Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Our wedding was amazing.

(best rating is an A+)

LIW: A+
I joined LIW 2 Years ago pretty much immediately after getting engaged. I didn’t interact with everyone as much I would have liked to (posting, GTG’s, etc) but I definitely made sure to pay close attention to all the advice given to me and to other brides. You guys have helped me every step of the way and I’m so glad to have had this site while planning our wedding.

J&D Invitations, Merrick: A+
I found the invitation I loved at one place, but I sure wasn’t happy with the price they gave me. Then my MIL told me about J&D Invitations in Merrick. What would it hurt to check them out? Well, I am SOO glad I did. Friendly, REAL, and to top it off, beat the other quote by over $250 for my invitations! They came out PERFECT. I couldn’t have asked for more. The service - the finished product - everything.

David’s Bridal, Massapequa: A-
My dress was perfect. It fit beautifully it was just perfect. They get an A- because when I first purchased the dress, I got it in NJ with my family. First they refused to ship it to DB in Massapequa and said I can only ship it to my home. After saying – Ok, I’ll go home and buy it from them, then it was ok to ship. (Egghh – I hate that) Then once they received it, it was like they were playing hot potato with it – calling me numerous times to go pick it up. The real issue was with my first fitting. They were very busy and had only 1 seamstress working. Put the dress on, fit like a glove. Only needed a bustle. Easy right? WRONG. Went back 2 weeks later – disaster. Someone took it in (on 1 side so it was totally lopsided), cut the tool underneath (it looked like an old comforter) and it wouldn’t even close. I went into hysterics. First being told I gained weight and more stuff I don’t want to get into. But after some back and forth, they realized it was their mistake. They put Fernando on the job – HE WAS WONDERFUL. He didn’t let my gown leave his site up until he brought it out to my car himself when I picked it up. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He totally saved the day.
We also got the BM’s dresses at DB (in NJ) and had no real problems. One was my sister’s dress was actually sewn wrong. But they gave her no problem with ordering a new one at no charge. So just have your BMs try them on as soon as they get them so there are no headaches close to the wedding.


Gino’s Fashion Tuxedos, Farmingdale: A+
The men looked fantastic! They said they had absolutely no problems with the tuxedos or the company themselves. Customer service was great. Everything went very smooth. Not only did they win Best of LI - they also had great prices. Couldn’t be happier.

Rehearsal Dinner - Sal’s Place, Massapequa: A+
OMG it was great! The food, well if you’ve never gone there… GO! You are missing out! They separated the back of the place for us and put up some wedding decorations. It was really nice. The service was outstanding. Never an empty glass or a hungry person! Delicious!!!

Hair/Make-Up – The Make-Up Studio, Babylon Village: B-
This rating is just for the company itself. When I booked with them almost a year ago, I was told it was $300 for hair and make-up the day of. I went for my trial and LOVED LOVED LOVED it and of course booked. When I called the day before my wedding to pay the balance (I put a $100 deposit down) I told them I owed $200 and wanted to pay it off. She said ok, are you getting airbrush? I said of course, that’s what I had at my trial. She then told me I owed them $275 because Airbrush costs $75 extra. I was NOT told this when I had my trial or when I booked. My trial was airbrush, I loved it, said I want to book and was told OK it’s $300 and we need a $100 deposit. DONE. But there I was day before the wedding being told I have to pay $75 more or get regular make-up. Now $75 is nothing in the grand scheme of things BUT it was the point. I was quoted the wrong price. They REFUSED to budge. REFUSED. I told her I was outraged and she just kept saying “well, it’s $75 more if you want the airbrush”. Repeating it doesn’t make it right. As a business owner you should at least 1. Be apologetic 2. Maybe offer it at a discount, even $50 for YOUR MISTAKE or 3. Offer a gift certificate for one of your services for the error your company made. I got NOTHING. I got to pay $75 extra. POed is an understatement. SOOOO If you do book with this company, get your pricing right BEFORE you book and have it signed by everyone there.

Make-Up – Donna: A+
She did a fantastic job. My skin looked flawless. All the girls looked wonderful as well. She had someone else with her and I cannot for the life of me remember her name but she was great too. They really are masters at their craft. Beautiful work.

Hair- Gina: A+
She is great. She’s so tiny I felt bad for her little arms with my massive amount of hair but she could handle anything! I showed her a few pictures and gave her free reign to do whatever she thought would look best on me and she nailed it! She also had another person there with her doing hair. Lucy, she did a great job as well.

