3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Here is a link to my photos on North island's facebook. You may have to become a fan of them to be able to view;
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151322925557116.1073741840.84068067115&type=3

Venue:
Bridgeview Yacht Club: A++++++++++
Before the Wedding:
I knew I wanted to get married at Bridgeview as soon as I saw it in sites and services magazine. I had my senior banquet there in HS and I remember having the time of my life. I was worried about the cost. When I went to another venue to look, they asked me where else I was looking and when I said Bridgeview he said to me 'Oh are you planning on winning the lotto?' So this made me even more nervous. I guess I picked the right month because March is 'off peak' and Bridgeview quoted me only $5 more per person than the other place and it blew them away. We had Samantha as our banquet manager and I cannot say enough great things about her. She was so quick to respond to my emails, arranged for a tasting for us that was better than some meals we had in restaurants. I wanted to book immediately, I even cried on the way home because I did not want to leave without booking!! When hurricane Sandy hit, I panicked, but Samantha got right back to me and let me know that everything would be fine for my wedding day and it was.

Day of the Wedding:
We arrived about 2 hours early and Samantha (who was also my bridal attendant that day) and Eric (the maitre'D) were there to greet us. They escorted us up to the HUGE bridal suite where the bartender was ready and they had hot and cold food for us ready to go. Everything that I gave them was set up exactly as I asked. Everything was so perfect. I didn't cry the whole ceremony or the morning of, but when Samantha took us into the ballroom to show us the room, I cried like a baby because it was so beautiful. It was everything I dreamed of. The staff was so excellent, the drinks were strong and delicious, the food was outstanding. We had a hockey themed wedding with jersey backs instead of table numbers, hockey pucks instead of escort cards, and each bridal party member came in carrying a stick and made a huge arch for us to come in under. This was all coordinated perfectly and went off without a hitch. Samantha and Eric made all our dreams come true and I'm so thankful for them!! I would recommend them to anyone. If you are booked at Bridgeview, don't you worry about a thing, because you will have the best wedding ever!!

Church:
Ascension Lutheran in Deer Park
I won't rate a church but we had a great experience here. Evelyn, the wedding coordinator was very nice and knew exactly what she was doing. She was also very funny during the rehearsal. We loved working with her.
Pastor Justin was incredible. He is a younger guy (I would guess mid-late thirties?) and related to us very well, and made a great sermon that was catered to us (and even fit into my hockey theme!). Did not matter that I am Catholic and DH is Lutheran, they welcomed me as if I was their own.

Hair:
Fire Monkey Hair Design A+
I was so behind with hair and makeup and was dreading the cost. Another bride here on LIW sent me their quote from Dusti and I gave her a call and she gave me her rates which were outstanding. I made an appt with her for a trial and went with my mom. She made us feel so welcome and she did a magnificent job on my hair that I canceled all my other trials and booked with her as soon as I got home. She brought Jill from Jillian Kristine the day of the wedding and did my hair and my six bridesmaids. They both arrived on time with all the necessary supplies. They were like one of our group, laughing and joking, while still being professional. Every single girl was so happy with their hair, including my sister who has very curly/frizzy hair and was worried about how it would hold up. She looked amazing. I would definitely recommend Dusti to anyone!

Makeup:
Gina Maltese A+
My cousin is actually the owner of Long island Skin and nails institute so she arranged the makeup for me. She sent two girls (I can't remember their names sorry!) to my house to do my bridesmaids and sent Gina to do my makeup and my mom's.
Gina came a few weeks before for a trial. She was so nice and did a great job. I have bad acne and it was a major concern of mine, but she put me at ease and you would not have thought I had a single blemish my wedding day. My mom has roseachea (spelling?) and is very red, and she made her look amazing too.

The other girls from the Skin & Nail institute did a great job as well. They even fixed up one of my bridesmaids with the airbrushing after she had an unfortunate self tanning incident! Everyone arrived on time and got right to work and finished with plenty of time to spare.

