My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Our Story:

Jeff and I met in his last semester at college. We weren’t planning on getting serious since he was only going to be in town for 6 months. When moving day came, we did a test run of being apart, and that only lasted till right after New Years. He came up to visit friends in February, and our eyes met over a crowded room- and we were both done! 18 months apart, and I moved down to NYC. With the move came the “5 year contract”. I informed Jeff that if after 5 years of dating, he couldn’t figure out if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, there’s a pretty good chance we weren’t right for each other.

4 years, 11 months and 24 days later, I came home to a floor filled with white roses and candles with a ring box in the middle. We got engaged on June 6, 2008.

The Ring:
The first ring he gave me ended up having a pretty big flaw, so instead Jeff asked his mom if we could use one of her diamonds- she had several ones given to her that were “perfect” (colorless, flawless). We picked out a setting, and he was off to the jewelers. He came back with a different setting, but it is still a stunner.
Our wedding bands came from his uncle's jewelry store in Brooklyn. They are perfect, and my diamonds sparkle (even when dirty). I get compliments on it all the time.



Invitations (Tessa) A:
We got invitations from “The woman that shall not be named”. She was very understanding, attentive, and patient. My MIL made this process ten times harder than what it needed to be. She answered my e-mails, sent several different swatches to make sure the paper, ribbon, and invite color all matched. After much debate, colors were picked, and sent on their way! We ended up giving in our final guest list about 10 weeks before, and had 2 different invites to make all parties happy. I believe the price was good, communication was great, and overall the process was smooth.


Channa Plaque A:
DH was against it, but then we kept getting compliments on it, so I think he gets it now. The price point was good, and the quality is great. She gives you so many color choices to make sure you get what want.



Bridal Shower (Baku Palace) A:
My MIL threw me a local shower the first week of August at Baku Palace in Brooklyn. The food was good, and the staff was very attentive. My favorite part is that you could see the swans in the bay from our table. We had about 100 women and it was about 80 degrees with 90% humidity and we were out on their balcony without AC- but none of us were uncomfortable with the breeze from the water. It’s a nice place to go, especially if you like Russian food.



The Dress (Russell’s Bridal in Linden NJ):
Some of you already know the story of my dress-but I will include it in this anyways. I first went dress shopping in September 2008 in Syracuse with one of my bridesmaids. I found a beautiful Piccione dress at Spy Baby Salon. The problem was the price. I didn’t want to spend over $2500, since I knew it would need alterations. The dress was $3800. They worked with me and got it to 3200, but I needed time to think. Then came the LAZY PHASE when I did no planning whatsoever. After about 10 months of that, I got back in the saddle. I called up Spy Baby and said I was ready to purchase my dress (I tried on at least 50 other dresses, but none of them compared to my Piccione). The dress had been discontinued, and the sample was sold. There the true quest began. I contacted every bridal shop that carried the line in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee (my family lives there). I found one (yes ONE) that was a close enough fit. It was a sample, so I was off to Linden NJ to check it out. It was in pristine shape (I went over every inch of beading, and every hem). And the price was right! To this day, it is the only wedding decision I made that I never second-guessed. I was a princess on my wedding day- with much thanks to the women at Russell’s Bridals in Linden, NJ. The staff was always helpful and efficient (which I greatly appreciated).









The Veil and headpiece (ETSY):
I always wanted a mantilla, but didn’t think I could afford it. Then I found Sylvia on Etsy. I got it in a timely fashion. When I took it to my last fitting, we realized the veil was too white! I wrote to Sylvia, and she had no problems with exchanging it for an ivory veil.
My headpiece I got from Etsy too, but from the vendor “Lucia Bella”. It’s a double strand headband and on an ivory satin ribbon. It was perfect. I ended getting another one- just to wear out!





DOJ Jewelry:
After hearing and seeing all the reviews and pieces, I took my mom to Bridal Styles in Brooklyn. The customer service was atrocious (we had to practically beg the sales rep to take a set of earrings out for us-she was too busy making plans for the weekend in the back). I ended up getting my earrings from them anyways, and they matched my day of jewelry and dress.
The bracelets and necklace I got at Macy’s the week of my wedding-on a whim!




”S” cake topper:
My “Something Borrowed” from Maria (Spdy540)!



