Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

First off, I have to start by saying I really did have my dream wedding. It was everything I always wanted and then some! I tried to give you girls every last detail, so bear with me through the review. Also, I have super high expectations so vendors are only getting an A+ if they truly outdid themselves. You'll see I'm a hard grader (thankfully I'm not a teacher!). I also put little advice sections after some of the vendors to give the future brides out there some of my personal thoughts on that particular topic and how I could have made it easier for myself. Not all of the pictures are pro pics, although most are. But some of the items I did not have pro shots of and I am a picture fanatic, so I had to include them. Hope you enjoy!

LIW: A++++
A HUGE thank you to Ron, Liz and the whole LIW crew. This site has been an amazing resource. I wouldn’t have been able to plan this wedding without the input and ideas of each of you ladies.
ADVICE: Don’t get caught up in the LIW hype. Everyone on this site has different budgets and ideas. Just because someone else has a personalized aisle runner, slipper basket, programs…whatever, doesn’t mean you HAVE to also. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up and overwhelmed with all of the ideas on here. While I loved my DIY projects, barely any of the programs were taken and I didn’t have people coming up to me raving about all of the personal touches. I wanted a personalized aisle runner but didn’t feel like I had the time to work on it. I wasn’t missing it the day of the wedding. My guests took off their shoes and weren’t complaining they didn’t have slippers courtesy of me. They ate amazing food and danced all night. That’s what makes a great party. Do what you want and what you can.

Weather: A-
It was a beautiful day. We were so lucky. It was so hot taking pictures though. I almost passed out, which was not fun.
ADVICE: Save yourself from going nuts and DO NOT check the weather until the day before your wedding, if even then. I kept checking and it drove me nuts because literally every day it changed from rain to no rain. The day ended up being perfect and I went nuts for nothing.

Rings
Mine – Zales: A+
DH got me a bridal set that is truly my dream ring. I had ripped it out of another stores flyer one day and put it away for the right time. He ended up getting me that ring without seeing the picture I ripped out and I couldn’t be happier.
His – Gold Star Jewelry in Tri-County: A+
They were very helpful and helped us pick out the perfect ring for DH. They were also very informative, explaining the different metals and other options to us. They offered to clean both of our rings for free before the wedding, and do engraving, which we did not do.


Dress, Veil and Tiara: A+++
I didn't get my dress in a store. I actually bought it from someone who was selling it after canceling her wedding (special thanks to Melissa/MJDoc) for putting me in touch with her!). She brought the dress, veil, and tiara to my house for me to try on. My sister and I both cried as soon as I put it on. The dress is Maggie Sottero's Felicity gown, which is just PERFECT for plus sized brides. I never imagined I would feel skinny in a big white wedding dress, but I did! The corset back and ruching (spelling?) to the side really compliment the curvy girls figure. The veil and tiara were custom from Barron's in Tri-County. The veil was exactly what I wanted and if I could, I would wear it all the time. It was fingertip length with crystals scattered on it. The tiara had pear shaped stones in it which matched my ering and that is just what I wanted. It was truly meant to be.

Alterations: A
(FM me for info)
The woman who did my dress alterations was such a sweetheart. She charged me $225 less than a bridal store quoted me, did all of the work in 2 fittings, and her biggest concern was my happiness. Everyone who saw my dress on me prior to it being altered said she fitted it perfectly. The only thing was the sleeves were supposed to be detachable and weren’t, so that’s why she doesn’t get an A+. And because I kept losing weight in my shoulders they were falling down the day of the wedding, even after she took them in twice, including a whole inch before I picked it up when it had only needed ¾”. Not her fault that they were falling at all because I kept losing weight. I lost 4 pounds the week of the wedding alone. But overall, she really was absolutely wonderful to work with and I highly recommend her!
ADVICE: Have your dress taken up at least an extra ¼” because it falls significantly throughout the day. I changed into flats also, and was having a hard time holding my dress up while I danced. I actually had trouble entering the reception because we had to go up stairs to do so and I was stepping all over my dress.