Photography and Videography
North island photography and Films A++
Michael did my best friends wedding New Years eve of 2011. His photos from her wedding were amazing and he was very easy to work with, fun and professional. She insisted that I go see him, even though I didn't want to at first because I didn't want anyone to think I was copying her. After our meeting my husband told me he's not going to any more appointments because he wanted Michael to do our wedding.
Communication before was excellent, he has the nicest staff on the planet. I originally wasn't going to have videography because it wasn't in my budget. But William from his staff called me a week before to confirm locations and times and told me that their videographer was not booked for our day and gave me a great deal. I booked him on the spot.

The day of the wedding both photographers (Michael and Kelli) and video guy (Chris) arrived on time (early even!) and got right to work photographing. They were so professional and super nice. The photographs really speak for themselves. They even stayed until after the viennese, even though I booked them only through cake cutting.

My proofs were ready before I even came home from my honeymoon and they are all gorgeous. It's so hard to pick just 50 for my album! They worked with me to give me exactly what I want and I could not be happier. Definitely recommend!!

Limos:
Camelot Limo A
I called about 40 diff limo companies and Camelot gave me the best price. We wanted a party bus for our bridal party and parents (20 people in total). We went down and saw their brand new bus and it was gorgeous. We also booked two vans to act as hotel shuttles. . They were so courteous and professional.

Day of the wedding they arrived right on time and were ready to go. Very friendly, let us control the music and the temperature. Our driver (I believe his name was JOe) was also the shuttle bus driver and instead of going back and getting a van, he just used the limo bus as the shuttle for the whole night, which was very cool. I have no complaints and would definitely recommend them!

Flowers:
Black Dahlia A+
We worked with Sonja as her and her husband are friends of my husband. She was fantastic. She met our budget and the flowers were outstanding. I was not a typical bride and I did not want 'typical' wedding flowers. I had been in my cousin's wedding a few months prior and her flowers looked like they were dying as soon as they got there. Not the case with mine whatsoever. The bouquets arrived in pristine condition, exactly on time, and exactly what I wanted. They were so incredibly gorgeous. Sonja had suggested spray roses for the guys and they turned out great and looked awesome in pictures. I wanted the three cylinder vases with submerged orchids. At first I picked blue tinted orchids but when I went for my final meeting I realized I made a mistake and she changed them for me without issue. Everything was set up exactly how I wanted. She even put petals around my card table and cake table for no extra charge. If you need a florist, go see Sonja and Cheryl you will not be disappointed!!

DJ/MC, Uplighting and Photobooth
After Hours
Phil (MC) JOe (DJ)
Before the wedding:
My husband is very into music and this was the first thing we booked because he wanted to get it perfect. I met Phil at a bridal expo and he was very friendly and was on the list of recommended vendors from Bridgeview. His prices were great and he answered my emails almost instantaneously. He was so much fun and when we met with him we knew we had to have him at our wedding.

Day of:
Uplighting was very important to me as I thought it added a beautiful touch to Bridgeviews ballroom. I was told by another DJ company that the color I wanted didn't exist and that anyone that told me it did was a liar. I told this to Phil and he laughed and showed me video and photos of the exact color I wanted. The day of the lighting was beautiful and everyone loved it. I liked that he knew the room well and knew exactly where to put the lights for the best affect.

Photobooth:
If you can afford it, defintely get a photobooth. My guest had so much fun, and the line was huge all night. I bought a bunch of props on clearance from target and walmart after halloween and everyone loved it. My only complaint (which I did not know until after the wedding) was the attendant was not very nice and did not help the guests work the booth. I did notify Phil after and he apologized and said he would deal with him. But honestly I did not even notice this at all until my mom said something after my honeymoon. He gave us a disc drive of all the pics and they are hysterical.

DJ/MC:
Phil was the best. He was full of energy and everything went exactly right. My Grandfather was ill the day of and did not make it and he had my uncle replace him and escort my grandmother into the reception without a hitch. He played every song I asked for and did not play anything I asked him not to. Everyone was up dancing all night. He had the crowd going. He even played a medly of 90's boy band music that my friends went nuts over. And then he even played some heavy metal during dessert for my husband. If you don't call Phil, you will be disappointed. He is awesome!!

