9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

There are some moments you wish you can just have frozen in time. Our wedding day is one of them. Just having all friends and family together and seeing everything come together was so beautiful.
Girls, enjoy the process even though it can get so overwhelming, stressful and annoying! Oh and you feel like your money is just pouring out of you. It's all worth it in the end (even though the price isn't). My engagement was a little over a year and a half, and through that time it is so fun being the bride to be. Celebrate and enjoy each moment from your engagement party to your bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and of course your wedding day! Don't listen to what everyone thinks should happen at your wedding because it happened at some other wedding. After all it's you and your husband's decision. Tell them to trust you, it will come together the way YOU guys want it. Enjoy it because it literally flies by! The moments are so surreal . But it is definitely one of the best day of your lives!

We actually had 2 wedding days. (We're double blessed!) One was much bigger than the other (September 21st). Being a Catholic, I wanted to get married in the Catholic Church. I'll start out with September 21st wedding day and end with our Catholic wedding day (September 16th).

So here are the reviews. No particular order. All of my vendors were awesome! Most get an A or A+ from me. There were maybe a few mishaps that I would maybe want to change but nothing is perfect and I'm very happy with how everything turned out.

*All professional photos are from Joshua Dwain Photography. Click here to see more.



September 21st Wedding
LIWeddings.com - A+
...thanks! I stumbled upon this website in the beginning of my planning process. I wasn't as frequent of a poster especially after I found the Facebook group and I'm a little more addicted to FB than this website lol, but it was a great place to bounce ideas off other brides and get inspiration and ideas to all questions. I don't know what I would do without the community because I am the first of my friends to get married and sometimes being a bride, others do NOT know how you feel, except of course another bride. So thanks for bringing us together LIWeddings! :) Thanks also for the awesome Wedding of The Year, 2012! I actually won day of makeup for my wedding (couldn't use it because I needed makeup for a lot of people) but it was a great time!

The Weather - A+++
I started to stalk the weather when September started. I became paranoid when it kept saying it was going to thunderstorm on our wedding day. Our wedding was on a Friday. On Thursday we drove out to Long Island to start the festivies and dark clouds loomed over the sky. I was getting worried. Friday morning, all clouds cleared away and we had beautiful sunshine and 75 degree weather! Couldn't get any better. The next day the clouds rolled back in. So we felt like God knew it was just for us! We picked the perfect day. :) But it also proves, you can't predict the weather or worry about it. It can change the day before.

Venue - NYIT de Seversky Mansion - A++
My husband and I had a huge and long search looking for a venue. We searched for a few months after we got engaged in May 2011. We knew we wanted something grand and opulent. We had to have visited at least 7 venues. It was a fun process in the beginning because each venue feeds you and gives you cocktails as they show you a tour. Lol. But after visiting a few you just want to find a place and you get tired of the same spiel. We were very impressed with Leonards and Jericho Terrace at first and the price was right. But at the same time we wanted a place that only did one wedding at a time and wasn't the cheesy factory type wedding place. After looking for a while around Long Island and Brooklyn we got discouraged and one day I googled 'mansion wedding' and stumbled upon the de Seversky Mansion. The minute we saw the website we wanted it. So we made an appointment to visit and just the drive into this place we knew we had to have it. It was also one wedding at a time, felt very homey and still had the grand opulence we wanted. So we booked! We also loved the different set ups you can do. We chose the European style so we could utilize the entire mansion. Dinner in the ballroom, dancing in the garden room and cocktail hour in all other rooms. It was awesome sauce.
Throughout the process, de Seversky always answered any questions we had quickly. Eric and Gabrielle were always very accommodating! The day of the actual wedding we were able to get there a few hours in advance to take pictures. Everything was wonderful! The food was soooooo good. And we can personally say that because we ATE! The mansion itself is of course gorgeous and the staff was so helpful. I had told them I was allergic to shrimp and peanuts so as I was being served dinner the wait staff comforted me and told me they made sure there was no shrimp or peanuts on my plate. Everyone told me the food was wonderful and there was so much of it.
The suite upstairs is gorgeous, I wish I had more time to just lay around and take pictures everywhere. Lol. They made sure to stock it with food for the bridal party and me and my husband. We had all cocktail hour food! Right after the ceremony by DH and I went up to the suite to just have 10 minutes to ourselves (no, not to be dirty lol) and relish in the fact that we did it, we were married! Our Officiant recommended we do this and I'm so glad we did because the day can be hectic. This is the one time we were alone together, just us.
The one thing I wish I could go back in time and change was my ceremony aisle runner. I had purchased a personalized wedding runner with our names painted on it from Etsy. But in the craziness of the week before the wedding and handing off everything to de Seversky, I forgot to mention that the runner was personalized to either my day of coordinator or the Maitre'D. So when they rolled out the runner they realized it was so long that they cut it. But since they weren't aware that it was personalized they only laid out the white part of the runner. (As I walked down the aisle I totally realized it, but I let it go.) I am kicking myself still lol. But it's not de Seversky's fault. Just a message to Brides out there: remember to explain ALL details to either your Maitre'D or Day Of Coordinator. I'm sure if I had remembered to say something it would have been perfect.
All in all, I'm so glad that my husband I chose the de Seversky mansion to have our ceremony and our reception. Everything was gorgeous, our guests were very impressed, the food was amazing, you have so much space to yourselves, and we will always remember how beautiful our wedding day was.



