April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

It feels crazy to work on this. I love reading wedding reviews. I think it is the best feature on this amazing site. They are not only immensely helpful, but also insightful. These reviews remind us what is truly important about our wedding days: the beginning of your marriage. Those reviews reminded me to relish every beautiful moment of my wedding day and remember that the best is yet to come.

With that, I will begin with the only problem of my day: rain. I watched weather forecasts on tv and monitored them online. For ten days, the forecast never changed, only the percents of chance of rain. April 1st was a gorgeous day with sunny skies and unseasonable warmth. I hope that we would have a repeat of the same weather a week later, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Wingate Inn, Garden City
Wingate Inn
After my nail appointment, FH helped me check into the Wingate Inn in Garden City on Stewart Avenue. I booked the Junior Bridal Suite for myself for the night before the wedding and the night of. The bridal suite is two rooms: a living room and a king sized bedroom. I booked this room based on Jenn the Hair Genie’s recommendation. She was totally right. The room was a comfortable fit for all nine people who spent the morning in my room. There is plenty of seating and the bathroom is big enough for several girls. There is also a beautiful floor mirror in the bedroom.




Hair by Jenn the Hair Genie
Hair Genie’s Website
Makeup by Oksana
Oksana’s Website
100% Recommended! Book them now!!!! J
Jenn called my room just before 5:00am to let me know they were on their way up to the room. It was then that I remembered that I forgot to bring a picture of my hair trial (of course, I reminded my BMs to bring theirs). When I told Jenn, she whipped out pictures she had taken at the trial. Jenn and Oksana helped us wake up and kept us talking and laughing all morning, which was great, because I was a huge bundle of nerves. While I was checking out my makeup in the other room, Oksana told the girls to turn the weather off….which was probably the best decision made all morning. We watched cartoons instead.

All of the girls looked gorgeous. Jenn and Oksana are an amazing team. They are incredibly talented at what they do and they are fun to be around. I recommend them without reservation.







LA Blossom Recommended! Laurie is incredible!
Laurie arrived at the hotel room sometime between 8 and 8:30 with the personal flowers. My bouquet was ridiculously gorgeous. It was everything I wanted. The girls’ flowers were perfect, exactly what I asked for. My bouquet was even larger than I thought it would be! Laurie dropped them off and then went to WM to give DH his flowers and to set up the centerpieces.





With the flowers in the room, I started to get anxious about time. The photographer would be arriving around 9:00am to begin taking pictures and I wanted to get dressed. It took some negotiating to actually get into my dress, since I was wearing two slips underneath. I ended up needing three people to help put the gown on.


Lillette’s Recommended
I bought my Maggie Sottero at Lillette’s before Ashleigh was discontinued. I had nothing but excellent experiences at Lillette’s. I decided to buy the third gown I tried on, even though I wasn’t planning on buying a dress that day. I had total faith in Lillette’s, as they have been in business for 50 years. They also came highly recommended from my MOH. This trust was really important because when I was measured, I fell in between size 16 and size 18. This was because of my bust and broad back. I didn’t really want the size 18 since it was plus size (read: 10% more), but I didn’t want the pressure of having to lose weight before the wedding. So I ended up going with the larger gown, knowing that it would have to be taken in.
Fast forward to September: I joined Weight Watchers through my school. I lost weight pretty quickly and began to worry about how the fittings would go, knowing that the gown was ordered too big, plus I lost weight. Everyone reassured me that the gown could be taken in.
My gown came in January 13. Because of the corset back, the weight loss was no problem. My gown needed no alterations except for the hem and to sew in the buttons for the bustle. Francesca worked with me both times I went for fittings. She showed the girls how to do the corset. She is the just sweetest. She gave me a huge hug when I came to pick up my gown and wished me well. My dress looked gorgeous; I was very happy with the results.

Veil – Bridesave.com A- Recommended
The veils at Lillette’s were a bit too pricey for me, especially since I spent more on my gown than I was planning. I knew exactly what I wanted, so buying online was easy. I bought an ivory, two-tiered fingertip length veil with pearl edging on a comb.
The only problem was that they emailed the ship date for the veil as June 2006 – two months after my wedding. I emailed them to make sure that the veil would reach me before my wedding. I received a voicemail right away changing the ship date to summer 2005. I believe it shipped in 12 weeks. It was beautiful. I put it on a hanger and the wrinkles fell out within a few weeks.

