My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc. Edited 2/06 Added lots of Proofs!

Sorry this is so late, but I'm a procrastinator!

First, thank you to Liweddings for a wonderful site and to all the girls who made my research easier. I’m not a big poster, but I really did learn a lot from all of you and appreciate everything.

Our wedding was everything we ever dreamed of. We truly enjoyed ourselves and just took in everything and everyone around us. I hope everyone can enjoy planning as much as we did & take the time to enjoy their wedding day to the fullest. Just know that everything you put into it somehow unfolds & takes on a life of its own & turns into the most wonderful day of your life.

Mother Nature: The morning of the wedding, I woke up earlier than planned but felt really rested. I had really expected the possibility of a rainy day and just set my expectations for it. I didn’t look at the weather stations once (which I highly recommend because they’re usually wrong and it’s not worth the added stress of checking constantly). The early morning started out really cloudy and it was drizzling. I was on cloud nine so I really didn’t even notice. The next thing I knew as we were getting our hair done, my brother comes in and tells us that it is really hot out and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. From that moment on, the sky was completely clear and blue and it was one of the first really warm days we had.

St. Margaret of Scotland: Everything went very smooth. Our deacon was Deacon Phil and our priest was Father Joseph. Both were wonderful and we loved working with them.


Invitations (napkins, matches, etc.) : We purchased Encore Invitations from Classic Invitations & Favors in Selden. I did some searching online, then went to this store where I had originally seen the invites and they matched the price I found. We ended up getting our beverage napkins, bathroom napkins/towels & matches there as well. I was really happy with everything – it all came out great & we got everything really quickly. Stephanie was really nice to work with.


NEESIEPIE - Programs and Wine Labels: Denise is an extremely talented person and a wonderful friend! She listened to exactly what I wanted and did such an amazing job on them. We got so many compliments on them. She also made our wine labels, which came out so beautiful. We wanted something really soft and sort of tuscan/vineyard-ish looking and that’s exactly what we got. They looked so beautiful on the wine bottles and everyone loved them. Plus it was so nice working with someone who knows how crazy it is to be a bride and doesn’t think you’re crazy because you change your mind 300 times. ;) Thanks Denise – you’re the best!!!!!



Tarale for Hair: Tara was the first and only hair trial I went to – I felt immediately confident with her. She really listened to what I wanted and did everything I asked. After the first trial I changed my mind about the style so I went back for another trial. Again, she totally impressed me. On the day of the wedding, she did my mom’s, MOH, a BM and mine. My hair actually came out even better than it did in the trial. It stayed perfectly in place all day long – even when I took my veil off an hour or so before the end of the night – it was easy to remove and my hair looked exactly the same.

Wendy for make-up: (Adding her contact info for the girls that asked) # 516-742-3135 I had a really difficult time finding a make up artist. I really don’t wear much make-up so I wanted a natural, yet polished look for the day of the wedding. I was coming close to doing it myself, but ended up trying Wendy, who was recommended by Tara. Wendy came to my house for the trial and I loved it. She really listened to me and didn’t just go the route she thought was best. It came out great. Again, on the day of the wedding, I liked it even more than the trial. Most of the make-up stayed all day – the eyes were great. I just had to reapply lipstick and a little bit of blush/powder.
Besides loving the work they did, Tara and Wendy were so great to have around – they were really sweet and calm and I was truly happy that I went with them. My girls and my mom were really happy with how they looked as well.



Wedding Salon of Manhasset: As soon as I walked in to the WS, I knew I’d find my dress there. One dress was more beautiful than the last one they pulled out. I ended up with a strapless Reem Acra gown that I was dying to try on as soon as I saw it. I totally fell in love with it, but kept looking just to make sure I saw them all – With each dress I put on though, my mind kept going back to that one. I put it on again and as I stood in front of the mirror, our wedding song came on. That was it! The sign I needed (loving the dress helped too of course!). I had Jenny for fittings (Casey helped also). She was really great and made every adjustment I asked for – I was so happy with the fit of the dress and felt really comfortable in it that day. I truly loved my dress and felt like a princess in it. I really recommend taking your time to find the right dress because you’ll never want to take it off. My experience there was a great one and everyone there is really pleasant to work with. One thing I especially loved about them was that they weren’t pushy in the least, which was something that drove me crazy about some of the others I had gone to.





