5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Hi everyone,

I’ve visited this site quite a few times over the past several months, looking for answers to particular questions about etiquette, specific vendors, et cetera. Since I was planning from a distance (I live in PA) it was especially great to see your comments about Long Island vendors. I found your insights on the boards to be very helpful in my planning, so I decided to post a review of my May 22, 2004 wedding, in the hope that you might find it helpful in your own planning process. This may look suspicious, but I promise you I am not a fake bride. I’m just a lurker who never had time to post anything. Please FM me if you have any questions! I am happy to help. (By the way, A+ is my highest rating.)

Ceremony and Reception

Reception hall and caterer: Old Field Club, Setauket. A+

We had a lot of ideas about what we wanted (and didn’t want) in a reception hall. We decided on the Old Field Club because it’s classy without being glitzy, it’s located on the water, and it’s relatively small, hosting only one wedding at a time. We worked with Marvin Price (the events manager), who was helpful, funny, and amazingly adept at keeping things running smoothly. Our guests raved about the beautiful location, the impeccable service, and, most of all, the delicious food! Truly one of Long Island’s best-kept secrets.

The OFC website is: http://www.oldfieldclub.com

Ceremony officiant: Reverend Janine Burns. A+

Reverend Janine is enthusiastic, upbeat, and creative. We met with her twice before the wedding to coordinate ceremony ideas and structure. My husband and I are not religious at all, so writing a ceremony and selecting readings was somewhat difficult, but Reverend Janine had plenty of suggestions; she also provides a “ceremony kit” with ideas that you can mix and match to your liking. She is very open-minded, so if you are looking for a personalized ceremony, look no further. LOTS of our guests approached her after the ceremony to ask about the readings and to tell her that she did a great job.

Her website is: http://www.ilovetodoweddings.com

Band: The Moonlighters. A+

I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Moonlighters – a band I had already liked from hearing their CDs – were available to play at weddings! They have a wonderful, unusual sound: old-time blues and Hawaiian music, with two harmonizing female vocalists (my father thinks they sound like the Andrews Sisters). Perfect for a spring or summer evening, and especially appropriate if you have a wide mix of age groups at your wedding (they seem to appeal to everyone). They were fun, friendly, and completely professional. I loved them – and so did the crowd!

Here is their website: http:// www.misanthrope.com/moonlighters/

Also, one of their singers is in a few other bands, with music genres including jazz, delta blues, and 1920s dance music. I’m not sure if her other bands play weddings, but check ‘em out at http://www.blissblood.com/

Florist: Fashions and Flowers, Northport. A+

Sandy is so much fun to work with and has a great sense of humor (but is a consummate professional as well). I came in with too many different ideas, and she helped me to narrow down my options and select centerpieces and bouquets that would best complement the look of the reception hall and my dress. She’s so creative – if you work with her, I recommend that you tell her some of your favorite flowers, give her a basic color scheme, and then just let her do her thing. Our guests were so impressed with her work!

Cake: Copenhagen Bakery, Northport. A+

Stacey at Copenhagen is soooooo nice and helpful. Our guests said that our cake (chocolate with chocolate mousse filling, white buttercream icing, and fresh hydrangeas as decoration) was the best they’d ever eaten. It was so pretty that it was a shame to eat it!

Photographer: Paula from Imagine Studios. A+ so far.

We haven’t seen our proofs yet, but I can say that Paula and her husband/assistant, Vladimir are very sweet and patient. I told her that my family and I are not comfortable with very “posed” pictures, and while she insisted on taking a few, she was flexible about how many and what kinds of poses. She remembered people’s names and was nice to everyone. Also, she was unobtrusive at the ceremony and reception (though I know she was taking pictures the whole time).

Limo: Class A Limos (I’m pretty sure that was the name – I’ve already forgotten and these limo companies tend to have similar names!). A

We had a small bridal party and needed only one limo. The driver was on time, reliable, and very nice, helping me with my dress whenever needed. The back seat had a lot of glitter stuck to it (probably from a prom the previous night) and my husband’s tux was covered with glitter by the end of the ride! Also, my sister’s boyfriend left his sunglasses in the car… we thought we’d be able to recover the glasses, but they were never found. That was a little strange.

