TA-DAH!! MY 6-23-06 WEDDING REVIEW W/ PICS!

And it so it begins…the final chapter of my wedding – THE REVIEW.

Let me begin by saying that I absolutely loved being a Bride, and loved my wedding day! Even though I didn’t give every vendor a perfect score, the wedding itself and the year and a half of our engagement were some of the best times of my life.

Disclaimer: I think this is going to be one LONG review, but I promise to insert as many pretty pictures as I can to keep you interested.
If you wish to just scroll through go ahead, but I’ll say here, that I feel the need to mention the PEOPLE who made my wedding so special. I will still review each vendor, but in order to write a review that comes from my heart – one that actually speaks to the memories, I need to write it like this:

OUR BRIDAL PARTY
I always considered myself blessed to be surrounded by such a wonderful network of family and friends. When I met my husband in Aug of 2003, we had many things in common – many of the same morals & values, the same silly sense of humor, but more importantly – we both considered family priority #1. At thirty-something, we also both had kept many of our friends from elementary & high school, and also managed to make a few new ones along the way. The biggest criticism we received throughout our engagement was at the size of our BP.

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People just couldn’t understand the need for 12 (yes 12) GM and BMs. Looking back, it was the best decision we made. We never doubted the need to have them all around us, and since family and friends were so important to both of us, we just shrugged our shoulders and considered it a no brainer.





My wedding was described by many of our guests as, “the most fun they ever had”. The vibe in reception room that night was hair raising. The walls seemed to be pumping, it was as if you could feel the excitement & love from every guest in the room, and our BP were the ring leaders. It has been their support and enthusiasm that helps make our relationship so happy and successful, so why would our wedding night be any different? They never left the dance floor, they never stopped smiling, and they didn’t go to bed until we did. They were with us every step of the way, adding their own touches throughout. I’ll keep this to a wedding review, but my shower (MY SHOWER REVIEW) and bachlorette party (MY BP REVIEW)

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were again, some of the best times of my life, due to the extraordinary things my BMs did to make me feel like these were once in a lifetime moments – and they were.





DOC = MOM
Before I start to formally review my vendors, I need to call attention to one more person before I move on – my Mom. I have always considered myself lucky to call my mom my best friend. She has been my support and mentor for as long as I can remember, and although I didn’t expect it to happen, our mother-daughter bond only grew stronger over the past year and half. Who needs a DOC when you have your best friend and biggest cheerleader planning with you every step of the way? Every appointment, every fitting, every shopping excursion…whether it was more pink ribbon, or a new outfit for the HM, mom was there. She enthusiastically supported every decision I made. She was the best physical and emotional support a girl could ever want. And to think, I still had my other best friend (my husband) waiting in the wings, and 12 BMs in case I needed…no wonder my engagement was filled with nothing but fond memories.

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**A word about scoring…A+ was given to anyone/thing that I felt was perfect and/or beyond my expectations.

LIW (BOLD) A+
While we’re talking people and planning, I need to give one more shout out to LIW. Ron and Liz – what a resource you created! Where else can you go to incessantly talk weddings? I need to commend you for treating us like your own family, and instilling the same values on this site that you would expect of your own children. The women on this site are some of the most amazing women I’ve met. Never before have I seen so many women offer advice and help to total strangers. You ladies served as an additional support system for me, and I am eternally grateful for your wealth of advice and ideas.

MY DIY A+
Speaking of creative ideas, I got a ton from this website. The very thing my guests teased me for being so obsessed with, was the same thing they were praising come my wedding day. They saw my vision (a smogersboard of all of YOUR creativity) come to life, and it was beautiful.

