Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

I decided to start this review two weeks before my actual wedding day (like I don’t have enough stress two weeks before the wedding, lol). But, I wanted to be able to capture all of the small details for future brides.

First and foremost – THANK YOU LIWEDDINGS.COM and my amazing 2010 brides. Vanessa, Gloria, Christina, and Rita, you girls are the best. Thank you to Liz and Ron for creating a website that not only helped me plan my wedding but gave me the opportunity to meet incredible people and make lifelong friends! A special shout-out to my date twin Martha as well! ?

Now onto the details...

Wedding Weather: A+++++++++++++++++
Thank you mother nature! I had prayed and prayed for good weather and luckily, I got it! It was a bit hot, but I’d take the heat any day. The sun shone down and I was able to be married outside at the reception hall, and have the cocktail hour outside too. ?



Reception Hall – Westbury Manor: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Is there a higher rating than this? They were beyond fabulous. Jessica was my bridal attendant, and Pam was the maitre’d. Every time I went to step anywhere that even looked remotely dirty, Jessica was behind me lifting the back of my dress. Half the time, she appeared from nowhere and I had to turn around just to see how this miraculous event was occurring! Pam kept the entire day running smoothly and couldn’t have been nicer.
On top of the impeccable service was the food! OH MY GOSH!!! SO GOOD! I was never without a drink or food ever! My signature drink was Wedding Cake martini and they were scrumptious! My guests couldn’t stop raving about how great everything was. Westbury Manor brides you have NOTHING to worry about.



Save the Dates – Magnetstreet.com: A+++
DH and I won 250 free magnets from an LIW event called the Wedding of the Year. If you haven’t gone, I’d highly recommend going!!! It is so much fun! I had a great time designing these magnets, and it was very easy to do.



Invitations – Paintings by Shannon on Etsy: A+++
What an absolute pleasure to work with! I saw her designs on Etsy and fell in love instantly. She had so many choices and was willing to work within my budget. I had trouble deciding between two of her designs for the longest time. She sent me a bunch of digital samples and ideas to choose from, and eventually I found the one I wanted 100%. I’d highly recommend her to all future brides.



Hair and Makeup – Mya from Cosmetic Artistry: A++++++++++++++++
I never bothered with another trial after I found Mya. She was recommended to me by another LIW bride and friend. Mya was fantastic. I have never seen anyone work so fast. Her assistant, Mary did an excellent job too. I had 7 bridesmaids, 3 guests, myself and the flower girl to get finished. Mya arrived at 4:45am to have us all finished by 9:00am. Within the first 20 minutes, she had three girls hair completed (I’m not exaggerating. 20 minutes! And they all looked gorgeous. Here are some pictures of her work:


Day of Coordinator - Lisa from Elite Affairs: A+
DH and I won Lisa’s services from T.W.O.T.Y as well. She was an absolute pleasure to work with from our very first phone call to the meeting to the day of. When I forgot the parasols back at the hotel, she went back to get them for us. I am super super organized, so I didn’t give her too much to do. But, everything she did was done to perfection.


Officiant - Rev. Deb Ceremonies of the Heart: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I know I have made a lifelong friend in Rev. Deb. The first day DH and I met her we knew we didn’t want to meet with anyone else. She spent over an hour just getting to know us and our history. By the time we left, it felt more like I had just spent time catching up with an old friend than a wedding meeting.
At the ceremony, she was incredible. So many friends and family commented how lovely the ceremony was. To quote one person, “Even though the ceremony wasn’t religious, it was still very spiritual. Your minister did an amazing job.” After the ceremony, when we were being whisked away she ran up to give DH and I hugs. I am forever grateful to her for making our first moments as husband and wife truly blessed.



Strings for Ceremony – After Hours provided: A+++++
Exceedingly professional people. They played brilliantly during both the ceremony and cocktail hour. I did not get to speak with them, but they were exactly what we wanted for our wedding day. Highly recommend.