Nails – There is going to be 2 ratings for this one

Maxi Nails, West Babylon: F

I have been going to this nail salon for years. I went the day before the wedding and told them they had to be perfect! With that comment they gave me a specific girl. Me figuring well she must be the best at permanent French… Well she wasn’t. It looked like it was her first time. After 2.5 hours in the chair and having her “fix” them 3x I left there so unhappy. My nails looked like people took wads of bubble gum and pressed them on top of my nails. And don’t forget that all of my cuticles were bleeding as well. My toes also looked horrible. I was so very upset. I mean, this is my wedding! If anytime my nails had to look great it was this day. I called DH when I left in tears. He then called his mother who told me not to worry. She sent out the bat signal to her nail place LOL

Helens Nails Inc, Jerusalem Avenue, Merrick: A+
They saved the day!!!!! We walked in there and it was like I was a queen. They were all over me. One woman was fixing my toes and the other started to completely re-do my nails. Amy did a wonderful job with my nails. I can’t believe how great they looked. They look very natural and I am so so very happy! I will be going to Helen’s for my nails from now on. I’m in Babylon and will travel to them because they are that good. In my opinion Helen’s nails is THE BEST nail salon on all of LI.


Royalty Limo’s, Franklin Square: C
Rating could change depending on whether or not we get a refund.
****UPDATE****: They sent the refund as promised so their rating has gone up from D to C.

Customer service is not very good. A tad on the nasty side. CHECK YOUR CONTRACT! We were promised a car to take us home but when we went to pay the balance we were told it wasn’t on the contract. I said well the owner said we would have a car to take us home and she insisted if it wasn’t on the contract it wasn’t part of the deal. I didn’t like that AT ALL. They wound up giving us the car but not without a slight headache. I asked about an aisle runner and again was told it was crossed off the contract so it wasn’t included. Again, another headache but was told if I really wanted it, they would supply it. OK SHOVE IT – we didn’t need it.
My Rolls Royce (’49) was very nice. The inside was kind of ehhh, the top material was coming away from the car a little, but the outside was very nice. My driver was so sweet. Was very happy with his services. The girls Chrysler 300 was very nice (from what I saw) but my DH’s car was not. We wanted 2 Chryslers – we PAID for 2 Chryslers. DH and his guys got a Lincoln. They didn’t even call to say that they switched cars. They were outside and saw a Lincoln pull up. When DH called them they said they had a problem with the Chrysler and sent the Lincoln because they didn’t want to run late. DH was very angry because as a business owner he knows if you don’t have something that was promised and paid for you don’t downgrade, you Upgrade. He was NOT happy at all. We were told we will get a refund on the car. We’ll see what happens with that.

Officiant – Ftr. David Grainson: A+
I cannot say enough about him. He is a genuinely nice person. The ceremony was beautiful. Just beautiful. Long story short, I wanted to be married at the hall, DH’s family wanted a church, so we compromised and had a revised Catholic ceremony at the hall and it was amazing. He makes you feel at ease when he’s talking to you. I will be recommending him for years to come.


DJ/MC/Sax, uplighting & monogram – Parties Alive: A+
We loved Rich from the minute we met him. He was excited while talking about what he can offer us. It wasn’t just another meeting blah blah blah , he actually lit up while talking about his business and gave us a brief background on when he started and what he loves about his work. They did a great job. I loved everything they played and was never bored! People were up dancing and having a great time. They definitely kept the party going all night. The sax was a great add-on. He played during dinner and it was really perfect. The room looked great with the uplighting and monogram. I am very happy we chose parties alive for our wedding.

Flowers – Flower Barn, Seaford: A+
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! The centerpieces were just amazing, the décor leading down the aisle, the bouquets... everything was just perfect. When we booked with Mike we knew he had a passion for his work. You can tell right away while talking to him he gets what you are looking to do right away and just goes with it. We were very confident he would do a fantastic job and he sure did.


Cake – Black Forest Bakery, Lindenhurst (Christina): A+
The cake was sooooooooooo good. I mean reallllllyyyy gooood. Like, after I cut the cake and before I danced with my mom I ran over to my table so I can have a few more bites. Not only was it delicious (filled with cannoli cream and cookies & cream) it was beautiful. She did an amazing job. It was EXACTLY what I wanted. The customer service is a little Ehhhhhhhh but I can’t bring the rating down for the one time I dealt with a nasty person behind the counter. Every other person I dealt with was lovely. Maybe she was having a crappy day – who knows, who cares. LOL The cake was awesome!

