About two months before I got engaged, I was starting to search for a place to have my wedding. I know a little pre-mature but I knew it was coming and I wanted to narrow down some places because we all know how many RH’s there are on LI. Anyway, I googled “reviews of Miller Place Inn” and there it was….LIWEDDINGS.COM! I was amazed at how much information I could find on this website, so I immediately signed up. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have had such an amazing wedding if it weren’t for liweddings.com. So thank you very much Ron, Liz and Kim!
Engagement Party – July 12, 2008
Martha Clara Vineyards - D
FH parents live out east and we really wanted a vineyard party. Everywhere we looked was so expensive and this vineyard had a beautiful room and an even better price. The woman there did answer all my questions, however as time went on, she told me different things than previously. We had to get insurance, then she told me we could not get in the room till 15minutes before the party. However, the manager was telling me other things. The staff was rude to me and my guests the day of the party. All in all the room was beautiful and everyone had a great time
Mt. Sinai Deli Caterers – A+
Sam the owner, caterered my party. He is the sweetest man and made so many helpful suggestions. He even delivered the food. Everyone to this day is still raving about the food, especially the eggplant. I highly recommend him.
Bridal Shower
Villa Sorrento, Smithtown – A+
My shower was a surprise, my mom planned almost everything. She said that the staff was so nice. The food was amazing, I’m still getting calls about how great everything was.
Wedding Paper Divas – B-
They did the invitations for the shower. They messed up and spelt the word “surprise” wrong, even though on the approved proof it was right. However, they did send corrected ones immediately, my mom was just annoyed because it set her back.
Bachelorette Party
Manga y Biev (not sure if that’s spelt right) A+
This was our first stop. It’s a really fun restaurant. They make you get up and dance on chairs and then the infamous bj shot. It was so much fun, plus the food is actually pretty good!
Hunkamania (Club Element location) A+++
I was pretty much down for anything for my bparty. So when my sister told me this is where we were going, I was excited. I know when people think strip clubs they assume its gross and disgusting place. But this location is pretty sizable, clean and actually pretty nice. We had such a great time and laughed so much. Its all in good clean fun.
M&V Limos A+
I was a little concerned when my sister booked them with all the bad reviews on here. However, they showed up on time. Our driver was polite and got us everywhere. From my experience I would recommend them.
Rehearsal Dinner:
La Panchita Smithtown,NY – A
An employee at my mom’s company works here and he is just the best. Love the food and atmosphere. We wanted some fun and casual, especially with being around the holidays, we thought this would be a nice change of pace. The food was great and the service is fantastic!
Invitations – Me
I got a kit from Staples on clearance for $10! It was so user friendly and easy.
Favors – Cheesecake Lady – A
Kathy was so kind and accommodating. She made us up a sample a few weeks prior and we went from there. She delivered them to the restaurant and everyone loved them. Plus, the price was awesome!
Audrey’s Bakery – Groom’s cake B-
I wanted to get DH a groom’s cake for the RD of a yankee jersey with the number 62 on it since DH’s fav player is Chamberlain. I called Audrey’s a few months before and got the best quote. There was a ton of confusion about what I wanted, I have no idea why. But in one day, I must have gotten like five calls about explaining it. I have a feeling that the girl who took the order must not have written down good instructions about the cake. The day of the cake was ready and looked great. The only thing that was wrong was originally when they sliced the cake I didn’t see any fresh strawberries, which is the filling I requested. Then the more to the center of the cake I got, there were some. So there were very few strawberries in the cake. But it still tasted great.
WEDDING DAY VENDORS!!
