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Wedding Forums > The Brides' Review > Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Be...
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Be...
KC1031
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 09:52 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 09:52 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!!
I am so excited to finally be sharing the details of my perfect day with each of you! I hope that anyone reading this will find my review as helpful as I found other reviews on this site during my planning process. So here it goes! (Pro pics soon to follow as soon as I can figure out how to get them posted on here!!)LIWeddings: A+
I never even knew this site existed until, go figure, my FIL told me about it! It took me a while to learn how to navigate the content but once I found the boards I was hooked. I found some of the posted venue prices a bit unrealistic but using the list of venues to start my search based solely on pictures was a huge help. The boards were the biggest help and truly gave me an honest look at vendors and other brides’ experiences. And for that, I am incredibly grateful! Thank you everyone!!! I don’t know how I would have planned a wedding without the insider tips found here on LIW!
Engagement Ring (& Wedding Bands) – Zoland's Jewelers: A+
My ring is everything I could have imagined and more. DH designed my ring (which was a complete surprise for me!) with the help of Zoland's Jewelers in NYC. They did a fantastic job and captured his vision perfectly. I did have a small issue with one of the smaller stones falling out but they stand by their work 100% and fixed it immediately. Our wedding bands also came from this same jeweler. Just beautiful work.
Engagement Party – Pomodorino Restaurant: A+
We had our engagement party at Pomodorino Restaurant in Huntington Station, NY. The food was incredible and the restaurant catered to our every need. We had the restaurant to ourselves and did a late luncheon for about 75 family members. It was a great intimate way to celebrate our engagement with our loved ones.
Save the Dates - MagnetStreet: A-
Our first order was put through and processed…but when I received the save the dates, you couldn’t read the font! The color of the font and background were almost identical. It was completely different from how it appeared on the computer screen. I get that I should have probably ordered a sample first but I wish someone contacted me prior to printing the STDs. Anyway, I called them immediately, ready to put up a fight but they were so incredibly pleasant and stood by their mistake. They changed it immediately and only charged me $10 for a reprint fee. Everything was corrected and all was smoothed over.
Dress, Veil, and Headband – Kleinfelds: A+
I walked into Kleinfelds swearing up and down that I was only going for the experience and had no intention on purchasing anything. Of course, fast forward, and I was a ball of tears when I put on the most perfect dress that I could have ever imagined. I felt like a bride, looked like a bride, and knew that I found the one. They put the veil on and I was sold on the whole look. The fitting time came and for a second time, I intended on just taking a peek at hair pieces (I had no intentions of buying) …but after putting one on, I was sold once again. I could not be happier with the customer service, choices, and quality of everything I purchased. (For the record, my consultant was Renee and she was FANTASTIC! Not pushy, completely aware of my budget and very reasonable in her comments. Everything I could have hoped for during the dress shopping experience.)
Shoes – Rhea Nichols (Rockville Center): A+
Shoes were my biggest nightmare. I could not find one pair of shoes that I liked. After visiting more than 12 stores including DSW, department stores, specialty stores, etc., I finally tried Rhea Nichols on a whim. Their customer service was incredible and I felt like a princess (they even slid the shoes on my feet for me!). The store carried some unique designs and I was able to pick a pair of shoes that were not only comfortable but different from the traditional shoes I had seen in every other store. I fell in love and would not hesitate to return again for special occasion shoes.
Day-of Earrings – Estelle’s Dressy Dresses: A+
I intended on finding shoes at Estelles but did not have much luck. On my walk out, a shiny pair of earrings caught my eye. I tried them on, loved how light they were on my ears, and loved the price even more! Photographed perfectly and picked up the beading on my dress and headband perfectly.
Bridesmaid Dresses – Various Stores, Bill Levkoff Designs: A
I let each of my girls pick her own style in the same color and fabric of Bill Levkoff’s designs. I loved the color (Watermelon) and fabric (chiffon). It was perfect for my summer wedding…some of the fabric caught easily which led to runs so every girl had to be careful with avoiding pulls but overall, the dresses were beautiful in photographs and comfortable for the girls to wear.
