May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS- HairCloseup on bottom

“… and they lived happily ever after” is how I would like to remember the wedding. Though, as you will see throughout my review things did not go great and as planned, the important thing I keep is that we are married and happy and will live together forever.

The morning began with a phone call from my than Fiance letting me know that he has located my missing bridesmaid. My cousin, who was first due for hair, arrived at my house in Queens rather than my parents’ house in LI.

Than my other cousin called me saying she overslept and just left the house – she was the second one to do her hair. I almost had a heartattach!!!! Thankfully that was a joke.

For better or worse the Hair and Makeup artists arrived on TIME! We decided to do me first with hair, and my mom with makeup and than hopefully, my cousins would arrive shortly.

Maureen Padala – A+
Not only is Maureen an exceptional makeup artist and can make ANYONE the most beautiful person on earth, but she is as nice as she is talented. Her presence alone was calming and welcomed. With all the stress of the morning, she was calming me down and telling me how this is my day and I should just relax and take it all in. She had another girl to go to after me (I knew this at the time of booking but I was very interested) she kept telling me not to worry. To let her worry about her schedule and just to relax and be a bride. She did both me and my mother beautifully. My mother never likes the way anyone does her makeup but loved the wedding day makeup. Even my cousin, though initially did not want to get makeup done, decided to do it because everyone looked so beautiful. She truly is amazing at what she does.

Hair – Tanya from Brooklyn A
The day of hair was amazing. I was very concerned with her doing my hair. The trial went horribly, she didn’t really do my hair, but was ‘this will sourt of be like this’ and ‘sort of like that’. I looked around for others, but all their trials fell apart – I saw her do other girls wedding hair and they all lasted and were ‘well done’. Thus, reluctantly, I stayed with her. On the day of the wedding, she was AMAZING! She did exactly what I wanted – you girls commented how you liked my hair ? It truly came out like I wanted it! It lasted all day and all night. My hair was done before 11:00am, and yet, by 1:30am it still maintained its composure. The hair came out great and lasted all nigh – what else can a bride want?

Westbury Gardens B
We paid to take pics at Westbury gardens. The site is obviously amazing and I don’t have to explain in detail how beautiful everything is. However, it was really annoying how they wouldn’t let the girls wonder off to go to the bathroom. People were dying, but they wouldn’t let us go unless we ALL went. I thought that was ridiculous. Its an open park, people are walking around there without a guide all the time, why is it just because we paid we have to suffer? What would be so wrong if they wondered off if that is what they wanted???
Royalty Limo B+
The limo came ontime, picked up the guys and than followed directions and never got lost. I can’t say the driver was the most personable driver, but he was on time, limo clean. The reason I gave a B+ is because our photographer asked him to wait for them (when leaving our house to go to the gardens) and he just didn’t. He took off right away. My photographers called me and told me that he didn’t wait, and they ended up getting a little lost looking for the entrance and we waited for them around 10 minutes. It would have been nice if he waited. But, overall, the service was good.

Amateur pics http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=23985903/t_=8631985

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Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all!

Catering Hall – D (FM if you’d like details)
I am not even going to talk about the ‘pre wedding’ experience which was NOT good! How they promised us certain rooms and than lied and didn’t give it to us. Forced us to have reception before cocktail even thought that is NOT what we wanted but HAD to take?

The wedding day - What a disaster!!!
I would not recommend anyone getting married there! If a bride asked me for advice on the choice of a hall I would tell her not to have a wedding in a place that does more than 2 weddings. When there are a lot of wedding in one place it is aweful, at least at my place.
I arrived to my hall in a great mood. Everything was going great, everything was on-time and we were even running early because there was no traffic. Who would figure there would be no traffic on Memorial Day Weekend Sunday? Well, no problems there, they showed us to our sweet and began to set up. They told us that we can arrive an hour earlier and take pics. So, in the park we took pictures with the BP, figuring at the hall we’ll take families pictures. Well, they told us we CAN’T take pics at the hall!!!! The only reason I booked the hall was to take pics there because it was just beautiful! They literally threw us outside to take pics. There was nothing in the background. All the pictures of family are going to be bland and ugly!!!!!

