Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

LIW- A+ for information and an F- for helping me procrastinate and waste time. Really, without LIW I would have surely offended many people and done many things wrong. This is a lovely site to help people who are having similar life experiences when all of our friends and family (and FH/DH’s sometimes) are tired of listening to us. I encourage brides to continue to bring more new vendors to the site because while the ones on here now are fantastic, there are more professionals that can offer a variety of services and I think that brides tend to go only on the few that are recommended on here. Many brides may be afraid to use a vendor that they have not heard of on LIW, so lets continue to help others grow their business.

Weather- A+ (especially for February) We had the sunniest day of the winter. While it was rather brisk the sun never stopped shining. We were really afraid of snow/ice as we had many OOT guests driving and flying in and the weather helped to make this easy for them.

Rehearsal Dinner: Café Formaggio- Westbury- A+ - Great service, fantastic menu with something for everyone at a fair price. The Pasta Fagioli is out of this world and is the most authentic I have tasted in the US.

Community Church of East Williston: (I know we shouldn’t rate the house of the lord…lol) A- Reverend Dan was friendly and entertaining from the moment we met him. He went out of his way to get to know us, while sharing his expertise with us. He made a wonderful speech that left everyone talking. The church itself is beautiful and the sun just lit up the stained glass. It is a quaint little church that looks like it is from a small country town. Charlene the wedding coordinator helped things to run smoothly and was extremely helpful. In the beginning we played a bit of phone tag to get things going, but once we did, everything was great.

Bridgeview Yacht Club: A+ Our banquet manager was Eric and he was great to work with. He answered every question and returned every call promptly. Since we had no idea what we were doing when making menu choices he guided us to more popular selections. He never said no and met every request.
I was really nervous because we had a tough group to please when it came to the food. DH is Portuguese and by nature this culture praises and values its food so when we chose a reception hall that was not familiar to his “people” (lol) I wasn’t sure what to expect. Well needless to say WE/THEY were all pleased. We haven’t stopped getting calls about the food at the CH and the Reception. People told us that they never eat at the reception because they are too full from the CH but that they couldn’t resist at BVYC. I would say most people got the filet mignon and they all raved. I personally didn’t get to eat much (I know….I tried). The entire place is beautiful and the sunset was a dream. The main room was recently remodeled/redecorated and the result is a more elegant and classic feel. My family couldn’t believe this is a year round tent. I was super worried about the temperature, being that we had a 30 degree day and it was after all a tent. This was not a problem at all and at times guests felt that they were too hot. (maybe thanks to the DJ)
IF you look at my pics you should get an idea of the setting there.

FM Entertainment- A+ Frank was fantastic. I love a good family owned business and the charm that comes with it. He took all of our suggestions and really helped to make it an energetic party. He did a great job at mixing in the Portuguese music with older songs and more popular dance music. You won’t believe his price if you see his work and/or go to his showcase.

Ahead Haircutting: A+ Paulette and the whole crew at Ahead did a wonderful job at getting me, MOB, MOG, my BMs and my FG’s hair done. They remained on schedule and gave everyone the look that they wanted. It doesn’t hurt that this salon is also so affordable that it is almost a joke. They were professional and talented.

Make-up by Sharon: A+ This woman can do makeup on anyone. She gave everyone a different look that was best suited to each person. The makeup was subtle but really looked amazing in the pictures. My makeup lasted the whole night without a smear. She was probably the easiest person to get in touch with and runs a tight business. She is experienced with brides and wedding parties, but does not make you pay extra for that experience which I respected. My MIL was so pleased with her makeup that she cried.