Undergarments
Georgette’s: A-
516-433-7207
www.georgettesbras.com
I waited for a long time while I was there, but it was worth it. The woman (Phyllis) actually forgot I was in one of the changing rooms, but I was really patient because there were a lot of people and she was very apologetic when she realized. She measured me and showed me a couple of things, advising which was the best option for my body and my dress. I actually loved my longline bra. It was so comfortable; I wish I could wear it on a normal day. And everything was inexpensive to my surprise. They’re a great store, but I recommend going to see Georgette herself.

DOJ
Estelle’s (necklace and earrings): A+
The woman at Estelle’s was very helpful. She took her time with me and showed me many pieces, trying very hard to match my style. I love the earrings and necklace. They were a little more expensive than I had wanted, but it wasn’t bad.
Tri County (bracelet): A+
I forget the name of the booth, but it’s when you first walk in the front doors to the right. The woman is sweet and the bracelet was only $10 or something like that. It matched my earrings and necklace perfectly and just looked very pretty on. It was exactly what I wanted.

Shoes
Discount Wedding Shoes: A+
www.discountweddingshoes.com
I am not a shoe person, so I hated to even think about getting shoes for the wedding. Discount Wedding Shoes made it easy. I have wide feet, and they had a whole section for wide feet. I loved my shoes and they weren’t completely uncomfortable. I also bought ballet slippers from them that were SOOO amazing. They are the most cushioned, comfortable things ever created.








Hair
Khouloud’s Beauty: A-
516-236-0973
http://www.liweddings.com/vendors/hair/khouloud/
Kacey is wonderful to work with. Everytime I have spent time with her, including the wedding day, I have felt like she’s an old friend I was catching up with. During the planning process, she helped me in my search for a limo company. On the day of the wedding she helped get earrings in my FGs closed ears. She is always willing to go above and beyond. I had a fussy BM and an impatient FG on the day of the wedding, but Kacey was more than patient and professional. The minus is because my MOHs and FGs hair fell out pretty quickly. Their hair has that tendency, but I felt that should have been taken into consideration. She also charged one of my BMs $15 more than what she originally told me, but I didn’t find out until afterwards. That annoyed me a little. But I wouldn’t have had anyone else do my hair for the wedding. It was exactly what I had pictured, only better. I absolutely love Kacey!



Makeup
Dana Curtin (MAC Artist): A-
631-767-3050
www.theeloquentbride.com
Dana is such a doll. She was super early the day of the wedding and had no problem waiting for us to be ready for her. She worked well with Kacey to coordinate the timing of everyone getting ready. She too went above her duties, helping my sister’s boyfriend tie his tie. My sister (MOH) and BM looked absolutely beautiful. I however, had family members tell me I could have done my makeup better. I normally wear a lot of makeup, so Dana went heavy, which I wanted (smokey eye). She used mineral foundation which I use everyday. I expected her to use something else. My cheeks were very red, and I felt like the makeup didn’t last all night. The heavy eye makeup looked awkward by the end of the night. But overall Dana is talented and professional.





Custom Bride Shirt and Mrs. Tank
CustomizedGirl: A
www.customizedgirl.com
I ordered these for my Bachelorette party. I got myself a t-shirt that said “Bride” on it. I also ordered a tank top that said “Mrs. Stoop Est. 9-21-07” on it and my sister a tank that said “Maid of Honor” on it. Everything came quick, although I paid a fortune for shipping because I needed it quickly. The quality is great though. Only thing is the tank top is super small and not true to size at all. But I LOVE my Bride t-shirt and would wear it everyday if I could.

Mrs. Hoodie
Target and StitchArt (Tri-County): A+
Customized hoodies are expensive so I bought a hoodie from Target and went to StitchArt in Tri-County to have it embroidered. The guy knew I wanted a Mrs. Hoodie as soon as I walked over, which I thought was kind of funny. He showed me the various options and I left it with him. It looks so great! It was done the next day and only cost me $20.


Tuxedos
Gino’s Fashion Tuxedo: A+
631-753-4466
www.1888MyTuxes.com
We had a great experience with Gino’s. Our first time there we spent about 2 hours with Jennifer looking at the various options and trying them on. She was very professional and was more than happy to spend the time with us. The prices were average and everything was ready on time and fit the guys just fine. They were also great with my RB who is autistic and gave them a very hard time getting fitted.