Clothes, Rings, and Accessories

Dress: Demetrios Ilissa Collection, from Macy’s Bridal Shop at Smithhaven Mall, Lake Grove. A+

When I first went to the shop, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted in a dress, but the Macy’s staff was extremely helpful. I mentioned a few preferences and dislikes (vintage/1920s look, not too “poofy,” a short train or no train, A-line) and the saleswomen pointed me in the right direction. I tried on five or six gowns (with help and honest criticism/commentary from one of the saleswomen – I’m sorry that I can’t remember her name) and fell in love with mine – I ordered it that same day. The dress came in on time, and needed only minor adjustments after my first fitting (the second fitting was perfect). Rosie, the seamstress, was sweet, cheerful, and efficient.

MOB dress: Belsoie, from Macy’s Bridal Shop. A+

My mother is very stylish and found a lot of the typical MOB dresses to be a bit stodgy for her tastes. So, she decided to get a beautiful bridesmaid dress instead. Again, the saleswomen at Macy’s were very helpful. The dress was “delayed in customs” (not the store’s fault) and therefore took slightly longer than expected, but the alterations (by Rosie, see above) went smoothly.

Maid of Honor dress (my sister was my MoH; I had no additional bridesmaids): Watters & Watters, from Adrienne’s, Islip. A+

I’ve seen some complaints on this site about the bridal shop at Adrienne’s, but I have nothing but compliments for the staff of the bridesmaids dress shop. We went without an appointment, and even though the store was busy, the saleswoman (again, I really wish I could remember her name) was cheerful, funny, and very helpful. No problems whatsoever with the fittings and alterations. (My sister’s first fitting was cancelled due to inclement weather, and it was easy to reschedule.)

Groom’s tuxedo: Hugo Boss outlet store, Tanger Outlet Mall of Lancaster, PA. A+

My husband decided to buy rather than rent. We got a great deal on a gorgeous tuxedo, shirt, and tie. Amazingly, no alterations were needed! Hugo Boss makes beautiful, high quality clothes.

Engagement ring and wedding bands: J.A. Sharp Jewelry, Lancaster, PA. A+

The women who own and run this independent jewelry shop are absolutely delightful. The rings are so unique – they will make one of a kind jewelry based on your input. If you’re ever in Lancaster, drop by!

Here is their website: http://www.jasharp.com/

Shoes: Dyeables by Liz Rene from Varone’s, Sayville. A+

This is a very small shop with a wide selection of shoes, about half of which are dyeables. I’m picky about shoes – and I have narrow feet – so I was especially grateful for the patience of the saleswoman. With a little practice beforehand, these shoes stayed comfortable long into the night. (I also got a comfortable pair of Chinese Laundry white mules – from the clearance rack at DSW on Jericho Turnpike – for taking photos on the beach.)

Bag: Mary Frances from Lord & Taylor, Walt Whitman Mall. A

I always need at least one bizarre accessory per outfit, and this was the one. Tasteful but definitely unusual. Lord & Taylor has a decent selection of evening bags, in a wide range of prices.

Hair and Makeup

Hair: Kim and Marie at Cactus Salon, Northport. A+

My family has known (and adored) Marie forever. A few weeks before the wedding, she cut my hair and gave me warm, natural-looking highlights. I was very happy with her work. Kim, who’s also a real sweetheart, styled my hair for the wedding day. It stayed in place all day and looked so sleek and shiny! She did my sister’s hair, too… and my sister has long, thick curls (not easy to work with). She looked so beautiful!

Makeup: Melinda at MAC counter, Macy’s, Walt Whitman Mall. A+

Melinda came to my parents’ house and did makeup for my mother, my sister, and me. She is extremely nice and very talented! She did exactly what we asked her to do – I was concerned about having too much makeup on, but she did just enough so that I would stand out in the photos. Our makeup stayed put all day.

Rehearsal Dinner

Three Village Inn, Stonybrook. A for service, B for food

We had a private dining room at the inn for a 30-person party. Before the dinner, the staff was extremely helpful, and the planning went flawlessly. Also, the room was pretty and the outside of the restaurant is gorgeous for taking photos. I can be picky about food, and I felt that the entrees were bland, but that may be due to the kind of cuisine the restaurant serves (very typical beef-chicken-fish type stuff, plus a boring vegetarian meal – grilled veggies with no sauce or spice – that they obviously threw together without thinking about it). Other people seemed to like the food, so I’m giving that aspect a B.

Hotel

Holiday Inn Express, Centereach. B

We had no problems securing a fairly large block of rooms (a lot of our guests were out-of-towners), but some of our guests, when they called to make reservations, were told that the hotel was sold out… it wasn’t. People definitely got mixed messages when they called, but things worked out in the end. My husband and I decided to stay at the hotel as well, because we’re out-of-towners too, and we didn’t really want to stay on my parents’ pull-out couch for the night. When I called to make our reservation (and mentioned that it was our wedding) the woman asked if we’d like a room with two twin beds! Duh. Our room was unimpressive, but a few of our guests got rooms with Jacuzzis! At least we all enjoyed a free breakfast. My grandmother must have stolen every Sweet-and-Low packet in the place!

