Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

LIW- A++++++
We had a short 6 month engagement and LIW was such a great help with ideas and vendors. I never thought I was a DIY person and before you knew it I was DIY'ing everything! I met some wonderufl ladies on here and an grateful for this site. The one thing is sometimes people get wrapped up in the if everyone isn't using this vendor on here then it's not a good vendor mentality....and I have to say go with who you like and who fits your needs and not just because everyone is using that person on LIW. But it is a great place for suggestions and recommendations for sure!


Epics
Morale Visual Entertainment
Photographer-David: A+

We wanted somewhere fun and different to take our e-pics, and decided on Coney Island due to the rides, beach, and boardwalk. We had so much fun taking the pictures, and we are glad we got the opportunity to meet and work with our photographer beforehand. He made us feel comfortable, and got us to warm up and have fun. The pictures came out amazing and we couldn't wait to get our wedding to see what photos he would take then!










Bridal Shower
Moms House: A+

My mom, sister, and one of my best friends really were amazing in making sure the rest of my slacker bridesmaids did not pull down my shower. They pulled it together so nicely in my moms back yard, and although I wasn't 100% surprised when I showed up (I was until that morning..lol) I was surprised at the guests who were there in attendence. My MOH, grandmother and aunt from Florida, and dad and little brother from cape cod were all there. They brought my love for the color pink into the decorations and made it such a wonderful and homey affair.







Bachelorette Party
Tropicana Atlantic City Hotel: B
Cuba Libre Restaurant/Bar: F

The hotel itself was pretty good, the rooms were decent, and the atmosphere was cool. There were a ton of bachelorette parties going on so if you want to feel special and get attention for being a bachelorette then I say ehhh not the right place to go. We had a pretty good time until we got to Cuba Libre which is a restaurant/club inside of the Tropicana. The dinner was fine but the problem came at night in the club. It was not crowded and there were about 10 empty 'vip' seats and I sat down for 5 mins and got yelled at by bouncers that I couldn't sit there and sit outside away from my party and when I explained why I was sitting they told me nothing is wrong with you..you cant sit there. A couple of years ago I was in a bad accident and too mucch standing or walking really hurts my leg, which is why I was sitting for 5 minutes. So needless to say it turned into a screaming battle with management and security, and I threatened them against disability discriminiation. I would never spend another cent in there...and that pretty much ruined my bachelorette party.




Wedding Bands/E-ring
Diamond Roof; Tri-county: A+

DH and I went shopping for E-rings together just so he could get a sense of what I liked, and Justine helped us from the start. I can not say enough about her. She was so patient and kind and really helped me find the perfect e-ring and band. We went back to look for bands another time, and once again she helped me find one that matched perfectly. DH did not find his ring there, and found it in a store in Queens Center Mall (no clue what the name was). Diamond roof gave us a great price from the start...and we even sent SIL to get her wedding bands there. We really felt like family there and will go back there for our jewlery needs.





Wedding Invitations
Invitations and Beyond: A-

They had a ton of books to look through that were a bunch of different price ranges. We did not want to spend a ton on invitations and they had a bunch within our budget that were still formal and elegant. They emailed me the proofs no problem, and the invitations came in a few weeks after. The people were in there were very nice and helpful as well. I gave a minus, because they did not always respond right away when calls were made, or emails sent, or when my proofs arrived.



Day of Wear:
Hoodie: Customizedgirl.com: A+
Anytime I need things customized I go to this site. They always have sales, and have decent prices and fast shipping. The hoodie was perfect and something I can still wear after. I do not have a photo of the back, but it had Mrs. Grajales est 10-22-11



Garters: Davids Bridal: A+
This was my something blue, and I was able to get 2 garters, one to throw and one to keep, and it was not too expensive.




DOJ/Accesories for the Bride:
Oz Boutique, Forest Hills: A+
I purchased a second set of earrings from here after I decided the first set didn't work with my dress. I was nervous to purchase them because all jewlery sales were final. I loved loved loved my earrings and they matched my dress perfectly! I am so happy with my purchase from there.




Bracelet: Unknown botique in Ocenside shopping center: A+
This was my something borrowed from my mom, and I loved this bracelet. It had an amazing bling factor and sparkled so nicley and matche my earrings perfectly. I didn't want to give it back. My mom purchased it at a small shop in the big shopping center in Oceanside where Express and Victoria Secret are located.