Mother of the Bride Dress – 2B Seen (Syosset): A+
The owners of this store were so accommodating and helped my mother find her perfect dress. The tailoring skills were exquisite! They took an original size 16 dress and tailored it down to more than half its size in order to fit my petite mother! It looked absolutely stunning on my mom – she could not have been happier. To watch her tear up in putting on her own dress, I felt all sorts of happy inside!
Tuxedos for Groomsmen and Groom – Men’s Wearhouse: B+
Average service, average tuxedos. Everything was stunning on the groomsmen and in pictures but the actual process of selecting a tuxedo and learning about the different options felt like just that; a process. It was not fun and there was not much personalization in the process. It might be because everything is so standardized for groomsmen but I felt that there could have been more attention given to the groom rather than making him feel like he was one of many picking out a general tux.
Cardbox – Roxy Heart Vintage: B
I did love my cardbox, don’t get me wrong. However, I thought I was ordering the image on the website so imagine my surprise when the design I received in the mail was completely different! It was much more simple in appearance and was written in a “younger” looking handwriting. It served the purpose and still had that romantic feel to it but I wish I knew in advance to specify the other design. (Hard to see but you can get a glimpse of the cardbox in the back of this picture...)
Channa Plaque – A+
Channa was a breeze to work with – her products are gorgeous and she has the patience of a saint! She provided me with endless color combinations and never hesitated to respond to my concerns. Channa responded almost instantaneously to my emails and had everything created and shipped to me in a timely manner. Highly recommended!
Invites/Paper goods – Etsy Vendor: InvitationsbyEmily: A+++
I cannot say enough positive things about Emily. She is not only affordable but she has fantastic products! She is easy to work with and incredibly responsive. Another vendor who had the patience of a saint! She responded within 24 hours every time and had a great ability to transform my words into a gorgeous vision on paper. Emily was so wonderful that I immediately enlisted her help for the matching suite of paper products including my door hangers, menus and programs. …and when we had a last minute change on programs, she was even kind enough to take them back and make the change for us. Such a great vendor!
Various Etsy Items – A’s across the board!
Once I found Etsy, I fell in love. It became an unhealthy addiction but here are just a few of my favorite recommended vendors:
Wedding hanger – bought on a black Friday sale for $4.99 by Creationsbytilly
Personalized hankies for MOB and MOG – InspiredStitches
Return address stamper – StampsofLove
Personalized tote bags for bridal party – bowpeep
Bridesmaid earrings for day-of (so gorgeous and sparkly!) – ArtHappens
Bridesmaid Bathrobes - Weddingfavorsunlimited.com: A-
I did not want waffle or silk robes but had such a hard time finding plush robes! These were decently cute but they definitely shed a heck of a lot more than expected which is the only reason behind the minus sign on my rating. Overall, they are cute and my girls loved them. (And they even had little hoods on them!)
Groomsmen gifts (Engraved Cigar Holder, Personalized Dufflebags, Engraved Cigar Lighters) - ExclusivelyWeddings.com: A
Easy to order and quick to ship. No complaints…decent quality too! The cigar lighters came from theknot.com but they too were a great quality. (The only thing I didn’t expect was that they were not pre-filled with lighter fluid! We had to get that separately.)
Personalized Matches & Cocktail Napkins - Knot.com: B+
For the price, it was a great value. We got everything on sale – definitely wait for a big sale…don’t pay full price! There were definitely a few that had printing errors (missing foil, smudged letters, etc.) but then again, for the cheap price, what could we expect? They were basic and met our needs.
Wedding Favors – idoweddingfavors.com: A+
I was so stressed over what to do for wedding favors. I did not want to spend a fortune seeing as though we already were having a photobooth and had personalized coozies at the bar. I stumbled across this site and found the olive dishes which were practical, unique, and affordable! Quick shipment, everything came in one piece and was an easy transaction. (Coozies were from a separate vendor...totallykoozies.com I think.)
