My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-After Hours tuxedos, Jenn duffy,symetrix salon--- w/PICS!!!!!

Here's my long overdue review with pics--- The review is first-- and I'll post pics after :)

Planning from afar isn’t an easy task…KNowing what'd be like living in DC and constantly going home to Long Island to meet with vendords, show for fittings etc, was a greuling ordeal when trying to plan leave from the military!! however with the right vendors and a great group of girls—everything went better than my wildest dreams…and smoother than the plan we had!!!! I had organized myself enough to conquer specific tasks when we could get home... and everything moved seamlessly on the big day!!

The week’s events prior to the wedding were unreal! I actually thought that I would have time to relax and chill out!! Not So!! Donnie and I flew into NY Tuesday and hit the ground running. Between the running back and forth to the airport to pick up incoming guests( in retrospect either have them do it or call them car service) going to my last fittings, the RD etc… it was Friday night before we knew it!! We had major trouble with the tuxedos, so I sacrificed my only 2 hair trials and a makeup trial to deal with them, tossing to the wind any idea I had so that at least the Gm’s wouldn’t be naked. My nails were finally done at 6pm Friday night – the Bridal Salon closed at 5 pm and waited for me to come and pick up the dress…just as the Heaven’s opened in a thunderous downpour!!!! I had to run home to pack for the honeymoon and drop off the luggage at the hotel and finally we were done!!!!!!


GROOMS CAKE: SWEET THINGS OCEANSIDE
A++++++++++++++
I wanted to do the Grooms cake so badly because of his Southern Heritage... Although spending near $500 for a cake for the RD was ridiclous in my opinion... I finally had my mom go talk to the people at sweet thing and they agreed they could make a cake for $150 that was cute, enjoyable, and would serve the purpose...





Wedding Day
Weather
BEAUTIFUL Hot but not too much humidity – A
Since it had been crazy humid all week before, and the weather had been forecasted as hazy hot and humid with 60% thunderstorms, we truly had the greatest of blessings that day with perfect weather. Truthfully, it could have been a hurricane and it wouldn't have made a difference...we we're getting married, and it wasn't going to ruin anything!!! Even for pictures at the beach there was a great breeze, as well as a nice breeze through church… it was PERFECTION!!


Florist
Burtons – A++++++++++
(www.FlowersbyBurton.com)
What a pleasure it was working with the Team from Burton's. From the first time we walked into the shop, Mike but my mind at ease as he formulated exactly what we wanted, for waaaaaaaay under what we expected to pay. It was so nice to have one stress alleviated almost immediately, when he explained that they at Burton’s have the time to dedicate strictly to weddings, and that even though I was clueless as to what I wanted, no phone call was too many, and they would bounce ideas off of me when needed. Even up to the day before when they called and said the ribbon color I had them order wasn't jiving with their plan-- They sent someone over to the Hilton where I was to show me their new choice and I was so pleased!!! Now that's service!!


DJ
GQ Entertainment & Productions– A+++++
2 Crest Ave Elmont NY 11003
516-354-2435
Picking a DJ was tough because I am from Long Island, and DH is from South Carolina…so they don’t listen to freestyle, and we don’t listen to country…we needed a great mix of both, at perfect intervals so everyone would be happy…
They were incredible!!! Anthony who owns the company was our DJ & MC, and the team he brought was AMAZING! Anthony came highly recommended to me and we could not have been happier. He refused to let me freak out over anything, even though I became crazed and tried to the day before, he kept a calm head and set me straight. We had set everything up via phone, and mail...and I didn't hear anything from him the week before so i started to freak... I called him like every hour on the hour and was getting a little nervous that something may have happened… I even put DH and a few BM's up to the task of finding another DJ/Band just in case!! I drove over to his office and he wasn't in yet- but had only gotten back from vacation the night before… ( in my planning I forgot he told me he wouldn't be back til that afternoon). I pretty much knocked him over with a huge hug when I saw him and he was like 'girl you need to chill... you have everything set' He sat me down in his office to go over everything again to calm my nerves, just to make sure we were on the same wavelength… The day of the wedding HE WAS AMAZING! I have never heard a DJ like him- the crowd was insane and we literally did not stop the whole night!!! He really got our guests motivated before we got into the reception, and kept the vibe going all night long. He even announced he's been doing this a long time and he never saw such an amazing crowd, a more enthusiastic Bride and Groom, and such a loving bridal party all together for an amazing wedding. People cannot stop talking about how much fun they had!!