(all pictures are from Thomas Paul)
Fox Hollow – A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DH and I got engaged at 5am on a Saturday, by noon that same day, I had my first appointment at an RH. This was the hardest decision for us. We wanted something that felt intimate and cozy but still beautiful. Plus, I am the first in my family to get married so everything was very new to my mother and I. The Fox Hollow was the last place we looked at. Dh loved it, which was a first, lol. We loved how it felt when you first walked in. At first, we dealt with Dave. Turns out we use to live in the same development as him, so we really hit it off. My parents must have went back four times before booking and he was so nice to them. They were just so nervous since it’s a lot of money. Anyway, we finally booked. The menu is just outrageous. You literally can’t beat everything you are getting there. At my final menu appointment, we met with Frank. Turns out Frank use to work at other catering hall where we had my baptism, communion, confirmation and sweet 16, so he knew my entire family, it was a big laugh. He was so sweet and really helped us out. Then the day of, my maitre’d was Mike and bridal attendant was Kourtney. At the beginning of the night, there was a miscommunication with Mike and my photographer. Well my mom yelled at Mike and fixed that problem. Other then that the night went off without a hitch. Kourtney was awesome, constantly refilling our drinks, bringing us food. At one point, DH stepped on my dress and the bustle broke as we were walking outside for pictures, she fixed it right away. Mike handled all the operations of the night, like when the food was coming out and what not. The food was outstanding, everyone was raving. Also, the service is amazing, they take care of everything. I wanted my centerpieces broken down at the end of the night to hand a bouquet to each lady as they left, and they took care of that. All in all they did an amazing job. I know a few ladies on here were worried about the Briar Fox room, don’t be, it came out beautifully. The band was set back and it worked out nicely b/c they weren’t in the guests face the whole night. Also, the cake came out perfect, it was delicious! Everything looked perfect, I couldn’t be happier with them and would definitely recommend Fox Hollow to any bride looking for RH.
DOC – Vanessa of Topaz Events A++++++++
What would I have done without her? She was literally an angel the day of and leading up. Leading up to the big day, she always answered all my questions, responded quickly to emails and calls. She accompanied me on many appointments, even one of my fittings! Also, she recommended some great vendors. One day, she met my family and I at a family candy store in the city to pick out candy for the candy buffet. She and her assistant did an amazing job setting up the candy buffet as well as making sure my room was perfect for when I saw it the first time. The day of she showed up bright and smiling at my house. She was making sure everything was going according to plan and kept us on schedule. I could rest at ease, knowing she was there to handle anything and complete my vision. I am so thankful to have had such a wonderful DOC. Vanessa was nothing short of exceptional to work with and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a DOC.
Thomas Paul Photography –
Engagement Photos B
So Tom was booked for our day, but I still absolutely loved their work, so we ended up booking Brian and Tony for the day of. We did our engagement photos in September with Brian. I have to admit I wasn’t head over heels in love with the engagement photos, but I wasn’t using them for anything. The reason is because I felt every picture was far away and very dramatic. Now that’s fine, but it was a majority of the pictures so I wanted more variety. But I spoke to Tom about them and what I didn’t like and he really listened. He made me feel at ease and I knew he understood what I was trying to say. I still felt very comfortable with his team on my wedding
Wedding Photos A+
The day of Brian showed up at my house on time and immediately started to set up. Tony went to DH’s hotel and did pictures of the guys beforehand. I got my proofs back within three weeks, in a really nice box. I was very impressed that all my proofs were 4x6 size. Most of my friends who recently got married, their proofs are the size of a small post it! I am more of a traditional bride, but I wanted a little something dramatic in my pictures as well and I think TP’s team did a great job of capturing our personalities. The most important thing is that TP is all about pleasing his customers. Anytime I had a question or concern, he would answer it right away. The customer service is outstanding.
Vali Entertainment A+++++++++++++++
Vali came recommended by my mother’s hairdresser who used them for three weddings for her own children. Anyway, my mother and I went into their Manhattan
Location to meet with Veronica. She showed us a dvd and I was blown away. I know some people would prefer to see them in person but the dvd was just AMAZING. We booked on the spot. Two weeks prior I met with our band leader John who was so nice and really listened to what we wanted. My DH loves classic rock and I pretty much love all music. Well the day of we were just blown away yet again. Every single person who left the wedding RAVED about the band. A lot of people kept saying how sometimes wedding bands aren’t that great, but they were nothing short of phenomenal. They played a good variety of music and kept the dance floor packed all night. Vali was probably one of my top favorite vendors and I would highly recommend them.
Bridal Reflections, Carle Place – Ines Di Santo Gown A
My mother and I went to a Vera Wang Trunk Show at Bergdoff Goodman for my first dress shopping experience. However, while there I fell in love with an Ines Di Santo gown. So I wanted to shop around, but only one other store in NY carries Ines and that was Bridal Reflections. I decided to go there this way I could try on the dress again as well as try on other dresses. I called ahead to see if they had the dress in the Carle Place store but they only had it in their Manhattan location, however, they sent the dress to CP the day of my appointment for me. Well we ended up ordering it from them. They were great to negotiate with and I liked my consultant. My alterations went good. I never had a problem with them. The only thing that I will say is even though I would have an appointment, I would always be taken about 10-15mins late. They are always busy in there, but overall my experience was good.