Hair Flower: Booth in Tri-County: A+
I loved the small sparkle this flower had, and knew it would match the rest of my day of wear perfectly. I did not want to wear my veil all night, and this was the perfect accessory for when I took my veil off to party. When you walk in the back door of tri-county the booth is one of the first ones to the left of the food, and sell quite a few wedding related items.



DRESS & Veil
Alexandria Boutiqe, Forest Hills: A

After trying on a ton of different dresses, I ended up on a mission for one specific dress, and Alexandria had it in their store. While there for one dress I ended up trying on a Maggie Sottero. I was very torn on the dress, because it was different, but left knowing I was going to come back with my mom to get the first dress I went for. After thinking about the dress over and over I knew I had to have the Maggie I left unsure about. The first time I went I was helped by a girl who was superful helpful and nice. Every time I went after she was not there and I dealt with the owner Joseph. He was very nice and accomodating, and was helpful ordering my BM dresses as well...and gave me a great price on them since I was orderirng my gown from there! Its a small botique but has a ton of gorgeous dresses piled in there! I also purchased my veil from there because I was able to try it on with my gown and see that it worked pefectly together and had just the right amount of bling...which was my going theme!









Bridesmaids dresses
Alexandria Boutiqe, Forest Hills: B+

My girls got a great deal on their gowns because I ordered my gown from there. I ordered Impressions dress style 1719 in Aubergine for the BM and Orchid for my MOH. They did not have the actual sample there but my girls tried it on at another store and Joeseph was able to order them for me. I did not give him an A for the BM dresses, because he initially told me that they could leave a certain amount for a deposit, and when the girls went to leavet the deposit the amount ended up being more. Also one of my BM lives in Florida and he did not send her gown out to her when he was supposed to. I went back with a couple of my girls when they went to pick up their dresses and I would still see hers hanging there and I kept getting the response we are sending it this week. It did get there in time, but it should have been sent out right away once it got in.





Alterations
Az Elite Couture, Forest Hills: C

Alexandria does not have in house alterations so they send you down the street to this place. My alterations came out fine, but I did not feel like they came out as great as they could have. Whenever I went I always felt rushed or given a we can't fix that response...and then it would miraculously get fixed. After the last alterations that needed to be done they wanted to do it while I waited for 15 minutes then just send me on my way with my gown, and I was like no you fix it properly and I will be back for it. My sister also got her BM dress altered there, and the first time it was WAY too short, so they made it longer then it was too long and kind of crooked, and then finally after the third time they made it the right length. When I asked about something else I got the we can't do that answer...and once again all of a sudden after going back and fouth it was done. I think after about 3 or 4 fittings for just a hem it was finally done. The end result was okay, but I didn't like the alterations process here. I would tell other Alexandria brides to go elsewhere.

MOB Dress
Bridal World: A+

I went here to try dresses on for the first time for myself, and Janine was so wonderful and helpful. I am so happy my mother was able to find a dress there. Janine was so patient and wonderful as my mom tried on a bunch of dresses. She helped her find the perfect dress and gave her a good deal since it was a discontinued sample dress. The alterations there was excellent, and added a few peices to the top to hide some scars my mom has, and added fabric so the V neckline was not as deep.




Tuxes
Di Re Formal Wear: C

We went here because they were recommended by the Swan Club and were right next door to the limo place we booked. When we first went there to price out tuxes and for DH to try some on we were helped by a wonderful gentleman who was very patient and friendly as we decided on tuxes for DH and the bridal party. He was a taller man with longer shaggy hair. However that was the end of that. The other times we went we dealt with a shorter stocky guy who was NOT a people person at all! When DH went to get fitted with his GM he told me they pretty much rushed them to get measured and then rushed them out. I was surprised this was the case, but then experiened the same thing when I went with DH and my step father to pick up their tuxes. He allowed them to try the jackets on and pants, and said that there was no point in trying on the shirts, but I insisted saying I wanted to see the whole look. He seemed super annoyed by this, and good thing they did because one of our GM shirts was way too big. I went back 2 days later with my father and brother and it was the same guy and same thing. Due to his rushed demanor and lack of seeing a point in trying on the dress shirts, my 10 year old brother who was in the wedding shirt was so long! We did not notice until that morning and could not do anything but roll up the sleeves. Needless to say I would not recommend other people use them for their lack of customer service. Their variety is great, but not dealing with people who do not care. If we would have dealt with the first guy the whole time my rating would have been way higher.