Paradise Bridal in Patchogue: My girls got their dresses here - everything came in quickly and they were nice to work with. The only problem was that they pushed all the girls to have their alterations really close to the wedding and the place is sooo busy so the appointments were few and far between so it made it kind of inconvenient for the girls coming from far away. Other than that, the dresses were beautiful and came out great.

Denise Leli for Headpiece & Veil: Denise had us come to her home and sort through all her headpieces. I loved one of them, but wanted a little more of an antique look – she said she’d customize it, add some pearls, etc. I was a little nervous but when I saw it, it was perfect– she really did a great job. The veil was included in the purchase of the headpiece, which was nice because the money you save on the veil can be put into the headpiece. – I changed my mind about the veil several times- between length, edging, fullness etc.…She ended up having to change it a couple of times & really made sure I loved it before I took it home. I’m really happy I went with her.



Shoes: Charles David –Roosevelt Field: They had two pairs of bridal shoes in the whole store– open toe and closed toe. I wanted open and I really loved these. They were really beautiful but very high – I had planned on getting a second pair to change into but I didn’t. I was surprised because my feet didn’t hurt until the end of the night but when they hurt, they really did. I would definitely recommend comfortable shoes because people truly never see your feet that day. I literally had to pick up my dress to show my friends who asked to see the shoes. But I’m still happy with my choice because I’m a shoe person and really did love them.:)







Oakdale Florist: (located in the Sheraton) We went to a friend’s wedding last year and really loved their flowers – they were amazing. The florist was actually her friend so she referred me to him. We worked with Roger and he is one of the nicest people I’ve met. I had a very good idea of what I wanted so it worked out well. He’s not a very “artsy” type of florist so I think it was good that I had pictures and knew exactly what I was looking for. I was so thrilled with the bo-k’s when they arrived the morning of the wedding. They were so full and vibrant and definitely nicer than I anticipated. The CP’s were also beautiful and just what we spoke about. He made up a sample for us a few days before which was good because it needed some changes which he did immediately and they came out beautiful. The flowers lasted all day and looked the same as they did that morning. The only thing he forgot was my throw away bo-k, which I’m honestly not sure was my fault or his – I just used one of the girls’ bo-k’s though so it was fine. So as long as you have a good idea about the look you want, I would definitely recommend him.









Limousine Please: All of the limos were clean and on time and the drivers were really nice, especially ours. They did a great job with all the major things which is obviously the most important. A few minor things: The bridal party limo didn’t have much to drink except for hard liquor, which kinda stunk because it was a long ride out to Raphael’s – I think they had water, just not enough for all of them. We also ended up getting a Bentley instead of a rolls, which was fine because it was beautiful – but it only fit my dad and I in the back and my mom had to sit in the front – she didn’t mind but it was a little smooshed for us. I did ask if all three of us would fit comfortably and was told we would – it may have just been a miscommunication. Just something to bring up if you are getting one of these cars & if that’s a concern for you. Overall, we were happy with how everything went.




Music By Michael: All I can say is unbelievable – he was truly wonderful. From the moment my husband and I met him, we knew we loved him – he was the first and only dj we met with. (Thanks to Neesiepie for recommending him to me) I think I was probably the most laxed when it came to the music – it may have been because I was so confident with him so I focused more on other things. I gave him changes literally up until the morning of the wedding because I didn’t get my play lists in on time (I was really bad) & he was wonderful about it. We got so many compliments about him – he played every song we wanted and just knew the type of music & “feel” we were going for, which to me was most important. Our dance floor was really packed the whole time and he really appealed to every age group which was just what we wanted. We got a great CD with a sample of songs from our wedding. For anyone who is using him, you’ll be really happy – he is truly a touch of class.