BM CARDS


MENU

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PROGRAMS

PETAL CONES

FAVOR BOXES

VOTIVE PLACECARDS


STD BOOKMARK

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STATIONER: Only You, Islip, NY A+
Invites and Paper for DIY.
I found Melinda locally, and she came recommend through one of my BMs. From the first time I was there I could see I was dealing with not only a professional, but an artist, and someone who loved their work. Her passion reminded me a lot of John from Flower Michele. I had originally wanted to go down the pocket fold route, but when they priced out over budget, Melinda helped me create something beautiful that was w/in our means. Her selection represents a wide variety of styles and budgets, but since she is so creative, we actually took a very plain invite from a book, and put a custom spin on it through backing paper and ribbon.



I returned to Melinda again to order more of the same paper that coordinated and matched my invites for my DIY projects. Normally I wouldn’t have been so anal, but after shopping and comparing, Only You was competitively priced. Not to mention I was able to get some more of Melinda’s expertise on how to create templates. (See DIYs above). I would highly recommend Melinda at Only You.

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CALLIGRAPHER: Wendy Trout A+
Envelopes and Table Numbers
After falling in love with my invites, I really, really wanted hand calligraphy, but never expected to be able to afford it. Invites were the one thing we just couldn’t justify going over budget on, and the budget we set was modest at best. Thanks to LIW, I tried one last search on BHB and stumbled across Wendy. I immediately contacted her, and found her work to be as stunning as the samples I couldn’t afford, yet her rates were more in line with computer calligraphy than hand. I hired her on the spot. Everything was handled through mail and email which was an added bonus. When I got my envelopes back in the mail I was thrilled with the final product. Our guests actually called and complimented the envelopes more than the invites. Mission accomplished.


I was so delighted over the finished product I naturally posted them here. Many of you asked for Wendy’s contact, and I guess you hired her as well, b/c Wendy said she had gotten so much business off me that she offered to do my Table Numbers for free. Yippee!!

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HAIR: Dea Salon, Islip, NY A+
I have been going to Melissa and Dyan at Dea Salon since it opened. Dyan actually owns the salon, and she provides a very friendly, clean and professional environment. Since many of my married friends also used this salon for their own weddings, I knew from the beginning that I would use Dea as well. Dyan executed just what I wanted for my “day of do”, and Melissa and Marisa were equally great with my mom and the BMs. They opened the salon early for us and even served bagels and mimosas.




MAKE UP: Cythia from Racine Salon, Islip, NY A+
Originally, I was searching the LIW boards for make up artists who could to my home. After getting turned off by some high pricing and availability, I decided to go on a friend’s recommendation. For my trial, I visited Cynthia at Racine Salon in Islip. I loved her from the start – ultra laid-back, yet really into what she does. She came to my parent’s home for the day of, and provided such a calming environment in a place that was buzzing w/ parents, family member drop-ins and 12 BMs. She not only calmed me, but I thought she made me look beautiful. I was very happy with the final outcome.

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THE DRESSES: Bridal Suite of Bay Shore, C
MY GOWN: Maggie Sottero, Eleganza, Ivory and Champagne
I don’t even want to get into the whole drama surrounding my gown. The important thing to note here is that the level of customer service and professionalism completely dropped off the planet after we ordered my gown. I loved that Bay Shore was so local for me, and I felt I owed to them to order it there since that was where I first spotted and fell in love with my gown.

I believe most everything surrounding the dress drama was circumstantial and subjective, so if I could offer some advice, I’ll go that route instead:

1.Do yourself a favor and LIE. Tell your salon your wedding is one to two weeks before the real date. Although most places can turn around fittings in hours, the fact is that as a Bride in her final moments of planning, sometimes you don’t have hours, or sound mind to believe everything will work out.
2.When searching for your gown ask them to show you the bustle…do you like it? Is it heavy? How is it held up? The bustle is sooo important since that is how it will look for most of the reception.
3.INSIST on your way and fit. Don’t let some salesperson or seamstress tell you differently from what you see in the mirror.
4.EXPECT more than 3 fittings. Allow time for several fittings, and if you’re getting married in peak season (June brides beware), fitting appts become even harder to come by.

