***OUR BEAUTIFUL & GORGEOUS OUTDOOR GARDEN WEDDING JUNE 21, 2008*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MORE!!***

**** First, I have to thank our family and friends for devoting their time and support to make our wedding a memorable day for both of us! To my amazement, everything turned out beautifully. It took over a year to plan and organize our wedding. It was an absolutely incredible experience for us. We decided to have an outdoor garden theme since it was in June and incorporate fun surprises & activities into our wedding. I couldn’t ask for more than our beautiful wedding day with perfect weather (luckily, we had sun instead of rain storms!)! We are very fortune to be able to share our celebration with our families, friends, and guests. I have learned so much after investing and devoting all the time and money into putting a wedding together. I'm in the process of becoming a certified wedding planner! Wish me luck!
***Link for wedding photos found on bottom page. Sorry, I'm having difficulty attaching the photos to my review.***

A LITTLE ABOUT US:
My FH, Julius and I met while training and working for NYPDCC. He always said a brief hello and goodbye before his train stop. Unexpectedly, he asked me out to dinner. From there, our relationship grew from friendship to love for one another. From dinner to movies, we always had the greatest conversations and we never ran out of things to do! We’re always at our happiest when comforted by one other. After three years into our relationship, we decided to continue to embrace what life may bring, as we share our hopes and dreams, and embark on a journey together! ('');

BRIDAL SHOWER:
My MOH, Diana threw a beautiful bridal shower with a gorgeous cake from Valencia Bakery displaying my wedding colors- sage & gold! All of my friends planned activities and games before the gift opening part. My fave was the toilet paper wedding dress! We awarded some prizes to the best wedding outfits created from toilet paper. Prizes include- Spa & pedicure set, bartender set, and aromatherapy set.
**Pics found on bottom link **

DINNER REHEARSAL- D
http://www.eastbuffet.us/mainSite/content/blogcategory/2/34/
Originally, our dinner rehearsal was planned at Green Papaya, an Asian Fusion restaurant in the area. Due to inconvenience of the location, we decided to go somewhere local and stumble upon East Buffet & Restaurant in Flushing, NY. There were many food stations: sushi, carved roast beef, grilled steaks, lambs, Chinese cuisine, seafood, salads, and even a dessert bar! Some of the negative factors about the restaurant. Drinks were separate from the cost per person. Fountain drinks were monitored by an attendant with a key. There was a one hour limit per table--this was absurd considering we had 2 tables for a party of 15. The restaurant charges a penalty for uneaten portions per plate. (Policy apply to every table). Needless to say, it will definitely be our last and only visit there!

INVITATIONS: Handy Kane A-
http://www.handykaneweddings.com/
I would definitely recommend their invitations for anyone that is having a theme wedding or something different. Their invitations are definitely one of a kind & they do stand out from other printing companies. The invites were incredibly affordable. We ordered the 1920's timeless theme for 100 invites at 1.00 ea. that comes with envelopes and enclosed seals. The RSVP & reception cards/postcards are an extra charge. If you order together, you'll get a slight discount. The only problem I had working with Handy Kane was their promptness & response. They do not have a contact number. All contacts are done through email. I had to email constantly to track my order and make sure we got our invites on time. They took a really long to ship out the invites even with express delivery. I would order them in advance so you have at least 2-3 months to mail out your invites. They are definitely not the vendor to work with if you are having time constraints with your wedding planning. Overall, I was really happy with our invites and we saved a bundle. The paper and printing quality surpass our expectations and it was worth every cent!

WEDDING PROGRAMS: Michael’s Arts & Crafts A+++++
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home
Originally, the stationary were for my invites but I end up using the paper for the wedding programs. I brought two 50 pkg. of whimsical floral design and plain ivory paper. My very talented sister-in-law, Kelly download a template and print out all the details using the ivory paper. The front cover was the floral paper wrapped over the ivory paper. It was tied together with a pink ribbon. The programs were beautifully done, my love & gratitude to Kelly!

WEDDING BANDS: Macy’s Jewelry Department A+++++
http://www.macys.com/
Although this was not our original choice, we found these gorgeous and elegant wedding bands at the last minute. Originally, we were interested in purchasing the Na Hoku wedding bands since their cuts have a creative tribal design. Due to expense and lack of time to get them resized, we had to find a quick alternative option. The jewelry sales department was extremely eager to assist and show us different designs. We finally settled on the 18k white gold with scroll designs engraving on the bands. It went nicely with my engagement ring and gave it a simple and elegant look without overdoing it.