Kleinfeld’s Bridal: A+
I bought my dress from Kiyra who saw pics of the styles I liked, asked some questions, then went to the storeroom and found exactly that. If you look at my pics you will see I do not have a typical gown. She really hit the target with that choice so…it was a sale. Kiyra helped me pick a veil and my best friend made me buy a hair comb that really made my hairstyle. I loved the veil for the church and pics and felt that it helped to make my overall look more traditional for in the church. I noticed 10 min before we had to leave for the church that we had ripped a 12 inch hole into my veil which could have made a lot of brides cry. I shrugged it off and my mom threw a few stitches in it to disguise the tear. The veil was surprisingly affordable when compared to other competitors.
Janet from the alterations department- A+ There was nothing that I could say or do that would faze Janet. I practiced all kinds of dancing, had her adjust my cutlets and more. She was such a patient lady. She taught my BM how to bustle and always listened to any suggestions that we provided her with.

All County Limo: A+ I picked them randomly and was so pleased. The driver was a lady that fixed my train and veil prior to walking up the aisle. She was the sweetest. Most importantly she was early (1:15 when scheduled for 1:30) which gave me peace of mind. I would recommend using these folks.

Capabionco’s Florist in Glen Cove: A - We used this place as she is my friends moms friend (ha). Catarina was very helpful. She was extremely flexible with my budget and made the whole styling of the tables possible. The bo-Ks were lovely and the FGs flower ball was so cute. Everything was timely and very pretty.

Patken Photography and Videographer: A+
We had Mike for Video and Vinnie for photo. They both were very fun and professional. I really dreaded this part of the day because I felt really uncomfortable after the posing for the engagement photos, but on our day I did not feel this at all. These guys made it feel natural and comfortable. I haven’t seen any proofs yet so my rating will be based on my experiences that day alone. Now that is all said and done I keep thinking of pictures that I wanted to get but forgot, but I think that will always be the case.

David’s Bridal: A- Flower girl dress and shhhhhh day of earings (no they aren’t family heirlooms) The dress was really cute and affordable. The service there leaves a lot to be desired but I guess it is what it is. They have so many great accessories there at great prices.

Sandals Royal Caribbean- Jamaica- A
How could a honeymoon be bad. They have first class people working there. You feel good being around such a nice staff in the most beautiful setting ever. The food was flavorful and abundant. The French restaurant was so good I couldn’t believe we didn’t have to pay extra to dine there. I would recommend skipping the Thai restaurant (even if you like Thai food). We had a big four poster bed which was romantic. Unfortunately they don’t use box springs there (for whatever reason) and when you make the smallest movement it is louder than a car alarm (not good for honeymooners). These are all minor details and all in all the place is great and we didn’t want to leave. The staff there is so talented in singing, dancing, magic tricks, etc. They make traveling easy from transfers to and from the airport, to meals, to activities and beyond.

So I guess you can see I wasn’t really unhappy with anyone/anything. Not everything went according to plan but it really didn’t matter. I am so glad I agreed to get the video (I know Im crazy for not wanting it originally) because I didn’t get a chance to pay attention to everything that was happening because it all moved together at once. Thanks for reading and good luck and love to all of you!

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Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

great review.....thanks for sharing

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Great review! What a beutiful pic!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Congrats. Glad you had a great day. We have FM too. Frank was great!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

thanks for the review!!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Great Review! Congrats and cant wait for you to post some pro pics!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Great review, I love your dress!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Thank you!

Your dress is so unique! From the picture it looks like it's backless! HOT

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Thanks so much! I think you are totally right about vendors. I have gotten amazing ideas from here but there are TONs out there!

Everything sounds fantastic and that picture is fab!!

Congrats!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

CONGRATS & that is a GORGEOUS Picture

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

I loooove your dress! Great review! Thanks!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Congrats !!!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Congrats! Great review!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

Great pic! And great review Congrats!

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

great review! i also would have to give LIW a big fat F- for making me procrastinate....I'm supposed to be writing a paper right now, but I'm on here!!!!!!

anyway, congrats on getting married

Re: Our 2/16/08 Wedding Review at Bridgeview with Patken, FM Entertainment, **********’s Florist, All County Limo, Ahead Haircutting, Makeup by Sharon, Community Church of East Williston

congrats!!!