Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Finally my 9/14/08 Review!!

NYCityweddings.com-A
I couldn’t have done it without NYCityweddings! After all my venting, I felt so much better! It was like an escape from all the stressful wedding issues to be able to share ideas and chat. I was so surprised that some women are so dedicated to helping out and really put a lot a thought into all their posts. It really meant a lot to me!! Thank you, to all of you, for your dedication and thoughts! I love you all and congratulations!!!


Me in my t-shirt!!!

Bridal Shower (Roma Restaurant)-A
My bridal shower was perfect! I was so surprised; I had no clue. My mom did a wonderful job. She was my MOH as well. A few of my BM’s helped out a lot as well. All of them contributed money towards it (except one). My mom and my grandpa made my wishing well for me. My mother and a few BM’s decorated it. They also made my umbrella! They were great! The restaurant was perfect! Nice ambiance, professional staff and most important, GREAT food. I would highly recommend this place for any occasion!







My Ceremony Gown and Veil(Fontana)-A
The gown I wore to my ceremony, my mom wore on her wedding day so it was very sentimental to me. “Something Old” had a very big meaning at my wedding. The dress originally had the back covered and these big poofy (80’s Style) sleeves. My mom had purchased her gown there back in 1981, so they were very surprised to see it. When I told them about my vision for it, they decided they would be more than happy to do the alterations I needed. They manager, Paula is my favorite! She was so professional and she did all my fittings for me. The alterations where done perfectly, in an excellent, timely matter. Paula really made my visions come true!

My veil was handmade for me by Paula. She took the appliqués off the sleeves of the gown and sewed them on my veil. It looked perfect!







My Reception Gown and Veil (Fontana)-A
I love the gown that I wore to my reception. It was worth every penny (of the 5K I paid-OUCH)! The alterations were done perfectly, as well by Paula. Everything they promised was everything I received. I tried the gown on about 1 year before my wedding. I wasn’t sure at this point if I was going to buy another dress. When I saw it, I had to have it. The dress was only in the store for a short time and then it was getting shipped back to the manufacturer. It wasn’t available in stores yet because it was a 2008 design. The owner, Cory Fontana, actually called the company and asked them to ship the dress back to the store for me! The whole staff was very helpful and professional! The gown was absolutely stunning and I wish I could have worn in longer. Actually, after the wedding when DH and I went to the hotel, I didn’t take it off for hours and hours later. My veil was plain with beading around the edges. I loved it! I went by Paula’s recommendation to buy a plain veil, with less work. She said it would take away from my dress with such an elaborate veil. She was right! Everything was perfect!







My Moms Gown (Fontana)-B
I gave my mom’s gown a B, because we weren’t 100% satisfied with it. At NO fault to Fontana, we just weren’t crazy about it. They did the alterations perfect. We loved it in the beginning, but the more and more we saw it, we started not liking it anymore. I’m not sure what it was, but I just wasn’t crazy about it like I was the first time I saw it.



Bridesmaids (Fontana)-C

My bridesmaids were not impressed with there experience there. I wasn’t 100% satisfied either. I think that it was all do to the stress level. I had 11 bridesmaids so that made things CRAZY! In the end everything was perfect, but the time along the way, wasn’t great. The girls’ dresses came in about 1 month before the wedding. Almost every one of them called me at least 5 times a week asking where there dresses were about 3 months before my wedding. That made a lot of needless stress for me. It got to the point that DH called about the dresses. I was told one day, “oh next week” and then that week I was told “oh this weekend”. That happened numerous times with the receptionists. When Cory Fontana heard about this, he called me directly and promised they would be in by a certain date. Basically, he told me one more week. Sure enough, the dresses came in as Cory promised me. My only concern was the time frame. One of my bridesmaids lives in Florida, the other is away in college, and one of them works 23 hours a day. They all had very busy schedules so I was worried they wouldn’t have the time to get there for alterations. All in all, everything was perfect in the end! The day before the wedding they were picking up dresses (Thank god)!



Flower Girls (Fontana)-A

My flowers were just adorable! All my guests complimented there little ball gowns. Fontana made it very easy to make flexible appointments for the parents. They all work very well with children.





Grandma-A
My grandma, I love her so much. She’s very sick right now. She had just had her hip replaced for the second time (right before my wedding). She also had her other hip and both knees replaced in the past. When I explained to the staff, she was disabled and can’t stand very long, they told me “Don’t worry, we will take very good care of her”. I was worried in the beginning, but when I saw how the staff, the manager, even the owners catering to her, I couldn’t believe it. They were so patient with her, they brought her a chair to sit down and she didn’t even have to shop! She explained to them what she was looking for and they showed her many different things. Grandma sat in the fitting room and they brought the dresses in for her. They did the same things during her fittings as well. They gave her a great price and the dress was gorgeous! My grandma and I were so happy with the dress and the service.