DJ – Phil from After Hours: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Phil is upbeat and fun! Our first meeting with him quickly turned to the intricacies of Seinfeld and the pros/cons of having a Festivus pole. ? Every nutty request I made of him both before and during the wedding was accommodated with pleasure. He always made me feel as if I were his only customer.
On top of his positive attitude, he really knows how to work a crowd. People, who NEVER dance, danced at my wedding! I can’t even begin to tell you how many people requested his information for their own parties after the wedding. If you have any doubts erase them, if you are looking for a phenomenal DJ, do not wait – book him!


Photo/Video – Duet (TJ’s team): A+++++++++++++++++++++
I didn’t even have to see my proofs to know how incredible these guys are. They were EVERYWHERE. One of the assistant photographers, Kevin, followed me around the whole day, but he never felt intrusive. Every time someone would snap a picture, he was there to snap it as well.
I created a fairly detailed “Must Take” photo list. TJ had a copy of that list in his hands the day of the wedding and made sure we took every singly photo on that list. He was exceedingly accommodating and really went out of his way to get great shots.
I ended up with over 2500 AMAZING photos. It was impossible for me to choose just 60 pictures for my professional album, so I’m going to make another one! Here are a few of my favorite pictures:



Florist – Designs by Rose: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rose works with her mom Doris. On the morning of the wedding, it was Doris along with two assistants who delivered the flowers. I was so excited to see her again! The bouquets were beyond anything I had imagined. SO BEAUTIFUL! And the centerpieces were exactly what I wanted. Rose was the only florist who worked within my budget and made it happen for me. I am so honored to have worked with her.



Cake – Erga Bakery (Westbury Manor House Bakery): A
Many people complain that the cakes from this bakery are dry. I didn’t find that at all. A month or two before the wedding, we went for a tasting and found the cake to be pretty good. The wedding was no different. We got chocolate cake, canoli cream and chocolate, and butter cream frosting. It was delicious.
We picked a design from the Westbury Manor book and decided not to do upgrades. We just had our florist add some fresh flowers to it, and it looked and tasted great.



Limos – Camelot Limo: A++++
We needed very simple service since we were getting married at the reception hall. Joe quoted us the best price by far and was the only one who mentioned pick-up/drop-off service. Every other place wanted to charge us a minimum of 3 hours which we didn’t need. The hotel was located 10 minutes from the hall.
They were at the hotel on time, the limo was clean, and the driver was friendly. They picked up DH and his groomsmen first, then came back to get me and my BMs. At the end of the night they picked up DH and I. Excellent service!


Dress – Valentina Bridal: A-
My dress is a custom design from Valentina Bridal in Brooklyn. I fell in love the moment I saw it. In fact, I didn’t even want to try on other dresses. The original dress had a zipper back and a strapless neckline. They changed it to a corset and a halter for me. The alterations were done perfectly! The only reason they don’t get an A or A+ is because the store originally ordered the wrong dress. Luckily, I purchased the dress in Oct of 2008 for my May 2010 wedding, so when the wrong dress came in June 2009, it was not an issue. Had I ordered later, I would have been much more nervous. But, the right dress came in not long after that and it was everything I dreamed!!!



Headpiece – Glamgal.com: A+++
I searched FOREVER for a headpiece. I ordered one and sent it back. They exchanged it without a problem and I was so happy with the second one. There prices are EXCELLENT and the service is top notch.



Shoes – Heels from Dyeables and Flats from Skechers: Heels B-, Skechers A+
I wore heels for the pictures and the ceremony. I made it that far! They were still pretty uncomfortable even after I had worn them out before. The skechers, however, were heaven! I HIGHLY recommend changing into flats. I was SO much more comfortable.



Bridesmaids Dresses – Alexandra Bridal (Forest Hills, NY): A-
Everything with the store was fine. They are only getting an A- because even with 8 bridesmaids, they still charged more than the other stores. I went to them, however, because they had the dress I needed in stock and all the girls wanted to try it on. Overall, the service at the store was good and the dressed came in without a problem. But, they don’t have alterations on site, so that was another negative.