My Dad's Gangsta tux he wanted...lol



FG Dress
Tri-County: A+
I forget the name of the booth and where they are, but you'll know them when you see them. They sell such beautiful dress clothes for little boys and girls. My sister and I were dreaming of dressing up our kids while we were there. The lady recommended a size based on what I told her and offered an exchange if it didn't fit. Best part is it was only $40! No alterations were needed and my FG (who is my god-daughter that I treat like my own daughter because I would die for this girl I love her so much) looked absolutely beautiful! We got her shoes at Payless. Her hairpiece came from Barron's and her jewelry at another booth in Tri-County.





Flowers
Manker’s Floral Designers: A+
Gia was a pleasure to work with from the very beginning. I had an idea of what I wanted the flowers to look like, but know nothing about flowers. Gia took my thoughts and made them reality. I couldn’t have been happier with all of the flowers. They were perfect. The calla lilies in my bo-k were so large and stunning. Last minute I dropped a BM and Gia let me turn that bo-k into a 1 ½ dozen lilac rose bo-k to be delivered to my MIL on her birthday while we were on our HM. The BM bo-ks really popped against their black dresses. I just absolutely loved them. The pricing was really great too. I highly recommend them, for weddings and for everyday. It’s the only place my DH gets my flowers from.




Limo
Camelot Specialty Limos: A++++
516-731-5466
http://www.liweddings.com/vendors/limousine/camelot/
Camelot was by far the best vendor we had all day. Joe is phenomenal and I couldn’t be happier with the service we were provided. Prior to the wedding, Joe was so helpful, even with my many changes to our contract. He accommodated my MILs request for a car last minute, and even sent a stretch to pick her and my FIL up despite their only ordering a sedan. I was so excited the day of the wedding when I saw Joe walk into my Dad’s house. He was my driver. I don’t know the names of the other drivers for the day, but each one was great. Joe carried everything for me, from my bag to my flowers, even the train of my dress as I walked. He coordinated DH and I seeing each other for the first time at the park. When I almost passed out taking pictures at the park, Joe was right there with a bottle of water. Hands down, Camelot is the best limo company by far!




Joe and the other driver carrying our stuff:



Officiant
Ceremonies of the Heart (Reverand Deb Viola): A
631-427-1103
http://www.liweddings.com/vendors/officiants/CeremoniesOftheHeart/
Rev. Deb is wonderful. She’s sweet and very kind. We are very glad she performed our ceremony and highly recommend her. She customized our ceremony the way we wanted and provided us with a copy. She’s just great.



DJ
Ace DJ’s: B
516-541-3335
A lot of people thought he was great, but I wasn’t overly thrilled. John is a great guy. He knows music and I felt very confident with him doing our wedding. He did our ceremony, CH, and reception. He was superb during the planning process, even arguing with me about taking the final payment before the wedding because he wanted to make sure I was completely satisfied. He told us what music would get people moving, how he would get them moving, etc. I had chills during the ceremony when he played our music. I didn’t pay attention to the music during CH. But during the reception he messed up a few times and I was bothered. He messed up my ILs intro. He started playing my BP song and announced them as one of our BMs and GM. He then corrected it, but my ILs were embarrassed. My sister requested a song and he never played it. I told him beforehand not to do any dedications, no exceptions. Well, he did one, from my FIL to my MIL nonetheless. Other than that, he played the music we asked him to play and everyone enjoyed themselves.
ADVICE: I didn’t want to have the BP dance together and I didn’t want anyone to come up during our song. But I completely forgot to go over this with him. So make sure you are very clear ahead of time what you want to do and don’t want to do and tell your DJ so he is clear.





Video
Music Idol: B
516-906-8818
www.musicidol.org
We hired Music Idol through our DJ to do our video. They are not a traditional wedding videographer. In fact, they’re not videographers at all. They go around to schools doing an American Idol type thing. For the wedding, they provided us with an 8’x8’ screen in a 10’x10’ truss with intelligent lighting, a percussionist, a karaoke machine (we did one song – Sweet Caroline), a photo montage during dinner, and videography. The screen and lighting was so amazing. When we walked in they had Jennifer & Jonathan in looping text on the screen. Then once the party started they did 3 things on the screen. One was play the music video of the song that was playing. The second was play funny clips from shows and stuff like I Love Lucy. And the third was show live footage of everyone dancing. The photo montage was probably about 20 minutes, played during dinner. It was really sweet and they put it to nice music, but I thought some of it was a little cheesy with some of the graphics they used. I probably could have done the slide show myself. We’re still waiting for the video. He said 2-3 weeks and it's been 4, but DH called him tonight actually and he said we'll have it by next week. They had 2 videographers. One had a camera on his shoulder and one was a stand still. Having that screen and showing everyone dancing was so worth it. It wasn’t expensive at all either.