Photo/Video – Duet, Jay’s Team: A+
Obviously I can’t rate based on the finished product just yet because the wedding was 2 days ago! BUT I can say that I love Jay. Jay and his team worked so well together. They were all over the place. Laying on the ground for the perfect shot in some cases. Jay shot my engagement pictures and they were perfect. I cannot wait to see how the wedding photos came. I’m sure we will be impressed by his work. I will give an updated rating after I get my proofs.

DOC – Chrissi, Fairy Tale Events: A+
What can I say about Chrissi that so many of you haven’t already said. She was great. She has a way of calming you down when nobody else can. She saved me from passing out a few times. At one point she looked and me and said “Phyllis, Breathe!” I actually stopped breathing. I was so nervous I literally stopped breathing and nobody noticed but she saw it LOL She was on top of everything and everyone. I knew NOTHING. My mother’s dress ripped and I had no clue until the end of the night. She had a handle on every single part of the wedding. DH and I were very pleased with her professionalism. She had her game face on the entire day. If you’re thinking of getting DOC, look no further. It was great knowing she was there.

Photo Booth – Big Apple Photo Booth: A+
It was so cool! Everyone was loving it!!!! The booth is big enough to fit quite a few people in there and everyone really enjoyed it. The props were so cute!! And the pictures were fantastic quality!!! Loved it!! Every time I walked by it I heard nothing but laughing coming out of it. It was a hit!

Ceremony/Reception – Riviera at Massapequa: A+
It was really beautiful. I love this place. Loved it from the second I walked into it. It’s different from every other venue on LI. It truly is one of a kind. Totally up my alley with the décor. My house will probably look exactly like this one day.
THE FOOD: OMG!!!! Delicious!!! I am so mad I didn’t get to finish all of it! LoL
Cocktail hour food was sooo yummy. We added the mashed potato bar (My fav. Thing EVER) it was soooooooooo sooooo good. Everyone was so full!!
Dinner – can’t describe how good. Filet Mignon, you can cut with a butter knife, pork chop OMG, chicken, everything!! Down to the potatoes & veggies that were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The first course of mozzarella & tomato was so HUGE. I couldn’t believe the large portions of food. And delicious is an understatement.
The service was perfect. The bartenders were fast, on point and very friendly – always greeting you with a smile.. the waitstaff courteous and on top of everything.. My bridal attendant (Jackie) was great. Always making sure I was good, hydrated and eating (Chrissi was too) and our MD Paul was great as well. He was on top of everything. The staff there is really something. People were never hungry or thirsty. EVER. As you were taking your last sip of your drink, they were placing a fresh one right in front of you at all times. We couldn’t have asked for better service. The venue is priced very well, the food was absolutely fantastic (We’re Italian, it had to be!) and the service was amazing. The Riviera will forever hold a special place in my heart because it was where I got to marry my best friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better setting and better experience.

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

CONGRATS!!!!!! Sounds like, mostly everything, went well.....

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

i saw your pictures in your other post and you looked beautiful! congratulations on a wonderful day!

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Can we see the pictures?

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

CONGRATS!!!

LOVEEEEE the Riviera. SO glad to hear your wedding was fabulous!!

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

congrats! and thanks for the review! i hope that royalty gives you back a refund

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Amazing review.

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Oh no, i am using Royalty next weekend :( i hope everything goes ok!

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

YAAAAAAAY I am so glad to hear all of these wonderful things since we are sharing so many vendors! I'm sorry about your limo, that really sucks, they better give you a refund!!!!

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

congrats!!! great review! cant wait to see the pictures!! :):)

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Congratulations on your nuptials!!

I'm glad everything turned out great for you.

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Such a great review - thanks for sharing.

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Awesome review! Can't wait to see pics and hope you get a refund.

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

congrats and great review...

im not a fan of royalty limo's they arent the nicest people thats why i didnt book them

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Congrats!!!!!! We used Father David too, and he is just a great person inside and out!!! Our ceremony was beautiful, thanks to him

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

yayayayay i loved your review! Congrats on getting married!!! Can't wait to see pics

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Yay congrats! Would you mind FMing me your photo booth info

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Great review!

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Congrats! Sounds like an amazing wedding

and thanks for the Rehearsal dinner review! I think I might go check them out

Re: Our amazing wedding 4/8/11. Riviera Massapequa, DUET, Parties Alive, Ftr David Grainson, Davids Bridal and More

Thanks for the review..sorry about the few issues but glad you didn't let it spoil your day