My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, LONG!!! UPDATED WITH PICS-PG 2

My review!!

What I learned: Don’t have a RD the night before if you have a morning wedding. I woke up feeling great but tired and was relaxed (which I pretty much was all day- Maria, my stylist didn’t want me to stress about my brother not being dressed which is the one thing that almost went wrong- he’s in special ed and looses track of time) I ate and hung out but around 8:00 got light headed and was nauseous all day long. I almost puked when DH fed me cake! I forced myself to eat my chicken I all I drank was water. I was also really dehydrated and didn’t recover until we landed in Hong Kong! (also take it easy drinking before your big day) I was sick on the plane too but the long flight was actually the perfect recovery cocoon! My pics show me laughing and everyone commented on how relaxed I was, which I truly was so I fought it pretty well.

Delegate what you can to friends- my BM made calls to the BP for us and sent our e-vite for the RD and even called the restaurant for us! Great friends make it all go better!

Get a 2nd bout for the groom- after the hugging it can fall apart- not the florists fault!

Double check delivery details with your florist- esp if you aren’t getting ready at home- my bok almost went to my house not my hotel! Would have been my fault but I caught it.

You can’t call your services enough to confirm- tho don’t annoy them! My problem was my hotel.

Overall- we were on time (which is shocking for me!) and it all went smoothly! I choose vendors I didn’t have to worry about- they were worth every penny!

FM me for details if you need them- let me know if I left anyone off!
Pics will be posted soon- I hope!

On to the review!


I’m going to try to do this chronologically to make it easier to read!

Invitations, Favors and Programs- Joan A+++
I an lucky to have a neighbor in the printing business and she runs an invitation business out of her house- she was great help and a good guide- I am glad I had an actual person to guide me- I needed it! She works with her sister and made custom direction cards that were cut to fit with my invitation perfectly and she got my programs printed in about a week! (we asked her 2 weeks before the wedding!) My BM is using her now and loves her! I could have gotten a better price on my favors tho but I found out after I placed a hold on my items with her so FH and I agreed that we like giving her the business so we kept the order. Joan also did our programs with about a week to go and noticed an error in the day of the week that I missed and reprinted all 100 overnight. She didn’t tell me until they were done and had me come over for my surprise….she didn’t want me to freak out! She’s great and if I ever want pro printed invites for shower etc in the future I’ll definitely be going to her!

Computer printing on envelopes- Mary A+++
Mary was recommended to my by Joan- she matched my invite font and used the computer to print on my envelopes- I didn’t have the money or time for hand calligraphy and my friend who does calligraphy wasn’t sure she could write on my textured envelopes. Given my time crunch I didn’t want to risk it. I e-mailed Mary the addresses in chunks as we didn’t have a complete list and she got the first chunk of 85 envelopes done by the time I got home that night!! (about 2-3 hours). She did all of the others just as fast and wouldn’t take any extra money when I tried to tip her. Very nice and great job!

Gown and BM dresses- Macys in Manhasset- A minus before dresses in – A+ after

I choose all of the dresses quickly so we wouldn’t have to pay for expedited delivery and wasn’t sure I’d like them but they turned out to be beautiful. Betty was very helpful and everyone there is very nice. The BM dresses were in a little later than they originally told me but they were in with plenty of time to spare so it was fine. There were a few issues with the BM dresses that my OOT BM had with measurements and she had trouble getting a hold of the manager- it worked out with minimal fuss. The A- rating is because the dresses were a little later than the scheduled delivery date and my first MOH dress choice didn’t come in the color I wanted and we had to choose another style quickly. It worked out for the best because I like the 2nd style better!! I would have hated the other style! Everyone is so helpful and nice it made up for any little issues. They let us play in the BM dresses to choose the right style and I even pulled out my dress to show my 2 MOH during my two trips when we went to pick out their 2nd dresses (so hard to get people together at the same time!) b/c they weren’t with me when I got my dress. The fittings went well and the rates weren’t too bad. The manager kept popping in to see how everyone was doing on initial trials and during fittings. I had a great experience with them!!

Hair pins- Nelson trunk show at Macys B+-A

They don’t get an A+ because the order was late- they were still there in time so it worked out- I didn’t customize anything but they were exactly how I wanted them. They do a nice job and are nice people too. I had to call a lot to find out what was going on and had to go through Macys to do so. A little frustrating but everyone loved them. If you have a lot of time I’d recommend them- pretty pieces too.