Photographer - Joshua Dwain Photography - A++
I found Josh through Facebook. A couple from my college got married and I saw their wedding photos on FB and my mouth dropped. I said, 'baby look! This has to be our photographer!' So I sought him out, made an appointment and booked. Lol, it was pretty easy. I looked at some other photographers online who were also great but wasn't the style we wanted. So I figure, if you like something why search forever when this is it! So glad we booked. :) We had an engagement shoot a few months before the wedding and were impressed then with all our photos.
On the day of, Josh listened to our requests and got most of our photos in. I'm a little sad that I didn't get my funny photo with the groomsmen in, but being that time was flying by and the wedding started late (because of the limo company, I'll get to that later) I understand. Josh's work is amazing. Him and his wife and assistant Chad were great people to be around on the day. I was comfortable and happy and that's most important. The people you choose to have around you on your wedding day is key. No one wants negative energy around them on their wedding day. Josh and his team were great and positive! This is THE most important vendor because after everything, the pictures are what's here to stay. I'm glad our pictures will be so gorgeous forever.
Side note about photos that have nothing to do with Josh: I wish I handed my personal camera over to someone outside of the wedding party to take photos of our wedding. If you know me, from a child I have been miss paparazzi and I like to photograph every moment in life. So I'm kicking myself again for not handing my camera off instead of leaving it in the bridal suite. But it's ok. I'm sure I have enough pictures of my wedding. But the paparazzi inside of me is mad. LOL.


Here's a few from pics our engagement shoot:



Videographer - Kiss the Bride Films - A++
If your photographer is THE most important vendor, then your videographer has to be your second. Originally we did not think to have one and did not have the budget for one. So unlike most of our vendors we booked with them a little later in the game. I found them through our photographer when I asked for recommendations. So I checked them out on vimeo and was very impressed. I contacted Leslie and she gave me a call and was able to get us in. I also found a few videographers through the girls at LIweddings. They were all very affordable and great, but being as it was closer to the wedding they were all booked! (Get your vendors early ladies!)
Kiss the Bride Films was awesome! They were easy to work with throughout AND on the day of. The week of the wedding was so stressful with money and we ended up coming up short. So I spoke to them and they accommodated us and was able to downgrade us to raw footage only. Thank God, because we were going literally insane trying to find ways to finalize everything. I'm so glad we booked with them and can't wait to see all the footage. I'm sure there are a million moments I don't remember and it'll be great to see everything and be able to travel back into time to our wedding day through film.
Here is the link to the video: http://vimeo.com/59841459

Day of Coordinator - Fairy Tale Events (Kristin) - A++
I met with Chrissy very early in my planning. Right after DH and I booked our venue, we sought out a day of coordinator. We loved her, she was very personable and I knew she could be good to be around for my wedding day. It was most important that I was comfortable because let's be real, a DOC is for the Bride. So we booked. We contacted her maybe once throughout the whole planning process because I liked to do most things by myself anyway. But I knew that on the day of the wedding I did not want to be the one who people came up to asking questions and I didn't want to know if things were not going well. I just wanted to be happy and enjoy the party while someone else ran the show. A Day of Coordinator is totally worth it ladies! Had to be the cheapest vendor I ever booked but the most comforting.
So anyway, cut to July (2 months before the wedding) and I get an email from someone named Kristin (not Chrissy who I met with the summer before). I was a little pissed off because I was already in crunch mode and didn't like that things were being switched on me. My Maid of Honor and I met with Kristin in July to go over all details of the wedding and I quickly realized I was stupid to be mad because Kristin was just as perfect for the job. Just wish I had a heads up that I would not have Chrissy for the day.
But Kristin was awesome the day of! Everything was perfect except for of course my aisle runner story which she had no idea about. But there was so many things happening and she had her game face on! I loved this gal. When the limo company was running late with the shuttle bus full of my guests she made sure to tell me and I was still so calm and having fun taking pictures with my groom. As I'm getting ready to walk down the aisle I realize my Dad's missing. I was like, 'Um where the hell is my Dad?!'. She ran and found him in a second. When it was time to bustle up my first wedding gown so I can get introduced and have my first dance, my MOH was a little tipsy and having problems trying to find the loops for the bustle. My dress was lace and it was hard to find. I'm sure even harder if you had drinks. Kristin was determined to find the bustle and I'm sure it was only 15 minutes but of course when you're in the moment if feel s like forever. But along with my husband and maid of honor they worked hard and found the bustle! Later, when I was dancing she came up to me and said she was leaving and asked if I wanted her to pack some stuff up for me. I did and I also felt sad that she was leaving, lol. I was like 'wait...what will I do without you!?' This gal was a trooper! I totally recommend everyone to have her. Ha! It's totally worth it, trust me you will enjoy yourself more if you know you have people there to help you. :)

DJ - Music Mixed Intelligently, Raphael Gordon - A+
Mid way through planning my DH and I met with Raphael. We ate at Dave and Busters in Long Island and had a great conversation and DH loved him. I originally found him on Wedding Wire while looking up African American DJ's. I wanted to make sure he was going to play all music from Soca, Reggae and Hip hop and Pop and House/Club. I like ALL music. I wanted it all. LOL. My DH's families and I are from St. Lucia and St. Kitts and we also had a bunch of older folks and a few children. I wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves. Raphael did just that! He also made sure to play all of our requests even though we gave it to him like the day before the wedding. (What a crazy wedding week!) To be honest, this part of the night was a blur. (Thank god I have film!) I do remember dancing and getting down but to say I remember every single song and all details I'd be lying. I was on such a high off life. (I only had 2 drinks the whole night because I was busy having fun!)
But the overall feeling of our reception was live! I was getting down and sweating and my husband's grandma even told me she thought I had no bone in my body because I was wining up a storm, lol! Even my mom (who is in a wheel chair) got up out the chair and shook her groove thing. It was some party and I'm glad we chose Raphael because music is such an important part of the day and he made our party memorable!