BLUE NILE JEWELRY- A+++
http://www.bluenile.com/
My husband purchased my engagement ring from Blue Nile so he could customize the ring for me. When the ring was completed, he completely stunned me with a platinum 3-stone emerald cut with trillion diamonds. The design and cut of my ring was beautifully made, I love it!

JEWELRY: Macy’s Jewelry Department A+++++
I purchased most of my jewelry needs for the day of the wedding as well as gifts for my bridesmaids. My bracelet was Givenchy, it gives off an extra sparkle and shimmer throughout the wedding day. My diamond necklace was a present from my mother.The Monet earrings and hair combs was absolutely stunning! I love this jewelry line since it carries a vintage and classic look which resembles to a lot of pieces you find in jewelry stores for a fraction of the cost. I brought necklaces and earrings from Givenchy and misc. designers for my sisters and bridesmaids. I also found cufflinks, money clip, and accessories by Kenneth Cole & Geoffrey Beene for FH & GM’s.

WEDDING GOWN: April Designs,
Jeff Liu from eBay A++++++++
http://stores.ebay.com/April-Bridal
My gown is a replica of Eve of Milady 2006 collection, a strapless satin ball gown with gold embroidery over white silk. It has a hand beaded detail. The gown itself cost over 2K. My replica version was less than $400. Jeff, the tailor did a beautiful job replicating the beading detail of the gown. The satin material resembled very closely to silk. He responded promptly to my emails and gave me an exact date on when to expect the arrival of the gown. When I received my gown, he threw in the matching veil and crinoline hoop skirt free of charge. I had to make a minor adjustment to the gown which was to take in the length of the train (since I’m 5’1). I also brought an additional gown to change for the reception but ended up going with an Isaac Mizrahi bridal line dress since the material was much lighter and easier to dance around in. I would definitely recommend Jeff for brides who are looking to cut down the cost without sacrificing the gown they want for their wedding. My many thanks to Jeff for the beautiful gown on my wedding day!

Reception Dress: Isaac Mizrahi Bridal for Target A+++++++++++++
http://www.target.com/
My reception gown is from Isaac Mizrahi's bridal line. It was a strapless sateen sheath dress with back buttons in opal cream. I also got the Spanish brown silk faille sash to go with the dress. It’s more of a butter cream shade than off white. It looked absolutely gorgeous at the reception. I felt so comfortable dancing around in the dress. The boning in the bodice of the dress as well as the slimming silhouette flattered my figure. There is one annoying detail to the dress- the row of buttons since the dress has no zipper! On the other hand, great price, amazing look, and comfy dress, I can’t complain! I would highly recommend this dress for any bride that wants to make a grand entrance on their wedding day!

VEIL: Veil by Lesliev from eBay C+
My matching veil didn’t have a comb sewn in to tuck underneath my hair. So I tried tackling the task using DIY books and websites- it was a total mess! I didn’t know what I was doing. So I brought an ivory cathedral length veil from Lesliev to match my wedding gown. The material was nice but the veil was not long enough. It didn’t fully cover my hair from the back when the veil pulled over my face. The fabric was not properly trimmed and it was cut way too short. Save your money and go to a sample gown sales or bridal shop to find the perfect veil that goes with your gown!

MARSHALLS- A+++
My wedding shoes really matched with my Isaac Mizrahi dress since the shade was similar in color. I was really happy that I found a pair of beautiful Carole Little sandals with jewel beading and orange Ceylon gem. Not only were the sandals super comfy for walking and dancing around but it is definitely one of the great finds that sticks out from all the shoes I’ve seen at bridal stores. Originally, I found a pair of Nine West shoes that had this intricate design with a tribal detail. Unfortunately, the heels were over 3’ and difficult to walk back and forth in them. I stored away the shoes after my wedding for only special occasions. Out of all my shoes, they are a favorite of mine!

DK BRIDAL & TUXEDO CENTER- A+++
http://www.dkbridaltux.net/
My FH, Julius rent the Stephen Geoffrey Chocolate Parisian tuxedo. It looked stunning on him! He's so handsome. The price was great and the sales guy arranged the whole package from the tux to the shoes. We got a great deal for the whole rental. The service was great and the tux was sent to the store for pick-up two weeks prior to our wedding. I would highly recommend the DK Bridals in Jamaica, NY. The neighborhood isn't the greatest but the store definitely throws in great deals and tux rentals especially for the bridal party. The store also has recommendation for linen rentals, photography & videographer vendors, and wedding planning as well a display case ranging from cake toppers to flower baskets. I have seen previous post with bad reviews about their service in the Manhattan location. We were definitely very pleased with the Queens location.