Bridal Reflections, Carle Place – Bridesmaid Dresses Jim Hjelm B
I went shopping all over the place for dresses. I had narrowed it down to three and then shopped around for the best price. Again, I did negotiating with them and they came in the best. Here is my problem with the bridesmaid side, the girls who work there are much younger then the bridal side, therefore less experience. I just felt that it was just a job to them as opposed to a career for many of the women on the bridal side. I didn’t have any problems, I just found them to be immature and not helpful.
Tuxedo Park, Carle Place – Tuxedos A
Since most of our bridal party was OOT, I wanted a Tuxedo place that would pick up the next day and I was recommend to Tuxedo Park from Fox Hollow. Yes, their prices are higher, but the quality is unbelievable. The were always very helpful and accommodating. When we went to pick everything out we dealt with Harry, who was so knowledgeable. DH wanted a ‘james bond” tux. He just wanted something classic and simple. Also, we needed to pick up DH’s tux a week earlier b/c he needed to be fitted but the only time he would be down before the wedding, was the weekend before. They had his tux ready to go, which was so helpful. The day after the wedding, we just left the tux at the front desk and they picked it up. I would definitely recommend them!
Flowers – Perfect Wedding Planner Florals (Richard) A++++
I met with probably about a dozen florists. It came down to Richard and Pedestals. The deciding factor to me was that Richard was the on-site florist for Fox Hollow. He obviously knew the place like the back of his hand and he also made me up a sample before even signing the contract. He wasn’t my lowest quote but came in the middle. Anyway, we loved Richard, he was so creative and attentive to all the details. He is sooooo funny and really makes you feel comfortable. The day of, my flowers were AMAZING. Seriously the flowers made the room it was breathtaking. My bouquet was huge and the bm’s bouquets were also gorgeous. He has an great sense of using different flowers with different textures, just truly amazing. My only problem the day of was the boutonnieres for the groomsmen were wrong. However at the hall he came and spoke to me b/c the flower I wanted came in bad and he didn’t want to provide a bad flower, I thought it was very nice for him to come talk to me and clear it up. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the flowers.
A Bridal Papiere - Invitations - A
I knew I wanted custom invitations but didn’t want to spend a fortune. A co-worker of my mother recommended “the lady.” I did get a proof from her but for me, things just weren’t right there. That’s when I found Judi. Judi was very accommodating and nice. She also made a lot of suggestions on how to cut costs which was nice instead of trying to sell me on stuff. All the work and printing is done onsite, plus they do thermograph printing which I loved. I did almost everything via email and she got everything. The only thing I wish I did was a lined envelope, I never realized until I got my invites and I guess I just assumed.
Legend Limo – A+++++++
Originally we were booked with Alexis Limo, but they recently merged with Legend. Our drivers were Marcus and George. They showed up early, dressed very nicely and were just so polite & accommodating. Marcus was our driver, he was showing us all the gadgets in the Bentley. DH is a huge car guy so he was loving every minute talking with Marcus. George was the other driver for the bridal party, he was so sweet. At one point DH and I were taking pics outside against the Bentley, and George shouted “Christine watch your dress!” Sure enough, my dress was touching the tire. Also, we went to the hotel to take pics since the studio at Fox Hollow wasn’t ready, well my time was up with the limo, but the two of them stayed an extra 20 minutes so we wouldn’t have to walk in the cold! George also took us to and from the airport, he is just such a nice guy. I would highly recommend Legend!
Christ the King, Commack – D
This was my childhood church. I made all my sacraments there as well as attend school there from Pre-K through 8th grade. My grandmother is also very active in the church. So clearly, it was a no-brainer on where we would get married. I really hate to give a church a rating but I was just so unhappy with them. A few weeks before the wedding, they raised the “offering” A LOT. They don’t allow anything….literally nothing can be thrown, not even bubbles! Also, you cannot get a straight answer from anyone. I didn’t know who my priest was until the day of! Honestly, this would be the one thing I would do over and get married at another local church. The only thing that made things run smoothly was a woman named Claire who is friends with my grandma. She handled the Rehearsal and was there the day of. Also, the day of, I found that the priest kind of rushed the mass and also forgot to do the Blessed Mother bouquet.