Flower Girl Dress – David’s Bridal: C+
The dress came in and everything was okay! But, what a headache. My flower girl found a dress she loved, but the store kept jerking us around on when it would be ready. At first they tried to convince us that it would be plenty of time for alterations even if the dress came in May 28! Hello, I’m getting married May 31! No way were we buying that one. So, we got them to put on the receipt that the dress would be there no later than May 1. Luckily it came in on time, because the alterations had to be done twice!!!



Tuxedos – Men’s Warehouse: A
I’ve heard several mixed reviews amount this place. But, I have to say everything came in on time, the guys looked great, and they were all able to pick up and return their tuxedos at their home locations. With the GMs being all over the map, it was so much easier to order from Men’s Warehouse.



GMs Gifts – American Bridal Monogrammed Duffle Bags: B+
The duffle bags were nice, but the monogramming seemed to be done a bit cheaply. The stitching could have been much cleaner. Seemed to be done by a machine with no one looking them over afterward.


Hotel – Hilton Garden Inn Westbury: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I had MANY rowdy people come to the hotel the night before the wedding. The staff here could not have been nicer. They also provided transportation to and from the wedding without any problems. I was especially glad that all of the guests could drink and not have to worry about driving.
The suites were a bit on the small size and really accommodate 4 rather than 6 people, but we made it work and all was well.



My Ring – Elsa Jewelry: A+
My engagement ring has smaller diamonds around the center raised diamond and comes out a bit, so I could not wear a flat wedding band. I ended up winning $250 off a custom band from Elsa and I am SO happy I did! They designed a beautiful delicate band for me WELL within my budget. ?
The second time I came in they cleaned my engagement band and tightened the top diamond that was a little loose. They also gave me detailed instructions to take care of my rings and encouraged me to come back to have them checked. ?


DH’s Ring – Tri County: A
Tri County has a ton of different jewelry booths and everyone gives a different price. DH and I went through ALL of the booths until we found the best price on his ring. It turned out a little different than what he expected but he loved it nonetheless.


Cardbox – Photo: B+
Received this as a gift from my MOH and her fiancé. I absolutely LOVED it and requested it, however, MOH told me that the assembly bolts that came with it didn’t fit the box correctly. And her fiancé had to get different ones for it.
So, while it was perfect the day of the wedding. I think the company should have included the right assembly system to begin with.



Favors – DIY overnight printing, theknot.com store, and various online sites: A+++
I highly recommend donation favors. They are such a nice way to give back to important charities. DH and I decided to donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. St. Jude’s was my mother’s favorite charity before she passed away from ovarian cancer in 1999. DH’s cousin has dealt with CF for many years and always walks in the CF march in Staten Island. We thought it important to contribute to these charities.

In addition, we made bookmarks to state our decision to donate, but also wanted to give something small. We put small votive candles in organza bags and purchased custom matches from theknot.com store.


Placecards – DIY: A+++++++++++++++++++++++
I gave DH this project. I printed out all of the leaves, cut them and glued them together. I then got Styrofoam that I cut and placed in the baskets. It was DH’s job to assemble the leaves onto the flowers, arrange them in the baskets, and add the grass. It came out PERFECT and my guests loved the extra touch.



Wishing Tree – DIY: A++++++++++++++++++++++
I was so happy I decided to DIY this project. I found the directions online, and got all of the products at Michaels except for the branches (ordered those online). You can find the directions to create this yourself at:
Creating Your Wishing Tree
I also cut the leaves by hand which was a POA but well worth it. So many of the guests wrote memorable or hilarious comments!



Unity Candle: A
Received it as a gift from my Amazon wish list. I loved that we could put a floating candle in it and that it could be engraved with our names. The engraving looked a bit more whimsical than I would have liked, but overall it was very nice.



Programs – DIY with LIW help: A+++
I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I worked really hard on these programs and I was thrilled with how they came out. I had several LIW girls email me program templates. When I found the one I wanted, I formatted it with my own design, font, etc. Then, it was a matter of getting all of the information on the pages correctly, printing it out on appropriate paper, and putting them together. Slightly time consuming, but well worth it!