Ceremony Music - Capriccio Ensemble - A+
Originally, this was not a part of the plan because I thought it would maybe be too much money and I didn't want to be too extra. But as I was going through the process I realized more and more that I wanted to have it and I would be sad if I didn't. Ever since I was younger I had that dream of walking down a grand cathedral aisle while a quartet played Canon in D. Well the cathedral didn't happen but I wanted the music. The quartet to me was too much money to spend for a half an hour ceremony so instead we went with a Violinist and a Cello. Natalie was amazing. I sought her out around May and found her through LI Weddings and she ended up giving me a discount for being at the Wedding of The Year 2012. Natalie helped us pick out music and was always very sweet through emails. On the day of, when the ceremony was running late, my husband and I were taking pictures before the ceremony and I heard the beautiful music and was so happy. I kind of wish I was able to thank her after wards but being the Bride you are a bit busy. But they were awesome and added the touch I totally wanted for our ceremony.

Wedding Gown # 1 - Kleinfeld - A++
My Wedding Dress was designed by Maggie Sottero - The name of it is Suzette.
So I went to basically every bridal store in nyc and started my search in August 2011. I tried on every style of dress there is. Fit-n-Flare, mermaids, ball gowns, drop waists...everything! I wanted to make sure I didn't rule out anything. You never know what a dress really looks like until you put it on. I also went by myself sometimes, with my maid of honor and with my mom for a final decision. I suggest going by yourself at least once so everyone's opinion's doesn't cloud your mind. I originally fell in love with all Pronovias dresses, but the sales lady turned me off by being too pushy . I would still wear one of their dresses in a heartbeat but I ended up falling in love with Kleinfeld.
When I went to Kleinfeld they were so nice and I felt like a princess. I had Paula helping me and she was like a personal shopper. She brought in all the dresses I requested. When I put on my dress I got chills and one of my bridesmaids cried. Then they put the veil on me and I was done. Strangers in the store were like 'that's the one, you look gorgeous!' Lol, but I just couldn't buy the dress without my mom there. So I went for another appointment with my Mom. She loved it and I actually did say 'Yes to the Dress'. Lol, they had me in the room where they filmed the show since it's the biggest room and my mom is in a wheel chair. So they wanted her to be comfortable too. I ordered my dress in October 2011 and got a message from Kleinfeld that it was ready by late June 2012. So yes ladies, order your dress right after you get the venue. Months after I ordered I started feeling like maybe I got the wrong dress. Like dress anxiety or something. Ha, probably because you try on so many beautiful dresses it's hard to choose just one. But I knew I made the right choice when I saw it again in alterations.
Alterations were pretty easy as well. I had lost some weight so they took it in and showed me which bustle I can do. I LOVED my dress. I only needed two alterations appointments instead of 3. After that, my dress was ready for me in early September. All in all, go with Kleinfeld if you want great service!
This is at my fitting:


Day of:







Day of Jewelry (for Wedding Gown # 1) - Tejani - A+
I went here during my lunch hour and was able to meet with Urvi and look around the showroom. I tried on different earrings and bracelets. I didn't want a necklace because my first dress already had so much bling on it and my reception dress had a halter type of neckline. The ones I chose were beautiful. Although very expensive, it was exactly what I wanted.




Wedding Gown # 2 - RK Bridal - A
My second Wedding Dress was designed by Justin Alexander, style #8456.
I originally wanted a second wedding dress to change into for the reception since it was in another room. I was probably just being dress greedy. Lol, then when money started getting tight I forgot about this idea until the summer of 2012. Early summer I sought out getting married in the Catholic Church. It ended up being on another day than the original wedding day, so me being Danielle NEEEDED another dress. lol. I probably didn't but hey why not. (If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it and well!) So as soon as we booked the Catholic ceremony I went on a hunt for another dress. I wanted it to serve 2 purposes. One for the Catholic Ceremony and one for my reception dress on 9/21.
It was already July and you can't order any wedding dress at that time to have it ready by September. So I searched RK Bridal and David's Bridal. During lunch one day (I work a few blocks away from RK Bridal) I went to RK Bridal to see what they had off the rack. It was a miracle that I found a dress that basically needed no alterations. Plus it was covered up enough for the Catholic Ceremony and sexy enough for the reception dress. I was just lucky. Plus I figured it was meant to be when it was 60% off!
The bracelet and earrings I wore this day, my mother bought for me to wear. .


Alterations for Dress # 2 - The Wedding Dresser - A
The only alterations this dress needed was the straps taken it and a bustle made. I had them do a french bustle and it looked very couture. I found the Wedding Dresser on yelp. Great reviews and was only 10 minutes away from where I lived. So I figure why not. They did the alterations in like a week. The dress was perfect. :) They were shocked that I had 2 wedding dresses and 2 wedding days and probably thought I was some primadonna. Lol, but oh well. When it comes to your wedding, you want what you want.

