My Wedding Review!!!

Ok here it is! First let me just say that I LOVE being married! I’ve actually fallen even more head over heels in love with DH and I didn’t think it was possible, but we’re having the best time being husband and wife and just enjoying life together. Ok, now onto the review! ? I worked long and hard on this review so I hope it’s detailed and informative enough. If you notice anything big missing – let me know! LOL But I think I got it all. Let me just preface this by saying I had the pleasure of working with some of the most wonder vendors ever and they all truly helped make my wedding day unforgettable for DH and I. I feel very lucky to have found them all and I hope they all know how incredibly grateful I am to them for being there and making my day one to always remember!

My Wedding Review!

LIWeddings – A+
Wonderful resource! I met some of the sweetest people thru this website and I think it’s a great way for people who are all going thru the same thing to get together and chat about it. The girls have helped me thru some tough things and also were always there with a word of advice or encouragement! It meant so much to me to know that everyone was honest and willing to pitch in with much needed advice. I just persuaded my girlfriend (’09 bride) to sign up and she’s already chatting with people! I loved this website and was thankful that my SIL/MOH gave me the heads up about it. Its like this little piece of wedding advice that gets passed down to new brides. ?

Weather- A+
AMAZING! It was around 80 with plenty of sunshine and a nice breeze. I was concerned about the weather because we had an outdoor ceremony on the water and if it rained, there was an indoor backup but it was much, much smaller then the outside and people would’ve been very cramped. But everything worked out perfectly and everyone was able to sit outside and enjoy themselves and the great weather. And the breeze kept DH and I nice and cool which was important because underneath that tux jacket and my layers of crinoline and tool, it was quite warm!

Ceremony Location - Cedarmere, Roslyn Harbor (Ceremony location)- A+
Gorgeous! From the beginning, we learned that wedding ceremonies were a relatively recent addition to this Nassau County park. Cedarmere is the home of poet William Cullen Bryant. The grounds were breathtaking and perfect and DH and I knew it was where we wanted to get married. There is a sunken garden where all the chairs were set up and a beautiful stone fountain that we got married in front of. It overlooks the water, which was gorgeous as the sun set. Then the grounds around the house encircle a pond and there is a magnificent stone bridge that crosses over the pond. DH and I had the ceremony and then took pics around the grounds of Cedermere. Harrison Hunt, who oversees events that take place there, was great to work with. DH and I had the whole house and grounds from 2:30-5:30p. That allowed guests to sit and enjoy the day without having a large gap of nothing to do between ceremony and reception. We were also able to secure a liquor license which was great because we had the ceremony catered w/ some snacks and we served wine and champagne. Harrison was there the entire day and made sure things went smoothly. He was always there to answer any questions we had and he was more than accommodating to us and our guests. It was truly a beautiful place and I highly recommend checking it out. Our guests were blown away.

Officiant - Dr. Janine Burns (ILoveToDoWeddings.com) -A+
Dr. Burns did my MOH/SIL wedding back in '04 and I loved her then! She was always fun for SIL to work with and really helped her thru the process. I knew immediately we wanted her for our wedding! She helped me out with anything I had questions about. She was always available and got back to me with answers to any questions I had. She called and gave me the reminder about getting our marriage license and gave follow up calls every few weeks to check in and see how things were going. I didn't want a religious ceremony at all, and she was very accomodating with that. She laid out some different versions of ceremonies we could do and DH and I literally got to piece together our whole ceremony like a puzzle. It was perfect!! DH really didn't want to write his own vows and I was afraid it would be impersonable, but she had beautiful selections and allowed us to incorporate a reading from the poet's house we had the ceremony at. From beginning to end - Dr. Burns was WONDERFUL to work with!!! Highly recommend her!! So personable, fun and friendly!

A to Z Party Rentals- A
We rented our tables and chairs from A to Z. They were also a pleasure to work with. They were very good with us because we were so unsure of how many chairs and such to order that they allowed us to decide and commit the week before the wedding. They delivered everything on time and set everything up perfectly. They put the linens on the tables and everything. DH and I didn’t have to worry about any of it. They also came back and took everything down so we didn’t have to do it. They really did set up everything beautifully. And there pieces (chairs, tables, etc) are good quality. Guests were very comfortable in their chairs… and that was important because they were in them a long time!