RAMPAGE- A+++
http://www.rampage.com/
It took me a long time to search for my MOH & BM’s dresses in a light material that they could wear again for special occasions. I love Rampage stores particularly their dresses. I have a bunch in my closet! I was so bummed when their stores closed down and operated as an online store. Luckily, I subscribed to their email list to get all the updates on new arrivals & sales. I came across the dresses around prom season. I finally found the dresses for the BM’s- the mesh halter dress with caviar beaded border in kiwi green! All the dresses come with an attached satin sash. My BM’s had to take in the halter neckline since the plunge was a bit lower than norm. The dresses were beautiful and it went with our wedding colors- sage & gold! My younger sister JBM ordered a sheer matte jersey empire dress with beading in teal. It looked amazing on her! I was really in luck since the dresses were also on clearance. I just saved a couple of hundred not having to pay bridal store price. I was so relieved; I found great & comfortable dresses for my MOH and BM’s!

DAFFY’S- A+++
I found a cute and sheer dress for my flower girl. It was perfect for an outdoor summer wedding!

IMANI UOMO TUXEDO- A+
All GM (except the best man, Calvin Klein Black Radnor Tux w/ Jean Jacques Capri Mint Vest and tie) wore the black Imani Uomo tux with matching trousers and reversible silver vests with black ties. I purchased the tuxes online and got a great deal. Each tux came with matching ties & bows as well as reversible vests. The GM got their measurements from a local tailor and hemmed their trousers. (Guys have it so much easier than us gals when it comes to dressing up!)

WEDDING FAVORS: Favors & Flowers A+++
http://www.favorsandflowers.com/
I ordered 100 picnic mini baskets and sage ribbon for our wedding favors. JoAnn, the owner was very bubbly and a pleasure to work with for my wedding needs. She even taught me how to tie the ribbons on the baskets to create a perfect bow. Her store was stunning with all the different and unique merchandise for wedding favors. I loved every item. There is something for each bride in her store. However, the pricing can be expensive depending on what items you get. It is definitely worth it if you have extra money or don’t have the time to search for personalized and unique favors. For our wedding favors, we wrapped truffles (in two flavors- milk chocolate with truffle center topped with praline nuts and white chocolate with strawberry center) in gold tulle tied with white ribbon and tucked them in the baskets. I got round favor tags from xoxosweetinvitations (Ebay) printed with our names & wedding date. Our guests raved about the truffles and picnic baskets! My siblings and friends got together to assemble all of the favors. They’re the best!

MISC. VENDORS FROM EBAY- A+++
SweetxoxoInvitations: Cute personalized tags and invites for DIY projects. I ordered the sweets tags personalized with our names and date of the wedding and the confetti toss packets with a sweet inscription: Shower the bride & groom with happiness! I was really pleased with the packaging and design of the items.
Mickey & Minnie Wedding Ring Pillow: Prompt transaction and delivery. I loved the touch of a little twist to a traditional ring pillow. Kids love holding something different especially since the ceremony tends to stretch a bit long. Anything with colors, shapes, cartoons, fun & whimsical prints they can relate to will definitely hold up their interest longer as opposed to a plain embroidered pillow.
Organic Rose petal Toss: I ordered extra tossing material since I could only order the last 30 confetti packets. The rose petals arrived in individual tubes that made it easier and convenient to toss. It didn’t create a mess that individual packs of petals create when taken out for DIY projects.
Precious Moments Japanese Ceremony Bride & Groom: It was a cute touch for our wedding and represented my mixed heritage. I was really fortunate to find it in time to use the figurines as our cake topper. Not only did the figurines compliment the cake but it went really well with our outdoor garden wedding!
Sparklers:
http://www.theweddingfavorbar.com
I ordered the sparklers through expedite shipping with the Wedding Favor Bar.com and saved so much on sparklers. Our friends & families had so much fun!

Mikasa- A+
http://www.mikasa.com/
A classic and timeless silverware for every occasion. I went to a Mikasa outlet that was closing down so all inventory was marked on clearance. I noticed these two flower baskets. It was perfect for the flower girls! Kelly add a little touch by hot gluing butterflies on each side of the basket which can purchased at any arts & craft stores.

CENTURY 21 DEPARTMENT STORES- A+
http://www.c21stores.com/#/store-locations/?store=manhattan
We found these one of a kind Lennox Jubilee toasting flutes with pearl strands on the stem of the glass. We saved a fortune from the retail price of the flutes. Our family, friends, and guests kept raving about the flutes. We’re definitely keeping the flutes to pass on to our future children. Crystals are vintage pieces & priceless, you can pass on and reuse again.

