Brides Helping Brides ™ - My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME UPDATED PRO PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

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My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME UPDATED PRO PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

susans Posted: Jan 30, 2003 06:56 PM+

susans MEMBER SINCE: 12/01 TOTAL POSTS : 1731 WEDDING DATE: Jan 25, 2003

Posted: Jan 30, 2003 06:56 PM

My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME UPDATED PRO PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

Well, I¡¦ve finally caught a moment to catch my breath. It¡¦s been almost a whole week since my wedding and I figured I¡¦d stop in with my review.

My Gown - www.bridepower.com A+++
I wore a $5500 Reem Acra that I paid less than half for. Leslie, the owner there was SUPER ACCOMODATING. I had already put a deposit down on a different dress, 2 weeks before I saw this one. She took the dress off the website for me for 2 days while I sorted out whether or not I could get my deposit back.cancel my order at the bridal shop (I couldn¡¦t and I lost my deposit)
She double checked the entire dress for me before I ordered, because I was very concerned about the mesh sleeves, and assured me that it was in perfect condition. She didn¡¦t lie.
It was awesome. Like it had never been tried on by anyone but me.
If you¡¦re a sample size (8-10) and you have expensive taste, but you don¡¦t quite have the bank account to support it, I highly recommend going the discount route. And I ESPECIALLY recommend this site.

Alterartions-Bridal Suite of Manhattan: A++
I called the owner, Bernadette and told her that I had been in her shop when I started shopping for a gown. I told her that I purchased a sample and asked if her seamstress could alter a dress that wasn¡¦t purchased there. She was very responsive to my e-mails. The alterations weren¡¦t cheap, but they were about standard for what you¡¦d pay at any high-end shop. $400.
(Considering that Kleinfeld¡¦s charges $350 for dresses that are purchased in their salon, I figured it was fair) The bodice of my dress is a mesh overlay over silk. It¡¦s very intricately beaded and embroidered. There was CONSIDERABLE work that had to be done on the sleeves, without sacrificing all the detail. My seamstress, Julie, did a phenomenal job. She also altered all my bridesmaid dresses. The girls paid about $30 for cups and hems. $40 for one girl to have the whole dress taken in.

Bridesmaids - www.netbride.com A++
BUY ONLINE AND SAVE YOUR GIRLS MONEY!! I can¡¦t say this enough times. Our dresses were Jim Hjelm Occasions. They came in perfect condition, with all the tags attached. We paid about $100 less than even the lowest quote I got (from RK Bridal),
Awesome!

Flowers - FLOWER MICHELLE: A++++
The + signs would go on forever. I LOVE JOHN. I changed my color scheme two times. I was a complete BRIDEZILLA. I went from reds with pinks to reds with maroons just because the FG dresses came in and they were BURGUNDY instead of CRANBERRY. Never once did he make me feel like the mental patient that I am! I¡¦m as neurotic as they come. ANAL, ANAL, ANAL!! My centerpieces were originally supposed to be black magic roses, with some sort of a light greenish African Berry. About 3 days before the wedding, John calls me to tell me that the berries are in, but they¡¦re not green. Since it had been about a month since I saw the sample, it was later in the season and they were now pink with hints of green. HE KNEW I would lose it if they weren¡¦t green, because I had gone on and on about how I¡¦d worked in all these green accents, etc., etc.
Then he tells me that he thinks he can put something else in as an accent. Seeded Eucalyptus. I wanted digital pics e-mailed to me ASAP. A TRUE ANGEL!! He WENT HOME! Because the batteries in his digicam were dead, took pictures of both the berries and the seeds so that I could make a decision. (Went with the seeds) 1 week before I came in with all these pictures of all these other things that I wanted done (candles centerpiece on the head table in addition to the centerpiece) HE DID EVERYTHING THE WAY I ENVISIONED IT AND THEN SOME. I could go on forever about what an amazing guy he is. An absolute pleasure to work with. My bouquet was awesome. All the personal flowers were beautiful. The church and the reception amazing!! He was only the second florist I looked at and I never second guessed my choice.

Band - A Current Affair: A++++
They blew me away. Totally exceeded all my expectations. I¡¦m convinced that this band can sing ANYTHING and not mangle a single song. They did everything from Classic Dance (Sinatra, Dean Martin), to Classic Rock (Beatles), to standard wedding (Hot, Hot, Hot) and even an Italian duet that was SPECTACULAR.
The dance floor was never empty except for when people were seated to eat.
People are still raving about them to my parents, to me, to my in-laws, and to the groom. They were fabulous. I had no contact with John, the bandleader except for once, between when I saw them at a corporate function and on the day of the wedding. Every time I changed the format of the music, I would simply send him and e-mail. He always responded within a day.
I spoke to him 4 days before the wedding to confirm everything I wanted. It couldn¡¦t have been any easier. A STELLAR PERFORMANCE! YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS BAND!! ƒº

Limos - Royalty A+++
We rented the limobus and the 47 Caddy.
The Caddy was right on schedule and very clean. I didn¡¦t see the limobus, but those who rode in it said the driver was very accommodating. They had to load about 30 something bags for all our out of town guests.
My driver was a doll. I forget his name. But right before the ceremony, I was complaining that I was hungry. He jumped out and bought me a Zone Bar. Then like a dummy, I realized that the Zone Bar made me thirsty. Out he went again to fetch me a bottle of water. He fluffed my dress, organized the processional at the beginning of the ceremony, and helped to rush me out immediately after so that we could get on the road ASAP (my ceremony was in Manhattan)
Just an all around nice guy. No complaints.

Betty Posted: Jan 30, 2003 06:59 PM+

Betty MEMBER SINCE: 9/02 TOTAL POSTS : 5700 WEDDING DATE: Aug 29, 2003

Posted: Jan 30, 2003 06:59 PM

Re: My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME AMATEUR PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

Sounds like everything was great so far!!!!! I'm so glad to hear about Royalty. We are using them and they've gotten some bad press here recently

. I can't wait to hear more!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Betty Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:02 PM+

Betty MEMBER SINCE: 9/02 TOTAL POSTS : 5700 WEDDING DATE: Aug 29, 2003

Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:02 PM

Re: My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME AMATEUR PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

Where are the pictures??

susans Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:04 PM+

susans MEMBER SINCE: 12/01 TOTAL POSTS : 1731 WEDDING DATE: Jan 25, 2003

Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:04 PM

Re: My VENDOR REVIEW AND SOME AMATEUR PICS FROM MY 1/25 WEDDING!

Makeup Jennifer from Fairytale Makeovers A-
My girls LOVED her work. I felt a bit overdone at my trial, but I'm not a big makeup-wearing person.
My only complaint is that at my trial I brought a bunch of pictures about what I did want (very natural, light colors) and didn't want and I ended up looking like one of my 'do not want' pictures. (Wingy shadow) She also seemed a bit off base on what colors looked good with my skin (she used a lot of peachy colors)
She's a sweetheart though and made all the necessary changes on the big day. She even let me takeover and do my own liner, which I'm super picky about. (Asian eyes should NEVER be lined all around in black)
AND the girls looked fabulous, so I'm thinking that I'm just being really critical, because I don't normally wear makeup and I'm very parrticualr about how I like things done. The makeup lasted.
My eyelashes fell off around 10:30, but I'll blame that on my crying and not on her expertise. I felt beautiful. And that's what counts.

Sassy Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:06 PM+

Sassy MEMBER SINCE: 7/02 TOTAL POSTS : 11475 WEDDING DATE: May 31, 2003

Posted: Jan 30, 2003 07:06 PM