Tiara – Veilshop.com Recommended
Again, the tiaras in bridal shops were just too expensive. I found one I absolutely loved, but it was $200. One of my bridesmaids emailed me a picture from veilshop that looked almost the same as the one in the shop, but $150 cheaper. It was on backorder until the end of March. Once it was in stock, it shipped quickly and was well packaged to prevent damage. It looked exactly like the picture on the website. I love LOVE my tiara.



BM Gowns – Bill Levkoff 201
Lillette’s
I chose my bridesmaids gown the day I bought my dress. Lillette’s has a nice selection of gowns. Carol pulled a dozen or so to have my girls try on. I knew what color I wanted, but I wasn’t sure about the dress itself. They girls mainly tried on Bill Levkoff. I liked 201 the best because it had a wrap waist like mine. Because I purchased my gown at Lillette’s all of my bridesmaids would get theirs for 10% off. Even before the discount, Lillette’s was $1 cheaper than R.K. Bridal. Woohoo!
The girls got their fitting cards at the end of December. I was so excited to see the gown in Champagne. The sample gown was in green, so it would look completely different in the right color.
First fitting seemed to take FOREVER. The seamstresses didn’t seem to get along with each other. Two of my Bridesmaids worked with one seamstress, while the other two worked with Francesca. Francesca was AWESOME. She helped my girls find a bra that would flatter them. She gave each girl lots of attention. The other seamstress rushed through my bridesmaids.
The second fitting was scheduled for early March. The girls just tried the gowns on and they got to take them home. Just FYI: when you pick up your gown, you must have the balance paid or be able to pay in cash. Lillette’s does not take credit cards and will not accept a check for the final payment.



Sherwood-Triart Photography Outstanding! Pending albums, 100% recommended
Karen and her assistant Lynn arrived around 8:45am to start taking pictures. I was still getting dressed, so Karen introduced herself and started shooting right away. My girls were having some difficulty with the corset, so Jenn came over to help them get the corset going. Karen took pictures the entire time, but I barely noticed her. The pictures from this time are beautiful. Karen has a real talent for taking a lot of quality photographs in a short period of time. Sherwood is known for photojournalistic pictures and this is exactly what she was getting. Looking through my proofs I am amazed by some of the shots she got.

Somehow, she managed to take pictures of rings, diy projects and the invitations and over 100 formal shots in about 45 minutes.

These photos are the previews that we received sooner than the promised 4 weeks after our wedding. They are scanned, so some of the pictures are a bit washed out. The colors are gorgeous in the physical prints.


Invitations: Intricate Beauty – Carlson Craft
We ordered these invitation because they were simple and inexpensive. I have an obsession with paper, but I couldn’t spend more than $300 in invitations. We searched online and looked at hundreds of invites and then ordered them through a friend who owns a printing company. There were problems with Carlson Craft and the printing that they did, so my friend re-printed them himself. All in all, I was VERY happy with the way the invitations looked.

Cathy – the Invitation Station LIW Vendor - Recommended
When we ordered the invitations, we forgot to get inner envelopes. We didn’t have enough time to get the envelopes shipped from Florida, where my friend lives, so we ordered from Cathy at the Invitation Station. She emailed my FH a few times to get the ordered settled. She placed the order and the envelopes were in within a week. He drove out to pick them up and was very happy with them.
















We took formal photographs in the hotel room until 9:25am or so, when the limo driver from Royalty arrived. I was still very nervous and anxious, but one thing I did not have to worry about was timing. All of our vendors arrived earlier than expected. Their punctuality is a testament to their professionalism. I never once worried that something would go wrong – they arrived before my worries began!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Royalty Limousines Highly Recommended!
The driver from Royalty arrived around 9:15am. We were down in the lobby around 9:30am with many bags to go to WM. The driver, Robert (I think), packed the trunk and waited for my dad to run up and grab the shawl I left in the room. Robert helped all of the girls get in to the limo and held my dress as I maneuvered in. Manny from Royalty told us that he would send a surprise to pick me up if he could and he did. He sent the Chrysler 300. What a gorgeous limo! Who doesn’t love pink interior lights?

Robert waited for my parents to pull their car around before leaving. My parents are OOT, so he led the way to the hall. Along the way, Robert hit the “here comes the Bride” horn several times. So exciting to hear it played for you.



When we got to the hall, all of the girls got out before me, and Robert came in behind me to help me out of the car. As I was getting out of the car, Lorena, our Maitre ‘D, came to greet me and lead me up to my future DH! At the same time, Robert emptied the trunk and brought all of the bags up to the photo studio.