The Reception Hall- (North Ritz Club) B
Our banquet manager was Nick, but we dealt more with Nadine than with Nick (every time I would call, he was never available). North Ritz Club is an amazing venue, and its known for its food. We had been to couple different events there, an d were always very pleased with it. The reason they get a B instead of an A is because of their Day-Of execution and mishandling of a specific situation. I found out after my wedding, that 2 of my guest’s tables were being setup as my bridal party was being announced into the room, our custom table numbers did not match the ones the hall put out- so there were 2 different numbers on some of the tables, and then there was the breaking glass situation. We had a jewish ceremony in their outside area, which included Jeff breaking the glass at the end of the ceremony. When we were unpacking all our stuff on Monday, we realized the glass was missing (it was in a blue velvet bag). I called the hall, and was told that someone would get back to me. By Tuesday, no one had, so I contacted our DOC who said they would call. Wednesday comes- no calls. I asked my DOC if she followed up, and was surprised no one had called me yet and states she was told by the hall someone would follow up with. By Thursday, I am understanding the glass is gone and will not be found- but an apology would’ve been nice. The glass is a very sentimental part of the wedding….and I don’t have one
Bottom Line: The food was great, the ambience and environment is wonderful, but I would still watch for the details.







Groom’s Cake (Front St Bakery) B-:
We got a groom’s cake since NRC doesn’t do Red Velvet- and I was NOT getting without Red Velvet. We had Front Street’s cookies and pastries before, so we ordered the cake from them. The cake looked awesome, but they used fondant frosting, so it wasn’t as tasty as Red Velvet cakes usually are. The Giants helmet was a rice krispie treat- so that was my favorite part. We ate the cake until Wed ( I had kids staying with me, and they kept asking for it after lunch and dinner) and it held up well. It didn’t dry out or anything.




The Band-(Heart and Soul) A+
I wanted a DJ, DH wanted a band. So we got a band. The pressure was on the bands to impress me since I was against them from the start. We saw one band (twice actually), and signed them as soon as the in-laws heard them. The dance floor was hopping all night long, and they played a little bit of everything! They didn’t have any of the paperwork though, so my girls came down the aisle to the wrong song, but I sent the paperwork in late- so it is partly my fault. I wish the music would’ve been right for the ceremony, because the reception music was perfect!!!










The flowers-(Stefan’s) B+:
My biggest request for flowers was “NO WHITE”. I was adamant from the first meeting the only white flower would by DH’s boutonniere. My first sample was done the week my florist (Josh) was on vacation, so he had another florist do it- it was a DISASTER! The second time was a little better, but once more, my florist was not there. After several phone calls, they finally nailed it on the sample. The centerpieces and the girl’s bouquets were amazing; I had to go to their warehouse to drop off my bouquet holder, and was able to see it all come together perfectly. Josh was awesome- he’s a no BS kind of guy, and is very good at his job. He can come off a bit brash, but he knows how to make your vision come to life.








Bridesmaids dresses (Liz Fields Designs) A+:
I had 6 bridesmaids all together- and only 1 lives in the NYC area. Therefore, I can’t really talk about their experiences with the salons they went to. We chose the designer Liz Fields because she is a talented younger designer, and her purple matched what I had in mind perfectly. It was after we had picked her as a designer did my MIL inform me she actually knows her, so I got to meet her and discuss the designs with her. I let the girls pick the design as long as it was available in purple, floor length, and satin. They each picked out dresses that fit their bodies best, and their personalities. The size was pretty true to size, and I never heard a complaint from any of the girls about anything being wrong with them.




Flowergirls Dresses:
All 5 of them were a gift from my SIL- they were perfect and adorable. The company is no longer make the model we used though.



Mother’s Dress (Macy’s) A:
My mom, being a non- New Yorker and a somewhat simple woman when it comes to fashion, was going to be a bit of a challenge to dress for a New York wedding. We found her dress and heels at a sale in Macy’s. She wanted sleeves, and to make sure her décolletage was covered-check and check! And it was only a little over $100! My MIL spent close to 4 times that much, and you couldn’t tell! She looked great, and felt great!



Tuxes (Men’s Warehouse in Oceanside):
GH and his groomsman got their tuxes at Men’s Warehouse in Oceanside. The service was great, and we had no problems with them. This was one decision I had no input on- I just picked the color of vests.




Hotels (Fairfield Marriott in Syosset and The Inn at Fox Hollow)A:
We booked rooms at both the Marriott Fairfield Inn, and the Inn at Fox Hollow. We booked them out almost a year in advance. The Fairfield lost our reservation due to manager turnover but were quick to fix it. The Inn at Fox Hollow were easy to communicate with (I e-mailed Ray at least once a week for the few months prior to our wedding) and everyone was happy with their room choice.