LINGERIE/SHAPEWEAR: Victoria's Secret- B+
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/collection/?cgname=OSSLPWEDZZZ&cgnbr=OSSLPWEDZZZ&rfnbr=5940
I brought a hi-waist shaper and buster (Victoria’s Secret) that stay put all night but the support was minimal. It didn’t hide any flaws or stomach bulge. It’s pretty similar to Spanx.

QUEENS BOTANICAL GARDEN: A+++
www.queensbotanical.org
Our wedding was amazing! Queens Botanical Garden was the perfect location for our wedding. The gardens were recently under renovations. I loved the new additions to the garden from the brook in the Cherry Circle Lawn to the red terrace with seats and tables. I booked my ceremony and reception in the gardens for an outdoor wedding. Our ceremony took place in the wedding garden in front of a gazebo with the over look of a willow tree and a pathway crossing the bridge. The ceremony package included one hour for photos & video. For the outdoor reception, we rented the Cherry Circle Lawn to enjoy the summer evening. We had amazing views of the brooks, ponds, and gardens for the pictures. The Visitor & Services Manager/Events Coordinator, Clare Del Monaco was amazing throughout our wedding planning. She coordinated and managed our timing from the ceremony to the reception. She also went out of her way to contact all the vendors to make sure everything went smoothly. In addition, we were able to use the space under the red terrace for our cocktail hour. We also got an hour in the wedding garden for the day of our rehearsal. Our wedding was definitely the highlight of the year for our families & our guests! They loved every detail. We got so many compliments and raves throughout the day of our wedding. All of them agreed that it was the best wedding they've ever been to! I would highly recommend QBG to all brides for a one of a kind wedding!

THE NEW YORK TENT COMPANY, INC.- A+++
http://www.nytent.com/index.html
Our reception tent looked like a bridal magazine cover. We add tent liners with two chandeliers. It was simply gorgeous! Everything was glowing with the voltaire and lights; I couldn't believe my eyes how beautiful the tent was set up. We had the amber & green color gel lights which we didn't need since the chandeliers were so bright. Danielle was my favorite contact person; she followed through with our order every step of the way. She was so honest with our needs. Originally, we want to do flooring so the guests would not have to walk all over the grass for an outdoor reception. She pointed out the pricing; the cost is more than the tent itself. And it's an unnecessary expense. She even suggested the color lights to match our wedding colors. And I loved how she was super organized with the paper work and all the updates with our rentals. I really enjoyed working with Danielle & the staff from the NY Tent Rental Co. They show you the different types of tent, give suggestions based on your wedding size and needs, and let you customize your rentals for your big day. Overall, I was really blown away and they definitely exceed my expectations. I absolutely loved my reception! My wedding turned out beautifully thanks to NY Tent Rentals for their amazing tent & rentals.

DUET PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO- A+++
http://www.duetwedding.com
I loved working with Duet for our wedding. Danny's team was great to work with & they made our wedding day go by smoothly. Not only were they attentive to our photo & video shoot but they helped from pinning the corsages on the guests to lining our families for our formal portraits. Even though the pricing is a bit out of budget, it is so worth it! I have seen their previous work for other brides as well as their albums and they are absolutely amazing. I would definitely suggest going through each photographer's work since each person's style is different. You should definitely feel comfortable working with your photographer and videographer. I definitely felt relaxed working with Duet. Danny's team was phenomenal!

The ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP- A+++
http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/the-architects-music-group-island-park/9380985412849099.html
Our Arrival as Newly Weds: “When the Stars Go Blue” The Corrs & Bono, U2
Our First Dance: “Ever the Same” Rob Thomas, former Matchbox Twenty Band
Bride & Father Dance: “All For You” Sister Hazel
Groom & Mother Dance: “Let Them Be Little” Billy Dean
Guests First Dance: “Better Together” Jack Johnson followed by DJ List
Dinner: “Relax Max” Dinah Washington
Cake Cutting: “This I Swear” Nick Lachey
Tossing the Bouquet: “It Takes Two Baby” Marvin Gayne & Kim Weston Duet
Throwing the Garter: “I’ll Melt With You” Nouvelle Vague
Last Dance: “Stolen” Dashboard Confessional
We loved working with John & Andrew for our wedding! Not only were they friendly and down-to-earth musicians but they were extremely flexible and organized with our wedding timeline and songs. I met with John & Andrew once to go through the songs, contract, and wedding schedule. They immediately put themselves to work and managed everything perfectly from there. They dedicated the past nine months rehearsing our important songs for the wedding. In terms of pricing, we definitely got a lot from the service. They played for our cocktail and reception. We even got a bonus: they add a new addition member to their group, a DJ with a complete sound system and equipment. We gave them a DJ list and they covered every song. They even add in a few songs that rocked our wedding! Our families and guests had so much fun; they didn't want the night to end. We danced the night away!!! I would definitely book with them as early as possible.