Tomas Rodriguez: –Mediterranean guitar player used during cocktail hour. I had heard about Tomas from a few other LIW/Raphael brides who were using him. He sent me a cd and I totally loved it. It really went with the ambiance of Raphael’s. I don’t know if he was completely noticed because his music was soft in a loud crowd but he still added a really great touch and I’m glad we used him. His music is really beautiful.






Imagine Studios: I saw Lia's work after a friend's wedding and was really impressed. She definitely captures beautiful moments candidly, which was really important to us. We rec'd over 1000 proofs and there were so many beautiful ones. We missed a few shots - however, they were shots I should have made sure she knew I wanted. I strongly suggest a must take list if there are pictures you would be disppointed not to have.
We received our album and video approx 6 months after doing the layout - and we're really happy with both. I have to say, the main reason we booked Imagine was for Lia's photography work (& she didn't disappoint), but Nelson really impressed us with the video. He did a really great job. Overall, I think they're a great choice and we're really happy we used them.

Raphael Vineyard: WOW. Wow wow!!! I cannot even begin to say how much I LOVE this place. I wish it were a restaurant so we could go back every week. People are still raving about it months later & how much they loved the food. The minute we walked into Raphael’s during a wine tasting day, we were in love. Working with Julie from the start was great – she is so excited and loves what she does that it makes you that much more excited. We went to a few tastings and just went in to visit and she always made us feel like old friends. My mom and I went out there a few days before the wedding to drop off the last of the payments and Julie and her assistant Lisa told us to forget about everything and just relax & they would make sure everything was perfect & they truly did.
We attended about 45 minutes of our hour and a half cocktail hour and we were SO happy we did. We put so much planning into it and were able to enjoy it with everyone. Plus we really did get to say hello to so many people, which helped us enjoy our reception more. We still were able to make our “grand entrance” in the reception room so it worked out great.
I managed to eat a pretty good amount and try mostly everything- surprisingly. I was so impressed- it was really like a five star restaurant. Ever single item of food in the cocktail hour and during the reception was incredible. The service was wonderful, the place looked amazing. Julie and Lisa helped us so much and really put so much into each wedding. They really make you feel so special and having your day go perfectly actually means something to them. This was truly the place of our dreams to have our wedding and I wouldn’t change a single thing about that day. I would highly recommend it to anyone.













Honeymoon: Cap Juluca, Anguilla and Le Guannahani, St. Bart’s.- booked through In and Out Travel.

I did a ton of research for our honeymoon. I don’t like to fly – at all- so I really didn’t want to go extremely far. I found out about Cap Juluca and hadn’t even heard of Anguilla before that. We worked with Dave at In and Out travel – he was very nice and booked and requested everything we asked for.
We were so excited about Cap Juluca and it really lived up to what we were expecting. The place is just so beautiful and you really are treated like royalty. The beaches are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen and the rooms are just incredible.– We had a big beautiful terrace that we sat on every morning for breakfast and just enjoy the beautiful view. We had an upstairs room which I personally liked because of the view, but the downstairs room you can walk right onto the beach, so it's just a matter of preference. Each room also has a solarium in the bathroom. So basically you have this outside terrace right outside your shower – there’s a big wall up of course blocking you in all around so no one can see in.

