Meeting with Ariana Studios...

I have asked about them before and nobody really has feedback on them. I've done a few searches and it's usually just on the dresses or the photos.

I'm meeting with them to find out about the cheap as h*ll package they offer. Nobody has signed up for that all inclusive deal, huh? Limos, flowers, DJ, photos, video all for under $4K. Unreal. Scary so cheap.

I haven't used them, but my sister-in-law used them for her wedding photos and video 5 years ago. I gotta say that I was very unimpressed by their work. I believe the photographer was Ozzie, and the photos were overly posed in my opinion. Also, although the photos were done non-digitally, there were little things that still could have been done to the photos to make them better...like remove a big object in the corner of a photo that they made into 8x10s for the parents.

Also, one of the parental videos (vhs) didn't work in the vcr player immediately upon delivery...seemed really shady to me. When I first looked for a RH, I looked at Floral Terrace, and since Ariana Studios was just don the block, I stopped in to check them out. I was shown a box of proofs that had just come in from a recent wedding, and I was once again unimpressed.

Tread with care...their prices may below, but you will probably get what you pay for.

Hi blurgirlny,

I went to Ariana Studios several times for photography quotes and once for the DJ quote. Yes, they have that 'salesman' feel to the pitch, you know, 'book us now' kind of talk, but I figure I'm going to get that almost anywhere I go for wedding vendors.

I really loved one particular photographer's work, as he had a photojournalistic style similar to my own style. His name is Peter F. (I didn't get a last name). The price was very right, and the quality was beautiful. And a huge coincidence: as I was browsing the albums, I said, 'hey, I know her!' It was a teacher and her husband who both work in my school! And on top of that, as I continued to browse the albums, I came across another book from another teacher's daughter's wedding (my sis and her were friends as kids, and he's a sub in my school now). So I figured if people I knew had hired Ariana and had beautiful photos taken, plus they were then the 'sample' books, Ariana had to be a pretty good deal. I spoke with one of the teachers and she said they were excellent.

Based on all of this, I was set to book Ariana, but FH kept asking that we hold off until we check out his family friend's work. He's a professional photographer, and I kept giving FH a hard time, not wanting to hire a friend b/c if something went wrong, there'd go the friendship. But I absolutely fell in love with his photos, since they matched my style exactly (I used to develop B&W film and pics, and had my own darkroom at my college newspaper). And he also has an obsession with hands like me (I love to take pictures of people's hands doing things.... so expressive!) We came out of his friend's office and I was grinning, knowing that I had to completely suck it up and say 'it's ok to tell me 'I told you so!'' because he was right, I did love his friend's work. We decided to go with him instead. I'm actually really looking forward to doing our E-pics!! Just not sure when.

At Ariana, I spoke with Jeff many times, and he was very helpful. He was even going to let me come in to view the proofs and actually do the layout of our album, since I'm also a layout designer (I did my college yearbook yrs ago). I'm very particular when it comes to photography and layouts, so I liked this hands-on approach. If we didn't choose FH's friend, Ariana would've been my first choice.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!
Carolyn
Queens, NY

---

Posted by blurgirlny

Thanks everyone for your input. I had to move my meeting with Jeff to next weekend. I didn't want to drive out to LI this morning in the heavy rains and there were accidents along the way and traffic, I'll be there next week after meeting with other vendors. I hate making decisions.

---

Good Luck. Let us know how it goes.

Jeff was super nice and maybe they've been reading the girl's comments on here because they totally were NOT salesy. We're going to go with them for photos, limos, flowers and MAYBE invitations (though I didn't look at that). He actually DOWN talked me saying 'you don't need that' - I think my mom LOVED that. Usually they are like 'What no video?' ... He was the only vendor willing to really negotiate on the limos too.

After going to the Riviera showcase, we are set with Then Til Now for DJ.


Thanks for all your help!

---

Posted by Dougs Girl

---

Posted by blurgirlny

Thanks everyone for your input. I had to move my meeting with Jeff to next weekend. I didn't want to drive out to LI this morning in the heavy rains and there were accidents along the way and traffic, I'll be there next week after meeting with other vendors. I hate making decisions.

---

Good Luck. Let us know how it goes.

---