Veil- Barrons at Tri-county A+++

This place was great and my BM got her veil the same day. They have the best selection I have ever seen- I can’t believe how many veils I looked at and had to stop myself from asking more to be taken out- this coming from someone who didn’t even want a veil originally!! After I choose the style they made it for me in one of their 1,000,000 different tulle color options (they have about 3 white shades and 3-4 ivory and pinks too!) and they altered the length a little for me. I paid extra for a stick and then changed my hair style and had to go back to put it back on the comb. The total cost was still below $200! I loved working with them and my BM loved them too! I also got my purse there. They had a great selection of tiaras (tho some REALLY tacky ones!!) and hair jewelry too. I almost didn’t make it there but am SO glad that I went. DH and I got our wedding bands at the jewelry exchange too. (so did my our BM and GM who are getting married in June)

MOB dress- wholesale people in NYC (I think it’s that famous bridal building) A+++

The owners are the parents of my mom’s boss but they were very nice (and had great bridal gowns that I wish I saw before I picked mine- at great prices) and they sent her to a seamstress in the building who did her alterations for a good price and they came out great. It’s a pretty dress and a great color and she received a lot of compliments on it. The style was a little more youthful than I would have chosen for her but it wasn’t too much so.

Rehersal dinner- Paparazzi on Jericho and Glen Cove rd- A

DH and I booked this the Wed before a Friday dinner. We looked at Akbar because DH is Indian but hated the décor in the party rooms (they claimed that they renovated since my MOH brother had a party there- they hadn’t!) We walked and the aroma from the food was SO good DH decided that we had found our place before talking with the guy! (he’s usually much slower with decisions like this!). This was a LIW recommendation too. The food was slow to come out but DH and I were both late (last min loose ends) but the food was great. We got a nice points card that gave us gift certificates in the mail after we got back and took my MOH and GM (hubby and wife) there after we got back and treated them to dinner. The food was great and we are taking DH’s brother and SIL there next week! Their dinner area is nice and they set up an extra table last min without a fuss. We spilled a beer and wine on the table cloth at my table and it had to be changed twice- they did so without a gripe- great service (and my cousin can be a pain so I would have understood if the waitress had gotten annoyed but she didn’t). Go there even if it’s just for a night out with your FH to relax and NOT discuss wedding stuff!




Hotel- Wingate Inn Garden City- before wedding- A+++

Always there to help and worked with me on things I didn’t even ask for! They were always friendly and helpful. It’s such a popular hotel that it booked up except for smoking rooms and my cousins who waited to make their reservations had to go to the Red Roof Inn a half mile away! (all their fault for waiting!)

Wedding weekend- B minus- B maybe a generous B+

First, the rooms are a nice size and very clean. The large bridal suite is HUGE and everyone commented on how much they liked it and hadn’t seen anything that large before. The lighting wasn’t very good tho and I had to move a lamp over to where the makeup and hair people were working to give them more light in the wee hours of the morning. There should be lights in the ceiling on their own switch- the bathroom needed better lighting too. They brought up the extra tables which got filled up with our BP gifts and other stuff quickly. They were also prompt with the breakfast I arranged tho the selection was a little different than the one downstairs. The negatives were that somehow I lost my reservation for our second suite for the wedding night (the small one bedroom suite with French doors). They claim that I never booked it and I was released the month before the wedding. I’m 95% sure that I never booked the large suite so how is it that I lost one suite only? The way I figure it- I should have had both or lost both- not just one. How did they compensate me? When I told them that the GM were probably going to be picking at the breakfast and not staying in the hotel they gave us their meals free (about $50-60 worth of compensation) and thanked me for my honesty. I didn’t really make a stink because I was tired and didn’t want to make them annoyed and possibly affect my service the weekend. It did work out b/c our after party didn’t really happen b/c everyone was too tired- we had a small meal with about 6 close friends and DH and I stayed in that room that night which made packing up easier. The next gripe I had was late check out. I requested it on Friday and they said sure. I assumed they could see the guests booked under my name. Luckily, I had my BM call Sat night with all of the room numbers in hand to confirm that they had everyone for the late check out- they didn’t. On to Sunday after breakfast we go back to pack up- it was about 11. We go back to our rooms to pack up and our keys automatically deprogrammed! We weren’t warned about this when I arranged the late check out OR during out follow up call. We had to go down there to the one desk clerk who didn’t have such a great attitude to get them re-set. She didn’t apologize or smile but she got the job done. Overall, staying there and using it as our base for the BP and families to all leave from and return to was great and despite everything I would use them again and recommend them just stay on top of them!! Maybe even book a few of your blocked rooms and cancel them if you don’t need them (tho double check that you aren’t liable in that case- I don’t remember).

Hair- Maria from Concours…. Before wedding A+++ (me and mom)

Maria is great and I went for 2 trials- not because I didn’t like the first one- because it was so good I wasn’t sure which style I wanted! We decided on a completely different style in the end and I love it. Maria always responded back to me quickly which is great too. She listened to what I wanted and gave great feedback. Our personalities clicked well and the LIW reviews were so good I booked her that day. (She has a great family and doggies too!)