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5.EVERYTHING WORKS OUT IN THE END. No one needs the extra stress or emotions, but now I know it all works out.

Bay Shore gets a passing grade due to bullet point #5 – in the end, I loved my gown, and was thrilled with the way it looked…with one exception: the ugly buttons in the back that were there to hold my bustle…which were even needed since the bustle was actually held up by safety pins no more than one hour into the reception. Rrrr…

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HEADPIECE and VEIL – Because I am so indecisive I got the tiara and veil at Bridal Suite of Bay Shore as well. I knew we were overpaying, but I also knew there was no way I’d be able to make a decision on the headpiece and veil w/o having the dress to try on with them. I must say, they were pretty patient as I tried on multiple combinations of veil and headpieces until I finally made my decision. The prices weren’t too drastic. Regardless, I loved the head to toe look on the day of.




BM DRESSES: Bill Levkoff Style #966, Euro Berry with Euro Champagne Sash (MOHs opposite). The girls’ dresses went more smoothly than mine. They came in on time and fittings went according to plan. I wanted a dress for them that was “Bridal.” I wanted them to stand out and have a special feel, and I believe this was achieved -- the colors, the contrasting flowing sash, the train, etc. I LOVED the way my girls looked.

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BM GIFTS:
Mongram Jewelry Roll: eBay.com, plethora1014, A-
Nancy was great to work with, but I was disappointed over the size of the roll, and the color of the embroidery.


Ribbon Pearl Necklace: eBay.com, soireeboutique, A-
Quality product, but expect long lead times for shipping. Pricey too.


Pearl Studs: partytimejewelry.com, A+
Big thanks to Preshy for recommending these $2 earrings for my girls!

Flip flops: J.Crew, A+
Originally not in the budget, but after my fantastic Bachelorette party in Montauk, I drove directly to J.Crew to pick the girls up an extra something special.

Monogram Evening Bag, A+
I really wanted to get them matching purses, so when the BM dresses came in w/ shawls I was thrilled. I found someone at work to sew the bags for me, and even embroidered their initials at the bottom for an extra touch. The ladies loved them!

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MOB GOWN: Adriennes, Islip, NY D
Again, drama, drama, drama. I would tell anyone to steer clear away from this place since the owner is the most unprofessional witch I’ve ever come across. She can usually be found in her shop on her cell phone, running around in her gym clothes, while she blames one of her poor customers for one of her mistakes. I grew up in Islip…we shopped for Sweet 16s, proms, formals, etc here and the reputation hasn’t changed. BUYER BEWARE.

Again, Adrienne’s passes since Mom looked so beautiful. I loved her gown since it matched the girls – pink, ballroom style, and she had her own little bustle as well. She could not be mistaken for anyone but the MOB:


TUXEDOS: Rogers Tuxedo A+
They have 3 locations which made it easy for our 12 GMs. We were treated with nothing but respect & professional from the day we walked in. I’m mad at myself for forgetting her name, but the associate at the Smithtown shop made it so easy for my clueless husband and his very indecisive bride. Our wedding landed on Prom night for most districts across LI, but Rogers had no problem letting our guys and dads pick up their tuxes days in advance to avoid the prom rush.

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FLORIST: Flower Michele, Mineola, NY A-
I sooooo want to give John an A+ here, but can’t. Unfortunately, there were a few snafus the day of the wedding that I can’t ignore. The morning of he was not prepared for the ceremony rain plan as we discussed (thank god the weather held and it wasn’t needed), and he forgot to make/deliver an arrangement for the place card table. The big issue was how late the flowers got to the house. We almost had to leave w/o the bouquets, and most of the pics at my mom’s are sans flowers. I take partial responsibility in this since I don’t ever recall actually going over a timeline with John.