Limo
Royalty Limo: A

I called around to a bunch of different companies but I got the best price here since they were a house vendor for the Swan Club. The customer service wasn't super exceptional or personal but the price was right for what we needed, which was 1 Chrysler limo for 3 hours. The day of the limo was clean, the tint was chipped a bit, but it wasn't that big of a deal. The driver we had for pick up was so nice and even took pictures for DH during pickup and myself during pickup which he emailed to me within a few days. That was very thoughtful of him to do since he knows you don't get photos from your photographer for awhile. They were supposed to send a regular lincoln limo for pickup at the end of the night, but they ended up sending a BMW or Mercedes limo ( I forget which). Our photographer wanted to take photos at Morgan park at the end of the night, and we asked what the additional charge would be for the extra stop at the beach, and they told us just take care of the driver. So we did just that...and did not get charged extra at the end of the night. That is great service, and I would for sure use them again if I needed a limo.





Rehearsal Dinner
Gino's Restaurant, East Williston: A+

We did not want to spend a fortune on a rehersal dinner and after a lot of research this place was the best bang for your buck. They have a private room set up with a tv, sound system, bathroom, and private entrance. The people there were so nice, and really work with you to figure out the best menu for your budget, whether sit down or buffet. Buffet worked out cheaper for us. It was very private, the service was amazing, and the food was delishious. They did forget to put out a tray of penne a la vodka we ordered, but they fixed it quickly and had it out within 5 minutes. We were able to take our time to do everything and it was a very enjoyable dinner for everyone.





GM gifts
The knot: A+

We got the GM money clips that had their initials on it, and beer mugs with their name and groomsman or bestman on it. We caught a sale on the knot, and they had quick shipping and the product was very nice. All of the guys loved it.

BM gifts
Kohls: A+

We bought our BM day of jewlery from Kohls. They always have coupons and great quality, so we were able to get a silver earrings and neckalce set for a great price. We also gave them pashminas for the day of, which we got from vendors in the city. It was warm that day so I don't even think anyone really used it, but it matched well with the dress.




Parent gifts
Things Remembered: B+

We couldn't afford professional albums for each set of parents since there are 3 sets, so we purchased albums from things remembered and got them engraved with our names and wedding date. The albums were beautiful, but the engraving on them was not that noticeable unless you held them a certain way in the light. I love their personalized products and will continue to order things from there.

Grooms Cake
Edible Bliss Confections: A+

DH sister has her own business making cakes and she made the cake for us. Even though it was a grooms cake, DH came up with the idea and kept it as a surprise from me. She did a great job and it tasted great as well. She even put our faces on the cake...mine was on the ball that was chained to his leg. Everyone loved the cake and couldn't stop taking pictures of it....and laughing at the same time.





Channa Plauqe
My Sweet memories: A++

We received a plauqe with our DOC package with Cheeky Glam, and Channa was such a pleasure to work with. She sent back the proofs so fast, and made changes just as fast. Shipping was fast, and the product was just exceptional! I already had 1 person ask where I purchased it so she could get it for her sister as a gift, and I plan on ordering one for friends who get married in the future. It's such a cute personalized addition to your wedding, and then a great memento to hang in your home after the special day





Hair
Aliage Salon, Baldwin: A+

My moms friend Lucille is the owner of this salon, and right around the corner from my moms house where we were getting ready. After loosing a terrible vendor at the last minute I was in a panick for finding someone else for hair only 3 or 4 weeks before the wedding. I went for a trial, showed her a few pics, and she ran with it. On the day of I went to the salon alone, and was able to just sit in peace there as she did her work. Lucille did an amazing job, and gave me the romanitc curled looked that I was going for. Since my mom paid for it for me I can't rate the price, but Lucille is a sweet hear and knows what she is doing!