UPDATE: WE GOT OUR VIDEO! It took a few phone calls, but we got our video 3 weeks after it was promised to us. The excuse being they were doing other shows. After seeing the video, I changed their grade to a B. I am kicking myself for not hiring a real videographer. They provided us with 2 reels, I guess they're called, of all the raw footage. We also have a VHS which I believe is all of the raw footage. And then 2 DVDs of edited video, roughly an hour and a half long. First, I'll say it was completely amazing to relive our wedding. There was SO much we missed that night! We were laughing the entire time we watched it. Some of the things I'm disappointed in are that the quality is not that good and they didn't edit some of the stuff that should have been edited. They start with a 'behind the scenes' like segment, which is our bridal party hanging out and talking before the ceremony. Pretty cool. They then, on the edited viedo, have the ENTIRE ceremony. Don't get me wrong, I loved our ceremony, but I can't FF or rewind the DVD so to watch it, we have to sit there through an entire half hour ceremony. Then, there's a ton of background noise that I'm sure could have been edited out. And it's shaky at some points. They also didn't move the standing camera when someone walked in front of it and didn't edit it out. For instance, I believe it's during the garter toss, I have a few seconds of a server in front of the camera with a huge tray, blocking everything. During my dance with my Dad there's someone standing in front of it, not completely blocking it, but you would think they would zoom in or move the camera to remove the person from the view. They also only have the backs of everyone entering the reception. I'm probably going to submit all of the footage to another vendor to see if they can edit it properly and give us a real wedding video. So I guess my advice is hire a videographer because having the video is simply amazing. And make sure you hire a real videographer who specializes in wedding videos.






Here you can see the live footage:


Photo
Thomas Paul Photography: A
631-375-8226
www.thomaspaulphoto.com
Photographers: Jon Santos and David
Jon and David were wonderful to work with on the day of the wedding. Even before the wedding, Tom was phenomenal. He was the only vendor to call me and just check in on the planning process. He really is just an amazing guy. With my grandmother going into the hospital the week of the wedding with respiratory failure, I didn’t have time to pick an engagement picture to display at the wedding. So Tom printed 3 of his favorites and personally dropped them off to me the day of the wedding. But Jon never put one out on display once we got to Larkfield. I feel like we missed a lot of shots the day of the wedding. We didn’t do any ring shots. We didn’t take any at Larkfield by the gazebo and pond. We also didn’t take some of the traditional TP pics that I really wanted, like the bride in front of the window, the veil over the bride’s face, etc. Another thing is now that I look at the pictures, I wish they would have made DH button his tux and fix my dress train so it was laid out nicely. Despite these things, I have amazing proofs and some truly phenomenal pictures. I couldn’t have asked for a better photographer. Thomas Paul is highly recommended by me. He is honest, trustworthy, quick in turning items around (had my proofs in 2 weeks!), and he just truly cares about making his brides happy. He doesn’t run a super large operation so you’re not just a number to him. His staff is just as great as him and equally passionate about what they do. I am so lucky to have had them as my photographers.
ADVICE: Trust your photographer to take amazing shots. At the end of the night when Jon and David said goodbye, I realized I barely saw them all night. But then when I got my proofs, I realized they were ALL over and they really did capture the special moments.






































Link to Additional Pro Pics in Album

Reception Hall
Larkfield Manor: A-
631-368-4422
http://www.liweddings.com/vendors/reception-locations/larkfield/
My Banquet Manager was Harry. I also worked with Maryanne and George on occasion. Frank set up our menu with us. Dennis was our Maitre’D. Our CH was in the Lounge and our reception in the Garden Room. We fell in love with LM as soon as we walked in the door. Harry stayed late to go over things with us during our first meeting. We booked on the spot. They redid the gazebo between the time we booked and the wedding, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with it. The new gazebo is just perfect for my taste. During the planning, they were very accommodating and worked with us on prices and what not. Harry even threw in a chocolate fountain when we paid the final balance because he knew I really wanted one and we were under our minimum.