ROB ROSENBERGER (SECULAR & MULTI-CULTURAL WEDDING OFFICIANT)- A+++
I was looking for an officiant for our wedding since we want an outdoor garden ceremony. Since my mother-in-law is a Jehovah Witness, she can not enter into any church other than her religion. I had browse through so many different sites and contact various officiants. In the end, not only did they charge ridiculous fees for a short ordinate ceremony but they were not willing to do the rehearsal. They listed extra charge per hour & a door to door service. A lot of the officiants claimed that rehearsals are unnecessary. They claim from experience through numerous weddings they've done, the day usually runs smoothly. Do not listen to anyone that tells you otherwise-- REHEARSALS ARE CRUCIAL!!! This is the case for a big wedding party or an outdoor ceremony. You do not want your wedding party to be disorganized or confused at the last second. They need to be familiarized with their cue so they know when to walk down the aisle. Everything will come out much nicer if you rehearse it at least once. This gives everyone a general idea on what to expect that day. I went on craigslist and browse through the events section. There were a lot of officiants listed on the page. I came across Rob and decide to contact him. He is definitely not a typical officiant that you expect-- very down to business and stuffy. He was really approachable, warm & laid-back, open-minded, and a great guy! He went out of his way to make sure everything was what I want and expect on the day of my wedding. We had a few meetings to get familiarized with the ceremony details and wedding rehearsal. My husband and I had a really great time working with Rob. He went beyond his duties for an officiant to make sure my wedding was absolute and perfect. I would highly recommend him for anyone that needs an officiant! He was extremely flexible with our schedule and pricing. In the end, we got more than an officiant for the day; we also got to know a really great person!

BELLYDANCE BY DANIELA- A+++
http://www.danielabellydance.com/index.html
It was so much fun having Daniela perform at our wedding! She's a total sweetheart. Not only did she give a spectacular show but she also engaged our guests to belly dance. We booked for a 30 minute show which included dancing with wings, sword, and cymbals. We are still getting compliments and raves from guests about the entertainment at our reception. I was really fortunate to be able to book with her since her schedule is usually full with her dancing classes. We really loved & enjoyed working with her!! I would highly recommend her performance for anyone that's doing a unique theme for any events, particularly their wedding. My favorite part of the performance is when Daniela enters with the wings during the entrance of the show. That is truly a sight! She was absolutely amazing!

TEN STRINGS MUSIC STUDIO- A+++
http://www.tenstringsmusicstudio.com
Ceremony Music:
Prelude:
“Arioso” Bach
“100 Years” Five For Fighting
“You’re Beautiful” James Blunt
Wedding Party Processional: “Traditional Canon in D”
Bridal March: “Everything” Lifehouse
Interlude: “Only Time” Enya
Recessional: “Slide” Goo Goo Dolls
Postlude: “Air on the G String”
I booked the guitar and flute duo for our ceremony. Elizabeth and Paul are very talented musicians. They were very professional during our rehearsal and worked really hard to find the music notes for our songs. Alice, the director was very pleasant to work with, she went out of her way to purchase the song book (hard to find music notes) for our ceremony the day before the wedding! I was really grateful; I had the opportunity to work with such great people! They played beautifully during our ceremony.