Royalty is a treasure. The price is excellent and the service is impeccable. We weren’t sure if we even needed a limo, but after meeting with Manny, we were so glad we followed the advice of many happy LIW brides and went to see Royalty.

Westbury Manor Unbelievable! Highly Recommended!
Lorena, and my bridal attendant, Laura helped me and my many slips get up the stairs.
I could hear the voices of our bridal party in the third floor studio. I had to take deep breaths to keep myself calm. I was just seconds away from seeing David for the first time on our wedding day. When I got up the stairs, I saw his back and then watched as he slowly turned. The look on his face was totally overwhelming. I’ve never felt more beautiful than I did in that moment. It felt more real than ever that we were about to get married.

Dante Tuxedo of Westbury Highly Recommended!
Future DH also looked incredible. He wore an Oscar de la Renta tuxedo with an ivory vest and shirt. Dante also carries light champagne, which matches Euro Champagne perfectly. Our fathers also got their tuxedos from Dante. With our rentals, DH and my father got their rentals for free. All of the boys looked handsome, but my DH looked like a million bucks. The jacket, pants and vest fit well and looked great on him.



After seeing my future DH for the first time, Lorena stopped by to assure us that all of the vendors were here and setting up. This was an enormous relief. Knowing that the DJ, MC, strings and flowers were under control left me free to enjoy my time with DH before the ceremony. Lorena took our bridal party down stairs for the rehearsal so that DH and I could have our privacy for our formal pictures.









Throughout the day, Lorena and Laura kept us informed about what was going on and kept our schedule moving. They also arranged a few photo opportunites later in the day. They let us into the Garden Room to take pictures before our guests arrived. It was incredible to see the room set for us. And, more praise for Laurie, the flowers looked amazing. I love the greens she used for the high and low cps. All of the roses she used looked gorgeous. They also showed us the ceremony area in the Manor Room. An hour before the ceremony, and the room was all ready. We also caught a glimpse of the strings getting ready.





After the formal photos, we relaxed in the bridal suite, anxiously awaiting the ceremony time. It was so good to have the bridal party and our parents around us to keep the mood light and the energy up. Lorena came up to let us know when the guests began to arrive and took the bridal party downstairs to begin lining up.

Hon. William Corbett Recommended
We got Judge Corbett’s card from one of the Banquet Managers at George Washington Manor. We contacted the judge and he sent us a copy of his service in the mail. We personalized the ceremony and mailed it back. He also called to remind us to fax him our marriage license and then again to confirm the date, time and location of the ceremony.

The judge arrived about 20 minutes prior to the ceremony. He had us sign the marriage licence and went over the ceremony with us. He let Lorena know that it would be short, as per our request. Lorena let us know that it would be no problem to begin the cocktail hour a bit early.

Bravura Entertainment Recommended
On the way down the aisle, I heard a little bit of the strings, but I didn’t pay that much attention. I was too excited by seeing my honey waiting for me to really listen.









The ceremony was about fifteen minutes long, including the processional and recessional J The most memorable moment of the ceremony, for me anyway, was my sister’s reading of “Us Two,” by A.A. Milne. She got through about two stanzas before she began crying and couldn’t stop. She apologized and then asked Judge Corbett to read it for her. I cried because of my sister’s tears, but laughed at the Judge reading a Winnie the Pooh poem. After the ceremony was over, Judge Corbett called us and told us how touching it was to see so much emotion during the ceremony.











After we made our way back down the aisle, Lorena handed us a glass of champagne and led us to the Polo lounge for the cocktail hour. The lounge was absolutely filled with food. Our ice carving was right by the entrance, our iced vodka and caviar station was in the middle of the room and all of the displays were along the sides. We greeted guests as we stood by the bar, so we didn’t get to eat much. Laura bustled my gown (the length was giving me trouble) and gathered a bunch of tasty things for us to try in the bridal suite. DH and I went up to the suite slightly after 12:30pm. In the suite, I got to try the fajitas and some of the cheeses. Honestly, I was still too excited to eat (drinking wasn’t much of a problem though).



Lorena came to the bridal suite around 1:30pm to get us ready to line up for our entrances. We saw Tony from Bravura, who went over our song choices one more time and made sure that everyone was lined up correctly. He assured us that he had a copy of our first dance song, Existentialism on Prom Night by Straylight Run.