Mother of the Groom Gown (David’s Bridal)-A
My mother in-law, didn’t want to go to Fontana. She ended up going to David’s. I wasn’t very happy with that, but all in all the dress looked great on her and she was very satisfied, even with the service.



Tuxes-(Duleto Formal Wear, Bronxville) F!!!!
I’ve never in my life seen such a crazy ordeal when it came to any business in the world!!! Well first off 75% of the times we went to the store, the man was drunk! The only reason why we decided to go there is because they came highly recommended by a few of my other vendors. Some of the guys had already gone for measurements and payments so we couldn’t switch vendors. They refused to give them their money back and the guys didn’t want to have to pay twice so we decided to just live with his bad customer service. Well here we are the day before my wedding and the guys go get their tuxes. Ok, well, they were the WRONG VESTS!!! Not even close to the one I picked! When I called to explain that to him, he said he couldn’t get the ones we picked in time so he ordered these for us. IS HE CRAZY!! How could he do that without my “okay”? I was so upset. Over all, the color was okay, but not what I wanted. All the buttons were falling off the tuxes and the hems were falling down. DH had to put rubber bands on his upper arms to hold the sleeves from the white shirt falling down over his wrists. If you ever to go there, drop kick that guy and then walk out!



Invites-A+
I purchased my invitations from a local stationary store. They are from Encore Studios. I was a little worried about the way they would look because I changed the design of it slightly and the representative was very honest and helpful to the man in the store. My invites were gorgeous and I received so many compliments on them! They where perfect!



Weather-B
I only give a B because it was SO HOT!!! I honestly would have rather it been that hot, then it be raining, but it was very hard to deal with taking pictures in that heat especially in my dress. My poor Bridesmaids had satin dresses on too. I felt horrible because I thought the weather would cool off a little bit by then. Better that than rain though!

My Hair (Flip Salon-Tilly)-B
I liked my hair. I didn’t love it, I liked it. The stylist arrived on time and she was very professional. My hair came out nice, but it was a little different than the trial. Also, I told her to use lots of spray because my hair will not hold in this humidity. I guess she used what she thought would hold, but it didn’t. My hair was pin straight by the time my ceremony was over





My Moms Hair (Flip Salon-Tilly)-B
My mom wasn’t crazy about her hair either. My mom didn’t have a trial, so she explained to her what she wanted. If you ask me, my moms hair and my hair were way to close in styles.



Make Up (Daria Rocco-From Mary Kay)-My Make up-B, My Mom-B, BM’s-C
The make-up was okay. Again, different from my trial, but overall it was okay. I liked the representative; she was very polite although she didn’t listen to anyone. I wanted more dramatic and so did my mom. 8 out of 10 of my bridesmaids, put more make-up on after having it done. It was almost like she did what she wanted. One of them hated it so much; I ended up arguing with her over it. She refused to pay for it and she didn’t want to say anything to her. My mother got stuck paying for her. Overall I think everyone looked okay. Not greatt for $100 an hour, but okay.



Flowers (Blooming Buds)-A

My flowers were so gorgeous! The florist, Laura, worked with me to find exactly what I wanted. She was very professional and she was excellent. She was very honest with me and she was not trying to just sell me flowers. She told me what would look good with what. I really valued her professional opinion. The morning of, she arrived before she said she would to deliver the flowers. I loved her to death! Although my crappy photographer didn’t take pictures of my center pieces, they were my favorite part and I don’t even have a picture to remember them. The girls bouquets were beautiful, along with mine and the flower girl baskets where perfect. She really made my vision a reality!





Limo’s (Eclipse Limousines)-F
What a catastrophe! I have never been so unpleased in my life. DH and I paid for 1 Excalibur (us), 2 Excursions (Bridal Party) and a Lincoln (for us after the wedding). The morning of, I was sitting as the photographer snapped pictures and I heard DH on the phone, from across the house screaming! I was so scared he wasn’t going to show up! All he wanted were the cars, that’s it! Well, they sent two Lincolns to DH’s Aunts for the Men. When DH called, he said that he said we agreed to this. We NEVER agreed to that. That’s so stupid! Not only were they 30 minutes late, they sent the wrong cars! My big brother called as well. The guy told my brother “What do you want from me? I don’t even own another Excursion”. So why on EARTH would you sell us TWO? That was ridiculous if you ask me.


