June 5, 2011 Review: Long & full of Pics. WCC, Duet, Bridal Styles, International Sounds, Capriccio Ensemble, Hawaii...

It is so true what they say somehow someway things just work out! we were so financially stressed that at one point we thought we would have to cancel the wedding, but don’t under estimate the power of prayer bec the wedding happened!!! Also, I wont repeat what others have said too much about trying not to stress the really small stuff but its true!! Enjoy your day, dance and try to eat!!! I had one of my Bridesmaids feeding me in the bridal room during the CH, so sweet! My 3 girls were so amazing and I love them so much!!!!!!!!!

Also thank you to the many girls on here who have helped me by answering questions and being there. i am especially happy for the amazing friends I made like Tauny (Taunita- who doesnt post anymore) and Caterina- CC2011 and especially Jenni LoveyDovey!! xoxo

1. A- Save the Dates: FREE Postcards by JEAN M- I only paid $12 shipping for 100! I feel like I saved so much on STD!! I would have liked to do magnet STDS but that wasn’t in the budget but these were pretty and I liked them.



2. Invitations: Indianweddingcard.com- A+++ I loved my invites! They had a bit of sparkle on them and were what I was looking for I paid around 210$ for 70 invites which included 2 inserts one of which was the invite text and the other was a direction card. Also I made personalized stamps using zazzle that guests seemed to LOVE!! The last 3 pics were proofs i got from the company.





3. Seating Chart- I used a seating chart. Thanks to Leesah for the template and idea!! I used her template then turned it to a JPG and I ordered the print from shortrunposters.com and bought a frame on amazon. Still have the frame if anyone needs one! its 19x25 & I am selling it for 26$


4. Table numbers- A+++ My numbers were designed by FOR THE MODERN BRIDE and I bought frames from BBB. loved them!! I used Amanda Picone for the pics!! The frames were by BBB and were about 30$ each. Im renting them if anyone is interested. They are 5x7.


5. Bridemaids Gifts: A+++
a. Cookies: weddishish.com—My girls loved their cookies!! they were perfect!! also got one for the RB and FG!
b. Tote- http://www.americanbridal.com/monogram-tote-bag-ds349350.html

c. Jewelry- from So Good Jewelry in NYC.
d. Shirts – I ordered from classy bride and loved when they came. they wer soft and as in the picture. I got these but w/o the flower. http://commerce.idmi.net/ecommerce/catalog_detail.asp?CID=121&CI=331&PI=25109
e. Extras for MOH- one item was a Personalized Frame - http://www.personalizationmall.com/Personalized-Wedding-Favors-Our-Shared-Memory-Bridesmaid-Picture-Frame-i20562.item?productid=5681&sdest=Search&sdestid=17238361

6. My DRESS & Veils: A+++++++++++++++ everything was custom made by Galit Couture. I have wanted a dress from her for as long as she began designing. When I put on my dress for the first time I was beyond speechless. I loved it. Galitcouture.Us





7. Garter A+++ Lollie Couture- Etsy
8. Shoes: A-. My shoes were by Steve Madden, Lyddiaa. They looked good and weren’t so bad on the feet until the last few hours of the wedding when I couldn’t feel my toes lol. but what else did I really expect http://www.zappos.com/steve-madden-lyddiaa

9. BM Dresses & MOB Dress: we bought them from Isabellas wedding center in Brooklyn--- F!!!!- we got the BM dresses and the MOB dress here. The owner, Jeff, was very rude and downright an a**hole. Yelled at my MOH telling her he will sell all the girls dresses if they don’t go and pick up the dresses asap when she actually had an appointment for another day but he didn’t confirm with his co-worker. And no he never apologized. He also gave me an attitude about so many things I cant even recall. When I posted a review on weddingwire. the store commented on one of my pics writing- Ugly Bride. LOL. yep!

The dresses themselves were designed by Alexia designs - #2820 http://www.alexiadesigns.com/Bridesmaids/Alexia-Designs/-Halter,Mermaid,Pleated-Style-2820/

-Word of advice, if u love the CPs during your appt write down how many of each flower u have and make the florist do the same bec then they cnt say they are right! this was suggested to me by a 2010 bride who also had the same issue with them and i didnt listen!
FIRST 3 PICS WERE OUR SAMPLE AND ALL THE REST ARE FROM WEDDING.


