Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Just in time for my 5 month anniversary - my review! I didn't post much, but used this site to get some valuable information - so thought I would give something back!

Mother Nature - A+

It poured the night before my wedding and I kept telling myself even if it rained it would be wonderful. The sun came out the next morning and it was great!

Girogios - A+

Everyone is still raving about the food! Everyone was very accommodating. This only thing I did not like was no tasting. I think that is really ashame because I had to guess how my meal would end up. But as I said the food was amazing and people great and George Sr. remembered me everytime I came to visit and welcomed me even when I appeared unannounced.

I would recommend that when they have and afternoon and evening wedding, they set up a place (not the lobby) for the early arrivals for the evening wedding to wait. I heard from several of my guests that the people waiting for the next affair were rude to them. One even said to my cousin as she was leaving - it's about f'n time. We were not running over and feel my guests should not be made to deal with this type of behavior from other bride's guests.

Heart & Soul - A+++++

My sister had them for her wedding and my husband and I knew we wanted them as well. The second I had a date I called and booked them. They kept the floor packed and did everything right. The only bit of nerves came when one of the lead singers was on a reality show a couple weeks before my date. I would have appreciated a heads up instead of flipping the tv one night and seeing her. Other than that it was all smooth and fun.

St. John's Church - Center Moriches

I won't give them a grade - but they have some very strict rules about what you can and can't do (ie no rice/bubbles/roses etc) but Father Joe was very nice and did not mind that we did pre cana elsewhere and had a few last minute changes to the service. However, only speak with your priest - the office women are impossible and the music director a nightmare. I spoke with her 6 months before the wedding to book my soloist and when I confirmed a month before the wedding she had no recollection of the conversation (even though I had detailed notes about it ) and now the soloist was booked elsewhere and then the backup soloist was sick the day of the wedding and she did not call me- she called my mother because she did not want to 'upset' me again.

Fantasia Bridal Center F-

If it was possible to give below an F I would.

Bride's Dress - I ordered the dress in January. It was to take 4 months to come in. Mid-May I call to get a check on when it would be in. Not in yet. After a few more weeks and a few more calls (and many different stories) it came in the end of June. Went in, tried it on. It just needed to be hemmed a couple inches and a bustle put on. Fine. Made a second appointment. I get a call the day before the appointment from MY SISTER not even the store (I am travelling from Westchester to do the fittings) and in the middle of BM dress hell (see below) that they have to change the appointment because they put it in the wrong spot. So I rearrange my day and get there. Everything seemed fine, we just had to finalize the bustle. I would pick-up the Thursday before the wedding.
I arrive early on Thursday to pick-up my dress and my MOB dress. (I admit I got the time wrong but was willing to wait until the right time) They were in the middle of some internal drama which basically amounts to one of the sales ladies bad mouthing the owner and ranting and raving about things. My mother tried on her dress and there were still pulls and it had to be steamed. Then they start talking about how much work this was for them. All they did was take it in slightly around the bust - then they gave my mother the bill. Lets just say it was outrageous for the amt of work they did on both dresses. I was livid. We pay it and they bring out my dress all wrapped up - basically throw it at me and say goodbye. We get home and hang it up. The next day my sister comes over and is like- why is your dress still wrapped up - it will wrinkle. So my mother calls them and they insist they took me in the back and showed me how to lay out my dress when I got home. I must have been abducted by aliens while this was happening because neither my mother nor I remember any of this. I was not even given the chance to see my dress - you know to make sure it was right- before it was wrapped up and given to me. So I spent part of the night before my wedding steaming my dress.

Now here is the fun part - BM dress hell

We ordered the dresses pretty early - Bill Levkoff - and had to have one shipped to Washington State. One was ordered extra long with an additional yard of fabric (she was pregnant). All the other women were measured by the store. Every single dress came in wrong - they were short (my sister is 5'4' and it was several inches short on her) and too big around - to the point that one of them could not be taken in any more because it would mess up all the boning. What is ever crazier is 2 of the 4 tried on the sample and it fit fine - so that is the size they ordered. The best was the person who ordered extra fabric and extra long. When her's came she called them because it was way to short. The person she spoke to at the other end put the phone down but did not put them on hold - so she heard their whole conversation. Apparantly - they did not order the extra length but instead of admitting their mistake they told her that the company must have messed up. They did offer to alter all the dress (at least the length) at no charge using the material from the shawl that came with the dress. But when it came time for everyone to pay, they kept trying to make them pay for all the alterations - including the ones to make the dress longer. I kept asking them if the dress company was going to compensate us in any way for their mistake and all the owner kept telling me was she was faxing them. I even offered to give her copies of the photos I took of the women in the unaltered dresses. (She was shocked that I had photos and the next time I was there they no longer allowed anyone to take pictures. - sorry) She kept blowing me off about it. In the end the dresses looked fine - but the time wasted by myself and the money my BM in Washington State paid to have her dress essentially remade was ridiculous. They really need to get their act together in that place. Everything was a struggle.

All-Star
C
Everything was fine until the day of the wedding. Then the driver got lost from the church to the reception hall even though we gave him printed directions with a map. This caused my time-table to go out the window and I was rushed doing my photos.

Cassarino Studios photo and video- A+ so far!
We used Jodi who we loved. The proofs are great can't wait to see the finished product!. We went with them mainly because we liked that we received all the photos on disk instead of having to pay extra for it. We added the video about a month before the wedding. It was great. No problems at all.

Rehearsal Dinner

Micheangelos - Manorville A+

They were very easy to work with and even ordered DH some special beer he requested

Hair -
My sister's friend Fran did our hair. She is outstanding and very reasonable. Love her!

Make-up
A friend of Fran - Rachel did our makeup. She was easy to work with and everyone came out great. She had great suggestions for what would look good in person and on film.

Travel Agent - Gene the Travel King

He got us a great deal and it was nice knowing I could call him if there were any problems.

Sandals - Grande St. Lucien

We had an incredible time. I absolutely loved this place and did not want to leave. Brutus the bartender rocks! and you could do a ton of stuff or nothing at all.

Air Jamaica - they are one of the few with a direct flight from JFK to St Lucia. I highly recommend it! everyone I met who transferred through PR had a problem. One couple was without their bags for 3 day. Also, 1st class is very reasonable and you get to use the first class lounge which is nice when you are trying to kill time before the flight (free breakfast and internet).

Shamus Buses
A+++++++++++

It was a pleasure to work with them. The buses were on time and clean. The drivers very pleasant.

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Congatulations! post some pics!!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Congratulations!! Can't wait to see pics. Thanks for the review.

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

great review!

congrats!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Congrats! Sorry you had so much trouble with the bridal shop. Hope to see pics soon!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Congrats!!! Great Review

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

congrats!!!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

Congrats!!!!!!!!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

I am adding this because I wanted to update people on some problems I have been having with my photography studio. I won't go into details but lets just say over a year later I don't have an album, I don't have a video - they have my money.

If you want to fm me I will give details.

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

yeahhh!! i am using heart and soul!!! thanks for the good review!

Re: Review - finally - of my wedding at Girogios, with All-Star Limos, Fantasia Bridal and Heart and Soul!

congrats!!!...can't wait to see pics