Ceremony/Officiates
St. Anthony's RC Church– A+++
What can I say about my Home parish? The dream of always walking down the aisle finally came true, and it was as magical and spectacular as I had ever dreamed!! Deacon John & Deacon Tom were wonderful, very close friends of my family for years, as my father is a Deacon too. It was so easy to work with them, and they did such a beautiful job for our ceremony. Deacon Tom’s Homily was beautiful, and touched everyone with his words about us embarking on our lives together. It was a beautiful personal touch how he added that seeing my dad as the father of the bride that day was very different than him presiding on the altar, although being as I am the closest thing to a daughter to him (he has two sons) it was an honor and privilege to preside at Our wedding, because it was as if his daughter was getting married that day.

Photographer/Video
The Glenmar Studio – A++++++++++
(www.glenmarstudio.com)
2 Main Street, Roslyn, NY 516-484-4646
We looked at a few photographers, and to be honest, I didn’t feel comfortable with any of them until we sat down with Allison at Glenmar. A few of my girlfriends used Glenmar for their photographer, and I was really impressed with what they had, as well as the professionalism of their photographers. Our photographer the day of was Corey, the photojournalist was Jessica, and the videographer ( I don’t remember his name) were absolutely amazing! Corey kept us laughing forgetting about the heat, while Jessica captured those hard to find moments we wanted.
We had our proofs within 10 days after the wedding-- ( we literally came home from the honeymoon to find them at our door), and We were overwhelmed with all 1200 proofs, each got better and better as we went through all the boxes!
The video is unreal... I almost feel ike I am watching a movie, or a celebrity wedding, and cannot believe how wonderful it came out! My husband and I laugh saying.. wow-- we really looked good ! and had alot of fun!!!
They really outdid themselves, and we are more than happy to recommend them to any bride who wants the feel of both tradtional and new/artsy photojournalism style.

Bridal Jewelry (Earrings)
Vicky @ Blanchee – A+
I was really unsure of what to wear and Vicky came up with my earrings which suited me perfectly. They were a crystal and pearl drop, that gave just enough definition without going overboard.

Dresses: Bridal Gown (Alfred Sung) & BM Dresses (Watters)
Blanchee in East Rockaway– A+++
Phone: (516) 599-5087
Blanchee really saved the day, and if you are looking for a place that is courteous and devoted to you the bride, I would recommend this place. We went looking abck in September, and both Vicky and Blanche helped me pick out this beautiful Alfred Sung gown, that I fell in love with immediately. When the dress came in February, I was unable to make a fitting, so I sent my mom and my BM’s to go for their fittings, and luckily my mother looked at my gown…the manufacturer sent the wrong one!! Apparently, the sample I tried on was an altered sample sent to the boutique, and that’s what I wanted…the original order number was a different dress. Blanche had a new gown rush ordered for me, and was able to make my fittings in June and then the week of the wedding without any problems. I changed the bustle last minute, and they had no problem fixing it to make it the one I wanted.
The BM’s dresses were awesome!! I couldn’t have been happier with the dress and the color! It was a 2 piece WTOO by Watters&Watters and it flattered everyone. There were a couple of mix-ups, which required more alterations than necessary but in the end everyone was pleased with the results!

Mother of the Bride Dress (Obsessions Couture)
Beautiful Bride – A+++++++++++
Lynbrook
From the minute my mom stepped in there, she knew this was the place for her. They were so easy to work with, and gave her the confidence she needed for the “WOW” dress I wanted her to have. It was absolutely breathtaking on her, and they did a wonderful job!

Flowergirl Dresses
TRI-COUNTY – A+
Found exactly what we needed quickly. Lots of choices and very inexpensive!!