When we got there the day of the wedding Harry and George greeted me as I got out of the limo. He introduced me to my Bridal Attendants and told the main one (Stephanie, don’t remember the other guys name) that if she were more than 3 feet away from me, it was unacceptable. I thought, wow, this great. Wrong. She stayed by my side while we waited for the ceremony to start and was constantly bringing us food and drinks all through the cocktail hour. But as soon as the reception started, they had her help wait on tables and I barely saw her. Dennis made up for her though. He was absolutely wonderful. He made sure when DH finished dancing with his mom he had a beer and a shot waiting for him. I even had guests coming up to me telling me how wonderful Dennis was, which really pleased me. He went to every table to check with each person to make sure they were okay and didn’t need anything. It would have been nice though if my BA was around when my dress bustle broke and I was dancing all over my dress because we couldn’t fix it.

All of our guests absolutely raved about the food. Everyone ate so much during CH they barely ate dinner. And at LM, they come around and offer guests seconds of all of the options. So there’s PLENTY of food! And it really is just so delicious.

One of the things that bothered me is they put the raw seafood bar outside during my CH, so a lot of guests didn’t know it was there until they saw someone walking around with food from it. I didn’t know they were going to put it outside, and I just wish they made an announcement or something. My Dad also asked that some of the food be packed up and they didn’t do that. They were also supposed to give me 10 meals to go home with, but they only gave us 3. I also thought they would go over the ceremony beforehand with everyone so they knew what to do. But my Dad said he got confused by a lot of the stuff they were telling them to do for the ceremony and for when they walked in to the reception. They messed up on our ice sculpture too. DH really wanted a fire department maltese cross with a 2 in the middle for his Engine Company. I tried to get jSj for our monogram, but Frank sided with DH and told me no one will know what it Is and the FD ice sculpture would be really cool for DH. Fine, I went along with it. They found a picture of one online and crossed out the writing on it that we didn’t want. Well, when they did the ice sculpture, they put the 2 in the middle like we asked, but they put “Professional Firefighter” around it also. We only wanted the 2 and it made it look cheesy. Some of my DIY projects went to waste too because they put the baskets in the back of the ceremony area where no one saw them. SO barely any programs were taken and the petal cones weren’t used. But overall, LM was a great choice. The place is absolutely beautiful. The staff is so helpful and great to work with. We got an amazing deal in terms of the amount of food we got for the price we paid.


Nice shot of the gazebo:


Nice shot of our table:


Wedding Cake
Black Forest Bakery: A-
631-226-0257
http://blackforestbakeryny.com/
Our cake was included in our package with LM. I had very high expectations for Black Forest, which they did meet for the most part. DH controlled our cake. He picked it out, from the type of cake to most of the design. We ordered cheesecake because DH is allergic to chocolate and I didn’t want any other cake. On the day of the wedding, I was disappointed to see my monogram cake topper that I worked SO hard for on a lower level of the cake, rather than the top. This is because cheesecake is not thick and so the top layer was too thin for the cake topper. I wish the bakery had communicated this with me prior to the wedding so I could have done something about it. I would have had them add roses to the top of the cake as well or something to make the top look less plain. DH also called a week or 2 before the wedding and added a fire department design to the front of the cake, which I didn’t know about until the day of the wedding when I saw the cake. I wish the bakery had called me to double check before doing this. DH wanted a lot of fire department touches, as did I, but I didn’t want it on the front of my cake. But it ended up fine and it’s a funny memory for us now. Overall, the cake was yummy and Tommy at Black Forest was great to work with.




Cake Topper
Nicole (Jiffy): A+++
Fellow 07 bride Jiffy (Nicole) offered her cake topper to me because she didn't use it for her wedding. She sent me the cake topper, which was already started with the crystals (big plus!) and the extra crystals she had purchased. It ended up coming out perfect! Thank you so much Nic!!