Ceremony Musicians - Capriccio Ensemble- A+
All I can say is AMAZING. I worked with Natalie Kriegler the entire time. She was fabulous! She was always available for any questions I had. She sent me a form to fill out where I was able to select and choose all the music I wanted for the entire ceremony and Capriccio didn’t miss a beat! DH and I were concerned because we wanted ceremony musicians to play for the entire ceremony and then the remaining time that we had guests at the ceremony location (and we didn’t know if anyone would play for us that long) but Capriccio played the entire time. DH and I heard them play all the beautiful modern songs we loved, like The Beatles and we heard more classic selections like from Phantom of The Opera. Natalie was able to read me perfectly and played music that was totally on the same page as what I wanted. The guests commented what a nice touch it was and how beautifully they played. Natalie was awesome to work with and I knew my ceremony was in good hands with them. I’m just sorry I didn’t get a chance to just sit and listen! But from start to finish – they were amazing and really a joy to work with.

Ceremony Caterers - Coliseum Caterers – A+
The woman who worked with me was great! She helped me pick some great food that my guests loved and everything was delivered on time and looked great. It was a really nice presentation. And we ordered the Wed before my wedding (which was Fri) and I was concerned about them not having enough notice, but everything worked out wonderfully. The guests loved the snacks/hors de vours. I wish I would’ve gotten to try some of it! ?

Make Up – Marie Katz - A+
Honestly, I booked Marie on the spot because from the minute I got to her house for the trial I felt like I had a friend doing my make up. She was so fun and professional at the same time. Always honest (which lets face it, was a great thing, because I did come up w/ some crazy make up visions!) I knew she would make me look beautiful. I also told my girls to not get a trial because I really trusted that she would nail it when doing their make up, which she did. All my girls adored the make up! I was totally happy with my first trial, but I went not really knowing what my gown would look like or the “vision” of how I wanted to look. Once things came together, I wanted to see how the make up would look with some of the colors changed and Marie fit me into her crazy schedule (YAY!) and took the time to re-vamp the look a little. It was perfect! She was right on time the morning of the wedding and always got back to me if I emailed her any questions/thoughts. I felt like I had another friend there that morning and she put me at total ease. The make up lasted the whole night and didn’t budge (I got airbrush). My girls and I were all thrilled with her work.

Hair – DH’s Uncle – A+
I know he’s not a vendor, but he deserves some special recognition for taming my insanely long, think, unruly hair! He was a trooper (my hair was loooong) and I let him just work his magic. I loved my hair! Lots of people commented that they thought it looked beautiful!

Bridal Store Where I Got My Gown – B-
The store was in NJ so it’s not worth diving into everything, but the short version is the gown came in way too short. I was heart broken trying it on and was told maybe if I lost some weight or once it was ironed out it would be the correct length. There was no way… so they sent it back and fixed it. Otherwise the gown was perfect. The mgr was alright to work with, not the most comforting. Needless to say, once I had my gown I brought it home to LI. You can FM me if you want to know more.

Bridal Store Where I Got BM Dresses – D
The only reason it’s not an F is because I got my dresses. Not posting, because it’ll be pulled. It was the absolute most horrific experience I had during this whole wedding planning process. FM me for details.

Barron’s at Tri County – A+
I needed to get a back-up veil and my MOH (SIL) suggested hitting up Barron’s in Tri County. We went about 10 min before they closed but there was a wonderful man there that helped me out. I explained the dilemma and he measured me and guaranteed the veil would be in in one week! It was and it was perfect! The guy was truly great to work with. Please do check them out before spending hundreds on a veil from a bridal salon! They are great quality and have a big selection. I was very happy with my veil.

Rings – Good Old Gold – A+
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Good Old Gold. Way back when we got engaged DH and I were ring shopping and popped in on a whim. We were dressed in sweats and hats and were still treated like gold (haha, no pun intended!). The gemologist (is that what they are called?) spent about 2hrs with us showing us everything about diamonds. We were so blown away by the service and friendliness that DH got my ring from them. Fast fwd to wedding ring time, we went straight back to Good Old Gold. We went a few times, because I didn’t really know what I was looking for, and every time we were met with exceptional service. We got our wedding rings there and they came in timely and perfect. Love them!

Tux – Dante’s – B
I didn’t go with DH for the tuxes, so I’m not really sure how the service or his experience was. I’m basing my rating on the fact that the Best Man shirt was wrong and it was only discovered on the day of the wedding, so he had to rush back to the store that morning and my father’s shirt was way too big on him. I don’t know how the mistakes happened, but it caused some unnecessary stress that day.

Photo/Video – Willi Wong – A+
Willi was amazing to work with! DH knew he wanted to work with him right after meeting with him. I felt like we all just clicked and his style of photography was just what we were looking for. We were looking for a photog who captured moments and emotions. We had the best time at the engagement shoot, Willi made us feel comfortable and relaxed even though at first it’s hard to be yourself knowing someone is taking your pics! We also booked our videographer thru Willi. The entire wedding day there were 2 photographers and 1 videographer and the best way to describe them is that they were everywhere and nowhere at the same time! Willi sent us a slideshow of the wedding that we got to enjoy when we got home and DH and I were blown away by the shots he got! We didn’t know how he got them all! Our guests kept complimenting how it was great that they were there but not intrusive. I loved working with Willi and his crew! He was on time, went with the flow, and DH and I were beyond thrilled with the slideshow – I can’t wait to see what else he got! HIGHLY recommend checking him out. And he’s SO creative and artistic. With photos being one of the few things that you have after the wedding is over, it was so important to us to have photos that were memorable and special. We loved working with Willi!