Wedding Dress:
Paradise Bridal B
Sales department:
I had a very hard time finding a dress. I am plus sized and wasn't satisfied with any of the dresses that I was trying on. I went to four different places and my friend at work suggested Paradise Bridal because her sister had the same issue and found one at Paradise.

I worked with Fanny and she was so nice and patient. I finally found the one and was so happy. She suggested I make my wedding date a month earlier than it actually was and my dress still came in with plenty of time (November for my March wedding). The price was right in my budget and she was so kind and made me feel so comfortable. i was very nervous because I read a lot of bad reviews here and on google, but she reassured me everything would be fine, and it was.

Fittings:
The head seamstress was amazing. I had lost 30+ lbs before my wedding day and when I put my dress on it fell right off. She pinned me up and made sure it fit perfectly and that I was happy. I wanted the sleeves cut off and you wouldn't know that this dress had sleeves looking at it. She even added extra fabric under the arms because I was uncomfortable with that area. The dress was flawless.

My only complaint here was that they did not ask me how I wanted it bustled. She just went crazy pinning and although it looked amazing, I was charged an arm and a leg for it (My alterations were over $400!). I would have liked to know that before, or have been given an option.

Bridesmaid dresses
Paradise Bridal: C
Bridesmaid dresses were a whole different story. I wish I went somewhere else. The color was perfect and they arrived on time. But I feel like they didn't measure my girls right. So many dresses didn't fit...either huge on them or way too tight. Some girls had to go back 3 or 4 times to get the bust fitted better and the day of it still wasn't right, but it held up. The head seamstress does not do bridesmaid dresses, but I wish she did and maybe we would have had a better experience.

Tuxedos
Galleria Invitations and Gino's tuxedo's
A+
I saw these tuxes at a bridal showcase when i went with my cousin when she was planning her wedding. When it came to my time I had to have them. They were very unique and the perfect color. She sized everyone up wonderfully (and even took measurements on her website for our out of state groomsmen). We had a variety of guys from my super tall and skinny nephew to my husbands friend that is on the shorter side, and everyone's tux fit perfectly. The price was great and the guys looked awesome. I definitely recommend!!

Shoes:
Casa di Mario A+
I had an even worse time finding shoes than I did finding a dress. This time my cousin recommended this place. I found the perfect shoe at the perfect height. I gave them a swatch of the bridesmaid dress and they dyed them PERFECTLY in less than a week! Very friendly and the prices of dying are included if you buy the shoe there. Highly recommended.

Accessories:
Tri County Flea Market
Veil and tiara: Barrons A-
I found out about this place thorough recommendations on this website. As soon as we got my dress my mom was so excited she dragged me to barrons right away. I showed him a pic of my dress and he picked out the perfect tiara that matched my dress like it was made for it. I wanted a cathedral length veil, as the bottom of my dress was very plain and I wanted a bunch of crystals to snazz it up a bit. He wrote up a quote for us and when we thought it was too much he took off a few crystals and made it fit in my budget.

The reason I gave them an A- is because they are not the friendliest. But when I did get my veil it was flawless. So amazing and you can definitely tell they are experts.

Day of Jewelry:
Tri County Flea Market A-
I don't remember the vendor but they are right across from Barrons. I wanted pink jewelry which seemed impossible to find, but they had a matching set that was perfect for me. I give it a minus because my bracelet fell apart on the dance floor but I'm a dancing machine so.... :) It was perfect for what I needed it for.

Wedding Rings:
Zales outlet in Tanger Deer Park A+
My husband got my engagement ring from zales online. I wanted a band that haad a lot of bling but matched the stones in my e ring. Zales had the perfect ring for me and the price was incredible. It retailed for over $4k and I got mine and DH's ring for under 2! We are very happy and they both came with lifetime warranty.