Invitations
Cards and Pockets (and me!): A+
www.cardsandpockets.com
I DIY my pocketfold invitations, and I am very proud of them. I bought the materials from Cards and Pockets (except the ribbon, which I bought at Michael’s, along with the cardstock for the monogram on the belly band). Cards and Pockets makes it very easy to DIY invitations. They sell everything you need, and depending on which pocket you choose, they tell you what other pieces to order to fit the pocket. It was so simple and the result is wonderful. I received so many compliments on the invitations.



Garter
Garters by KKL Forever (Ebay seller): A+
I absolutely loved my pink and black garter. It was exactly what I wanted, and it came very quickly. It wasn’t expensive either.

Sand Ceremony Set
Moon Glow Candles: A+
www.moonglowcandles.net
I wanted a set with 3 cylinders (for DH, our officiant, and myself) and one that had a lid for the main jar that we poured the sand into. I couldn’t find anything remotely within my price range, until one night when I spent hours searching the web and came across this website. I ordered a 3-piece set that included the main keepsake jar and 2 cylinders. I also ordered an additional cylinder and 3 pounds of pink, black, and white sand. Everything came super quick and wrapped perfectly so nothing would break. The set is so beautiful.


RB Pillow
SuzeKate (Ebay seller): A++
[email protected]
Suzie is phenomenal to work with. She is so sweet. I ordered a RB and FG basket months before the wedding, but was forced to cancel the order because my MOH said she was making them for me. Well, she never did, so last minute I looked to Suzie for help. She quickly sent me color options and customized a pillow for me. I couldn’t believe how quickly she did it. The quality is pure perfection. The pillow is absolutely beautiful, and exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend Suzie!



Jordan Almonds
Oh! Nuts: A+
www.ohnuts.com
Priced right, came super quick and tasted great!

STD Magnets and Postcards
VistaPrint: A
www.vistaprint.com
I designed our STD magnets and postcards and used VistaPrint to print them. They came very quickly and looked great. You can’t beat it for the price.

Magnets:


Cards:


Silk Rose Petals
Petal Garden: A
www.petalgarden.com
Great quality, vibrant colors, and they looked great.

Aisle Runner
Bridal People: A-
www.bridalpeople.com
I ordered a pink aisle runner, a throw away garter, and my shower Thank You cards from Bridal People. Shipping was a little slow, but the quality of the items was great. I LOVED my pink aisle runner, although it was on the thin side and so it started to come with me and my dress as DH and I walked back down the aisle.


Personalized Hankies
Personalization Mall: A+
www.personalizationmall.com
Cheap, great quality, fast shipping. We got the hankies as gifts for our Moms.

BM Necklaces
JCPenney: A+
These were a lucky find. They were on sale super cheap and they had just enough for my girls, and even a different colored one for my sister (MOH). MOH got pink and the other girls got black. I thought they were very pretty and the girls seemed to like them.

GM Plaques
A Gift Personalized: A+
www.agiftpersonalized.com
We ordered personalized plaques for the guys. We were overly thrilled with the quality of the products. The guys absolutely loved them. Shipping was super quick and they weren’t too expensive. It was the perfect gift for our bunch.

Best Man Tankard and BM Totes
Things Remembered: A+
www.thingsremembered.com
Great quality, nice price, quick shipping.

Picture Location
Northport Village Park
You don't need a permit to take pictures here. There are a couple of gazebos, a boardwalk, plenty of benches, high steps to the street, and a playground. There are some really great photo opportunities here. Because I almost passed out I knid of rushed the pictures and didn't get a chance to take advantage of all of the different areas within the park.

Rehearsal Dinner
The Bulldog Grille: A+
www.thebulldoggrille.com
I can’t attest much to the planning of the RD because my MIL planned it, but the actual party was great. They treated DH and I like a King and Queen. The food was delicious. Some of our GM didn’t want to leave because there was a football game on, but the staff didn’t care. They let us hang out in the room longer than we had it for. They use Black Forest Bakery for the cake, which my MIL ordered like 3 different kinds of cheesecake. It was a great party, the staff is very accommodating, and the packages are inexpensive. Great place!