FLAVOR BY TEN BISTRO 18- C+
http://www.flavornyc.com/
I came across Flavor by Bistro Ten 18 on a catering site. I made an appointment with the owner, Craig Skiptunis to discuss our wedding plans. The pricing for a seated dinner included pastries & sweets and a cocktail hour with passed hors d' oeuvres. I was blown away by the rate per guest. Our proposal included passed lobsters, grilled jerk chicken, Filet Mignon Crostini, tuna tartar, stationary buffets of cheese and breads and veggies with dips for the cocktail hour. For the seated dinner, the chef designed an entree -summer mixed grill entree of grilled shrimp on sugarcane skewers, Filet Mignon with mango salsa, Kahlrabi Slaw, smoked purple potato salad and grilled asparagus. The first course was the chilled tomato soup followed by arugula & endive salad. Dessert was miniature sweets and pastries. At our tasting, I was blown away by the presentation and quality of the food. We were so stuffed; we couldn't walk out of there! A couple of revisions were made before we were satisfied on the negotiations of the rentals and rates per wait staff. It was still overpriced! On the day of the wedding, everyone was served with small portions of food. Our families and guests were still hungry since only five trays of hors d' oeuvres were passed around! The stationary buffets only refilled with cheese, breads and veggies. Due to a photo session, we asked a waitstaff to prepare a plate and drinks for us. The waitstaff directed us to empty trays and no drinks. I became mortified with their waitstaff that collected plates and flutes while our family and guests were eating! The reception hour got worse. Plates were continuously collected after less than 20 minutes into dinner. We told our server to give us another fifteen minutes since we had activities planned for the reception. When I contact Craig to give our feedback, he acknowledged he would bring it up at their company meetings. However, we didn't get any incentives or apologies from the company. When I got the final invoice for the catering, I was astounded by the wait staff's rates for overtime. It was charging half of the reception’s rate. I thought it was a joke since their staff left before I did at the reception. They quoted more liquor than was actually opened. They rounded each table with 4 bottles of wine in addition to cocktails, soda, juice, and beer. We were charged for extra linens since two tables were missing due to delivery issues. The rental company gave us 10% off but charged us absurdly for the delivery. More rentals were add unnecessary to our final bill. Our wedding cake was discarded without informing us. I didn't get to save the top layer of the cake for our anniversary! Neither the wait staff nor assistant manager bothered to let us know. The assistant manager failed to maintain organization with the reception, direct her waitstaff, and informing us before making actual decision to discard our cake. Overall, I was not impressed and disappointed with the delivery and performance on the day of the wedding!

CARA LINN CAKES, INC.- B+
http://www.caralinncakes.com
Our cake was beautiful! I came across a UK bridal magazine at B&N and fell in love with the design of the cake. It was a 3-tier round cake with intricate design and cascading flowers around the cake. I first came across Cara at craigslist and book my husband's birthday cake with her. After emailing her the different flavors and designs, we met up for the cake tasting. She charged lower for the truffles for our wedding favors once we decide to book her. I was hoping for the cake to turn out exactly as the tasting. Everything was perfect prior and on the day of the wedding for the truffles and cake! The cake was moist and delicious! We had a winter white cake with raspberry preserves and lemon butter cream. Cara incorporate different flowers and shapes to make the cake one of a kind. The only negative thing I have to say was the pricing. I found out after my wedding, she charged less for cakes served 100+. Needless to say, I was not happy since I had spent so much money on her services for most of the birthday cakes. I received an email from her apologizing for the confusion. She explained she recently launched a new website which included a promotion for the pricing. However, my wedding was only a week after she launched her website. My advice is to shop around, a lot of small businesses and catering schools offer a lot less than cake designers.***A quick note: The pricing has gone up from what she had charged me for the cakes. Although they do work with any budget, you will still have to splurge a bit more than norm.***

RACHEL LEIGH BEAUTY- C+
http://www.rlbeauty.com/
Due to unavailability with other artists, I decide to contact Rachel on craigslist. I booked her for a trial and signed a contract with a 50% deposit before she was willing to take the appt. I was really looking forward to working with her after viewing her portfolio. On the day of the trial, she was late and did not appear friendly until we start talking. In the end, I was not thrilled with the make-up. I liked the hair but the make-up could have been a lot better. She made some adjustments to my face chart and eye palette. At the end of the trial, I was satisfied. I told her to email the trial shot. I never got it. On the day of the wedding, she arrived a half hour late to my place. Myself and my BM's were waiting on her for our hair & make up. She brought along an assistant who didn't do any make-up or hair. All of my BM got their hair & make-up done approx. 15-20 mins. each. They all end up re-doing their eye make-up since the eyeliner was heavily rimmed. I was expecting her to use a top quality mascara compared to Maybelline. She curled my hair halfway and forgot the hairstyle. When she was done with my hair, the curls were pinned the wrong way and looser than the trial. My eye shadow was extremely bright since she kept sweeping my lids. My fake eyelashes had dried up glue sticking on the tips. We were running late so I didn't get a chance to tell her to fix it. She did a quick touch of foundation on FH and all GM before the ceremony. And a quick touch-up on my lip gloss after the ceremony. The whole four hours booked for touch-ups, she only sat at the cocktail hour and had a quick bite. It was not until before the reception that she hurriedly rush to do my touch up and hair so she can jet out of there. She forgot about my BM's and I had to stop her to have their hair & make-up re-touched. My hair should have been re-curled but she scrunched it up and pinned it. My curls end up looking flat and non-existent the whole evening. Not wasting any minute, she quickly assured me to twirl my curls with hair pins if it falls off. When I got my wedding proofs, I realized, I should had definitely booked with a professional artist at a salon. Overall, I felt she's too young and impatient for bridal work. She's more suitable for fashion shows since there's no time constraint.