DOC – Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs – A+
From the very beginning I knew I wanted a day of coordinator. I’m not that detail oriented and knew it would be helpful to have someone with me the whole day to help me out if a problem popped up or if I forgot something crucial or something. First of all, if not for Christine, I’d STILL be trying to button my gown! I forgot my gown had buttons and I knew when my MOH got married her mom had the toughest time buttoning her gown up and needed this big sewing needle! My mom would never figure it out so I asked Christine about it. Using a letter opener (I think that’s what she used) and her skill she buttoned me right up! First potential disaster averted ? The second slight bump in the road was that I asked my florist to provide two roses to use during the ceremony but I totally forgot to specify which colors (my bad!) so they came, but they were white. In the ceremony reading, my officiant refers to them as red roses. Whoops! So I told Christine and she pulled some red roses from the bouquets, replaced them with the white and re-wrapped them. They looked gorgeous! Christine was there for everything and anything that I needed and always available if I emailed her a question. When I ran into an issue with my BM dresses, she stepped right in and went above and beyond to help solve the problem. And again, (you’ll notice a theme here!) from the minute we met I felt like I was working with a friend. That was so crucial for me. We clicked, she was so much fun, and made me laugh. I knew I would be Ok with her by my side! I cannot say enough how “above and beyond” she went!

Florist – Designs by Rose – A+
Fabulous! Loved Rose’s work! She is very artistic and able to create your vision thru flower arrangements. She’s so talented! So we met with Rose and Doris and they both showed us tons of pics of Rose’s work and we discussed some ideas I was looking for. They were very personable (unlike another florist we had checked out) and offered me suggestions when I was unsure of what I wanted or what I thought would look good. I picked my bouquet colors based on their suggestions! And the compliments I got on my bouquet are still coming in! My CP’s were GORGEOUS! Everything I wanted and more. My guests all staked claim to them and unfortunately DH and I were not able to bring one home for us! But my guests raved about our flowers and how perfectly they all came together so I know the CP’s went to good homes ? Also, on DH and my table, Rose created really beautiful little square CP’s and put curly willow in them to tie everything together! DH and I LOVED them! Those were also claimed ? They did amazing work and worked with me on flowers, colors, prices, bouquest, everything. It was a very pleasurable experience to work with them and I definitely recommend them. They were timely, professional, and delivered high quality flowers/arrangements.

Reception – The Metropolitan – A+
WOW – I don’t even know where to begin! The Met was the perfect mix of NYC chic meets Long Island wedding. Gorgeous, gorgeous place! Hands down, DH and my favorite wedding location out of all the halls we looked at. We worked with Eileen during the entire planning process. She was fabulous! So nice, so friendly, so personable. We loved her. Our tasting was great. DH and I are both vegetarians and were super concerned about just being tossed some sautéed veggies for dinner, but The Met went above and beyond and gave us a delicious entrée. Food and music are important for a wedding – and the guests raved about the food! The cocktail hr was wonderful! The staff was so professional and nice. Our bridal attendant and MD were great and so attentive to us. They kept coming to check on us and make sure we had everything we needed. The Met itself looked beautiful. Everything was set up perfectly and there were candles everywhere! This was big for DH and I, we love candles. The bartenders kept the party going and our friends happy! I really can’t say enough about The Met. I don’t really know a lot of other brides from ’07 that got married there, just a handful, but I really urge checking out The Metropolitan. It’s unique and elegant. And the staff- wonderful! I just really loved the chic feel. It was a memorable place and I’m sure one that our guests won’t soon forget!

DJ – Music by Michael – A+
Ok, DH and I chose to have a DJ over a band because we wanted a real party feel. We also have some pretty eclectic taste in music which we felt a DJ could better cater to. However, we were apprehensive because we had been to weddings where the DJ’s were all over the place with loud music and “stealing the show” with the MC. MOH suggested we check out Michael, from Music by Michael. After meeting with Michael and seeing some weddings he had done on video, DH and I were very impressed. He was classy and very tech savvy. He did everything on laptop, including providing his clients with a playlist to ensure that all songs are played at appropriate times and he knows what special things you are doing during the ceremony (ie bouquet toss or anniversary dance, etc.) When DH and I left, we turned to each other, agreed we both loved his work, and went right back and booked him on the spot! The day of the wedding he was wonderful! He checked in on us to make sure everything was running smoothly and played all the songs we requested! He kept the party going the whole night! My family and friends said they had the BEST time dancing all night. He was really able to “read” the guests and know what to play to keep them up and dancing. He was professional and a wonderful MC – he directed the anniversary dance perfectly! He was fun and great to work with. He had a great mix of elegant wedding music and fun party dance music. DH and I were extremely happy.