The restaurants at CJ are so amazing – we ate at Pimm’s three times. The staff was so wonderful – the hostess greeted us with a hug! The food was incredible. They have two other restaurants – Kemia, which is all tapas and was really nice for something different, and George’s, which they have for a west Caribbean bb-que and a beach bb-que, both of which I recommend going to. We also went to Blanchard’s, which is a famous restaurant known for it’s owners who went to Anguilla and decided to move there and open a restaurant. The food was good, but it was honestly our least favorite – I don’t think it’s worth the money. A great place for lunch was Smokey’s- a very casual restaurant right on the beach with the best & very reasonably priced food. We took a day trip to St. Martin to shop which was good but the ferry rides back and forth are a bit of a pain. The shopping on Anguilla is very limited though so unless you just want a few shops, you really have to go to St. Martin or St. Bart’s.
We stayed in Anguilla for 8 days and then left to go to St. Bart’s. We got up pretty early and headed down to check out, etc… and stopped at the concierge to get a taxi to the ferry. We were then told that the ferry from St. Martin to St. Bart’s (there isn’t a straight one from Anguilla to St. Bart’s) is only in the morning and the early evening, so we missed our ferry and couldn’t get the next one for hours…We had been told all ferries run every half hour, but I really should have read the ferry schedule myself to make sure. Thank God we were “stuck” at Cap Juluca and not in the ferry port with all our luggage.
We took the ferry over to St. Bart’s and when we got there, there was no taxi waiting to take us to the hotel. They set one up and we ended up having to pay for it (transfers were supposed to be included but Guanahani only pays for airport transfers, not ferry transfers). The taxis aren’t cheap but it really wasn’t that big of a deal so that was that.
Guanahani was really pretty and a nice change from Cap Juluca in that it was more tropical and less modern looking– it was cool to have two very different hotels. The rooms are all private cottages. The beach at the hotel was ok – it definitely wasn’t what we expected. So we rented a car the second day and went to different beaches around the island, which were amazing-, really beautiful. We ate at their restaurant and really didn’t like the food so we ate out the other nights. St. Bart’s as an island is really beautiful and makes you feel like you are in Europe – the restaurants and shopping and beaches are all great. Guanahani was really pretty, but I probably wouldn’t stay there again if we went back only because they really weren’t very accommodating to us in general and it was kind of far away from many nice parts of the island. If you are going here, I’d definitely recommend going for sunset drinks at Carl Gustaf – the view is incredible and the service there is wonderful.
Overall it was an unforgettable and amazing honeymoon and I want to go back now!!
Any questions, just fm me…

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Aw Thank you

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

BEAUTIFUL pics!!! More! More!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Congrats!!! I LOVE Raphael Vineyard! You look just radiant! What a gorgeous setting for a wedding!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

congratulations
I love your pictures

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Beautiful! Congrats!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

You looked amazing! Congrats!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

You look beautiful I love your dress

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

You look amazing!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your gown!!!! You look stunning!!!!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

WOW! Wonderful, great review!
As a guest, RAPHAEL'S was WONDERFUL, the food was GREAT, the decor and look of the place was absolutely gorgeous! The staff was courteous and VERY attentive!
As a friend, I must say that it was one of the best weddings I ever went to and you and your hubby looked so beautiful together....you could definitely feel the love in the room! I had a wonderful time at your wedding....you and your husband were meant for each other!
Congrats and I wish you many long years of love and happiness!

love,
neeser

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Awwww thank you so much Denise!!!!!! That was so sweet!!!!!!!!! I was so happy to go through so much of our planning together & I had an amazing time at your wedding as well!!!

Thanks everyone for all your wonderful compliments

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc.

Your dress is so stunning.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc. ETS: Added More Pics at the bottom!!

ohhh everything looked perfect, you made such a beautiful bride

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc. ETS: Added More Pics at the bottom!!

Great review Laurie!

You looked sooo stunning. Congrats to you guys again.

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc. ETS: Added More Pics at the bottom!!

Beautiful!!!! Love your Reem gown!!! That dress was my second choice!!! I really loved it!!!! Congrats!!!

Re: My 6/4/05 Wedding At Raphael Vineyard, Imagine Studios, Music By Michael, etc. ETS: Added More Pics at the bottom!!

Great review!

You looked beautiful and I love your dress!