The Lincoln in the background that I didn't ask for or par for!

Wedding Rings-A
My mom’s friend is a jeweler and he had our rings made for us! I ended up paying half of what my jeweler wanted for both of them! My rings look amazing together and DH loves his ring! They are beautiful!



My Headpiece and Jewelry-A
My headpiece and jewelry were made for me specifically what I wanted. My moms friend (the same guy who did our rings), made me the tiara of my dreams! I explained what I waned and I got it! Same with my jewelry! He was excellent!



DIY Rehearsal Dinner (My House)-A
My mom put my rehearsal dinner together and did all the cooking for it. This really took a lot of stress off me that I didn’t have to plan this as well. I was a nervous wreck and my mom really outdid herself. I was worried about having it in the house, but during it I realized, that it was better at home. I felt like us and our bridal party could be more comfortable. After all the guests left, a few people in our bridal party stayed after the dinner to have drinks. We had a wonderful time talking and hanging out. It really relaxed me! This was a great idea!

Ceremony (Annunciation Church)-A
My ceremony was wonderful! Mon Senior Keane was brilliant! He actually baptized me so it meant a lot to me that he was the priest performing my ceremony. Although it was very hot, my guests really enjoyed it! It was quick. My ceremony only lasted about 25 minutes after I walked in. It was very emotional for me so I was crying like crazy during my vows. I hope the microphone picked it up in my video.







Reception (Villa Barone Hilltop Manor) A+
My Reception was 100% unbelievable!! I couldn’t believe the wonderful job they did! It was so perfect! The cocktail hour was so great my guests didn’t want to leave switch rooms to the reception. From the wine tasting to the chief displays, me guests were amazed. The food was perfect!

My family is really old fashion Italian and they complain about everything they get “out” as apposed to home and they didn’t have one thing to say except for how delicious everything was! I was defiantly satisfied 100% with the food! They even went around and offered my guests seconds! The filet mignon melted in your mouth and cut like butter, the chicken dish was perfect and the seafood platter was excellent. The lobster was perfect as well as the salmon and scallops. 100% outstanding!

The restrooms were so clean you could eat off the floor! The balcony and the water fountain were great. People loved the atmosphere. Especially sitting there, having a cigar after desert. They loved it!

The staff was so great! Vinny, my banquet manager was the best! He did everything he promised he would and he took care of things like no other. He actually cared about DH and I and the way we felt! He really made a big difference. The Maitre D’ was a perfect gentleman. He came to DH and me about 50 times during the night to see if everything was okay and to make sure we had everything we wanted.

My Bridal attendant was the best! I have never seen someone so dedicated to her job! She really helped me out through the night and made things much easier for me. From helping me with my dress to opening the door for me, she was perfect!

My Viennese hour was unforgettable! My guests were amazed! They did a pyrotechnics display that blew my guests minds! They deserts were incredible! They had everything, from fruit to candy apples, from cheese cake to chocolate fountains! That was great and we loved it!

My guests were so amazed at our wedding, they didn’t want to leave. We had one surprise to another and that’s just what we wanted. Most of our guests said it was the BEST WEDDING THEY EVER WENT TOO!! YEY!!

All in all, I am 100% Satisfied with the wedding the Hilltop Manor provided for my DH and me. I would highly recommend them to anyone!!! This would be the only place I would recommend honestly! From food to staff, from bathrooms to atmosphere, it was PERFECT!







Music (The Real Chameleon: Raymond Giantelli) A+
Of course I would give Ray an A+, he’s my cousin! Even if he wasn’t I still would. He was great! He had all my guests dancing the night away. His voice was extraordinary. When he sang “What a Wonderful World”, many of my guests stood up to see if it was really him singing. They are still boggled over him! I have all his songs on a CD and I listen to him almost every day. The way he sang our 1st dance was amazing. DH and I choose “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. I wanted something a little different but not crazy. Ray slowed the beat down and made the song sound so romantic. I loved it and I’d listen to him over the original every day!



E and L Bakery (E & L Bakery)-A
I loved my cake!! It was so gorgeous! When I met with them and looked though there pictures, I was very impressed. I chose a cake style I liked and a design. They put them together perfectly and my cake was wonderful. It tasted so great and delicious. I would highly recommend this bakery to anyone looking for quality and professional work! Not to mention, they delivered my cake to Mahopac all the way from the Bronx!



