Jackie oddly enough went to high school with my brother and sister so that was very cool. I'll post proofs when I get them. Proofs! Can't believe I said proofs! AHH! I'm really married!!!

Wild Rose Video A+

OK, so I haven't seen the video, but Marie and Bob (please dear God I hope I got his name right, it may be Bill, but anyway this is part of the point, he was so unobtrusive and not in my face that I can't remember his name - he was very nice, polite and got everything, but he also kept some distance - EXACTLY what I wanted!!!) Back to Marie though: the night before her son was in a car accident (he is ok) but she was as sweet and cheerful as could be - AND she 'fixed', i.e. spread out, fluffed up, etc. my train before I walked down the aisle just like a loveing Mommy would

. I will never forget her kindness at that moment. It's weird, you're standing at the back of the chuch, everyone is all lined up, and yet you are kind of alone and it feels very solemn and then Marie comes along and reminds you that you are like this special princess (and trust me - I SO NEVER am princessy, yet that day it felt right). Thank you Marie! I am sure I have a fab video and I can't wait to show it to my future brood.

cluelessbride Posted: Nov 02, 2004 06:03 AM+

cluelessbride MEMBER SINCE: 8/02 TOTAL POSTS : 4570 WEDDING DATE: Oct 23, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 06:03 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Clarin Cohen A+

Love Clarin! If I make millions I am hiring Clarin to be my makeup artist. She uses mostly Bobbi Brown makeup, which I love. I love makeup in general even though I don't wear a whole lot, but I just LOVE IT! Remember that Barbie head that you could put makeup on and fix her hair? I loved that thing! I felt like that Barbie head, getting all glammed up. Loved it! So much fun! And my makeup lasted all day and I think I looked like me but better (isn't that a commercial?

)

Bridesave.com A+

Got my dress in less time than they said it would take. I'm a 'big girl' and finding a dress that wasn't going to make me feel uncomfortable was actually easy on this site. Check it out.

FauxWax.com A

Here's the deal: it's not really wax. It's like a gluey plastic. (I bet you smarty pants got that fromsthe word FAUX!!

) It works great in the mail, just practice using it first, it took me a little bit to get the hang of it. Now I love it and even bought a monogram to use on the TY cards.

Ultimate Class Limo A+

Clean, on-time, polite: what else could you want?? They were great.

Am I really done??? No, atually: OOT gift bags: a big hit. Do them, people really love them. I put a travel candle, bath salts, a map of LI and a Port Jefferson shopping map, Long Island Iced Tea flavored lip balm, and bottled water.

How could I forget!?!
Danfords

A+ for the reception, B for the hotel.

The reception:
Excellent: the food. The staff. The VIEW! I love it! The place really is just gorgeous. It was renovated about a year or so ago and it is amazing looking. I am surprised more poeple aren't having their wedding here. I had a cocktail reception and this was one of the few placed that didn't look at my like 'Oh my gawd, are you crazy! You need to have ten tons of pasta and a viennese hour!' I loved them for understanding that I was not looking for the traditional LI wedding and for them not trying to guilt me into having one.

The hotel: We were doubly charged for the room, the phone in my brother's room didn't work. Otherwise, everything was fine. We had a ball withour friends back in our room and the bartender from the restaurant was nice to bring us bottles and bottles of champagne. (hmm, maybe we weren't double billed, maybe it was all that bubbly!

)

THE GREATEST PART OF MY RECEPTION:

Lapis Luna A+

The best jazzy/bossa nova band! I LOVE THEM! Shawn, the female lead, is awesome. Check them out at Lapis Luna . They are VERY reasonably priced, VERY talented. I used them for the whole reception, but ifyou are having a more traditional, sit down dinner, you may want to think of them for the cocktail hour. I just love them to pieces. You can see them at the Jazz Room at the Blue Water Grill in the city. Check them out. They were fantastic!!!!

OK, so now what???

No babies for us for a while, but we are looking for a house. And I want to learn scrapbooking. I want to document this fab wedding of mine all I can.

