My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

Hi Everyone....

I do not have any pics yet but I figured I would post before things get to hectic. Many of you heard about my dress fiasco....all worked out in the end!

Wedding Salon of Manhasset:

I'm not going to put a grade here because I am not sure where the fault lies regarding the dress fiasco. What I do know though is that I am unsure if any other dress shop would have put the intense time and effort into fixing the dress last minute.

For those of you who do not know....four days before the wedding I had a final 'try on' at that point the dress was perfect. Two days before the wedding I go to pick the dress up and there are multiple lines going through the dress. They looked like creases. I asked them to steam it and they said they couldn't steam it any more. When I spoke to the owners they said they would steam it from the inside. Long story short I came back two hours later and the dress was ruined. It had steam iron marks running throughout the dress. They assured me they would order new fabric overnight and it would be fine. I had no sleep that night. Well the day of my rehearsal dinner I was unable to enjoy spending time with my girlfriends because I was a frantic mess. As they promised they called me by 1 pm to tell me the dress was finished. They needed to put an entire new bottom on my dress. The bridal salon said Lazaro's fabric was defective. If this is the case then it would not be the bridal salon's fault....but who really knows. What I do know is that my dress was absolutely perfect in the end. I am not sure if I went to a less prestigious bridal shop my dress would have been fixed. The owners there were wonderful and reassuring. The only regret I have is the stress and aggravation that I was caused the days preceding my wedding. A word of advice....no matter what the dress shop says PICK YOUR DRESS UP AT LEAST A WEEK EARLY.

Weather: A+

The weather was absolutely perfect. When I went to bed the night before and was watching the news they said it would be a 'perfect summer day' and it was

Save the Dates- Magnet Queen: A+
Awesome Save the Date magnets at a great price. They were great to work with!

Invitations- JBink
www.jbink.com
Joan from JBink was a doll. I found her on a Bride's Review here. I found my invitations at a wedding accessories store but they were too expensive. Joan gave me a great price. The service was wonderful and Joan was very helpful in determining the wording etc. She also printed my envelopes. I highly recommend her!

Thomas Knoell Designs: A+

Thomas Knoell surpassed my expectations. I bought my headpiece, earrings, veil and bridesmaids gifts from him. He took the time to meet with me and match my style and the style of my dress. It was well worth the money!!

Hair- Nicole D'Angio: A+

I cried during my hair trial.....not because I didn't like it but because she nailed it. She got the look that I dreamed of. From the moment I booked Nicole she was nothing but sweet and professional. The day of the wedding between her and her assistant they completed 7 bridesmaids, 1 MOH, my mother and myself. They were amazing and finished in time. Nicole stayed to touch me up after my dress was on. Her presence is so very calming and she is just a doll. My hair stayed in place all night. What I love about Nicole is that she makes the hair look natural and goes with your own style. Her hair trials can last up to three hours and she really takes the time to make sure that the style is everything you have ever dreamed of.

Make up- Laura Allocca: A+

I found Laura through my sister in law who found her through Nicole. Again, perfection..... Laura made me look exactly as I wanted to look. My make up stayed on all night and all the girls and my mother were complimented on the make up. Laura is very sweet, calming and professional. I highly recommend Laura and Nicole....they are a great team!!!

Dance Lessons- John from Ballroom Dance LI: A+

We truly enjoyed our dance lessons. We started a year or so ago. John is very flexible with schedules and you do not have to commit to a package. He was very patient with us. He choreographed an excellent first dance to our Dave Matthews first dance song (not an easy task). By the end of lessons we considered John not just a teacher but a friend. We miss him already. We highly recommend John!!!

Duet (Alberto's Team): Wedding A+/Proofs: TBD

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Duet and Alberto's team. They were on time, professional and a lot of fun. They were not intrusive but anytime I wanted an extra shot they were right there. We had extra pictures taken at Planting Fields and I cannot wait to see them! I can't wait to see my proofs. I will update the review once I get them. Our engagement pictures get an A+.

Flower Michele: C+

I have to say I was very disappointed with Flower Michele. This situation is not entirely John's fault. I booked with Barbara originally. When I called up to make my initial appointment I asked for an appointment with John but they gave me Barbara. I was not exactly thrilled with Barbara throughout the process. I felt she always rushed me and didn't give much input. I figured my flowers were easy so it would not be an issue. I was very disappointed to find out a week before my wedding through LIW that Barbara has left. Flower Michele never notified me and I called on a number of occasions to get in touch with someone to confirm. Finally, I called and got someone and explained my concerns. I then spoke with John who confirmed my order. We clarified a few details but it appeared to be all there.

The day of the wedding....
My bouquet was nothing like what Barbara and I had discussed. We had discussed a bouquet with many pink mini calas and some white roses. It was the reverse, but it looked very blah. It looked like a big marshmallow. I decided I was not going to carry it. The bridesmaids bouquets were not of the best quality. The MOH bouqet was very pretty but again did not look great. My mother's corsage appeared dead within minutes and it was nice and cool that day.