Photo Montage and Lighting (Next Generation Entertainment)-A
DH and I hired Next Generation Entertainment to do a set up for us. The set up disco lights, laser shows and spot lighting. They also set up two 52 (I think 52”) inch plasma TV’s. On the TV’s we had a photo montage play from when we were babies, until now. My guests loved to see old pictures of us and them together. This idea was great and well worth the price!



Napkins, Bubbles and Matches-(Annsbridalbargains.com)-A+
I purchased my cocktail hour napkins, bubbles and matchbooks from Annsbridalbargians.com. They were perfect! Excellent price and perfect product! I HIGHLY recommend this website to any bride, especially a bride on a budget!

Cigar Roller-(La Casa Grande Tobacco)-A
DH and I hired La Casa Grande Tobacco to roll cigars at our wedding. They did an amazing job! They rolled about 175 cigars in an hour and a half and they were very cost effective. They even made up personalized labels for the cigars! They were wonderful and I would highly recommend them as well. They were very helpful and they did everything DH and I asked them!





Honeymoon (Walt Disney World-Disney’s Wilderness Lodge-9 Nights) C
DH and I always go to Disney in September so we decided to HM there. I have always been crazy about Disney World. So was DH. I liked the Wilderness Lodge. It was beautiful. I just wasn’t crazy about the staff. DH and I drove to Florida and we didn’t check in until 2AM. We were so exhausted. We decided to make a wake up call for 9:30. Usually, we would have woke up, but we where so tired we didn’t hear the phone ringing. Maybe after about 4 tries (so they say), a staff member came into our room while we were sleeping. DH and I were sleeping in the nude and the “do not disturb” sign was on the door. I woke up to a man hovering over us saying “Sir, Maim” repeatedly until I woke up. I was so freaked out! It’s a good thing I was covered and so was DH. If that man had seen me naked, DH would have KILLED him. After that, I had a bad taste in my mouth and I was almost afraid to stay there. I felt that was wrong, intrusive and very unprofessional. Other than that, it was good. The parks were wonderful as usual and DH and I had a wonderful time (except for the weirdo in or room)!















Honeymoon (Bahama House-Daytona Beach)-A
Before DH and I drove back to NY, we wanted to relax on the beach for a bit! My brother recommended the Bahama House. He and his girlfriend stayed there once before. The hotel was gorgeous and the staff was great! We were only there one night, but for that it was perfect! The room was clean and the beach was wonderful. If we didn’t have a deadline for the rental car, we would have stayed longer!











My Bridesmaids and Maid of Honor

I love them all!

The Ushers and Best Man

I love them all!

All in all, my wedding day was wonderful; the best of my life! Yes, I would have changed a few things, but you live and you learn. I would relive that day over and over again! Hopefully, this review helps on you with your planning! Thanks for reading, hope you get use from it! If I think of anything I missed, I’ll edit it!

One more thing, if you want more info on my vendors, FM me and I will be happy to give you their information!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review! I really love how you wore your mom's wedding gown... that's so special!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

very nice. looks like you had an awesome time!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

great review you looked beautiful!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Awesome review, you looked stunning.

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Awesome job! I think it's soooo sweet you wore your Mom's gown for you ceremony.

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

great reivew, i love how you wore your mothers wedding dress!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

I know there were a couple of things you were unhappy with including photography..but your wedding looked perfect! you looked beautiful and so happy!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Fantastic review! Everything looked gorgeous! I love the light pink BP

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Congrats to you and DH. You looked stunning on your wedding day!!! And how special that you wore your mom's dress during your ceremony - very touching!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

I know you weren't happy with the photographer, but you looked beautiful...Congrats.

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review!! You looked gorgeous!!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review. Everything looked absolutely beautiful! I love how you wore your moms wedding dress. I wish I could do that!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Congratulations!! Thank You for the great review. I love love love your shoes, where did you get them or who is the designer??

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

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Posted by exoticbride2B

Congratulations!! Thank You for the great review. I love love love your shoes, where did you get them or who is the designer??

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I bought my shoes at Fontana in Scarsdale. They are called Grazia. If you google it, I'm sure you can find a better price than the stores. I paid $170 for them and then I found them online (sale) $75 cheaper.

Also, if you do order Grazia shoes, online, the sizing is a bit off. I am normally a 7.5 and I bought an 8.5. I recommend tyring them on some where before you purchase online (if you can find a place).

BTW: Thank you!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review!!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Thanks!!!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review- it will be really helpful to future brides! You were a beautiful bride- congratulations!

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

Great review! Everything looked wonderful

Re: Finally my 9/14/08 Wedding Review! Westchester and Bronx Vendors!! With Lots of Pics!!!

wonderful review!!