Here go pics from the trial





Make Up
Prim Beauty: A++++++++

I had such a hard time finding a makeup artist that could match makeup with my skin tone correctly and give me the suddle hint of beauty that I was going for. After 3 trials I had a trial with Prim beauty, and I knew immediately that they were the ones I was going to use! Hiring Prim Beauty for my wedding day makeup was one of the best decisions I could have made!! Isabelle did my makeup, and one of her staff members did my bridesmaids, and a couple of touch up on my mother. The morning of they arrived right on time, dressed professionally, and ready to go with their huge makeup kits. All of the bridesmaids makeup were done so quickly and with perfection.....and my makeup...OMG amazing! They really made all of us feel beautiful and helped to make my morning smooth and worry free! I got so many compliments on my makeup as did the rest of the girls, and it stayed all day and night with no problem at all.

Trial pics






DJ/MC
In the Mix: A+++ for music and service, A- for pricing

I am so glad that we hired In the Mix!!! Dave was our MC and he was a-freakin-mazing! He kept the party going the whole time, and was funny, and just kept the dance floor full. From our first meeting at a showcase at the Swan Club we knew we had to have him there, and made sure to request him early. He is amazing at what he does. Edison was our DJ and he rocked it and hit every single song right on the head. I sent suggestions and must plays ahead of time (not a huge list) and he followed it and then some to make my whole reception perfect. Everyone danced non stop and did not stop raving about how great the music was and how much of a fun party it was. Gina was great and always had an answer to any question I had or tried to find the answer for me. I was worried since I never had an in person meeting besides to sign the contract....but once the party started that all flew out the window. Even the R&B music played at dinner was perfect! I love every song played except maybe 1 or 2. It was aslo for us to have latin DJ and he really knew his stuff and the crowd. I had to give an A- for pricing just because the pricing for certain things were a little much, like $350 for a tv we needed for 5 mins (for the best man speech for my husbands brother who is in the military and could not make it) or $150 for a DVD of all the photobooth photos taken. Besides that their prices were fair.





Photobooth
In the Mix: A-
Corey was our photobooth attendant and he was great and patient and kept things moving right along. I did not like all of the extra charges for a DVD of the images, which would have been nice to have since people went in multiple times and did not leave the extra strips after the first time. The booth itself was so much fun, and we are so glad we spent the extra money to have it! It was a hit and everyone had so much fun going in. I just regret only getting in there 2 times. lol.





Photography
Morale Visual Productions: A+++++++

This company is not a main vendor on LIW, but really should be! Ruben who is the owner of the company really worked with our budget, and gave us everything that we needed within the price we wanted to spend, without comprising the quality of photos. They really had a traditional and photojournalistic style that I wanted, and David really is an amazing photographer. The day of an photographer in trainng named Brian also came along....and you would have never knew he was training. He caught some AMAZING pictures, and a few of his are turned out to be my favorite pictures. The both of them captured every moment from start to finish and we were so happy to have 2 photographers the day of. Everyone arrived in the morning, on time, and ready to get to work! A few shots thorughout the day were missed (like us int he photobooth, us at the cotton candy machine, and no picture of any food or at cocktail hour), but none that were super noticeable. They made sure to take our few must takes which came out great as well. At the end of the night the team felt like they didn't get enough shots of the two of us, so we went to Morgan Park after the reception was over and it was almost pitch black. They used a certain technique to take photos in the dark, and OMG did those beach pictures come out amazing. We ended up tipping all of the team members extra because they went above and beyond the time that we hired them for and that was in the contract. They were concerned with getting the shots and not the time.

















Videography
Morale Visual Productions: B-

Video was something that was added on last minute little by little. At first Ruben was going to be a second photographer for us (who also does amazing photo work...but prefers video for weddings) said he would take pictures in the morning with the groom, and just take video during the ceremony. Then DH really wanted the reception, so that is something we added on later on, but we didn't want to pay for the editing. So Ruben came to take some video of me getting ready in the morning (which I am so glad he did), then went to the hall to take photo and video of the groom and his family and GM. After it was all said and done we added on the edited portion because we figured....we came this far we may as well just get it all. Due to this being an after thought we did not shop around for other videographers, but kind of wish that we did. We love working with Ruben and he gave us a great price on video, but there were some things that we were not too happy about. When we got the highlight and recap link it wasn't 100% what we wanted, and there wasn't really an option to change it. There were certain things that were left out that I felt that should have been in the highlight, but maybe I was being overly critical of it. When we got the edited DVD, there was a part in the begining where there was a mess up in the music, and there was no footage of me walking down the aisle! He said that's the problem with having only 1 camera, but he spent so much time zooming into DH face to get his reaction (which I am glad he got) that he did not get me walking down the aisle at all. I feel like this is really important, and my mom was super bummed since she could not see it from where she was standing. And if you know the ceremony space in the swan club it is a really long aisle, so I am not sure how the whole thing was missed. It was not as cinematic as I would have liked, but since we did not do any research on other video vendors then that was our fault only.