DH and I didn’t request a lot of songs, but the ones that we did were really important and super meaningful to us. We both love Indie Rock and Straylight’s song is just amazing. We weren’t 100% sure that he would have it, and a Dashboard Confessional song that we wanted, so we burned a copy to have just in case. It was totally unnecessary. Tony was fully prepared with all of the music we wanted. He also used our requests to play some Funk and Rock that we would like. (Bravura also provided a DJ for the cocktail hour, but I was too busy at the bar to really listen.) We were very happy with the music at our wedding. I have never been so excited to hear AC/DC in my whole life. DH and I barely sat down, we danced to every song that was played.

When we weren’t dancing, we did try some of the food at WM. The food at WM was amazing. We asked all of our guests about their meals and heard nothing but good things. Our guests especially loved the caviar and iced vodka station. I didn’t really eat much, mainly because I was too excited to eat….but I picked at the strawberries l’orange, the Caesar salad, chicken fingers and French fries (the kid’s meal) and the ice cream sundae. Everything was delicious. I can’t wait for our anniversary so I can eat a bigger meal! (As an aside, DH and I have been to the Polo restaurant twice and it is wonderful. It is a great place for a special occasion.)

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Our cake was also provided by WM. We chose a marble cake with strawberries and bananas inside. The couple of bites I did have were delicious.


The rain actually looks kind of pretty here.

Initial Cake Topper - DIY
This was an easy project. The adhesive smelled a little strong, and I had to use tweezers because of my nails, but it didn’t take too long and ended up looking beautiful! I used ToppersWithGlitz as the major inspiration for my cake topper. I bought the initials from craft cuts and the crystals and adhesive from artbeads. Both vendors get an A for easy purchasing and quick shipping. The crystals were really inexpensive and were absolutely perfect. Plus they offer free shipping.

We were pulled outside only once for photographs. The rain let up just a little bit while we took these pictures:






Following the cake cutting, it was time for our parent dances. I savored my dance with my father, listening to him tell me how proud he is of me, and tried to not to cry. After DH’s dance with his mom, we danced the rest of the night with our guests. We really did not sit down unless we had to!







An hour or so later, and it was over. The staff at WM began to pack up our things for us, and we had to get our guests to leave, which was easier said than done! We said goodbye to them and thanked Lorena and Laura for everything that they did for us. We were so grateful for all of their hard work and their pleasant personalities. I think they smiled as much as we did! Lorena brought us into the Polo Restaurant for one last drink. For DH, it was Johnny Walker Blue, which they normally charge $35 for. We sat in the lounge just soaking in everything that had happened that day. It was an incredible day - one which could never have been dampened by a bit of rain. I could not be happier to leave WM as the new Mrs. K!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Brief Honeymoon Review

Royal Caribbean – Enchantment of the Seas
We departed out of Fort Lauderdale Monday morning. We booked a stateroom with balcony because this was our first cruise and I was really worried about seasickness. I didn’t end up having any problems with seasickness, but DH did. The motion of the ocean left him a little queasy until he tried Bonine (that sounds like a commercial!). Our first port was Key West, where we took a Conch train tour and did a little midmorning bar-hoping. Key West is a really cool place. I would definitely like to return. Our next port was Cozumel. Amazing. We laid on a beach enjoying the gorgeous water and perfect weather. Our final port was Belize, where we went Cave Tubing at Jaguar Paw Resort. Cave tubing was fun, but a lot more tame than it sounds. The fifth cruise day was a day at sea. We took advantage of the pools on the at-sea day.

All anyone talks about on a cruise is the abundance of food. There really is plenty to eat. And every occasion on a cruise is a call to drink. It was the perfect post-weight watchers honeymoon. J The food on board is pretty good. It is standard restaurant quality food. The highlight of the restaurants, however, was Chops, the steakhouse at sea. For an extra $20 per person, you can enjoy a really special meal. The service is very personal and the steak is amazing.
We will definitely take a cruise again. We loved waking up in a new port each day. We really enjoyed getting back to the comfort of the boat at the end of the day too. Also, the employees on board are very friendly. Our stateroom attendant greeted us every morning with a smile and told us about the ports. In the evening, he left cute towel animals when he turned down the room.