Before I sign off I want to give a very special gay hug

to a very special person I met on here: WENDY!!!!!! Not only is she funny, kind, thoughtful, generous, and super smart (Stuyvesant), she gave us the BEST COMING HOME FROM PARIS GIFT! An album with wedding photos and Paris 'photos'. Is she the most thoughful or what? Can the ornament swap be rigged so she gets me? PLEASE??!!!

Thank you Wendy! And thanks again to all the ladies on here who kept me sane and have a sense of humor! Sweetadeline don't ever leave for too long! Love and luck to you all!!!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~

franksbride Posted: Nov 02, 2004 07:43 AM+

franksbride MEMBER SINCE: 5/03 TOTAL POSTS : 5488 WEDDING DATE: Dec 07, 2003

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 07:43 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Congrats...sounds like the perfect day!!!! Ok...pics...please!!!!

wc0143 Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:24 AM+

wc0143 MEMBER SINCE: 8/03 TOTAL POSTS : 14841 WEDDING DATE: May 01, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:24 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Great review!! Glad everything was as wonderful from the behind the scenes point of view!!!

You & JACE looked so happy which I think I mentioned ... IS ALL THAT MATTERS THAT DAY!!

BTW, you forgot about the chocolate fountain which I kept hitting, pretending to get more stuff for Tim

right back at ya!!

ETA: For some reason I had a Brooke Shields head not Barbie & as with all my dolls, at some point I gave her a haircut ...

sweetadeline Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:26 AM+

sweetadeline MEMBER SINCE: 1/04 TOTAL POSTS : 2382 WEDDING DATE: May 28, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:26 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Aha! You're back! There's been much clamoring for you on the NWR board!

I am SO happy for you! It really sounds like your day was perfect. (And your review is hilarious, too, but that's another story!

) I was especially excited to hear about the band, because I've heard great things about them before and I definitely wanted to know more.

I have two requests... no, demands!!!!

1. PICTURES!
2. A Paris review!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! COULD I USE ANY MORE EXCLAMATION POINTS?????!!!!!!!

May152005 Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:39 AM+

May152005 MEMBER SINCE: 3/04 TOTAL POSTS : 1170 WEDDING DATE: May 15, 2005

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 08:39 AM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Congrats!! Can't wait to see pictures!

Robinella Posted: Nov 02, 2004 03:42 PM+

Robinella MEMBER SINCE: 10/04 TOTAL POSTS : 1241 WEDDING DATE: Sep 24, 2005

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 03:42 PM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

congrats, if you could email me with the info for mark kauffman studios, I would appreciate it :) everything sounds wonderful!

AndreaLMT Posted: Nov 02, 2004 06:10 PM+

AndreaLMT MEMBER SINCE: 12/03 TOTAL POSTS : 2857 WEDDING DATE: Nov 14, 2004

Posted: Nov 02, 2004 06:10 PM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

YAY!!!

Sounds like a truly beautiful Wedding!!!

We are using Lapis Luna for our CH- can't wait!!!!

Congrats!!!!

Nautical bride Posted: Nov 04, 2004 04:42 PM+

Nautical bride MEMBER SINCE: 2/04 TOTAL POSTS : 1439 WEDDING DATE: May 21, 2005

Posted: Nov 04, 2004 04:42 PM

Re: My October 23rd wedding at Danfords!!!!

Congratulations to you!! I am so glad you had a wonderful day. The reception sounded amazing.

Your vendor review was a lot of fun to read. I am also using Laurie from LA Blossoms and I had to laugh when you said you were indecisive about your flowers but that she was great about it. I predict I will be changing my mind more than a few times before this process is over. Laurie, be warned!

I agree with you that the view at Danfords is just amazing and it IS surprising that more brides do not get married there.

Can't wait to see your pictures!! The ones that Wendy provided were great and you looked so beautiful and happy!!

1017Bride Posted: Nov 10, 2004 10:06 AM+

1017Bride MEMBER SINCE: 8/03 TOTAL POSTS : 7572 WEDDING DATE: Oct 17, 2004

Posted: Nov 10, 2004 10:06 AM