I do have to say, the delivery man called John and he came to my house in East Northport from Mineola to fix the bouquet. I explained what Barbara and I had discussed and he tried to fix it. By the time he fixed it it was time for me to go to the church. It was better but definately not what I wanted.

From what I hear the church delivery was incorrect as well. My bridesmaids and I made over 200 petal cones.....no petals were delivered and I confirmed this with John before. Again John was called and came from Mineola and dropped them off. In addition, our ceremony did not go smooth because when the priest announced for us to bring up the Blessed Mother Bouquet there was no bouquet to get. The delivery man swore it was there but no one could find it. The GM boutineers died within an hour.

Perhaps if i booked with John initially this could have been avoided, however I was not impressed with the quality of the bouqets, corsages, or boutineeers. I do have to say though, I do not know of any other florist who would have made the trip to East Northport twice to remedy the problem. I do appreciate his efforts.

On a positive note:

I was VERY happy with the reception flowers. We had tall pilsner cala lilly centerpieces. The quality of those flowers were excellent and they looked beautiful. It was very simple though so pretty difficult to mess up.

Kings Brass: A+

Kings Brass was great! I had them in tuxedos with silver horns. They looked great and sounded wonderful. Everyone said it was a nice touch!

Table cards and programs- Cheryl Catropa: A+
[email protected]

Our table cards were towns in Italy. We did a modified tent card with the town on one side and the explanation/significance on the back. I took a gamble with this.....I read a review from LIW of Cheryl and just talked with her over email. I approved the proofs via pics. She did exactly what I wanted at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend her!!! Looking back, I should have had her do some of my DIY projects.

St. Anthony of Padua Church, East Northport: A

My husband and I met in the school of this parish and have grown up here. It was wonderful to be married at a place where we have so much history. Fr. Frank Greico was our priest and he was wonderful. He is relatively new to the parish so we were nervous at first but he was so understanding throughout the process. His ceremony and homily was beautiful. He put my husband and I at ease through the ceremony. The cantor was amazing. People thought we hired him privately he was so good. My only minor complaint was that no one was present to rehearse with us at the rehearsal. A woman from the parish was supposed to come and forgot. After hours of trying to locate someone, the pastor of the parish finally called someone to help us. She did but she rushed through it. The parish assured us someone would be there to help us the next day but no one was there. Our limo drivers organized the bridal party and it was a smooth transition.

Limo: Clear Choice Limousines (formerly NJL): A+

I took a risk here too. Clear Choice did not have much feedback on LIW but it was recommended by another company who is recommended frequently on LIW. The original company did not have the cars I wanted for my day. I booked with Mary who was great to work with. We booked a Rolls Royce, an Escalade and a regular limo for the parents. They were on time, very nice and professional. I cannot remember my limo driver's name for the Rolls but he was great. The bridal party drove in the Escalade and we joined them later. Trish drove that car. The drivers were so helpful. We forgot my father's boutinere at one point and had to return to my house....they were fine with it and made a smooth transition. No one was at the church to help the bridal party go down the aisle. The drivers did this perfectly. Trish helped calm my father down and tell him what he needed to do. She kept me calm and talked to me while we were in the back. I cannot say how happy I am with their service. Clear choice is a smaller limo company---in this case I think smaller is best.

North Ritz Club: A++++++++++

Wow.....North Ritz Club surpassed my expectations!!! George my Maitre'D was absolutely spectacular. Anything and everything that was requested was done. North Ritz looked beautiful. People are still raving about the cocktail hour and the food during dinner.

We had one incident but it was completely my fault. On the table map I didn't realize that there was a table that said 'host table.' I just assumed they would put a dais. Well apparently I sat my husband and I with random family friends. So when I saw this I asked George and he assured me that this was what I said I wanted. He showed me the paper and I said okay I'm wrong but can we fix it. Within 30 seconds the table was moved, reset and we had our dais. He was not even agitated my mistake. The service was amazing......waitstaff was everywhere. North Ritz had made many improvements since we booked, they built a stage, an overhang for the valet and updated the cocktail hour room. I could not have been more pleased. It is such a great place and it is one wedding at a time. We had 242 people and it did not seem too crowded. It is the best kept secret on Long Island. It was great because many people had never been there. I highly recommend North Ritz!!!!

Timepiece/Franklin Wayne Music: A++++++

Excellent!!! They were awesome I was a little nervous a year ago when the replaced one of the singers but he was great. They really read the crowd well and kept the party going. They played mostly current music but I think that was because the crowd on the dance floor was young. They played everything from 'I Will Survive' to Shakira to Dave Matthews. We asked them to learn my father-daughter song, 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland and 'Ants Marching' by DMB. They sang both songs perfectly. We were SO pleased. Plus, during dinner one of the band members played 'Lover Lay Down' by DMB on his guitar and sang which was quite a treat for us.