Honeymoon – Travel Agent
Tom Varghese: A+++
[email protected]
What can I say about Tom that hasn’t been said before? He is all around a terrific guy. I contacted him based on the recommendation of several other LIW brides. He spent so much time on the phone with me late at night showing me various options within our budget. He never showed me anything outside of our budget, which I appreciated. He really listened to what we were looking for in a HM and he showed us the perfect place. He walked us through everything a few days before we left so we knew exactly what to expect. And he even called after our HM to see how things went. We will never use another TA again!

Honeymoon – Resort
Excellence Punta Cana: A+
Excellence Resort Website
We loved this resort! Check out my mini-review here:
http://www.liweddings.com/chat/topic.aspx?ID=448668

DIY Projects
Me: A
I take a lot of pride in the DIY projects I did because I had no idea I was (sort of) crafty until the ladies of LIW gave me all of these ideas for DIY projects. I loved that I was able to add a personal touch to our wedding and really tailor it to us. The DIY projects I did were: STDs, pocketfold invitations, I DO letters, Mr & Mrs letters, guest book, bo-k charm, menus, programs, petal cones, crystal monogram cake topper, jewelry box for my FG, RD invitation, table numbers, almond favors, and donation cards.

Link to my DIY album


Other General Advice:
-Your wedding is your special day. Don’t let anyone else tell you how to do it. Make sure it’s true to you and your FH. People are going to have comments about the way you do things. Brush them off. Yours and your DHs happiness is the ONLY thing that matters.
-Best piece of advice I got from one of my BMs who has been married 25 years: In 20 or 30 years, you will not remember what guests wore, how many carving stations are at your CH, or the color of the napkins. What you WILL remember is the smile on your husband’s face as you walk down the aisle.
-Don’t be afraid to speak up. It’s your wedding and you are hiring vendors to work it for you. If you want something a specific way, tell them.
-Don’t be afraid to splurge on the things that are important to you and budget on the other items. To me, photo was the most important piece of the wedding. It’s the only thing I’ll have 30 years from now. So I made sure I only talked to and booked with the best of the best. I tried to save more when it came to other things like invitations, DIY projects, etc.
-DH and I had a 5 foot rule the day of the wedding. We stayed together the whole night and didn’t let people separate us.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to FM with any questions!


My Daddy threatening the photographer when I almost passed out because he wanted to stop the pictures. Gotta love him! lol

DH during the garter removal dancing to 'I'm Too Sexy'



DH's Engine company stood honor guard for the ceremony


My sister (MOH) and I





My sister looking so adorable during her dreaded speech that the BM forced her into last minute (she's only 20)



Getting ready to see DH for the first time

His reaction

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Great Review. Congratulations. Your pictures are amazing. You were a gorgeous bride.

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Great review!! Congratulations.

I bought the same dress and it looks beautiful on you.

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Awesome review Jenn!! I love you in OUR dress!!! I hope I can look half as good!! Congrats!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Great Review!! Everything was beautiful!!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Great review Jenn, every picture is just gorgeous!!!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Awesome review! You look gorgeous! Great pics!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

thank you for all the advice, you looked beautiful and your pictures are fabulous!!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Congrats Really beautiful and I love your hair.

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Everything looked so beautiful! Congratulations!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

WOW...Jennifer...Beautiful EVERYTHING!!!!!

Thanks for such a great review!!!

Congratulations!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

You looked wonderful!!!!!!! Congrats and God bless you and your new husband.

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Great pictures....Congratulations to you and your husband

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Gorgeous review. Congrats and thanks for posting!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Congratulations! You looked like you had so much fun!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

You were a gorgeous bride! Congrats & thanks for the great review!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Thanks for sharing. You looked great and the pictures are fab. Best wishes to you and your HUSBAND!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

AWESOME review!!! it's amazing what no sleep can do! lol. Congrats to a beautiful bride on her gorgous wedding & fabulous review!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Wow!!! Gorgeous Jennifer!!! Great Review!!! You looked so beautiful!!!

Re: Jennifer907’s Dream 9/21/07 Wedding Review: Thomas Paul, Larkfield Manor, Camelot Limos, Khouloud's Beauty, Manker's Floral Designers, Travel Tom and many more! With TONS of PICS and ADVICE!

Absolutely beautiful............