My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Hello Everyone! I have actually never posted anything but I have used LIweddings.com over the past year just to browse, checkout vendor reviews and look at fun wedding pics while I was bored at work. I guess I was kinda a voyeur!!!

But I have noticed A LOT of Lands End brides and I couldn't leave you hanging! I also got some good advice from the site and feel like I can offer some advice too! So here it is:

Land's End 10 +++ - you Lands End brides are in for a treat!!! LE is the most amazing place ever! They made our wedding day even better than I ever could have imagined it! The food, the landscape, the service were all impeccable. I would not change a thing! I was sooo relaxed on our wedding day because I knew I was in such good hands! We worked with Jennifer Barnett who is amazing. Marietta was our MD and Roberta my bridal attendent. All were super accommodating. We had the Mixed Grill (we upgraded the veal to lamb chop), Thai Halibut and Mushroom Torte. I tried them all and they were all amazing.
We got extremely lucky in 2 ways – the weather was amazing – 80 degrees, sunny and low humidity (this was in August!). We had the ceremony outside and cocktail hour too. Not a single person was inside. We also got very lucky b/c for whatever reason nobody booked the morning of our wedding. We were able to move up the invitation time 30 minutes (so the ending of cocktail hour coincided with the sunset) and we payed like $400 to arrive at 2 pm and take all our pictures on site. It was definitely the best money we spend! I think our bridal party def ate and drank 400 worth! It was so fun taking our pictures on the grounds and they came out soooo good! Don’t be shy, take off your shoes and takes some pics out of the rocks!

Hank Lane - Michael Hart 8
We LOVED the music they played and how they played it! They really put on a great performance. The reason that I didn't give them a 10 was b/c they didn't really keep us informed of what was going on during the evening. They didn't tell us or the BM or the MOH when they were speaking. They just called them up! My sister was in mid bite of her salad when she was called. They also made the mistake of having the speeches during the wrong course. We had met with the band and sent emails and they knew what we wanted but they just messed up. Nobody noticed but us and it was really the only thing that went wrong. If you are considering a Hank Lane Band, my friend used Artie Stuart and they were amazing. My husband was the BM at their wedding and he was told when he was going to speak!

***Advice - tell your band ahead of time that you want to be notified when speeches, cake cutting, dances are going to happen. Also tell them to notify moms, dads, siblings, BM and MOH.

************** BretMathewPhotography and Video - we used Chris as our photographer and Stacy as our photojournalist. They were both so easy to work with and really made the pictures a lot of fun! The proofs came out amazing as did the video! I can't wait for our album!!!

***Advice - we debated doing a video b/c it is such an added expense. We decided to do it and were so thankful. We really didnt remember much of the night and it was so fun to re-live watching the video***

Lovin Oven Floral Design - Keyth is amazing!!! He did such a good job. I had a hard time visualizing what I wanted and don't like most things I see at weddings. He did such a good job of listening to what we said and creating amazing arrangements that we were thrilled with! If you go with Lovin Oven, go with Keyth too!!! His price was very competitive with other larger and smaller florists.

Invitations and Programs – 9 Jean M – I found Jean M on weddingchannel.com and read some great reviews on liweddings. I didn’t see anything I liked in the stationary books and went out on a limb by ordering invitations and programs online. I was a little nervous doing this but they came out soooo good! We absolutely looked them. Jean M’s customer service was great the only problem is that some things MUST be ordered over the internet and some things CAN’T be ordered over the internet. Basically I had to pay double shipping. I even bought ribbons from them too and used them to wrap around the programs (we got the fan programs) and to tie the placecards onto some seashells I bought. We had left over and the florist even used it to ties the bridesmaids bouquets. It was so cool that everything matched perfectly.

Calligrapher –10 Sheryl [email protected] She was great, quick and easy to work with. She is located in Plainview. I think it was 90 cents per envelope

Slipper baskets –10 I bought Chinese slippers on Ebay (like 1.75 a pair) and put them in baskets with a poem that I found on LI weddings “Bought new shoes to match your dress and now theyre feeling tight? Have not a care, just take a pair and you can dance all night!” I bought 75 pairs (200 person wedding, ½ female) and they were gone within 30 minutes!

Galleria Ventures – 10 I found this website and thought they looked great and they were. We did a photo post card for our save the date and then even got postcards of a photo I took of Lands End and had people fill them out in lieu of a guest book. My MOH will mail us the postcards throughout our first year of marriage.

Donations – We decided that in lieu of favors we were going to make donations to various charities of interest. I had letter printed on resume paper explaining where we had made donations, cut them with a fancy scissor, rolled them and tied with a ribbon. They were placed on each guests table setting.

Transportation
NR and T located on route 110 and Jericho tpke – 10 – I called lots of places and they gave me the best deal. We had the hummer limo for our bridal party and just a 10 passenger limo for us on the return. Cars were new and nice. No problems at all.

Coachman – 9 – we rented a 56 passenger coach bus to bring our guests to and from the wedding. This was a big expense but I felt it was necessary. Bus was nice, new and clean. I don’t give them a 10 b/c the guy (Alan) tried to pressure me into more hours and in the end we didn’t come close to needing it. If I listened to him it would have wasted a lot of money. He tried to convince me that its takes 45 to get to Lands End from The Marriott Islandia (its more like 20)

Hotel – Marriott Islandia – 10 – My MIL picked the hotel. She looked at all the other recommended from LE and liked this the best. It worked out well. They were very easy to work with and we got a good rate. They handed out gift bags when the guests arrived. The morning of the wedding my dad dropped off copies of our wedding announcement that was in the NY Times. They either handed it out to the guests as they checked in or slipped it under their door if that had already checked it.