Before the wedding I called Frank Wayne to discuss the fact that I did not want many band breaks. He assured me that the Maitre'D determines this. I explained this to my Maitre'D and he communicated well with the band. We had very few breaks.

Before the entrance my husband and I got nervous and were going to skip our choreographed first dance which was on CD. We told the band and they were going to play another song and have the bridal party dance with us. Right after the entrance we decided we felt confident enough to go ahead. My husband asked the band to play the CD and within seconds it was playing....no one knew any different.

We are still getting phone calls about the band. I have never been to a wedding where I was disappointed with a Frank Wayne Band. I highly recommend them!

Honeymoon:
Travel agent/Travel Solutions by Marcia/Shelley Samuels: A+
Alitalia: D-
Globus: A+
Grand Hotel Continental, Sorrento, Italy: A+
Italy: A+

Our honeymoon was great! We went to Italy on an 11 day Globus tour of Rome, Florence and Venice and many towns in between. Following this we went to the Amalfi Coast for a few days on our own. A tour for your honeymoon is a lot of work. It has its pros and cons. I know we would not have seen half of what we saw if we did not take a tour. Plus, this was the hottest week in Italy in about 30 years so the A/C bus was helpful. Our Globus tour was great, the people were wonderful and our tour guide was fun and informative. I highly recommend Globus.

The Amalfi Coast is perfect for a honeymoon it has the gorgeous views, the beach, tropical weather, beautiful hotels and spectacular food. It is all that Hawaii is but it also has the culture of Italy. I cannot wait to return.

Grand Hotel Continental was amazing. We ordered a seaview room with a terrace. It was clean and the service was excellent.

Shelley Samuels our travel agent from Travel Soluations by Marcia was great. She tailored a trip that fit our needs and interests. I highly recommend her!

Alitalia: We sat on the ground without air conditioning for 2 1/2 hours on the way to Italy. It was awful. On the way home our flight to Rome was very late and we almost missed our flight to New York. We finally made it to the airport and the electricity went out. The tram we needed to take to get to the other side of the airport would not work. We waited in the heat with hundreds of agitated passengers. It was horrible....no communication. They eventually told us there would be buses but there were none. An hour later the trams started again. They moved our gate four times. Finally we got on the plane. The service was horrible. For about 6 of the 9 hours there were no flight attendents to be found. When I went back to ask for some water they gave me an attitude. Also the icing on the cake was that our entire flight’s luggage was lost. We were home on Sunday, it is now Tuesday and my husband and I are without luggage.

LIW A+:

This site was so helpful during the planning process. Everyone was so supportive during my dress fiasco. Thank you!!!!

I'll post pics soon!


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Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

great review! sorry about your dress and bouquet.

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Congrats to you & your DH!

I am so glad to hear such a glowing review of NRC -- can't wait for my wedding there in November.

Please share pics with us when you have them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


ETA: Sooooo glad to hear that everything worked out in the end with your dress -- I think we were all for you!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Thanks for the great review!! Im glad everything worked out with your dress!!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Love to hear great things abour the NRC..I am so excited to have my wedding there....Congrats to you and your new hubby...

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Congrats

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Great review, thank you for taking the time out to share it with all of us. Congratulations to you and your husband!!!! Sorry you had to go through all that with your dress, but so happy it worked out in the end for ya...........

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Congratulations So glad to hear everything at NRC was great! I can't wait until 11/23

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Great review... glad to hear your dress situation was fixed in time! Seems like Barbara from Flower Michele did a number on all of our recent weddings.... lol.

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Congrats!!! Glad everything worked out well with your dress. Sorry about the flowers used them to and had problems as well.

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

MARIA!!!!!

first off.. your wedding ROCKED!!!!!! James and I Had the BEST time and all your details were fabulous!!!! We loved the trumpeteers and esp your band! BTW did i tell you you looked beautiful!!!

Im so happy that even with the things that went wrong (which im sure your guests had no clue about) your wedding was amazing!!!

Your honeymoon sounded great!!! Im so jealous!! hehe

James and I cant wait to see your pics... esp since we are using the same photographer hehe!!!!!

Welcome home!

PS.. Great Review!!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Thanks Gina....I'm glad you had fun I can't wait until your wedding. Photos should be here in 4 weeks!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more

Great review! You looked sooo gorgeous and I can't wait to see your proofs!! Congrats!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

Great revieuw!
You looked amazing!!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

gorgeous pictures!!!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

Beautiful Maria - I so wish I could have been there but as you know, DH & I were away for our first wedding anniversary. Can't wait to hear about all the details in person

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

My god, YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!!!

Your hair your dress, just everything...I can;t wait to see more pictures....Great review!!!!

Also you are my dress twin!!!! and I am so glad that it all had worked out for you....and the dress of course....

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

Beautiful review!! Your centerpieces were to die for!

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

You looked amazing, what a wonderful review!!!!
Congratulations

Re: My July 14, 2007 wedding NRC, DUET, Flower Michele, Kings Brass, Timepiece and more UPDATED WITH PICS

so elegant!

love it!