From there, things just got worse!
As the guests began to arrive, they didn’t know where to send them. Everything was SO disorganized! The guests were all lost. They ended up sending all my guests to my BRIDAL SUITE!!! People actually thought my bridal suite was the CH! They would just sit down and eat!!! It was horrible; everyone saw my dress, and my bridal suite was packed. My cousin had to literally THROW people out!!!! They weren’t doing anything!

When the guests were finally seated (and the ceremony was due to start) the Cannopy was still being set up! Right infront of them! They were so understaffed, that no one could get to that earlier! They didn’t even light the candles!!! I paid so much money for those STUPID candles and they didn’t even light them!!!!!

I even cried because everyone was so completely disorganized and didn’t even know where anything was. It was horrible.
As if you thought that things couldn’t get any worse, they did. My ceremony room was right next door to another wedding. Which would be fine, except that the walls were so thin you could hear the music from the other party even better than our instruments!!!!! I basically came out to “like a prayer” by Madonna! It was so embarrassing, I can’t even describe it! I wanted to cry right there.. the most ‘important’ part of the wedding completely ruined. Even my officiate commented on his inability to think because of the music. It was outrageously loud. The whole ceremony took place with that ‘POP’ in the background.
Can you believe it, there is actually more?
Even from the ceremony they couldn’t navigate people normaly to their cocktail room. I had more than a few guests completely lost.

So, now you think nothing else can go wrong? WRONG?
I paid $250 for an ice sculpture that they promised me that they can do what ever I want – after them promising I get it for free, it than later turned into $250!!! Well, I brought them a picture of what I wanted – it went with my theme- (you can see it below) they gave me some boy and a girl! I was furious! I noticed it as soon as I came in! It was as if they took someone else’s sculpture! I would not have paid a penny for that one!

Once the reception started, I just refused to care about anything anymore and just concentrated on having fun. I know that they AGAIN forgot to light the centerpieces – but this time I told my GUEST this and he actually went to hunt down a person to light it, and towards the end of the night they finally lit!!! During the reception, I just danced and had a great time! I didn’t worry about anything anymore, forgetting everything, making sure I had a good time. And, at the reception, I really did!

The one great thing about the hall that everyone said, was that the food is DELICIOUS.
At the end, I had a great time dancing the night away!

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Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all!

VidoMax Studio (www.photoinstyle.com) – A
The photographers and videographers were great. They came on-time, with assistance, and from 12:00pm till 2:00 am didn’t stop taking pictures of us. They worked SO hard through the heat. They were really great to work with.
Even through the problems of the catering hall, they actually OFFERED to stay AFTER the wedding to take pics in the hall so my album doesn’t look ugly (without charging more ;) ) We stayed and took lots of ‘hall’ pictures and made up for lost pictures.
I will post the proofs when I get them, but I am confident they came out great.
I definitely recommend them.

Stevens Scott Orchestra, Peter Damien’s Band B
Overall the band was really good. They played very well, and accommodated to all different crowds – which was hard (American, Russian, and Azerbaizhanian music) and they did a pretty good job keeping them entertained.
The only negative is that they were not good at announcing and keeping guests informed. No one knew when the first dance took place, cake cutting and events like this, because they would just state it as a matter of fact and people would miss it. They didn’t make it a point to get people involved.

Alex’s Florist from Brooklyn B
Everything was fine. The flowers were great. The CPs weren’t exactly as promised – missing a crucial element. They did however do everything else. They were very cost effective and everyone thought we spent a TONs of money on the flowers. Don’t get me wrong, we did spend a lot, but not as much as it seemed.

Hawaii – A++++ Amazing!
Oahu – Hawaiian Hilton – great! I definitely recommend it!
Maui – Fairmont Kai Lani – WOW!!!! What a beautiful hotel in a beautiful are! Very expensive though.
Its true what they say, the best part about the wedding is the honeymoon!