FLOWER YOU- F-
http:// www. Best Floral Design. com
*type web link together, no space*
DO NOT BOOK ANY SERVICES WITH THEM!!! Our experience was horrible with this vendor! Their flowers are extremely over priced! They were very economical with our flowers. Basically, it looked like they stripped a bunch of orchids to make the personal flowers and decor. My own bouquet turned out smaller than the rest of my bridesmaids' bouquets. The owner, Alex Todd is very disorganized and unprofessional in terms of directing her staff. The day before my wedding, I received a phone call from one of her staff at the shop who informed me the flowers chosen would brown easily. They would require at least six hours to set up all floral arrangements. I told them that the garden is a city-owned park. Not only were they not flexible but they were not sympathetic at all. They flat out told us,' THAT IS A HUGE PROBLEM!!' I had to make a long trip to her shop the day before my wedding. Not only was Alex unprepared for the meeting, she was very surprised to see me there. She quickly addressed the situation & assured us, she would personally be there to handle everything. On the day of our wedding, it was a major disaster!!! Her staff arranged all the flowers from our personal flowers to corsages at the reception tent. My own wedding party have to move the flowers to the ceremony site and remind them what was missing from the floral list. By the time we locate her staff to get our personal flowers, we were running a half hour late in our ceremony. They forgot the wristlets for our family members. They had to arrange them on the side. My own bouquet had missing rhinestone jewelry! The stems were not trimmed at all. Our archway did not have any flowers, only the sides had a few scattered orange lilies. The tent liner had orchid petals scattered over the trimming of the tent instead of cascading orchids parting the tent. All of our personals were stuck in a large heavy vase to keep the flowers fresh. Our flowers start to wither by the cocktail hour. When I informed Alex how displeased we were with her service, not only did she not apologize for the delivery of service. She sent me an email one week later blaming my MOH as well as my wedding party for causing the delay! She claimed her staff could not find MOH when her staff was hiding at the tent. I pointed out all the problems with the flowers as well as the missing items (rhinestones & wristlets) on the day of the wedding. She did not address any of those issues. She simply stated certain staff members were not responsible for the floral coordination nor do they work at her store. Ironically, they were the ones handling my floral arrangements the day of and before my wedding. I have no idea why they were in the store as well as placing calls to handle her client's flowers. We rent out the vases to lower the florist cost. Not only were the glass vases heavier than the sample shown to us, no boxes or bins were provide to us. We end up calling car service to make the difficult transportation of the vases. Our family helped us with the return of the vases right after our wedding. I received two emails and phone calls claiming for five missing vases. I confirmed with my family that all the items had been signed & returned. They charged us $70 for two slightly cracked vases. She claim that her eight complimentary buckets cost $15.00 ea. to hold the corsages. The bottom of the bucket had a price tag- $2.55 ea./$27.60 doz. She demanded crystals back from a branch arrangement when it was paid in full. I asked for half of the payment for returning the crystals and she dropped the whole claim. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with an inexperienced florist (Alex), disorganized staff/manpower, delivery, performance, service, and lack of professionalism at FLOWER YOU. I would not recommend this vendor to anyone. I was mortified by the experience of working with them!

NEW YORK WEDDING PLAZA- F-
DO NOT WORK WITH THIS VENDOR!!
http://www.nyweddingplaza.net/
I noticed this place called Wedding Plaza across the street from QBG. At first, it seems perfect and convenient...little did I realize the horrible service we were going to receive on our wedding day! Due to cost and time factor, we went along reluctantly since we need transportation for our wedding. They did charge us a bit less than other companies but the service was not worth it. Our package included two limos and a Rolls Royce. We only need the service to take us to and back from QBG. They cut us some slack and charged us for the 3 hrs. to get to QBG and an add'l 2 hrs to transport our families and wedding party back instead of a 8-9 hour pkg with other companies. So we have a total of 5 hrs with the cars. The week before our wedding, we were told we have the Rolls Royce for the first 3 hours. However, we would not be given the Rolls Royce to transport us home. They were going to arrange another car to pick us up. On the day of the wedding, the Rolls Royce transport myself and my sisters to QBG. My driver was professional but the car inside was dirty and stained. There were no drinks or refreshments. My husband on the other hand had drinks and refreshments inside his limo. The worse part was this vendor got caught and hovered around to take photos. They interfered with our photographers and camera crew after they politely told them they could not take certain shots. Not only were they rude but they insisted they were not taking pictures.Towards the end of the night, we were informed by the driver at the last minute; our contract included two limos to transport our families’ home. When I told him, we arranged and agreed that another car was going to pick us up. The driver told us he was only told to provide the ride home for the families not us. We were left in front of the garden with no car to take us home. We had to call for car service in the middle of the night due to the BS that this vendor provided.