Hotel Blocks and Morning-After Breakfast – Hilton Garden Inn Plainview: A-
Laurie at Hilton Garden Inn in Plainview was a pleasure to work with…she was quick and responsive. She answered all of my questions in detail and with patience. She helped me to coordinate every last detail including the process of handing out my OOT bags. My only complaint was signage for breakfast the next morning – it was a very small sign outside of the elevators which was very easy to miss. Some of our guests ended up paying for breakfast in the lobby. We went out from time to time to try and catch any one who missed us.
Hair – Fire Monkey Hair Design: A+
Dusti is INCREDIBLE! I cannot say enough positive things about her work and her as a person. Dusti is a true artist and can do amazing things with any type of hair. I changed my hair style from my initial trial and Dusti had no problem adjusting. My hair was gorgeous, accented my headband and lasted ALL night. Highly recommended to anyone considering Dusti for their own event!
Makeup – Beauty by Beth: A+
I was initially scared to try and find a makeup artist. I don’t usually wear a ton of makeup and moreover, I had no intention of paying a huge amount of money for makeup but of course didn’t want to find someone cheap who made me look like a clown. Insert Beauty by Beth to solve all of my concerns. I found Beth on LIW and saw a few pictures of her work…it looked just like what I had imagined for my wedding day. After seeing that her prices were incredibly reasonable, I scheduled a trial and was amazed at the before and after. She did phenomenal work and did not disappoint on my wedding day. She got through 11 people in record time and everyone looked perfect.
Flowers – Flowers by Burton: A+
Gorgeous, affordable flowers. I was not concerned initially by flowers and only knew that I did not want to spend a fortune on something that would only last a short period of time. John helped me create and complete the vision for my wedding resulting in gorgeous colors that popped and beautiful centerpieces – all for a very reasonable price. I would not hesitate to recommend them for future events.
Limo/Shuttles – Camelot: A-
Great company and very clean cars. We ended up booking a party bus which was perfect for our large bridal party and easy to get in and out of as well as a 55 person shuttle bus… my only suggestion would be for better communication with the shuttle bus driver. Apparently there were a few blips where the driver sat with a full bus and didn’t leave (both before and after the wedding). This caused delays in getting people to and from the reception location. Other than this however, the company was reliable and very friendly. They were affordable and easy to work alongside.
Photobooth – New York Digital Memories: A
We waited to book our photobooth until they were running their Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal. It saved us several hundred dollars and made the photobooth super affordable. I was initially against the idea but DH said he wanted one. Turned out to be a huge hit – highly recommended! (Such a fun book to look back on too and see everyone’s photos/personal notes to us.)
Photography – Ken Hild Photography: A+++
I don’t know how to put into words the way we feel about our pictures from Ken Hild. From our engagement shoot at Prime Restaurant in Huntington to our day-of pictures, Ken never disappointed. He is an incredibly talented artist and has a great staff. His assistant shooter Chris helped to catch some of the most incredible moments on camera. The two of them felt like old friends and made everyone feel at ease. On the day of our wedding, he had timing down to a science. Now after getting the proofs, I cannot say enough positive things about Ken. Pick Ken and you will be thrilled with the results!
Videographer – Wedding Cinema: A+++
Another stellar selection on our part! Pete came highly recommended by DH’s colleague. We initially were torn on whether or not to include videography on our big day but after seeing so many trailers I knew that I had to have our day caught on video. Pete was a breeze to work with and felt like a friend we had known for years. He was unobtrusive and captured the mood of our day perfectly. The trailer still leaves me in awe every time I watch it…and as a bonus, he is friends with Ken from Ken Hild Photo so they worked so well together! Well worth the investment! Here’s the trailer as proof of his awesome work: https://vimeo.com/70410192
Band – Times Square Orchestra: A+++++
I think everyone says their band is the best…but seriously, our band was THE BEST! So amazing and such talent. The band was by far one of the most talked about parts of our wedding by our guests. They could not believe that such talent existed! Every song from Michael Jackson to Journey to Macklemore was covered with such precision. The band was perfect and so professional – I truly believe that no other band comes close to their talent.