Invitations and Placecards

Lion in the Sun, Huntington. A+

After a frustrating experience with another vendor (see below), I visited Lion in the Sun to explore other options. Mary asked about my tastes and preferences, selected the best possible sample books for me to look at, and offered helpful suggestions to guide my decision. She also patiently explained different types of invitations to me (letterpress versus other options, for example) and suggested ways to get a “pricey” look without spending absurd amounts of money. We finally decided on a Julie Holcomb design for our invitations (we got countless compliments on them!) and placecards. I’m convinced that Mary would do anything in her power to help a customer.

Snow & Graham, Chicago. D

First off, I have to say that this design company did a fantastic job on my “Save the Date” coasters, which were adorable and came in earlier than expected. My experience swiftly went way downhill from there. I wanted to order invitations from them, called and left messages four (count ‘em, four) times, and was dismayed to find that they never returned my calls. I find this behavior completely unprofessional. The fifth and last message I left was more than a little nasty. I will never buy or order anything from them again.

Honeymoon

Holland America cruise (and land tour) to Alaska. A+

The cruise went to Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, and Seward. From there, we took a land tour to Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Denali National Park (which is the size of Massachusetts!) At each port, we booked a “shore excursion” or two – kayaking, whale watching, and hiking, to name a few. We had almost perfect weather (in late May and June, Alaska temperatures range from 50-70 degrees or so, with some rain in the coastal areas). As for the cruise itself, we were spoiled rotten! The service was absolutely impeccable and the food was delicious. The whole trip was a real adventure. I think I took ten rolls of photos.

I hope I haven’t forgotten anything. If you need contact information, let me know. Please FM me if you have any questions!

Best wishes,
Megan

Re: 5/22/04 wedding review!

Congratulations and thank you for such a detailed report!

Re: 5/22/04 wedding review!

congrats...

Re: 5/22/04 wedding review!

Thank you! I'm going to try to add a few pictures later so you can see the dress, the room at the OFC, the cake, and some of the flowers. My vendors really did a fantastic job and I'm so grateful to them...

Just gotta figure out how to post photos. I'll be back!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

OK, here goes...

ETA: I used the resizer and the pictures are tiny! I'm going to try something else...

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Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

OK, what I just tried obviously didn't work. I'll try again later.

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Oh no! The pictures are too tiny! Please post more when you get a chance
Congratulations - sounds like everything was great!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

congrats

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Thank you so much!

I have tried everything and I just can't get my photos to post! Sorry!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Congrats!
Your band sounded really unique!!!
I checked out their website (I esp. liked the old Delta Blues stuff!) & definetly want to check them out- looks like they play in NYC a lot!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

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Posted by AndreaLMT

Congrats!
Your band sounded really unique!!!
I checked out their website (I esp. liked the old Delta Blues stuff!) & definetly want to check them out- looks like they play in NYC a lot!

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Cool... I hope you'll check 'em out! They are terrific to work with, and Bliss, especially, is SUPER nice and very organized. The band learned several songs for us and really gave the covers a unique edge.

Good luck with all of your planning!

(I love the dog in your photo, by the way!)

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Thank you for a thorough review! You look beautiful - I love your gown, its very elegant. Congratulations!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Congrats!!!! Alaska is amazing isn't it!!!!!!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Congrats!! My FH's family knows Marie very well too - she used to be his aunt!!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Thanks everyone! I gave up on posting photos, but here is a link to a few pictures I put online... these were taken by friends...

Wedding photos

Some of them are just after-party shots (and some pictures of my dog on a linked page!) but the rest will give you some sense of the club, the flowers, the dress, the cake, and all that good stuff!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

What great pics! Your flowers are amazing and I lopve how the Old Field's Club's ceiling is lit up - very pretty!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Congrats!

Oh, LOVE GIBBY!!!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Thank you, everyone!

wc0143, I'm glad you enjoyed the Gibby photos! She's a shelter dog who had a rough time early in her life, and we're just so proud of her. She's part Cairn Terrier and part... something. Maybe Sheltie or Corgi (don't know if you can tell from the photos, but she's short-legged and sausage-shaped like a Corgi).

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

Megola!!! Your maid of honor is MY maid of honor, too!!! You had a beautiful day and I'm sooo happy for you!!!

Re: 5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!

CONGRATULATIONS!!