Rehearsal Dinner- Maxwell and Dunne’s Steakhouse (in the Race Palace) 10+
We had a very hard time picking a rehearsal dinner. We didn’t know the Sayville or Islandia area too well and didn’t find much around there and decided on the Plainview area b/c it was only 20 min from the Marriott and many of our bridal party attendants were staying with family in Plainview. We also had a hard time b/c we needed to fit 70-80 people. M and D’s threw an amazing party. The food was sooo amazing – during cocktail hour they passed coconut shrimp, clams casino and crab cakes. They had a wine bar set up, beer in this cool looking antique fridge and waiters brining liquor orders. For dinner we had a room that was segmented from the main dining room with a curtain. It worked out fine. The dinner was Filet, chicken, salmon, stuffed shrimp or tuna with all the steakhouse accompaniments. I was a little skeptical at first b/c its in the race palace but the food and service was excellent. I was almost afraid that it would outdue the wedding. We worked with Chris and got an amazing deal too. We already decided that we want to go there on our 1 year anniversary.

Wedding Weekend Kickoff Party – 10 – Okay so I made this event up b/c our wedding was on Sunday and the RD on Saturday and we had nothing to do on Friday night! We bought a few bottles at the rooftop bar Barna. It was such a fun night and great way to extend the weekend! Im convinced that by 2007 everyone will be having a kickoff party! We’ll see! You’ll now where you heard it first!!!

Bridal Shower – MIMS restaurant Syosset – MIMS is my familys favorite restaurant and I knew that before I even met my husband and got engaged that my shower would def be at MIMS. The food is great and the service is good. We had a brunch on Sunday (The place to ourselves) and it was really great!!!

Bachelorette Party – 9 – We rented a house in Fire Island for the weekend! It was so much fun! I pranced around the island in my fun bride shirts and veil the entire weekend. It was not too expensive and such a great time for everyone. It only gets a 9 b/c the weather was cloudy and kinda stormy.

Cake – Audreys Bakery 9 – I loved working with Thomas. Next to dress shopping, I think picking the cake was the most fun. It was so great that they give you a sample cake to bring home. We had yellow cake with cookies and crème mousse filling! Yummy! I only gave them a 9 b/c the ribbon on our cake was the wrong color. It wasn’t a big deal though.

Bridal Couture – 9 – I’ve read a lot of bad reviews but I had no complaints. I loved my dress and I actually even bought the sample and got 50% off. It was the greatest deal ever. No one knew that it was the sample. My seamstress was Connie. She was a little unfriendly but did a great job.

Wedding Center – 9 – We bought our bridesmaids dresses here b/c my sisters friends family owns the store and got us a great deal on the dresses. No complaints, but a really no frills store. We bought a Bari Jay dress – it looked great and really cheap!

Honeymoon – Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini) 10++
Greece is a fabulous HM spot! We stayed at the Grand Bretagne (Athens), Katikies (santorini) and mykonos grand. I would recommend them all! It was the best HM I could ever imagine!

I know I gave a lot of 10’s but that’s b/c I was sooo happy with all the choices I made. I really tried to make educated decisions and take peoples recommendations and I was so thrilled with everything we had!!!!

I am going to TRY to upload some pics but I’ve never done that before. If you want to see pics (wedding, HM, RD, kickoff party!) or ask any questions FM me.

Hope you enjoyed!!!!

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Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

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Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Honeymoon
Athens

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Santorini

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Ok im having trouble adding my HM pics so FM me if you want to see them!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Great review! Thanks for posting!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

very nice, congrats

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Thanks for the review! I am getting married there 18 days, so it is so exciting to read great reviews!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

omg thanks so much!! I am a Lands End bride and I really really appreciate it.....everything looks beautiful!!! I am in love with your dress!!!!

How does it feel to be a Mrs?

congrats!!!!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

great review...thanks!....I am also getting married at Lands End and using Keyth for flowers.....it is soo good to hear great things about them...thanks!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Great review...everything was beautiful and your cake looked AWESOME!!!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Great review... Thanks for being so detailed!!
I love all your pics!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Congrats!! Everything looked fantastic!!!!!

I don't hear too much about BM on here. Chris is my photographer too!! I'm so glad to see you posted this.

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

you are beautiful!! i love the professional pic at the end!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

nice color! your cake was beautiful. thanks for sharing!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Great review! Thank you so much for posting. Especially so us fellow Lands End brides can read another great review. I can't wait for my wedding in 37 more days!

You look great! The cake was beautiful! Congrats and thanks again!!!!!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Congratulations! You looked beautiful and I love the cake, BM dresses, and especially the sunset. I am glad to hear you had such a relaxed, stress free day.

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Congrats - great pics! I used the Michael Hart Band and gave them a 10++++ They were great and the evening was seemless. That's so weird about your problems!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

LOVE your bm dresses!

Re: My Land's End Wedding - also **************, Hank Lane (Michael Hart), Lovin Oven Floral Designs, HM Greece!!!

Congrats!!!!!