Cotton candy vendor
Cotton Candy Time: A+++

This was a last minute vendor that my mom did not think it was a good idea. She kept saying, adults don't eat cotton candy. Well WRONG!! All of the adults loved it! We had it the last hour of the reception, and everyone went crazy when they saw it. It was such a joy and so easy to work with this vendor. The woman Susan caters mostly to Westchester, but also certain parts of long island. She is able to make multiple flavors and colors, and created a traditial berry flavored purple cotton candy to go with the rest of our wedding colors. She also provided bags so people could take the cotton candy to go. I am mad I did not get a bag to go home...but I am so glad everyone else enjoyed the treat.




Florist
Designer florals by Sharon: A++++++++++++++++++++

My mother and I had visited several other florists before finding Sharon, and one visit with her, and we knew that we didn't need to look anywhere else. The time she took to spend with us, not just the first time, but every time we met, was amazing. She had such a wonderufl spirit and her energy was another part of the reason we chose her. Our first meeting was a couple of hours, and she sat there creating things in front of us to help me get an idea of what I wanted. She even created the sample centerpiece before any thing was signed. When we went back it was a little off and not exactly what I wanted, but within minutes she fixed it and it was PERFECT! She really worked with our budget, and we could tell that she genuinley cared about us and our wedding. She really felt like family. Everyone commented on how beautiful, and amazing the girls flowers were...and the centerpieces were a whole other story. When my mom thinsk about the time and love she spent gluing every little flower on every branch, to make the 13 centerpieces, her heart just smiles. The centerpieces were FABULOUS!!!! Everyone loved them and not one was left behind. The bridesmaids boquets took my breath away when I saw them completed the morning of. And my boquet was just the right size and right fullness as well. I could not have asked for more amazing flowers for our wedding. Sharon even delivered everything to my house the morning of herself, and went to the hall herself to set up the centerpieces. She even stayed for the ceremony and took pictures, and people thought she was part of the family! (Which she really did feel like) lol. I can't say enough about how amazing her talent is. She is not just a florist she really is an artist and designer as well.











DOC
Cheeky Glam: A+++++++++++++++++++++

My husband could not understand why we needed day of coordinators, but once we sat down with Cheeky Glam he got it! They were the best money that we could have spent, and they were worth every cent, plus some! Any time I had any question they were never more than an e-mail away, which always took a day or less to get an answer. Their energy and resources were fantastic, and I was so happy to have them the day of my wedding. They showed up on time, bright eyed and bushy tailed, and with the game plan all set, and were there with anything that I needed. My mom who is a control freak was actually able to let go and hand over the reigns to cheeky glam, and she was able to actually enjoy the wedding with everyone else. I could enjoy my entire day and did not have one single worry because they worried for me...and anything that went wrong I didn't even know about until the end of the evening...or until it was absolutely necessary for me to know. Everyone who met them could not stop talking about how great they were and I really do not have enough words to thank them for all that they have done. I am upset I did not get a real picture with these two wonderful ladies, but they were running around all day and night making sure we had the most perfect and amazing wedding!