Cake Plaque:
Etsy seller HertiagePrimitives A+
We didn't want a traditional channa plaque but still wanted something to fit our theme. I searched Islanders on etsy and came across this. The price was right (only $15!) and it shipped very quickly. Everyone loved it and now it hangs in our living room :)

Cake Topper:
Etsy Seller Claycutiesbymelissa A+
I came across her store very early in my planning and thought her cake toppers were adorable. I emailed her if she could make me one with an alligator bride and a bear groom (since we collect alligators and bears) and she made me a listing and sent me pics. They were adorable! She shipped them very quickly and it arrived in pristine condition.

Bridal Party gifts:
I got the girls necklace and earring sets from macy's around christmas time. They were inexpensive and they loved them.

I ordered personalized flasks and beer mugs from the knot.com and they came out wonderful and shipped very quickly.

Invitations:
Vistaprint A
I didn't want to spend a lot because I thought they would be thrown out and didn't want to waste money. I upgraded to the linen paper and it was well worth it. They came very quickly, exactly as described. I even got inexpensive return address labels that matched. Would recommend if you want to save $$. My invites cost less than $400.

Printed Materials:
Table Numbers, Menu's, Escort Card pucks, etc.
I am extremely lucky to have a very talented graphic designer for a best friend. She made everything for my wedding and I don't know what I would have done without her!!

Cake:
A Sweet Peace Bakery A++
I have never had a wedding cake so delicious in my entire life. Allison and Alex were so friendly, so imaginative and made us the perfect cake. The fillings were delicious, t he cake was moist and it was exactly what we wanted. They are the house bakers for Bridgeview so the cake came with our package, but I will be using them for other occasions for sure! My cousin tweeted during my wedding 'Just had wedding cake that tasted like God'. That's how good it was!!!

I am going to try and add in more pro pics when I am home but wanted to make sure I wrote this so you would all know what awesome vendors I had!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Some Photos (some are repeats if you read the 2013 board!)

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Re: 3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review!! You looked gorgeous and so happy..Congrats!!!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review!

So happy to hear Dusti does well with frizzy/ curly hair!

Also some questions about paradise (im just as scared as you were!):
~ Who did your alterations?
~Isn't there a cap? Why the extra $$?
~ BM dresses- i had the same experience there a few years ago!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review! You looked very beautiful and your pictures are really nice!!

Re: 3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

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Posted by lauren1802

Great review!

So happy to hear Dusti does well with frizzy/ curly hair!

Also some questions about paradise (im just as scared as you were!):
~ Who did your alterations?
~Isn't there a cap? Why the extra $$?
~ BM dresses- i had the same experience there a few years ago!

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I can't remember her name but she had the desk in the alterations room all the way to the back. Basically right next to the big fitting room w th platform.
Yes there is a cap but the bustle is extra!! Make sure you approve your bustle before she does it or you will be charged out the butt for it!! It looked great but I would have liked to have known before it was done...

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review! You looked amazing!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Thank you everyone :)

Re: 3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Thanks!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great Review!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review!! You looked beautiful!!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great review! You looked gorgeous! I'm also relieved to hear about Dusti being able to do curly/frizzy hair. :)

Re: 3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

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Posted by simba301

Great review! You looked gorgeous! I'm also relieved to hear about Dusti being able to do curly/frizzy hair. :)

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You will LOVE her. She's amazing!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Great Review! You looked very pretty!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Updated to include our video trailer:
http://vimeo.com/72354747
Password: 031513

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Ahhhh your video trailer just made me so excited to get married at Bridgeview!! You looked absolutely gorgeous! What a great video

Re: 3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

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Posted by Caity828

Ahhhh your video trailer just made me so excited to get married at Bridgeview!! You looked absolutely gorgeous! What a great video

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thank you! You will have the BEST wedding. THey are so good there.

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Aww loved your trailer!!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

The video trailer was great!

3/15/13 Wedding Bridgeview Yacht Club, After Hours, North Island Photography & Films, Black Dahlia Florist, Fire Monkey Hair & more!!

Thanks ladies :) Can't wait to see the full video in two weeks!