Tuxes
After Hours – F -----
At first I thought it was a great idea to use them, being we had so many groomsman from out of state, they prided themselves on “destination type” weddings. In theory it made sense to have everyone fitted at their home shop and one general pickup close to the wedding. Boy what an ordeal. DH and I went for the tuxedos sept. of ’05 to get an idea of how it worked etc, and they swore up and down they would have everything handled. We went back in May to have Dh refitted and all of the choices we had were discontinued, and apparently in discontinuing the #’s—they weren’t transferred with some of the orders. Our plan was to have the GM’s in Black tommy Hilfiger Tuxes with platinum vests and ties..,DH in ivory vest and ties- well, they discontinued the tuxedos and screwed everyone up- some of the guys got BLUE and others got black vests with silver ties. My dad’s was never ordered, They refused to fit our ringbearer( which made them have to go buy a tux for him), and gave the wrong shirts to a few Gm’s. I had a heads up about the calamity from fellow knottie: SUEDELL, so I tried to be as on top of it as I could, I spent the 3 days before the wedding in each of the locations on Long Island until I got what we needed, which in the end was still not right. We did get some of the money back on the tuxedos for each of the groomsmen and our dad’s, but I would not recommend even entertaining the idea of using them. Their attitude was unprofessional, and each of the manager’s did not understand that they needed to utilize their resources to get their job done, that its not up to the customer to do their job. Again, we were dealing with people who just did not get it- nor have the understanding or empathy to what we were dealing with.

Veil & Headpiece/Tiara
Barron’s of Tri-County – A++++
What a wonderful selection!! Suggested by my fellow LI knotties, I am so glad I went to look there! I had seen some pretty expensive pieces online and at different shops, and I was able to find exactly what I wanted at Barron’s. I tried on a few pieces, and the final choice literally turned heads at the store. When it came to the veil ,she asked if I could see what she wanted to create for me, and it was just breathtaking. My veil was a light ivory with silver edging to match the embroidery on my dress, it was 2 layers, fingertip length, and she added some of the same desing on the veil to match my dress. I kept it on the whole night!!!!



Shoes
My Glass Slipper by Grazia- A
(www.myglassslipper.com)
Beautiful shoes, very comfortable!! Although a little too tall for my dress, my mom was able to take them to a shoemaker to cut the heel height a little lower. The shoes literally stayed on for our first dance and they were off the rest of the night--- but they were really pretty, and matched my headpiece, I may actually dye them so I can wear them again!!

Limo
Romantique Limousines INC – A++++
(www.Romantiquelimo.com)
I had a very pleasant experience with them. Recommended by Knottie: CAEid, I worked with Donna over the phone, and she was incredible. We had a ’59 Rolls Royce and a 35 passenger Limbusine which were spectacular. They were early to my house which was great, and they even stuck around after our photos at the beach so DH and I could have our Champagne toast, complete with pictures. The drivers were courteous and a lot of fun. They took us to Long Beach after Church, and were wonderful on the way back to the reception! I highly recommend them


Hair
Symmetrix Salon in Oceanside (Tina) – A+
I haven’t been around Oceanside for over 2 years now, so finding someone to do my hair was difficult. Luckily, my mom ran into Tina, who used to do my hair years ago, and she graciously accepted the challenge. I had booked 2 hair trials with her the 2 days before the wedding—and never got to them!!! Tina did a phenomenal job!!!! She knew how I wanted it, and it stayed perfectly the whole day--- and not too many pins to take out either!!! She also did my mom and MOH’s hair which came out beautiful, and everyone loved them!!!

Makeup
Jenn Duffy – A+++
Jenn is an old friend who is just the absolute sweetest woman in the world. Besides being so sweet she is super talented, and really did a phenomenal job on my my mom and MOH. Jenn works freelance, and her bio includes runway models for DKNY, Ralph Lauren, and Chanel, and she has done Kte Moss and Molly Simms makeup for years!! I felt honored that she wanted to do mine, and it was perfect!!!!