When we returned to port on Saturday, we rented a car to drive up to Orlando.
Disney World- Beach Club Resort and Spa
We couldn’t chose between a cruise and Disney World, so we decided to do both. We got to Orlando in about three hours and checked into the Beach Club. If you go to Disney for your honeymoon, be sure to wear your ears when you check in. We booked a standard room, but were upgraded to a king bedroom. The room was incredible. It was in a corner by itself and had a nice long veranda to enjoy. We didn’t have a view of the lagoon or Spaceship Earth, but a nice big bed, after the little cruise bed, was a much better upgrade.

We almost stayed at Grand Floridian, but because we’ve already stayed at Polynesian, we wanted to try a different part of the World. Beach Club has a killer pool and is within walking distance of EPCOT.

Here are some of the restaurants we tried went to (and by the way, the Dining Plan is 100% worth it. We easily got our money’s worth). Remember to mention it is your honeymoon when you make your reservation;
Le Cellier, Canadian Pavilion – excellent steakhouse. This was our one romantic meal at Disney. Our server brought us a special dessert and a family sent us glasses of champagne to congratulate us.
Cinderella’s Royal Table – best character breakfast. They gave us the “honeymoon” table in front of the center window overlooking Magic Kingdom. The princesses gave us special attention. Our server gave us etched champagne flutes and a magical memories certificate which the princesses signed. It is very hard to get reservations here, but if you are a resort guest you can make them 180+10 days before other non-resort guests. The food is pretty good, but you really come to meet the princesses.
‘Ohana, Polynesian- good, but not as good as before they changed the menu. The pineapple bread is now gone. J It is still a fun time.
ESPN Club, Boardwalk- okay. DH hadn’t seen any sports in about 10 days, so I suggested we go. They don’t take reservations and the line for a table is really long. We chose to sit at the bar. The food is not good enough to wait a long time for. DH ordered a burger and it wasn’t good. My chicken tenders were fine though.
Cape May Café, Beach Club- We went for another character breakfast. This one features Minnie, Chip and Dale and Goofy. The food is pretty standard breakfast food. If we stay at Beach Club we will definitely go there again, otherwise, I don’t think it is worth a special trip.
Beaches and Cream, Beach Club/Yacht Club – so good. Their ice cream creations are way too good. If I ever go with a large group, I am definitely ordering the Kitchen Sink! The wait can be really long, even for lunch, so make a reservation if want to go.
Liberty Tree Tavern, Magic Kingdom (lunch)- the staff put a confetti heart on our table. J The food is really good with a good selection for lunch. I’ll definitely be going back.

We got a bunch of free things for wearing the ears, like a Fiesta Margarita in the Mexican Pavilion and a Mickey Bar in Animal Kingdom, but more than that, we had SO many people shout “CONGRATULATIONS!” at us. We were constantly reminded that we were married!!! It kept a smile on our faces the entire time we were there. I am looking forward to going back to Disney for our anniversaries.

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

congrats again!!! the pix came out amazing !!! you look beautiful!!! i had such at great time and was so honored to be part of you and Daves special day

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

great review date twin!!!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Congrats!

Great review!

You looked beautiful and it looks like your wedding was awesome!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Great review and pics. Looks like you both really enjoyed yourselves on wedding day and on your honeymoon! Congrats to you both

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Congrats! You looked beautiful!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Oh my! What a great review. Looks like you had a great day! Much congratulatins!

I booked Jen & Oksana too! Glad to hear you liked them so much!

Thank you!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Thanks for the great review! You looked so beautiful and happy on your wedding day. I LOVE the mickey ears on your honeymoon! Very adorable.

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

WOW looks like you had a great time!! Congrats!! Cute Disney pics.

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

your review is great

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Congratulations!!! I love your dress! You looked beautiful

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

A++++ Review for an A++++ wedding...thanks for letting me and robb share in your joy and be a part of your day!!!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

WHAT AGREAT REVIEW YOU LOOKED BEAUTIFUL AND ADORABLE INTHE WEDDING MICKEY EARS

CONGRATULATIONS!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Congrats!!! What an awesome review!!!
You looked beautiful.....

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Congrats!! You looked gorgeous and your wedding looked amazing! I love the pic of the lady crying hile trying to read. Absolutely touching!!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

You looked beautiful and your wedding details came out awesome!! Congrats!!

PS--did anyone ever tell you that you look like Kelly Clarkson!

Re: April 8, 2006- Westbury Manor Review (Sherwood-Triart, Bravura, LA Blossom, Jenn and Oksana and more)

Beautiful pictures and wedding; everything looks great, especially you!