Ceremony/Reception

The Swan Club- A

We did not look aroaund for venues, becuase we knew from before we got married that it would be at the Swan Club. The swan club really gave us such a perfect wedding day that I couldn't of even dreamed of it being so picture perfect. They were very flexible and accommodating from start to finish from all of the big things and down to the small things. We booked with Jordanna who was great to talk to and helped us to understand how everything worked from top to bottom. I didn't have too many questions early on, so I did not contact Jordana too much, but instead worked more with Sandra who was our maitre'd. Our bridal attendent was Tanya who was so amazing the day of as well.
Sandra was sometimes slow to contact me back when I had reached out with questions but in the end everything worked out the right way, and the day of she made sure everything ran smooth. Tanya sat and took my mind off the big moment, and sat there and talked to me to help distract me from being a nervous wreck. Every time I needed lip gloss or my dress bustled or something to eat they were right there. They really stood out as well as the other swan club staff members that were very attentive to our needs, and just wonderful service professionals. Everyone talked about the gorgeous grounds and beautiful ceremony and yummy food! We keep hearing it was one of the best weddings they have been to in a long time or ever.
There ceremony space was beautiful, and had such a romantic feel to it. I was nervous about how they changed it into cocktail hour in such a short amount of time, but they pulled it off no problem. The grounds are amazing there and everyone was taking pictures outside and could not stop talking about how beautiful it was there.
Through all of the wonderful, there is just a couple of things that I was not happy with. And some of these issues I feel that a night time bride would not really have to deal with. The first thing was that we felt slightly rushed out towards the end of the evening. The cake was brought out and removed off of the table before some people even got to eat it, or having to be out of the bridal suite by 5:45 when our party was not over until 6:30. This caused a lot of confusion and even some missing items since people were quickly removing things from the suite. The photographer wanted to take some sunset shots, and when we first went out a cocktail was about to end so they asked us to wait until all of the people passed which we did with no problem. When the photographers tried to go out toward the end of the party again they were given a hard time about taking any more pictures due to the other wedding. We understand that other people’s special days are going on, however we should have been able to enjoy all of the privileges of the swan club until the end time of our party. Since these were small things at the end of the evening I feel that only a day bride may experience this, and not evening brides. The other thing was the cake that was included in the package. It tasted good, however the cake was slightly lopsided when you looked at it closely, and the picture that I provided ahead of time of how I wanted the crystal banding and ribbon was not followed what so ever. It was almost as if everything was just thrown on there quickly and sent on its way. I can't even stand to look at any pictures that have the cake in it, especially close ups of the cake. We specifically asked for the banding to be returned, and it was thrown out because they said it was dirty. Our DOC's were ready to clean it, but did not have a chance because it was already gone. We also did not have any food in the bridal suite as promised ( they only brought a little amount outisde while we took pictures), and there was no left over food packed up at the end of the night. This was mentioned during an earlier meeting as well.
These were not HUGE things that ruined the day at all, just areas where improvements can be made for future brides, especially day time brides. I would have my wedding there in a second, and it really turned out to be the venue for our dream wedding. A few people even inquired to have their events there that attended our wedding!














DIY Items
Me: A+++

I never thought I was a DIY bride, but once I saw the cost of certain things I was like I can just do that myself, and so I did, with the help of my mom, sister, and even DH! We made the Menus, Birdcage that my mom used in her wedding, escort cards, photo booth scrapbook with prop box, photo table numbers, petal cones, ceremony hankies, bathroom baskets, OOT baskets, bling on my sneakers, do not disturb signs, signature drink signs, and thank you parasol.

















Vistaprint: A+
I found vistaprint through LIW, and I love all of their specials that they are always running. We were able to get so much for free, and only pay for shipping. We always received our items in a decent amount of time and they have great quality....and all for FREE! We ordered brochures for the OOT guest baskets, photo upload cards, and tote bags for both moms.



Etsy Vendors

Wreathartist: A+
I purchased our monogramed unity candle from here. She worked fast to ge us the proof, and after a few edits got it just right. She was great to work with, and I got it within a reasonable amount of time



eNVyCouture: A+
I purchashed personalized water bottle labels for the OOT baskets, and this was a great vendor to work with. She had the proof over to me fast, and once it was approved it was shipped quickly. It was such a cute touch to the baskets. The price was also the most reasonable I found for the small quanitity I needed.



EmbroiderybyLinda: A+
I wanted a personalized hankie for my mom. I saw a picture on this vendors page, and it was perfect with the saying and color. All I had to do was pay, and it was sent quickly. My mom absolutley loved her gift, and carried around with her all day. She ended up losing it, and she was so heartbroken that I had to order a duplicate after the wedding. The duplicate was sent no problem as well.



DirtyRagz: B
I purchased DH game over t-shirt from here, and it was an easy purchase and fast shipping, but the image on the t-shirt seemed super small. It took up just the top portion of the shirt, and I thought that it would take up at least half of the shirt, or at least the whole middle, which it did not.