Picture Location
Long Beach Boardwalk - A+++
Being the Long Island Girl I am, how could we not take pictures at the beach??? We absolutely refused to pay to go somewhere, when we knew we could be as simple and happy right down there on the Boardwalk where so many summers were spent for so many years! Plus DH loves the beach and we wanted our pictures to reflect our fun loving nature.

Rings
Turkan Jewelers
My E-ring and our wedding bands were all purchased from Turkan. My family has used them for years and have never been let down. My wedding band matches my E-ring (white gold with round and rectangle baguettes) and DH got a channel set white gold band to match- and a comfort fit for everyday!! See pics for more details…

Favors
USO Donation
support our troops bracelets A++++
We decided to donate money to the USO, in honor of supporting all of our active military. DH is Air Force, and the USO has been very good to us both, keeping the men and women serving our country entertained, and occupied!! I ordered the rubber “support Our Troops” bracelets from oriental trading and put them in an organza bag along with a donation card at each place setting. Our guests loved the idea and everyone wore them proudly!!

Reception venue
Huntington Hilton – A+++++++++++++++++++++++
(www.hiltonlongisland.com)
The Hilton far exceeded any and every expectation we had when it came to planning this wedding. Rosemary was our coordinator before leaving the Hilton and really did us well when setting everything up. Michelle took over and continued perfectly according to plan. We had Carte Blanche when it came to planning, complete with a Sushi bar at the Cocktail Hour that was UNREAL!!! Not only the best sushi I think I have ever eaten, but more than 50 different types of rolls too!!!! Complete with 3 chefs under a makeshift temple, We had edamame, miso soup and all the fixings, we parked ourselves right in front of it!!! We also had anything and everything else you could imagine, 3 carving stations, pasta station, a martini and caviar bar..you name it!!! All of my out of town guests where in awe!! ( as well as some of the locals too!) the cocktail hour was in the atrium of the lobby of hotel which was beautiful, and we were the only wedding there that day,,,( I made sure of it!) Our bridal suite was awesome too, b/c they made it a mini-cocktail hour complete with every selection in case we decided we didn’t want to go—we’d have it all available in our suite. They even opened the cocktail hour early, so that any guests arriving and checking in had something to drink and eat.
The Reception was held in the Grand Ballroom which was absolutely magnificent. The décor was far more stunning than I imagined, and the food was out of this world. Our Maitre’d and bridal attendant were amazing, and I don’t think we were without a cocktail the entire night. Dinner was great and everyone raved about each entrée!! Even our cake from the bite we got was delicious!!! Everything really went so seamlessly, I was kind of waiting for something to go wrong…believe me when I tell you not a thing was astray our whole Beautiful Day!

After the reception we went to the Hotel bar to continue the partying…before retiring to our Presidential Suite for the next 2 nights at the Hilton. They had champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us, (which we stayed up and drank!) It was wonderful… the next morning we had Brunch downstairs for all of my guests who stayed and it was a great way to spend some more time reliving the greatest day of our lives!!!! I highly highly highly recommend them for your venue….

Best of Luck to you….. now enjoy the pics!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6cf01b3127cce8eb907f4e0bd00000015100AaNWrFo1bMmJg

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

u looked beautiful!! i love ur groom's cake!! where is that place u got it from located?

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Congratulations! You looked so pretty and I am so glad you had such a wonderful day!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Thanks for that review!!! You look beautiful! Congratulations

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Congratulations! Great review! Thanks!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

beautiful

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Congrats...great review

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

yay!!!!!!!! congrats Kelly!!!!! you and donnie looked great and i love the pics!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!!! You were gorgeous.

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

bumped as requested!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-- w/PICS!!!!!

Beautiful wedding and great review! Thanks for sharing!

Re: My 7/29/06 long overdue REVIEW!! Huntington Hilton, Glenmar Studio,Burton's,GQ Productions, Romantique limo-After Hours tuxedos, Jenn duffy,symetrix salon--- w/PICS!!!!!

you looked gorgeous!!! And I love that you took pics at the boardwalk!