Bridesmaids Dresses - Here Comes The Bridesmaid - A+
Maid of Honor Dress was: Jim Hjelm, Style #5177, color Merlot
Bridesmaid's Dresses were: Jim Hjelm, Style #5230, color Merlot
This was a fun day! In February 2012, my gals and I had 2 appointments. We went to RK Bridal first and felt a little rushed because you only have a certain amount of time to try on dresses and you can't take pictures. My sister in law recommended Here Comes The Bridesmaid to me. We spent the rest of the day here. Probably 5 hours trying on dresses, taking pictures. I love Jim Hjelm dresses. But I had them try on several dress. The dress I originally wanted was the one my Maid of Honor had on. The other gals settled on the other dress because one of the girls didn't like my MOH dress. So since they were paying I wanted them to also be happy with their choice. I loved how it was because it made my MOH stand out (which I wanted anyway) and the color of the dress was gorgeous!


Recognize us trying to do Bridesmaids poster! lol:



Bridesmaids Jewelry- Etsy Vendor: Aurora Bridal- A+
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AuroraBridal
I ordered these on Etsy for my bridesmaids and had one custom made because one of my bridesmaids does not have pierced ears. Rachel was easy to work with and always answered all my questions. I was able to make the pearls a pink shade as well. It took a while to make but I knew this so I ordered in advance. They were gorgeous and my bridesmaids loved their gifts.
I also got them rhinestone bracelets. I bought them in Korea Town for like $2 each. But they looked very real and classy. I also bought them T-Shirts to wear the morning of (that review is below).


Flower Girl Dress - RK Bridal - A
My flower girl dress designer was: Dessy - Style FL4020
This was pretty easy. I searched for dresses for my niece to wear and it happened to be that RK Bridal had it. All I had to do was go there after work and order it. It came in like 6 weeks. Pretty smooth and easy. My mom sews well and altered it for my niece.
Here's my flower gal and ring bearer:



Usherette Dresses - Sears - A
This was also pretty easy. I went with my mother in law and my husband's little sisters to a few dress shops. It ended up being too close to the wedding to order dresses and I didn't want them spending so much money. We ended up going to Sears and finding a dress that complimented the color scheme. This is a picture of me, my hubbie, my brother in law and my Usherette's.


Hair & Makeup -Face The Day NY- A++
By the time it was time to book hair and makeup I was fed up with searching for everything. Lol. so thank God one of my bridesmaids recommended these lovely ladies to me. I contacted Ellen and she was so nice. I had a trial in June and when I went in Sabrina (my hair stylist) and Ellen (my makeup artist) were both really cool gals. So glad I went with them. Great spirits! Plus they made me look so glam! I tried two hairstyles. I brought pictures in and they made it look exactly like I wanted. I ended up going with my hair down because it felt more me. For makeup I had no real vision. I just didn't want to look so made up that I didn't look like myself. I wanted to look bridal pretty. I didn't even have to give Ellen much direction. She knew and did her thing.
The day of the wedding I get a call from Ellen saying her car had a flat and she would be late. You'd think I'd be freaking out. But I was calm and cool. I chilled out with my mom for a while in the hotel room and ordered breakfast and before I knew it, her and her team was there. They did all my bridesmaids, my flower girl and my mom for hair and makeup! These girls were all great! In fact, the day after the wedding I woke up with my makeup still on! Lol, I was too pooped to wipe it off the night before. But this thing lasted. They made me feel so beautiful for my day and I got many compliments. :)



Tuxedos -Men's Warehouse - B+ (coming from my DH)
I had no idea about this so these words are directly from my husband. He wanted to keep his Tux a surprise from me. Plus, he knows best about Tux's (since I'm not man) so I let him do his thing. I just gave him a swatch to work with from the bridesmaids dresses.
He loved their online tracker of who gets fitted. He also liked their online 'build a tux' feature. He loved that he could go to any Men's Warehouse and get fitted and pick up a suit ( same for returning). This worked well because the groomsmen were spread out between New Jersey and New York.
He said they only thing they don't do is tailor anything. Basically they take your measurements but only to see what is close to your size. He would liked to have something closer to his size. He also did not like the day after return policy. Also, not all the groomsmen got everything they were supposed to receive. Some accessories were missing.
But hey I think they all looked pretty damn good, and my ring bearer was adorable!



Flowers -Bella Flowers - A+
To be honest, flowers was really not something that I cared that much about. I only had a vague idea of what I wanted. I just cared that it was pretty and matched my 'Gatsby' theme. No use freaking about flowers that only live a few days, lol.
My husband and I met with Cristina in early February. We met with 3 florist and ended up going with Cristina. We sat and talked with her for a few hours and she totally got our vision. I wanted gatsby! Low centerpieces to be more affordable and gorgeous flowers. I didn't know much about the flowers but she gave us a lesson and told us what's in season and what could work. de Seversky actually recommended us to her because she is one of the house vendors. She knew the place and that was important to us. All the flowers were gorgeous. I actually was told not to go with her through some of the LIwedding gals. I guess someone had a bad experience. But I guess we have to remember, not everyone will have the same experience with all vendors. My husband and I loved Cristina and she took the time to make sure we loved our flowers.