***Cute side note – when DH and I sat at our dais we saw a special CD that Michael made for us that included our wedding song and a couple of other songs that he picked based on the music selections/genres we picked for the reception. It was such a really sweet, unexpected surprise! DH and I love it!

Cocktail Hour Pianist – Michael Hagglund – A+
He was great! He was recommended to us thru the Met and we heard him play at our tasting. He was very professional and played beautifully! DH and I had a few songs that we loved and really wanted someone to play and Michael not only learned the songs, but played them all for us! We were so impressed with that and thought it was awesome! Even though no one else knew we specially requested the songs, the fact that he played them for us was a really special treat! Having a pianist was a really great touch for our cocktail hour and we were really happy with Michael.

Limos – Camelot – A+
DH and I met with Joe at Camelot and were very impressed by his confidence in Camelot. He encouraged us to check out other limo vendors so we could really make an educated decision on which limo company to go with. After checking out two others, we ran back to Joe to book! We wanted limo drivers that wouldn’t rush us or push us on the wedding day. We also wanted fun drivers that would stop for a coffee if that’s what we wanted. Joe told us that was how Camelot worked – and he was right on! DH really liked his driver. He said he was on time, professional, and really nice to everyone in the limo. My driver – Rafael – was FABULOUS! He carried my ceremony programs for me, helped everyone in and out of the car, was talkative and fun the whole drive, asked me if I needed to stop for anything and let me know if I needed anything he’d get it, and was totally amazing. When I was waiting to walk down the aisle I was really warm in my dress and veil and Rafael got me a bottle of water to sip! He fluffed out my dress as I walked down the aisle so the train was straight. After the ceremony, he served DH and I champagne and encouraged us to take time to just enjoy being married. DH was SO impressed with how attentive and helpful Rafael was ? The limos were all perfect and clean and all early/right on time. No one was ever rushed anywhere and Rafael waited while DH and I took a few more pics at the ceremony location rather then rushing us off to the reception hall. It was nice to have that. There’s so much going on, that to have someone on top of you the whole time can be nerve-wracking. We also used Camelot for our ride to the hotel that night and then back home. The limos provided were great and again, very friendly drivers. We loved the service we got from Camelot. It was something really special and DH and I will always remember it.

**As a cute side note – the morning of the honeymoon, DH booked Camelot to bring us there and it was Rafael who picked us up! We had so much fun on the way to the airport talking about the wedding and the whole day. We asked Rafael if he could also pick us up the night we flew back home and he did!! We told him all about the honeymoon and we all just chatted the whole way back home! He helped us with our luggage and really took care of us! He was awesome ?

Save The Dates – MagnetStreet.com – A+
They were great, big selection and reasonably priced. They came in on time and had no errors or anything. They were good quality too! Our family liked them and DH and I were very happy with them.

Invitations/ Escort Cards/ Menus/ Etc – All DIY Projects
Big shout out to SIL/MOH who totally rocked at helping me create all these things. Our guests loved our invitations and how everything tied in. My SIL/MOH was with me, sometimes, all night working on projects and was always totally into it! Sometimes even more than me ? So I give us an A+! If you are embarking on any DIY’s like these, FM me and I’m more than happy to send tips and tricks along!

Night of Wedding - Glen Cove Mansion - A
Very pretty place, we stayed in the bridal suite. It wasn't as 'bridal' as I thought it would be, but the hotel and room were very clean and well kept. The service was good and the staff was very nice. We only stayed one night so I don't have tons to say, but I'm happy we stayed somewhere that night.


Thanks for reading everyone!

YAY I’m married!!!!!!!

***PS – if for some reason you notice something missing, PLEASE FM me and let me know – I wouldn’t want anyone to be left out!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Great review! Thanks for sharing!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Thanks so much for your review! Appreciate you taking the time to detail everything.

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Congrats! Great review!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Great review. I also used Willi Wong and I loved his work. I can't wait to see your pics! You should post your review on the Bride's review Board as well!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Great review! Congratulations!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

Congratulations! Great review!! I am going to the Metropolitan tomorrow to see it!!!

Re: My Wedding Review!!!

BEAUTIFUL .... I'm a Metropolitan bride too I'm glad you enjoyed your day and are enjoying married life with DH.