My 9/21 Wedding Review (w/ Link to Photos)

Aloha Ladies - I am back from Hawaii - thanks to all the LIW ladies without whom my wedding would not have been a such a success- a special shout-out to Rlivings for being my inspiration, such a great friend and for putting up with me this last year! Also to SonicStef for your beautiful CD covers and Menus - everyone was blown away with your professionalism and talent!! And also to IrishTracy for introducing me to Lilettes and Geri-my gown was gorgeous!

Below is a link to some non-professional photos from the wedding! My wedding was truely beautiful and the best day of my life - I never laughed and smiled so much as on September 21st! Here goes the review:

Bridal Dress: Paloma Blanca, Lillettes, A++
What more can I say about this store that hasn't been said! I just can't rave about them enough - Geri is the best, she took 4 hours with me to help me find THE dress. Never rushed once and remembered me everytime I came back for alterations. I ended up buying the second dress I tried on-Lillettes was my first stop and should have been my last but my mom insisted that we look elsewhere. No where else I visited made me feel so beautiful, so important as there - the dressmakers were fabulous, not one complaint on the alterations!

Bridesmaid Dresses, Bill Levkoff, Bridal Couture A
The Bridesmaid Dresses were in color Euro Red - gorgeous thank god since I ordered the color from only a swatch! I have read complaints about Bridal Couture but I have not one - they staff was attentive, the dresses came in on time, in the right sizes and the alterations were fantastic!

Hair/Makeup: Nubest & Co., Manhasset, A++
I have been getting my hair cut and highlighted here for the past 13 years so I knew this is where I was going from the start. They were open on Sundays and I paraded myself, 6 bridesmaids and my mom in there for hair and makeup - they were fantastic! My bridesmaids looks beautiful - a special thank you to Linda/Charles who did the makeup and Mira who did my hair - they made everyone look and feel like movie stars. Hair for $70 and makeup for $40, the prices and professionalism cannot be beat - my makeup stayed on all day and only needed to reapply lipstick and gloss!

Photographer/Videographer: LaMont Gallery, Roslyn, A+
I found my photographer based on recommendations from friends and Ron, the owner, is fantastic - my engagement photos are gorgeous, I could not ask for anything better. I haven't seen the proofs yet so I will amend the review but my mom has seen them and raves about them! Ron was wonderful to work with and he totally won over my family and friends with his charm! He was totally unobstructive and once I got to the reception, never noticed the him or his staff were even there. He promised we would make my cocktail hour and we did! We took photos at my house, the hotel for my DH's family before the mass, the church and in the gardens at the Westbury Manor. For anyone looking for a photographer whose prices are honest and the work beautiful, I highly recommend LaMont!

Reception: The Westbury Manor, A++++++++
OMG, the Wesbury Manor is the best!! Our wedding was in the Manor Room - the dance floor was enormous and people were dancing all night! The staff were so awesome, the food was amazing and people have been calling/e-mailing me for weeks to rave about it - WM brides, you have nothing to fear! The moment we pulled up, we were met with our Maitre de Chris and my bridal assistant Lorena were amazing! I didn't have to ask for a single thing - they were attentive and fun! Everyone raved about the food and the service. We were blessed with a beautiful day so we had the cocktail hour outside - we added a martini bar and a raw seafood boat and everyone was just blown away! The gardens were beautiful and the pictures came out gorgeous - while we were there for 1 1/2 hours before the cocktail hour taking photos they brought our parents and the bridal party our food and drinks as a pre-cocktail hour - amazing! DH and I were able to attend our full cocktail hour and actually managed to eat there and some of our dinner while still mingling at the tables. The best night of my life!

DJ Glenn Passerelli, WJGP Sound, Port Jeff, A+++
My DJ was amazing! Glenn DJ'd my friend's wedding 4 years ago and I never forgot him - so nice, so low-key and played everything I wanted! I really wanted a band, DH wanted a DJ so I compromised - and I am glad I did! He was amazing! He never stopped playing, played a good mix of slow sonngs, dance music, oldies, etc! The crowed never stopped dancing the whole night - the dance floor was packed BEFORE the salad was even served - no flashing lights, no props - a class act from start to finish - he had people asking for his business card all night- FABULOUS!

Flowers: Flower Michelle, Huntington, A++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John rocks!! I can't say any more than what's been said here - he's so incredibly talented, wonderful - simply the best in the business! I was blown away from my initial meeting with him - he took the time to listen to my ideas and we just clicked - I had a vision from the start and he made it happen ! Thanks to the ladies on this board, I found him - my mom took convincing to hire him but I was sold from the moment I met him, I just knew! I burst into tears when I saw my and my BM bouquets- amazing, gorgeous! The church flowers were beautiful, the centerpieces insane! Roses everywhere! At the last miniute I deleted a table and John offered to give me my money back but I told him to put an arrangement on the placecard tables and it was simply gorgeous - he added rose petals on the placecard table and more roses on the church pews. Whatever I wanted he did and more so! When I wanted to change the sample centerpiece around, he doubled the amt of roses - no extra charge! He came at the end of the night to see how everything went and everyone was rushing toward him to ask for his card! Flowers are the most abstract part of the wedding since you don't really know how it will come out the day of -I can't thank him and his staff enough! He deserves every piece of success his has!

Limos: Baywich Limos, Oyster Bay, A+
My family has been using Joe at Baywich Limo for 10 years so for me, I went straight to them. Always dependable, prices are reasonable and the cars are always clean. DH and I had a Rolls Royce which was amazing-when we drove from my church in Oyster Bay to the Westbury Manor on the Northern State, I felt like a movie star! The horn playing Here Comes the Bride, people waving and honking at us - it was an amazing feeling. The BP partied like rock stars in the Escalade - I never saw the inside but my friends were raving about it - our drivers were so fun and friendly, I highly recommend them!

Favors: CDs and Italian Confetti - CD Covers & Menu Cards Designed by SonicStef. A+++++++++ Our very own SonicStef is the best- she's so incredibly talented, friendly, patient and kind!!
Her designs are custom made - check out her designs on www.sonicdesign.homestead.com
My CD covers (inside and out) and matching menu cards were designed by her and thank god b/c I am not artistic at all. My photos do not do here work justice! I told her she should quit her job and start a bridal consulting busniess - she's truely amazing!

I ran out of room so here goes with the photos!