Photo Booth - Magnolia Photo Booth (aka Magbooth) - A
Magbooth is totally awesome and matched our vintage gatsby feel for our wedding! I found them while going to one of those Wedding Expo's in NYC after work. I went to a couple of expos for the free booze and food. Haha, and also to see what's out there in the wedding world. While there I stumbled upon this photo booth company. I thought they were pretty awesome so I got it in lieu of favors. (In the end though my mom ended up doing favors for me anyway)
Sadly, on the day of (I got it for 4 hours) for about 2 of the hours no one took photos. I even forgot it was there because I was busy eating dinner which was in another room. (Dancing was in another part of the mansion which is where the photo booth was.) I should have maybe thought about that more or told the DJ to shout out the fact that there is a photo booth to the guests. Because a lot of guests didn't use the booth. But the other half did, and the pics we do have are hilarious. Still glad we got the booth!


Officant - Rev. David Grainson - A++
We found Rev. David Grainson by attending a friend's wedding where he officiated and felt like a traditional Catholic Wedding. We were looking to incorporate that into the ceremony so we decided to meet with him. We felt very comfortable with him and knew he would make our ceremony memorable and meaningful. When we met with him he asked us a lot of question from how we met to how we knew we were in love with each other and why. It was a little nerve racking to have to share your feelings with almost a stranger but he made it easy and also incorporated what we said at the initially meeting in the homily. We opted for a wine ceremony to symbolize our union and I loved it because it was different and we feared the unity candle may blow out since we had an outdoor ceremony. He suggested we take some time after the ceremony to be with each other to cherish the moment and the day and we did and I'm glad we did. Over all great guy and made the ceremony lovely!


Cake -MaCayla Michaels Desserts - A+
This was the farthest place we had to travel to! Lol, but it was worth it. MaCayla Michaels is the house vendor for de Seversky and when we sat down with Cristina (our florist) she recommended them to us. Michael was pretty cool. We explained what we wanted in a cake and showed him a picture. We wanted the cake to look grand but we didn't want to pay for extra cake. So we made it so that one of the tiers was a cardboard box tier. It looked so real. The tasting was awesome. They made a full cake for us to taste and take home to our families to taste. We ended up having three flavors of like devils food chocolate and vanilla. It was so yummy!
On the day of, when we saw the cake on the dance floor we loved it! It was just as we wanted! The ribbon, the broach and the cake topper. Plus it tasted sooo good. We saved the top of our cake and have it in our freezer. Can't wait to crack it open on 9/21/2013.



Save The Dates - Wedding Paper Divas - A
This website is fun and easy. You can order samples for free. We sent Save the Date's in March 2012. So we ordered the Postcards by February. It was easy. We just uploaded our picture from our first engagement shoot (we had 2) and picked a layout. We added little magnets at the back so guests could put it on their fridge. Pretty easy. :)


Invitations- Lion In The Sun - A+
By the time it was time to order invitations we were so tired of having to travel out to Long Island from Brooklyn to visit vendors. So I googled some local places we could go to. Originally I was going to do it online but then I realized after ordering some samples from places like Wedding Paper Divas that things are not always what they seem online and in real life. You have to see and feel your invitations! So we personally went into Lion in The Sun in park slope Brooklyn, like 10 minutes from where we live, and had fun looking through books and settled on invitations. I kinda let my husband lead the torch on the look and feel. He knew what he was doing and I rather him feel included in everything we were doing. Invitations were gorgeous and they came in fast! They sent proofs through emails. We ended up doing letter press invitations and made sure they were light in weight so we didn't have to spend an arm and a leg mailing them out. I highly recommend this place. Great people and easy to work with.



Transportation- Legend Limousines - B
So this review is mostly from my point of view. I had nothing to do with booking or really researching limo companies as this was all my husband's part. I can only speak of the day of. My husband ordered 2 point to point Lincoln limo's. One to take the groom and groomsmen from the hotel to de Seversky and one to take me and my bridesmaids from the hotel to de Seversky. They actually upgraded my limo to a Cadillac. I didn't notice but my husband did. I guess I was kinda in a daze and in a rush to get to the venue to take pictures. As it was we were already 30 minutes late because being girls we take time to get ready. Ha! But it was well stocked with soft drinks and liquor and the driver was very nice! I didn't' drink because I wanted to be nice and fresh for my pics and not have to pee in the middle of it. lol
The only reason they get a B from me is not for our personal limos, but for the shuttle bus from the hotel. My husband also ordered a shuttle bus for our hotel guests so they could drink and get back to the hotel safely. I heard the shuttle bus was even upgraded to a party bus. My mom was happy at first. It should have taken maybe 15 to 20 minutes to get to the venue. But after about an hour my mom started to have a melt down on the bus. Freaking out that she's going to miss me walking down the aisle. (Of course at the time I was not aware of any of this). The driver must have gotten lost. Luckily at the time I was busy taking pictures and not even worrying about the fact that we were late. My ceremony was supposed to start at 5:30 PM and we started probably around an hour after. Which made everything else, like taking family photos and dinner, rushed. We wanted to walk around to each table to say thanks to our guests but only got to do half. So for this I'm a little disappointed that it happened.
But things happen man. We had already gotten upgraded to a party bus and my limo upgraded so I'm not sure there was much more Legend can do so we haven't contacted them. But what's done is done. My mom still got to see me walk down the aisle and the wedding was still a success. Late or not.

Hotel Block - Long Island Marriott - A
Here's another from just my point of view because I had nothing to do with booking this. This was my husband and his brother's (also Best Man) job. I'm glad they chose the Marriott because it's a pretty big hotel and I knew the area. I went to Hofstra University for college so me and my Bridesmaids felt like we were back in time! They were also very accommodating. My brother in law has some sort of connection there and they got us a conference room for the Rehearsal. The bridesmaids and I were running late getting back for the rehearsal because we were all doing our nails and the Marriott extended our time in the conference room. The only thing I would have liked was transportation and maybe a breakfast for the guests the next day. But being as I didn't choose any of this, I was still very grateful!