Bridal Shower – Buckleys (Brooklyn): A++++++++++
My aunt, MOHs, and BMs went above and beyond for me. Everything was absolutely beautiful. They surprised me by sending an invitation for a baby shower for my friend who was due on my wedding date!
The shower made so many wonderful memories: my friends and family all around, opening all of the generous gifts, eating delicious food, playing games, and my sister-in-law falling in the trunk! Too funny. I captured the moments with Thank You cards that I designed on Vistaprint.



Honeymoon – Hilton Bora Bora Nui, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas (and unexpected stop at Tahiti Motel): A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The honeymoon was quite an adventure and it would take me a whole other review to fill you in. But, to make a LONG story short – we spent 6 AMAZING days in Bora Bora, then spent 2 unplanned days stuck in Tahiti due to a civil servant strike, then flew to LAX and onward to Mazatlan, Mexico to catch up with the RCL cruise that we’d missed thanks to the unplanned part.
Starting at the beginning: HILTON BORA BORA NUI – FABULOUS! Chose this resort because it included breakfast and all nights in the overwater bungalow for a very reasonable price (after I searched for months) AND it has the best snorkeling on the island. The food is expensive all over Bora Bora so definitely bring a few hundred just for the food, but be conservative and you’ll be fine.


We were in OWB 105 and the view, room, and decks were UNBELIEVABLE!


Check out the view through the glass floor, and the upper to lower deck!


I planned all the excursions for our trip. I surprised DH with my favorite excursion through Pierot – swimming with sting ray & sharks, snorkeling in a coral reef, and a surprise picnic in the water on a private beach. All I can say is that it was the MOST romantic and amazing experience. And well worth the money! It was just me, DH and our guide. Phenomenal!


After our fiasco in Tahiti and spending 2 days in a horrible little motel across from the airport, we got our cruise. DH’s parents allowed us to use their timeshare for an extension to our honeymoon, so we booked an RCL cruise to Mexico on Mariner of the Seas. Unfortunately, we had to catch up with the cruise at the second port due to the delay, but it was still incredible! Loved RCL!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

AMAZING! you look gorgeous!!!! everything looks wonderful! congratulations!!!

um... honeymoon is exactly what I want.. but I know that'll never happen.. I'm SO jealous!!!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great review everything looks beautiful!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

I love your review. I am getting married at the manor also and we have some of the same vendors. Thank you so much for your review

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

BEAUTIFUL WEDDING! Amazing review! Thank youuu!!! I am absolutely in LOVE with that one picture of you in the mirror!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great review!! I so love that pic of you by the mirror holding your dress and in the mirror you are wearing it- loooooooove it!!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Congratulations!!! I love so many of the little details from your wedding!!!


YOUR HONEYMOON WAS TO DIE FOR. It looked absolutely incredible!!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

What a great review! You looked absolutely stunning!!! And your flowers!!!

Love the placecard idea, too!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great Review - thanks for posting

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great review! everything looked awesome.!!
In the process of writing mine and i wanna

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great review!!! Everything looks amazing - I love your CPs with the limes!!! and your HM sounds and looks amazing!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great review and thanks for sharing.

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Thanks for the review!! Love your escort idea with the flowers!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

I saved that picture of you in the mirro to add to my album loveee it !!!!!!!!

How did you win so much stufff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great review, congrats, you look beautiful

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Congrats..everything looks great

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Gorgeous!!! Everything looks beautiful!!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

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Posted by Jsquared

I saved that picture of you in the mirro to add to my album loveee it !!!!!!!!

How did you win so much stufff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great review, congrats, you look beautiful

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Thank you all! In response, go to ALL of the LIW events and the events hosted by your reception hall. I won a ton of stuff and I ALWAYS had a great time!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Great reivew! Tahiti looks beautiful!!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

Congrats!! You look beautiful and looks like you had an amazing wedding!

Re: Its2Snappy: May 31, 2010 Westbury Manor, Duet, Designs by Rose, After Hours, Rev. Deb, Mya Cosmetic Artistry Wedding Review!

CONGRATS amazing review!! I love the pic of you int he mirror!!!! and your HM PICS LOOK UNREAL!