HONEYMOON: BEST DAY TRAVEL A++++
http://www.bestday.com/
GRAND PRINCESS RIVIERA RESORT- A+++
http://www.princess-hotels.com/web/EN/FPW/17_Detalle_Hotel.asp?H=47402
Our honeymoon was amazing! We booked with Best Day Travel for an all-inclusive package for six days, five nights to Riviera Maya, Mexico. We stayed at the beautiful Grand Princess Riviera Resort. Our laguna villa suite came with features: an outdoor roof shower, Jacuzzi, flat-screen plasma TV, complimentary champagne & chocolates for newly-weds, bathrobes and slippers and personal concierge service. As part of our booking package, we were treated to a free spa day for a 30 min. massage, manicure, and pedicure. We enjoyed the spa and were pampered like royals. We saw the invoice for our free spa service; the total cost was over $3,000 USD. There were several restaurants in the resort to choose from during the stay at the resort. There was Asian fusion, Italian, Seafood & Steak, Mexican, diner/buffet, and Fondue which featured a diverse dining experience. We enjoyed the food, hospitality and friendliness of the staff, tourist guides, and locals in Riviera Maya.
We went on a tour to see the Chichen Itza and ruins. Although the weather was very humid and sticky, it was worth it to be able to view one of the ancient seven world wonders. On the next day, we did the Cancun jungle tour and snorkeling in the Nichupte lagoon. It was a two hour trip on a boat that you have to drive on your own. It definitely scared the hell out of me (non-swimmer) but it was fun. We also tour around Carmen Del Playa, mostly bargain vendors and tourist attraction sites. . Other than food, everything is expensive away from the Cancun area. On our last day, we saved our energy for the Xcaret park. It's like Six Flags except it's huge with everything mixed up in one: wildlife, water activities, exhibitions, performances, butterfly conservatory, and floral garden. It took us the whole day to do everything! We snorkel in the underground caves, tour around the whole park for the wildlife animals, rode on the water raft, explore the archeological sites in the Mayan villages and chapels, and stayed for the night performance which featured Mexico's cultural dances and an ancient ball game. Players have to bounce a heavy rubber ball (8.5 pd) to pass through a stone ring using only their hips. It was a really fun and exciting week for both of us! We would definitely go back again.
**Honeymoon Pics found on bottom link***

Thanks for reading!! Best of luck & wishes to all
the beautiful bride-to-be and congrats to all the newly-weds!!!

Link for wedding photos:
http://christinejulius62108.shutterfly.com/

Re: ***OUR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BEAUTIFUL & SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR GARDEN JUNE 21, 2008 WEDDING*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MO

Great detailed review. Your pictures look great!!

Re: ***OUR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BEAUTIFUL & SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR GARDEN JUNE 21, 2008 WEDDING*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MO

great review! im sorry your catering wasnt exactly what you wanted!!

Re: ***OUR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BEAUTIFUL & SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR GARDEN JUNE 21, 2008 WEDDING*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MO

You looked gorgeous on your day!!! Great review

Re: ***OUR BEAUTIFUL & GORGEOUS OUTDOOR GARDEN WEDDING JUNE 21, 2008*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MORE!!***

do hyou have any photos that were taken by Duet? We are using Danny but I would love to see his pictures. BTW-great review.

Re: ***OUR BEAUTIFUL & GORGEOUS OUTDOOR GARDEN WEDDING JUNE 21, 2008*** REVIEW WITH QBG, BISTRO TEN 18 FLAVOR CATERING, DUET, ARCHITECTS MUSIC GROUP, CARA LINN CAKES..AND MUCH MORE!!***

Thanks so much for your comments! If you click on the link at the bottom of my wedding review, it will direct you to shutterfly. All pictures are taken by Danny and his team from Duet. We had a great time working with him and his team, they were so attentive and focus throughout our wedding day. Jay is also another phenomenal & popular photographer at Duet.