Rehearsal Dinner - Long Island Marriott - A
My Mother in Law and Brother in Law booked this and planned everything for the rehearsal dinner. It was held inside the Marriott's restaurant (Champion's) but a reserved private section. The food was really good and it was nice to just relax before the day with everyone.

Wedding Rings - Zales - A
This was an easy surprise. While shopping my husband randomly pulled me in to Zales and basically said, 'ready to order? '. This was really easy because I already knew exactly what i wanted to match my Engagement ring.


Travel Agent - Travel Tom - A+
I found out about Travel Tom through the girls at LIWeddings. Tom was so knowledgeable about Hawaii. He booked us for Maui and Kauai in January and we were able to make payments. We stayed at the Hyatt on both islands. He was also able to get us breakfast every morning some honeymoon bonus's and champagne in both our rooms. We spoke to him a few times and he was always able to answer our questions and even suggest a few things. Before we left for the trip we called to go over everything and he also gave us restaurant suggestions. Tom is a great guy and really knows his stuff! We are totally using him to book our anniversary trip!

Honeymoon - Hawaii, Maui & Kauai - A++++
Hawaii is heaven. We chose to go here since it is so far away and we both had never been. Maui is gorgeous! We did so much here. We did the Old Lahaina Luau, a submarine tour, The Road to Hana (Get some Banana Bread at Aunt Sally's on the way) , ATV's, and saw the sunrise in Haleakala. It was awesome and gorgeous! We also went to Mama's fish house. Good food, but expensive! We stayed at the Hyatt Regency. Awesome hotel! So many random animals like penguins and parrots and the rooms were great. We had ocean view.
Since we did so much on Maui, we wanted to take it easy on Kauai. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which is amazing. So we enjoyed the pools at the Grand Hyatt and the beach and explored the island by car. We also took a helicopter ride which I totally recommend because it is the only way to see most of the island. We also did a sunset cruise. I can't wait to go back to Hawaii. We promised each other to go back at least every 5 years.







Odd's n' Ends -
Bridal Robe - Victoria Secret: A, Embroidme: A
I bought this from Victoria Secret, so I could wear it when getting my make up done. To personalize it I went to Embroidme in Midtown to add 'Mrs. A' to it. I sat down and designed it with someone. Pretty easy. :)



Shoes- My Glass Slipper.com - A
Finding shoes was a nightmare because I have size 11 feet and I was required to wear a low inch heel because of the hem of my dress. But I'm used to this so I started looking early. Good thing I did because early in the game I ordered shoes from another company and they gave me the wrong shoe. Finally I found a Badgley Mischka 3 inch pump that was being sold in a size 11. Which is rear. So I snagged it up and early because it started shipping in August when I ordered it in May. My Reception Shoes were these pretty purple Caparros heels I got from DSW. I didn't even wear it too long. After a song or 2 I was barefoot.



Headpiece - Etsy vendor: Luxe Deluxe - A
http://www.etsy.com/shop/luxedeluxe
I wanted a headpiece like this and searched high and low in stores. But they were all $200 and up. I was not paying that money for a head piece. So I found this one on etsy for under $100. It shipped from the UK and still came faster than a lot of other packages and in great condition.


Garter -Etsy vendor: Garters By Kristi - A
http://www.etsy.com/shop/GartersByKristi
I knew I wanted a Giants garter for my man because this is his favorite football team. He loved it so much. He didn't even want to throw it out to the guys. So we still have the toss garter. LOL.


Bridal Hoodie - Just Jen - A
I was going to buy myself a white hoodie and then have it embroidered but I kept putting it off. By the time I went to look for white hoodies, the stores were selling fall merch. So that was out of the question. So I went to JustJen.com and personalized a hoodie. I usually wear a size medium so I ordered one. It fit but it was a little too fitted. If you are looking for a comfy hoodie you can move around in, order a size up. But it was still great. I wore this before I started putting my make up on the day of and I also wore it on the plane to my honeymoon and coming back. It got us a free champagne and a bottle of wine on the United flight coming home to NY. :)


Bride T-shirt and Bridesmaids T-Shirts & Flower Girl Tee - Wedding Chicks - A+
I wore this under my bridal hoodie when getting my hair done. My bridesmaids and flower girl wore their tee's the morning of. I gave it as one of their gifts. So cute! Wait for one of their sales!





Bridal Hanger - Etsy vendor: Hitched Hangers - A
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HitchedHangers
I got this in my Bridal crazy ordering mode. I probably didn't need it. But it was super adorable! And it shipped very fast. :)


Groom T-Shirt, Ringbearer Tee & Bachelorette Party T-Shirts- CafePress.com - A+
I wanted my groomie to feel special on his day so I found this on Cafepress.com along with a 'Game Over' Shirt. I also bought the ring bearer a shirt.
I also bought everyone who came to my bachelorette weekend these tees as a thank you. Love their coupons. I always get discounts at Cafe Press.


Guestbook (Canvas) - CafePress.com - A+
We ordered this canvas on Cafe Press when they gave us a 55% off coupon. We had an engagement shoot with one of my husbands friends in 2011 so we used those photos. It was pretty easy and shipped fast. Now we're hanging it in our living room.