Hair and Makeup (MYA/Cosmetic Artistry) A+:
Mya was awesome. I only went on 2 trials, and booked Mya on the spot. She makes you very relaxed, but really knows her stuff! She did the hair and makeup for all my girls! I wanted to use someone that could do both to cut out looking for 2 vendors (in other words, I was lazy). The girls came with ideas and pictures and by 9:00am we were out the door ON TIME!!! Mya did 5 adults and a one of my flowergirls (both hair and makeup) in 4 hours. The best part was my makeup and hair stayed well into the night! One of my BM didn’t even take her hair down until the following day, and it still looked great! My MIL and SIL chose not to join us, and their hair was flat by the reception and most of their makeup wore off by the middle of the party. We looked amazing, they looked….okay.



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DOC-( A Modern Day Affair) A
My MIL have a lot in common when it comes to personality traits, stubbornness is a trait we both possess. We rarely agree on anything, so I was worried she would change things with my vendors last minute and have a wedding she wanted and not the one DH and I envisioned. For this reason, I hired my DOC. I got 2 for the price of one, and couldn’t have been happier. My MIL kept asking me why I was so calm, and I would merely point to Laura and Shauna.







Photography/Videography (Glenmar Studios) Day of A+/The rest of the staff B-:
Glenmar Studios did both my photography and videography. They did our e-pics, as well as our special day. They were not my choice, but a choice forced on me. My SIL had used them, as has several members of my husband’s friends and families. For this reason, I met with them with a bit of an attitude (not gonna lie). They do not sweet talk or BS you. They fluff anything up-what you see is what you get. After 30 minutes of negotiations, they agreed to do our e-pics in Central Park. Anna was awesome. We ended getting our STDs from them (which were a bit pricy), and I called November 2010 to request Anna for our wedding. Our next encounter with them wasn’t until a couple weeks before our wedding. This is when I was told I never told them I wanted Anna and they had booked John with us. At this time, there was nothing I could do but blame them for their disorganization. But it got worse. I had brought a “must take pic list” (thanks to Leesah85). The photographer wouldn’t even take a copy of it. He said he has been doing this for so long, he doesn’t need to be told what to take pictures of. I informed him we only get one shot at this, and requested he re-think (which he didn’t). We asked to do the family photos before the ceremony , since we weren’t seeing each other before the ceremony, we wanted to get all the family (brides side vs grooms side, GM with DH, GM with me, etc) so we wouldn’t miss the entire CH. Once again, shot down- I was informed that it would just be easier to see FH before the ceremony. I informed him I understood it would be EASIER but not part of my family’s tradition. 20 minutes of trying to explain this to him, and he finally said- “ok- but you will see my way would be easier”. He said he would be there at 10, I said 9 since I was going to be getting dressed there and wanted getting ready pics. This guy then informs me those pics are pointless since most brides don’t pick them for their album. NEWSFLASH- I am not your average Long Island Bride, and even if I was- it is MY CHOICE as your client to have those pics taken.
Fast forward to our big day, and we meet Jiang and John, the photographers and Billy, our videographer. Jiang was taking the photojournalistics photos, and John was starting with DH and his family’s formals. Jiang was awesome- using props and different angles and depths. Her pics by far are my favorite. Billy was with her, but was very courteous and captured everything without being intrusive (which is what I was looking for). Once it was our turn with John and getting the formals done, he was like a machine- in a good way. He was shuffling a lot of people, and doing it in the most efficient way. We also have 7 kids under the age of 8- and he got them all to where they were supposed to be, and looking at the camera. DAY OF STAFF-A PLUS!!!

We got our proofs 3 weeks later, and they were awesome! All low-res (which I knew was going to happen). We got a CD since my family is in TN, so that was nice. You get NO HI-Res. POINT BLANK. NO EXCEPTION. We got our video a week before Christmas. I wasn’t expecting much, since videography was an added bonus. Once more, it was beautiful, but COMPLETELY un-sharable. I can’t show it you girls, or friends or family- unless I send my disk.
The after wedding appointments ran much smoother, and the staff I dealt with was younger, and nicer. They weren’t pushy or rude- they actually seemed to care what we thought and our opinions.
BOTTOM LINE: Glenmar does a good job, they just need to work on their customer service skills, and update their technology. (What is so wrong with giving me a highlight reel to post?!?! Its advertisement for you guys!)