21. Limos: Alexis Legend. A! I had no issues with them. we only did a pick up from the hotel to RH.

22. RH – A+ Woodbury Country Club– Woodbury, NY – I Loved my RH, I loved the outside, the BM the BA, MD and everything. I only had minor issues but nothing that would make me lower their rating. first, is that I didn’t have more $ to tip the BA & MD and the BM, was upset at me and wrote me an email asking if they did anything wrong bec i didnt tip them enough and he even deleted me from fcbk not sure if this was the reason but I think it was. I did tell him that we didn’t have enough to tip them more but I think people don’t believe u when u say that. Not that we have to explain ourselves but we wree literally in such a bad shape that I was praying a week before that somehow we would have enough to pay our vendors so I had to cut down tips. But yeah other that my other complaints were that I specifically told the BM that women and men were to sit separately during the ceremony and there was some confusion about this bec my bridesmaid stepped up and said this is how she wants it make sure everyone is separated lol.- also my mom complained no one greeted guests and told them where to go, bec guests were telling her this and , rice wasn’t served with dinner entrée as I was told it would be during my last appointment.
However, I would have not changed my venue. My BM was great and always responded to every email I wrote and they were a lot. I guess I sent him a lot bec when I met Steve a manager, he told me wow I thought ud be a nightmare to deal with but ur probably the sweetest bride I have met. Lol and I figured its bec of my many emails I sent to the BM. oh well. lol I was paranoid that things wouldn’t go right and dealing with law school too I was going nuts!!
The food was AMAZINGGGGGGGGG!!! yummy lobster tail that I don’t think we were supposed to get we got. they had extra Filet Mignon and we got that instead of chatteau briand so basically got a free upgrade. The steak was sooo good. also WCC gives a take home entrée to the bride and groom and me and FH took home the Shrimp Oreganata which was yummy!!!!!!!


23. Cake: B/B-: Okay this was sooo interesting. I was working with francescos and for the upgrade price I was able to only get a white fondant cake with a lavender bow and lavender pearls, well if you see the pics you will see why I was surprised LOL. don’t get me worng I LOVEDDDD the colors of the cake that’s wy they didn’t get a lower rating but um other brides may have been mad and also the cake was NOT smooth!!! I was not crazy mad about it bec I had a flower craziness going on but I was disappointed. My other complaint of francescos was that he hardly ever got back to people, My MIL tried getting a hold of him for my shower cake and almost gave up! the cake tasted amazing though!!!!! really delic!! it was a hazelnut mousse and chocolate pudding with a vanilla cake. However, I believe that WCC switched back to dortonis. Cake stand was provided by WCC,

24. White Wings- A+++++ they were great!! we released a total of 12 birds and paid 125 I think or 175 not sure sorry. 10 were released by my MOH and two by me and DH. http://weddingwingsdoves.com/contact_information.html



25. Rabbi: A. We liked our rabbi, rabbi Melvin Burg. he was from Brooklyn and charged 500$ including travel to Long island

26. Family Plaque aka Channa Plaque By My Sweet Memories, A+++++++++ this is her fcbk page https://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwMy-Sweet-Memoriescom/114166981934283. The plaque stand was from amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Plate-stand-easel-dark-brown/dp/B0006VVEW6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1318394070&sr=8-4



27. Cantor- A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I cannot begin to tell you how in love me and DH were with our cantor, Yair Hamra! we saw him at another wedding and knew we had to have him!!! we both love musical ceremonies and knew we needed him. He is a professional singer and sings in concerts in Israel. He is based in Brooklyn as well. He sang through out the ceremony: as everyone walked down the aisle, and through out the entire ceremony. probably about 8 songs in total.


28. Cocktail Hour Music: A++++++++++++++++++ Caprricio Ensemble- I loved Natalie and the rest of CE!!! Natalie was an amazing person to work with. She was so kind and sweet!!! They played the entire cocktail hour as well as one or 2 songs when the ceremony was over!I recommend her and her company to all!! We had a Cello & Violin duo.