SomethingGlitzy: A+
I purchased a blingy iron on mother of the bride decal to put on a plain black shirt. I gave it to my mom to wear the day of and she loved it! It came fast, in secure packaging, and with great directions. It was super easy to put on.

Cake Topper
Wedding factory direct- A+

These were so expensive other places, and on this website they had a great variety for the best price. I was so surprised at the quality once it arrived. It was a great touch to the cake!


Hotel Block
Hampton Inn Garden City- A+

We got a great price at the hampton inn, and booked around 9 rooms. For family members that were staying longer than the weekend, they honored the discounted rate for all of the days, and the hot breakfast the next morning was really great. Everyone met downstairs to eat together, and the rooms are nice and updated which is a plus.

Honeymoon: Cancun, Mexico
Gran Caribe Real Resort & Spa: A-

We had an amazing time in Cancun and did not want to leave. We stayed December 26 to December 31. The resort was a nice resort, and a couple of weeks before we decided to upgrade to a bigger suite with a few added benefits. We are glad we got the upgrade because we had a persoanl concierge for our floor, and could visit the sister all adult hotel next door The Royal for dinner. When we checked in they did not have the oceanview we reserved and got a lagoon view. We were supposed to move the next day, but the room they wanted to move us to was not really a better room. After the 3rd day we decided to just stay put. We were supposed to get champagne and flowers on the bed upon arrival, and after remindign them 3 times, we finally got the flowrs on the bed the 3rd day, but they forgot the champagne. We did not the the champage until the night before we left. That is where they lost points. The two concierges Jessy and Dulce were so nice and helpful the whole time, and there was a guy name Ray in the main guest services that was so helpful too. He even took us on a bar crawl one night. The beach there was gorgeous, food decent and plentiful, and drinks were yummy.

We did excursions to the mayan ruins Chichen Itza, and to Isla Mujeres where we went snorkeling and took a golf cart around the island. We did a ton of shopping, and had a few days to just sit on the beach. We wish we were able to stay longer! I would definatley stay at this hotel again on another visit to cancun.









Thank you for reading my review! Any questions just ask!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

What a great review!!!! Your pics are stunning! I love the Cotton Candy Idea...I may borrow that one.

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

haha too funny that we posted on the same day! We had amazing weddings, loved reading your review and seeing pictures

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Aweome review and loved the pics (esp the iphone one). You looked beautiful. Congrats!!!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

---

Posted by Bride2Be78

Aweome review and loved the pics (esp the iphone one). You looked beautiful. Congrats!!!

---

Yea the iphone pic was one of my few must takes....since we are both iphone people. lol

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

---

Posted by Thar1127

haha too funny that we posted on the same day! We had amazing weddings, loved reading your review and seeing pictures

---

Yep great minds think alike!! lol

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Another gorgeous bride! Thank you for sharing this review.

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Great review! Thanks for sharing. You pictures came out beautiful.

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Congrats

I love you hair!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Great review! the sneakers were so cute bedazzled new balance..love it

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Awesome Review...you wedding looks amazing !!!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

wonderful review!!! gorgeous!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Gorgeous review Jess!!!!!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Great review. We also had a terrible experience with Dire Formal wear.

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Great review...congrats!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Jess, I said it before and I'll say it again, that dress looks visually stunning on you! such a great choice!
And i never knew your engagement ring was a pink stone! so different and pretty!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

Congrats!!! I love the Coney Island engagement photos- so colorful!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

What a great review!!!! Beautiful Pictures!!

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

---

Posted by Cataverri

Great review. We also had a terrible experience with Dire Formal wear.

---

I know I remember you telling me! Mine wasn't as bad...they really do have crappy customer service. Well that one guy anyway

Re: Our 10-22-11 wedding review w/ lots of pictures! Swan club, Royalty, In the mix, Designer florals by Sharon, Morale Visual Productions, Cheeky Glam, Bridal World, and more!

what a great detailed review!! your pics came out great and you were a beautiful bride! congrats! that's really annoying about the alterations and that was one thing that bothered me about Alexandra's - was that they didn't have an alterations dept. but i'm glad your dress ended up coming out ok! anyways, i passed by that store this weekend and it's up for rent. i don't know if they closed down or moved