Officiant (Rabbi Broden) A:
Rabbi Broden was recommended from a fellow bride. Since I’m not jewish, and my husband is not that religious, we were looking for someone pretty cut and dry. Rabbi Broden was very friendly and respectful of my religion by working with us with the wording of the vows. He is also a cantor which made MIL happy. We also did a ketubah, which the rabbi explained to me (since it was in Hebrew).





Ketubah (Zion Lion) A:
Since we are an interfaith couple, we had to find an interfaith Ketubah. A ketubah is a marriage license recognized in the Jewish faith. Zion Lion in New Hyde Park was so friendly and showed us a pretty decent size collection of interfaith. The pricing was pretty on the spot, and we ended up getting kippots and a breaking glass from them as well. She helped us with the printing and will soon be helping us with the framing of our GORGEOUS ketubah.





Rehearsal Brunch (Pappa Razzi’s in Westbury) A:
We wanted something casual, but nice. Since my family and I have a pretty plain palette the choices for food are limited. We also wanted to keep it close to the hotels. Pappa Razzi has been a favorite of ours since we moved to Long Island. The food and staff were great. We got the back room, which was great since we had about 10 kids under the age of 8.





BM gifts:
I got my girls canvas bags with little goodies in them, plus personalized shirts for the rehearsal. I paid for their hair and makeup as well. For my MOH and JrBM I got them also a necklace off of Ideeli. The flower girls got personalized bags with activity books and crayons from knot.com.

GM gifts:
DH got them gym bags of their favorite professional teams, and personalized t-shirts as well. Our ring bearer got a “ring king” shirt and camera from knot.com. The selection for young boys is kinda small, and that was the best they had for him.






OOT Boxes:
I got the boxes from a LIW bride that had extras, and then hit up Costco! We put something sweet, salty, and a bottle of water. I added the poem to the front that I stole from another LIW Bride (the best ideas are someone elses it seems).



MY DIY:

I am not a crafty person, but I KNEW I could do my own programs. I did- but I now know I should’ve left it to the professionals. I did all my DIY the week of my wedding- which is REALLY stupid to try and do! You are so busy that week, I wish I had given myself more time- but they came out really good! I have the templates if anyone wants to venture out and do it, and is craftier than I am.
I also did my table numbers- which are super easy! I uploaded pics to a flash drive, and took it to CVS. Their little kiosks let you add text and everything- so 15 cents or something like that. I got personalized table numbers for under 10 bucks! (The problem was NRC didn’t put them on the right table, so all the tables had 2 different numbers on them).
I filled the bathroom baskets with items from the Dollar store, which worked out (I guess).
I printed the poems for my OOT boxes, and attached them all.

My mom made my Ring Bearer's pillow, and we made our Candy Bar

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review!!! You looked gorgeous that day!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Congrats!! Great review!!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review...everything looked amazing!!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review!! Beautiful Pics!!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

So many great ideas! I loved the review and all the pictures - you were so beautiful and your wedding looked like so much fun! :)

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Everything looked beautiful! Congrats!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

great review girl!!!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Congrats. You looked beautiful

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review! Everything looked perfect. Congratulations & thank you for sharing!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Congrats! nice review

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review...everything looked beautiful!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review!!! I am in love with your dress. You looked gorgeous!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

great review!!! sorry you had that experience at bridal styles. i feel partly responsible since i sing such high praises of the place, but your earrings were gorgeous anyway!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Congrats!!! Great review!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

congrats!!! love your pics, you had a beautiful wedding!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

I loved your pics and review.

I'm getting married there in January and often worry about taking pictures there but yours look great.

Did you take family pictures in the bridal suite?

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

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Posted by kdkaboom38

I loved your pics and review.

I'm getting married there in January and often worry about taking pictures there but yours look great.

Did you take family pictures in the bridal suite?

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We took the bridesmaid pics there, but since I have a big family, so we wouldn't have fit in the suite. The best place (if you want to stay indoors and on-site) would probably the reception or cocktail room, or maybe the lobby. Its a great place, I would've given them an A+ if it wasn't for them losing a HUGE part of the ceremony...

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

Great review! Everything looks beautiful! LOVE your veil!

Re: My almost perfect 10/16/11 wedding!!! North Ritz, Heart&Soul, Cosmetic Artistry, Glemnar, and more!!! Lots of pro pics!!!

great reviews