I can’t say my wedding day was perfect, and for a couple of hours there I thought I would just runaway, but once the reception finally started I had a great time. My DH and I had a great time dancing (DH doesn’t dance but did) and we were very happy that we were married and are almost in Hawaii ? The wedding will be an interesting memory for me… but the most important thing is that we are married and I am sure one day we will look back at it and laugh……. eventually!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

i can't see the pics

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

First...you looked BEAUTIFUL!! You and DH look SO happy!!!

And second, sorry for the hall issues!!!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

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Posted by Soon2BMrsA814

i can't see the pics

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it takes a while to load.. but it should.
Does it ask for login?

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

I have told you this before...you looked stunning. Like a princess!

So sorry for all that you went through (if you read my review you could see that I too cried on my day)...no bride should have to cry on her wedding day - but at the very least, it's great to see that you made the best of it adn your HM rocked!

Wishing you and your DH a wonderfully blessed future.

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

I just wanted to thank you for your honestly and I would like to tell you that I listened to your advise

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

So sorry about your hall! Glad the HM was great!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

OMG I am soooo sorry about your hall!!!

Despite all those problems, you looked AMAZING!!!!!!!!

Congratulations again!!!!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

So pretty!!!!!!!! Sorry about your hall troubles! I'm happy to see another tulle bride!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

You looked like a doll! Congrats!
I am sorry about your hall but it sounds like you salvaged the night and had a wonderful time.

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

Congrats! You looked stunning! I'm so sorry about your issues with the hall...but like you said, the most important thing is that you are married! Glad to hear good things about the Fairmont Kea Lani...I'll be there in a few weeks! Congrats again!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

You ook beautiful. what a shame about your hall. At least you are married now. Congratulations.

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

you should post everyone on who your caterer was and the Hall. This forum is great but if someone is unhappy with a service they were provided why is it a secret. et everyone know so it doesn't happen to anyone else. you paid alot for your wedding and should have recieved better service. Beth

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

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Posted by 1princess

you should post everyone on who your caterer was and the Hall. This forum is great but if someone is unhappy with a service they were provided why is it a secret. et everyone know so it doesn't happen to anyone else. you paid alot for your wedding and should have recieved better service. Beth

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Unfortunately it turns out that they can sue you for slander if you outright post your (negative and yet TRUE) experience on the web. Its not fair, but, I really don't want to be sued ontop of this experience!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

YOu are a beautiful bride and you look so happy too-
Sorry about the horrific experience you went through with the caterer.
At least you enjoyed part of the reception.

Glad you had a nice honeymoon

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

Once again, congratulations! I am so sorry things didn't go as planned at your hall. but you looked AMAZING! your dress looks like you borrowed it from Cinderella!

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

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Posted by May05Bride

Unfortunately it turns out that they can sue you for slander if you outright post your (negative and yet TRUE) experience on the web. Its not fair, but, I really don't want to be sued ontop of this experience!

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May05 - they can only sue if what you post isn't factual...if it's a review based on emotion or feelings, yes they can sue because that's open to interpretation. But if you remove the emotion and stick to the facts...no they cannot - because it actually happened. However, I know that they are a vendor on this site and as such, pay to be listed. That makes it hard to post anything negative...

But I know it's nearly impossible to remove your feelings since this was about your wedding.

Wishing you the best...

Re: May292005 Review: Come one Come all! WITH PICS

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Posted by SomethingBlu

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Posted by May05Bride

Unfortunately it turns out that they can sue you for slander if you outright post your (negative and yet TRUE) experience on the web. Its not fair, but, I really don't want to be sued ontop of this experience!

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May05 - they can only sue if what you post isn't factual...if it's a review based on emotion or feelings, yes they can sue because that's open to interpretation. But if you remove the emotion and stick to the facts...no they cannot - because it actually happened. However, I know that they are a vendor on this site and as such, pay to be listed. That makes it hard to post anything negative...

But I know it's nearly impossible to remove your feelings since this was about your wedding.

Wishing you the best...

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better safe than sorry