29. DJ/ Lights: International Sounds- A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ One of my favorite vendors.!! George and his team were beyond amazing to me1 george worked with my budget to the best he could and gave me what I wanted and MORE!! for example. I paid to have only one color lights and I got the LEDS that change color! um yeah I was one happy bride bec lighting was SOOOO important to me. George was my MC and I am a Russian Jewish and needed a Russian MC, initially I thought the dJ, who was awesome and spoke Russian would be the one translating but George got this guy who was from my birth countrys neighboring country. total surprise and my parents were happy!!!! Thanks George and IS!!! http://internationalsounds.com/

30. Drummer for RH- Mesho Show- A++++++++++++. he was AMAZING!!!!! we wanted a middle eastern drummer bec I am mediterannian and even the non Russian jewish people loved him. I love the pic of him with my RB!! haha. Check out his fcbk page! https://www.facebook.com/mesho.awad1



31. Chair covers, A! we got ivory self tie chair covers from a brooklyn vendor. we also paid for them to come to the site and tie them. http://www.partyware.us/

32. Honeymoon: A++ ++++ Booked through an awesome TA!! her review is after the HM review.

We went to Maui and Kauai!!! 5 nights each. We first went to Kauai and stayed at a boutique hotel- Koa Kea. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60625-d1027174-Reviews-Koa_Kea_Hotel_Resort-Poipu_Kauai_Hawaii.html.
DH is obsessed with this place. Its small yes but that’s what we wanted we didn’t want a resort for our first stop. anyways the service is top notch!!! You call room service theyre right there, from getting u breakfast to your room to dinner. As for the island itself, its very quiet! everything closes at probably 8pm lolol no joke! we like to go out at night so that was a bummer for us but we did enjoy the quiet!! we booked all our excursions through tom barefoot http://www.tombarefoot.com/ except one, quicksilver sunset sail. In Kauai we did Smiths Tropical paradise Lauai and supposededly it’s the best in Kauai and um yea it def was. The food was good, and plus you are in this actual tropical paradise with different animals, birds etc & various trees, they have a tram ride to take you around the entire place and they explain everything to you. there is also an awesome show after dinner. excellent show!! we loved this place!!! http://www.tombarefoot.com/kauai/luaus_kauai.html.

MAUI: We stayed at the ritz carlton! hugeeeeeeeeeeee place, we liked it a lot! great service as well and amazing beaches!!! less waves than Kauai. BUT BEWARE OF YOUR GPS!!!--> So on our way from maui JMM airport to the Rits Carlton, our GPS scre*d us big time! well me not fh bec he liked the scenery even tho he said the rd was scary & dangerous!. Okay so the road is called KAHAKILI HWY/HWY 340 but do not be fooled this is not a highway at all! it’s a tiny narrow road going up a mountain with no railing or anything and cars are going both ways so people had to either drive backward and make room for cars coming toward them or just find some way to move to the side. It was terrifying for me!! I also got soooo car sick!!! I have a youtube vid to show u guys this is not us just another couple who taped some of the road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciR2KvadLt8&feature=share

after this experience I refused to do RD to HANA! Check out the pics I took with my cam phone while we were driving. thought we were going to fall over the cliff!



This is when we stopped bec I was so sick! and FH was super happy with the sights lol

The activities we did in Maui was a sunset dinner cruise using Quicksilver who were AMAZING!! The food was good and the staff was good!! they took your plates and brought u drinks etc, eah person gets 2 alcohol drink tix and you have to get your own food but other than that the staff does everything. It was a 2 hour cruise and we really enjoyed it! http://www.frogman-maui.com/quickdinner.html

we also did a submarine ride which was so much fun! we got to see awesome stuff underwater and had divers swim up and show everyone some water creatures. http://www.tombarefootshawaiitoursactivities.com/product.php?id=206&name=Deluxe_90_Minute_2_15_PM

Finally one of my fav ALLL time restaurants was Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar its 2 seconds away from the ritz and the food is beyond good! one night i had the Grilled Fresh Hawaiian Ahi and Asian Shrimp Cake and it was one of my fav things ive ever eaten! http://www.sanseihawaii.com/

Our Travel Agent- A++++++++++++++++ she was amazing!! she got us the entire trip for 5880$ which included all flights and free breakfast every night for 10 nights at both hotels plus rental cars. We wanted to kiss her lolol. If you want her info message me.

If I forgot anything, I am sorry!!! please message me for ANY questions !!