Cake Topper - Etsy vendor: Tange Design - A
http://www.etsy.com/people/tangedesign
This came fast and was really pretty.

Cake Ribbon and Broach - MJ Trimming - A
Love this place. I work in the area so it's fun to just come in a look at everything. This was very easy. We dropped it off to our baker the week of.

Card Box - Etsy vendor: Jesi Lee - A
http://www.etsy.com/shop/1Screations
Loved it! She matched our colors perfectly!


Favor Boxes - TheKnot.com - B
These were cute. We needed boxes for the black cake (us west indians need our rum cake, haha). My mom was in charge of this. She knew a lady who made the cake for us. She also assembled all the boxes. So I just ordered them for her. I give it a B+ because it took some time to process and ship. Then some of the prints were crooked on the boxes. Still looked cute though.


Cocktail Napkins - TheKnot.com - A
Super cute, got them when there was this HUGE blowout sale plus a coupon. You have to like wait till they say last day, then the next day buy it because they extend it and give a coupon. Lol.

Aisle Runner - Etsy vendor: Starry Night Design Studio - A+
http://www.etsy.com/people/StarryNightDesign
This is a bittersweet one. ;/ Only because it was never used. If you've read this far you know why it wasn't used (in the review for de Seversky). But it was gorgeous! We still have it and are thinking of framing it. It will get used somewhere! But anyway, Stephanie was easy to work with and even sent us swatches to pick from so we could choose our colors. When it got closer to the wedding, I contacted her to see how it was going because I knew it was going to be cutting it close. She upgraded me to next day shipping. I REALLY wish it was used the way it was supposed to be. But still, it was great and I totally recommend them.

Table Numbers - Etsy vendor: Almost Sunday Designs - A+
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlmostSundayInc
LOVED my table numbers. They totally matched our theme. All I did was send my invitation over and they designed it with our colors as well. It was perfect. Very easy to work with through etsy.


Flower Girl Basket & Ring Bearer Pillow - Etsy vendor: Weddings and Such- A
http://www.etsy.com/shop/weddingsandsuch
I saw these and had to have them. They were adorable. My niece loved her basket so much she danced with it all night.

Program Basket- Michaels - A
The morning of the wedding, we realized we didn't have this. So my husband ran to Michaels and got it. :)

Unity Candle for 9/16 - Michaels - A
The week of the wedding I went to see where I could find this in a hurry. I get to Michaels and it's right in front of my face. Ha, and only 1 left. Man was I lucky, and it was on sale!

DIY

Escort Cards (Cootie Catchers)- Etsy vendor: Kats Krafts - A+
http://www.etsy.com/people/katskrafts
Ok so this is kind of HALF DIY. Lol. We wanted cootie catchers (fortune tellers) for our escort cards because they are cute conversation starters and reminded us of grade school. My husband and I met in grade school so it was very fitting.
The design was actually made by Kat who was so easy to work with. She mimicked our invitations design and explained the best way to print. I only wanted the template because I didn't know how many Escort Cards I needed printed at the time. I bought the paper at staples and did a couple of practice ones. One weekend I had a 'Folding Party' and invited my bridesmaids over to fold the cootie catchers...wine was involved. Lol.


Ceremony Programs - Me, Myself and I - A ++ (pats self on the back)
I made these in Microsoft word and printed them at work on the same paper I bought for the cootie catchers. To think I could have paid someone $300 to do this. But why waste money? I thought it was going to be hard. It was pretty easy. Brought me back to the days when I designed things. Even if you think you can't be DIY (because I totally thought I couldn't). Try something and save yourself some money. I wanted to add something more to it so I bought a spool of ribbon. 2 nights before the wedding, my husband punched all the holes in them and the night before the wedding the bridesmaids tied the ribbon into bows. :)


Welcome Bags for Hotel Guests - My Husband and I- A++ (pats self on the back)
I went to Michaels and got some brown paper bags for like $5. I also printed labels at home and stuck them on. Then my husband and I literally went to our penny jar 2 days before the wedding and used the money to buy chips, candy and water bottles and Tylenol packets for our hotel guests. We stuffed the bags the night before we had to head out to Long Island. I think they came out well. And a few people thanked me for it because they hadn't eaten or because they need the pill the next morning. :)

Welcome Letter Timeline- My Husband - A++ (pats him on the back)
He copied one of our engagement shoot pictures from our photographer and had fun in Microsoft publisher. We printed these at home as they were only 20 of them.



Signature Drink Bar Sign- Me, Myself and I - A++ (pats self on the back)
Designed this in word. Printed it at home and bought frame from the dollar store. :)

Cootie Catcher Sign- Me, Myself and I - A++ (pats self on the back)
Also designed this in word. Printed it at home and bought frame from the dollar store. :)

Pre-Wedding Celebrations
Engagement Dinner - Iguanas Restaurant - A
Our friends set this up for us to celebrate our engagement. It was on May 21, 2011. Exactly a month after we got engaged. It was just fun together with friends have a good meal and dance. It was a great time. I had been to this restaurant with my friends before as well. The food is good and downstairs can get really fun. Great after work place as well.