HOWEVER, I was more than pleased with the flowers when they did arrive, and even more impressed with the CPs at the reception. They blew away any sample he had shown me – my vision was executed dead on, and the quality and fullness of the flowers just couldn’t be beat. John was a pleasure to work with, and was among my favorite vendors during the planning process. He was always so enthusiastic and passionate, and seemed to know what I wanted before I finished my sentences. I became kind of obsessed yet indecisive (white vs ivory, peonies vs hydrangeas, you get the idea), and he Despite the mishaps I would definitely recommend him.

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MONOGRAM BOUQUET RIBBON: eBay.com, queblessed3x, A
My cousin, a fellow LIWer, who got married last Aug, also bought a monogram ribbon for her bouquet. I loved it so much, I took her ebay recommendation and bought one for myself. Since I threw out my bouquet, it is the one thing I’ll have to remember them by.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Duet, Huntington, NY A
I had Jay & Danny, and Han for video. We loved Jay from the minute we met him. At our e-shoot, I stupidly brought my purse w/ me, and Jay carried it around for the whole photo shoot so he could catch all the right moments between hubby and me. We saw him 2 weeks later at my cousin’s wedding, where he ran up to us to say hello and snap some pics. At the end of the night, he came back over to us and said he’d see us next year…I couldn’t wait.

The day of he and Han arrived on time. He encouraged me to eat, and kept me calm as I panicked about time and the flowers being so late. The smile never left his face. He was so great to work with – always there, yet never in the way. I think my proofs represent a good variety of artistic flair, photojournalism and traditional. I couldn’t be happier with them.

We have just received our video, and for the most part, really love it. We may take it back for some minor editing, but the photo montages and chapters to musisc really capture the momemtns and emtotions of the day.

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PHOTO SPOT: Brightwaters, NY Lakes and Gazebo
As a little girl, I always knew I wanted my wedding pictures to be taken on the lakes at Brighwaters. I grew up in the area, and I wanted a place that was scenic and beautiful, yet nostalgic. I was so happy the weather held out, and we were able to get the pics on the bridges and gazebo as I always dreamed about. Jay and team did a great job getting some really pretty shots!

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A NOTE ABOUT SEEING EACH OTHER FOR THE 1ST TIME:
I knew before I was engaged that there was no way my husband would be comfortable getting married in a church. Knowing that my family and me are not practicing Catholics, there was also no way I could really enforce this on him. With that said, we decided the ceremony would be where the reception was held, but in order to have enough time for pics, we would need to see each other before the ceremony. Ugh. I really agonized over this decision, but in the end, I am so glad I did.

Seeing him for the 1st time was one of the best moments of my life. Walking into that Gazebo with my parents and BP cheering us on brought so many emotions on. It was so intimate, and we were both able to hug and kiss each other as much as we needed. A lot of the day is a blur for me, but that moment is not. I will never regret the fact that we decided to this.

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LIMO SERVICE: Dynasty Limo, East Islip, NY A
We basically chose Dynasty b/c they had the cars we needed, and the price was right. We rented a 30 passenger limo bus for our extremely large BP, and a vintage Rolls Royce for myself and husband. They were local for us, which made appointments easy to get to. On the day of they were on time, and both our car and the bus for the BP were clean. No complaints here.

CEREMONY MUSIC: Kings Brass String Quartet A
I knew from the start I was wanted a string quartet to play our ceremony music. I saw some ads for Kings Brass and decided to give them a call. They sent me a sample CD of the string quartet, and their prices were in line. The day of, the quartet was there and on time.

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OFFICIANT: Rev. Michael Callahan A
We found Rev. Callahan thanks to the recommendations of some LIW Brides. We met him one night, and he seemed nice and laid back. We felt comfortable with him so we booked. We touched base the week of the wedding to go over the ceremony itinerary and that was it. We were very pleased with Rev. Callahan. We really only met him once, yet his sermon at our ceremony spoke to a lot of the ideals my husband and I hold. It was personal and sentimental, yet not too long. He did a great job, and was ultra easy to work with. Bonus.