Church – St. Hugh of Lincoln RC Church:
I feel a bit funny rating a church! But at least, I can share a few comments. This has been my church from the time I was in fourth grade. They were a pleasure to work with although I wish they would have played two songs for the bridal party entrance and my entrance. Instead, we all came out to Trumpet Voluntary since I could only select one song. Overall, saying our vows in front of God, our family and friends was truly a perfect moment.
Our Reception Hall – The Woodlands!!!: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Probably the most exciting portion of my review!!!! The Woodlands was all that I could have ever imagined…and more. From our initial tour with Debi, I knew that we had found the perfect reception hall. She made us feel like the mansion was our home and the staff, an extension of our family. They were in constant contact with us and made us feel like the most important couple on their books. Everything was customized to perfection and there was always an open line of communication. We had a few concerns after the tasting which were immediately squashed and taken care of by Steve, the general manager. On the day of, our food was mouthwatering and delicious. Guests were raving about the options we gave them and the robust flavors. Cocktail hour, food, and dessert blew everyone away. I cannot even begin to describe the level of attention I received by my bridal attendant Iris and the groom’s attendant, Gerard. They show such an extreme level of customer service that is unparalleled. The Woodlands truly presents a magical location and creates the perfect fairytale. The grounds are gorgeous and the mansion a vision of perfection. If you are contemplating the Woodlands, I highly recommend you to book it! You will find that it is worth every penny!!!
Honeymoon – Secrets Maroma Beach (Mexico): A+
After all was said and done, we could not wait for our honeymoon at Secrets Maroma Beach. We were able to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of wedding planning (and opinions!). The resort is gorgeous and so relaxing. We spent nearly every day on the beach just relaxing in the Mexican sun with a few excursions here and there. Food was excellent with a great variety of choices. Staff was so friendly and entertainment options were great. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay at another Secrets resort in the future!
msmrstrulyblessed
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:27 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:27 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congratulations!! It sounds like everything went so well for your perfect day
Simonenarissa
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:55 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:55 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Great review!! So glad you had such a great day :) just gave me the idea to wait for blackfriday sales!!
katielynn
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:56 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 10:56 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Great review!!!! I can't wait to work with Ken Hild!!! We're doing our e-shoot with him on Sept 30th and after reading your review I'm even more excited!!!!
katnwill
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 11:10 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 11:10 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congratulations!! Great review. I also used InvitationsByEmily and she was excellent to work with.You can upload your pics to Snapbucket so that you can post them on here.
KC1031
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 11:18 PM+
Posted: Sep 04, 2013 11:18 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
I started to figure out how to add the pics! I will finish the rest tomorrow! :)
lauren1802
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 05:29 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 05:29 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats! Great review!
KC1031
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 07:51 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 07:51 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Now updated with pictures!!
Terriechick
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:25 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:25 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats! Great review!
Alyssa M
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:28 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:28 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Great review! Congratulations!
Mindyepo
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:51 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 08:51 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats! Everything looked amazing!!!
dariamarie2
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 10:28 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 10:28 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats!! Everything looked beautiful! Great review!!
agatha
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 10:54 AM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 10:54 AM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Great review! You looked beautiful.
TalliePad218
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:04 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:04 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats! Everything and everyone looked beautiful! Thanks for the great review!
MarryTheNight24
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:17 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:17 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Yay! Congrats! Glad to hear the Woodlands was amazing!
Lisa and Steven
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:43 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 12:43 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Congrats! Great review!!
Brunettelizzie29
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 01:35 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 01:35 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
Great review!! Everything looked beautiful..Congratulations!!
Soon2BeMrsMango
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 02:25 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 02:25 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
GREAT REVIEW! EVERYTHING LOOKED BEAUTIFUL!
angelicd77
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 02:53 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 02:53 PM
Re: Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!!
You looked beautiful!! Congrats!!
MandysMom
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 03:17 PM+
Posted: Sep 05, 2013 03:17 PM
Our perfect day 6/14/13 @ The Woodlands! Ken Hild Photo, Wedding Cinema, Fire Monkey Hair Design, Beauty by Beth, Camelot Limos and more!!! - Long Island Weddings
You looked absolutely gorgeous and so did your mom! Groom isn't bad either ;)Welcome New Vendors
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