Bridal Shower - Janelle's Caribbean American Cuisine- A+
My bridesmaids planned all of this. Everything was lovely. Everything was red (my favorite color). We had a brunch and the food was good! People ended up coming late so I did not get to open my presents until I got home. But it was still a great time. All ladies close to me coming together and having a good time. :) I felt so loved! We played a few games and had a few mimosas. The cake was the best! I had it in my fridge and ate it every day after. (Who knows how I lost this weight for this wedding)
I also had a Bridal Shower at my job. It was so surreal to see everyone get together to do something just for you. I was awed. This time in life made me feel so special. :)


Bachelorette Weekend - South Beach, Miami- A++
My gals planned this for me. It was soooooo fun! We had already been to south beach several times so it was like coming home. We stayed at the Congress Hotel. Right by the beach and it has a rooftop pool. We hit up the usuals, Wet Willies, Clevelander, Fat Tuesdays.... Went to Cameo Nightclub one night and just hopped around down ocean avenue the next night just being drunk. Man, this was fun. We relaxed on the beach and just had girl time. Loved my bachelorette weekend!


September 16, 2012 - Catholic Ceremony Wedding Day

Officiant & Church - Deacon James Noble , Immaculate Heart of Mary Church - A++
We love Deacon Jim! I had originally called the church I grew up in and they were pretty snooty to me. I guess it's understandable because I called in May about a September wedding. You are supposed to do it at least 6 months to a year in advance. But I was determined. So I ended up calling Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and Deacon Jim called me back. He seemed pretty busy and said we'd set something up for a few weeks later. So I called again about a month later and we met. It was really cutting it close. But Deacon Jim still met with us and interviewed us. After discussing with the Father they decided to marry us. We had to fill out the paper work and get things notarized but it all happened smoothly. We were even able to get into the Interfaith Pr-Cana Class which was originally booked (they opened a spot for us). I have a feeling everything works out the way it's supposed to. :)

Photos from the day:





Pre Cana - Diocese of Brooklyn - A+
Pre Cana was nothing like we thought it was going to be. It was very enlightening and my husband and I actually enjoyed it. It was taught by a cute older couple who had a lot of life lessons and marriage lessons to share. But we enjoyed it because it gave us a setting to talk about all the issues that may arise in our marriage, how we handle anger and our thoughts on children. Many topics we have talked about and couples should talk about before they marry. They also fed us lunch. It was actually a great day.

Ceremony Programs - Me, Myself and I - A ++ (pats self on the back)
I made these in Microsoft word and printed them at work on the same paper I bought for the cootie catchers. Same style for the 9/21 wedding except without the ribbon.

Flowers - Local Florist - A +
Literally 2 hours before the ceremony I went to my local florist and asked them to make me a bouquet along with one for my maid of honor and 2 boutonnieres for my husband and best man. They put together white roses and hydrangeas in less than 30 minutes. It was perfect! To think you can do this instead of planning flowers so far in advance blows my mind. Ha ha!

Makeup - Kings Plaza Macy's Mac Counter - A +
The morning of, I went to the mall and had an appointment at the mac counter. I told them I wanted to look natural and that I hated that mac eyebrow crap that they do. So they didn't do that. I loved my makeup. :) Plus all I had to do was purchase something. I got some lip gloss and make up remover pads which I needed anyway.

Hair - Me and my Sister in Law - A +
I had gotten a perm the day before and all I wanted was to put my hair back in like a messy curly up do. So I pin curled my hair with the help of my sis in law and she bobbi pinned the curls to make it all purty in the back. :)

Ceremony Programs - Me, Myself and I - A ++ (pats self on the back)
I made these in Microsoft word and printed them at work on the same paper I bought for the cootie catchers. Same style for the 9/21 wedding except without the ribbon.

Get Together After Ceremony - My Family - A+
My mom and family got together and had food drinks and music in the basement. Everyone who came from the church ceremony came. It was awesome to just get together after words and celebrate! Thanks to everyone who helped put this together.

Whew! That was a lot to review! If you made it to the end, thanks for reading! I hope it helps any future brides. :) Enjoy the ride ladies!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Wow you looked absolutely gorgeous!!!!!! Congrats and great review :)

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

AHH I know your MOH Ramsey (As I call her!) and Danielle! I used to work with them at PPA! HAHA when I got engaged, Ramsey told me all about your wedding and how beautiful it was going to be! Your pics are AMAZING! and I LOVE all your details! Congrats!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review! Beautiful bride and i love all of your details.....

Re: 9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Excellent Review! You looked beautiful...Congratulations!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

I loved your review! I am also booked with Face the Day NY!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

You looked stunning! Congrats!

Re: 9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great Review! Congratulations

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review!!! Good job! Congrats!!! Your photos are gorgeous! The dress looks AMAZING.

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

awesome review - congratulations danielle - you looked beautiful! very much enjoyed this review xoox

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Thanks everyone!!!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review. You looked very beautiful!

I'm also using MMI DJs for my wedding.

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

great review!
I'm booked with the same DJ.

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Fantastic Review. You looked gorgeous. Congrats.

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Congrats, amazing review and very helpful! It seems you had the perfect day!!

Re: 9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review! You guys look so cute together.

Re: 9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review! You looked beautiful!

9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

Great review! You look so happy. One question - how did you get the pattern from your invitations onto the DIY items?

Re: 9.21.12 - Our Wedding Day - de Seversky Mansion, Joshua Dwain Photography, Kiss the Bride Films, Fairy Tale Events, Music Mixed Intelligently, Capriccio Ensemble, Face The Day NY and many more!!

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Posted by mtkny

Great review! You look so happy. One question - how did you get the pattern from your invitations onto the DIY items?

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Hey there! Thanks! I just used the proof they emailed us from my invitations, copied it in photo shop, and added it to other templates.