Day of- A+++
Confirmed with my DH the day or two before and he never told me that she arranged for a 6:30 arrival time. I couldn’t remember if it was 6:00 or 6:30 and called her. Poor Maria was under the impression that I thought she was late!! I was very calm and was just making sure that I hadn’t gotten it wrong! She was perfectly on time and did a great job on both my mother and me. I highly recommend her!!! Short review but I hope that it says enough- she’s great and you can’t go wrong if you use her!! She also has great reviews on here too!

Hair for BM- Noeleen

Trial- A+++ Noeleen was recommended by my makeup person, Michelle and she was great at the trial. She worked quickly and we liked both trial styles on my guinea pig BM- very nice person too (adorable cat!) Booked that day!

Day of – A+++
She was 15 min early (that’s 4:45 AM for those keeping score!) and set up quickly. She got all of my girls done quickly and beautifully. If my BM whose wedding is in June was having a morning wedding she would have used Noeleen in a heartbeat! The girls loved her and they looked great all day! I highly recommend her also and her rates are the best out of anyone I’ve priced!

Makeup- Michelle of Defining Moments

Trial- A+++ She did a great job and everyone liked it first shot! She’s highly reviewed in LIW and I can see why. We did have to reschedule the trial due to the turkey day holidays, which I understood and I knew she’d be worth the wait! I booked her that night too!

Day of – A+++
Perfect jobs on all on my girls! There are many different skin tones and unique beauty aspects with my BM and she flattered all of them. I didn’t hear a single complaint or requested adjustment. I am very glad that I was able to pay for their makeup as part of my gift to them b/c having them all made up made them all look even better (if that’s possible). Everyone loved Michelle too and she was also perfectly on schedule and ready to get started quickly. I highly recommend her as well!!!


Limos- Royalty- before wedding- A+++

Manny is nice to work with- we got decent rates and we changed things on them a few times but they were accommodating overall. My MOH used them and liked them. They got in touch with us before the big day to confirm.

Day of—A+++ with a C for one driver at the end of the night

We booked the 40 passenger bus and a 14 pass stretch. One tip- have more seats than people in the limo cars- they don’t really hold what they claim- at least not comfortably!! Especially all dressed up!

They on time, maybe even early- I didn’t have a watch! Did push to get us out of the door even though we had time to spare (and needed it to take pics in the suite). The morning drivers were friendly and introduced themselves and got a good run down before we left for the church. They even put my bok in water in the limobus! They had perfect directions and helped get the girls all set up for their aisle walk. I think we should have tipped them a little more but oh, well.

For the evening we asked for 3 14 pass vans or to send back the limobus if it was available. They couldn’t send the bus but sent 2 large SUV limos and a 14 pass stretch. Our BP, who can get raunchy and loud (you’d never guess that most of them are teachers!) were trying to close the partition to not bother the driver but couldn’t find the button. They were getting raunchy and at one point someone tossed a plastic cup at someone else a few people over. The driver snapped at them to stop it and if they didn’t they would have to walk to the hotel! I understand if he said, “hey, guys, could you cut that out please” or something and THEN saying what he said if they didn’t listen but to go right to threatening them is not cool. I just found this out last night too. The comment back was a loudly mumbled “____ killjoy” use your imagination! My MOH used them and they were very good for them. If I were to do it again I’d just request that one driver to be different!

Flowers- Pedestals- Erin – A+++

We booked Pedestals on the spot because I knew we got a good deal for such a reputable place and we didn’t have much time to play with. We didn’t realize that our price wasn’t quoted with tax (we didn’t read the contract- nothing that Pedestals did-I’m sure that they even told us at the time but we didn’t pay attention). I didn’t have a lot of flower demands and many of my choices were out of season so I just let the pros do their thing! They surprised me with the sample centerpiece as it had many more flowers and colors than I expected but I liked it and told them to keep it. We didn’t change the boks tho. The only contact issue was that we were mainly directed to Erin, who is only in on Sat. This was only an issue toward the end as we were mainly available on Sat until right before the wedding. The other negative was that they charged for the rose petals that we wanted to toss after the ceremony tho my BM was just pricing florists the other day and this little guy in College Point wanted to charge her for tossing petals too so maybe this is the way some places do it now. (more on her florist search later). Their explanation that they had such high demands for petals that they started to order them just for pulling-apart purposes seemed plausible and at that time I didn’t have the energy to argue. We went to another florist after booking Pedestals and they were coming in $1500 more and they suggested weird yellow and orange colors for the CP after knowing that my colors were Eggplant.

Day of – A+++
Out Bok were on time and perfect. Everyone loved them! They gave us an extra boutonniere or two which is good b/c at least one broke! One tip—get a second one for the groom!! After all the hugging Dh orchids were gone after the ceremony! The centerpieces were slightly different day of and I LOVED them even more! They got purple-ish blue hydrangea and a pretty pink flower with purple in the center and added them in!

My side note- my June wedding BM just booked Pedestals and wasn’t going to even look at them b/c she thought they were out of her range. Not only did they come in below her budget for low CP but she went with high CP for just a little over her budget. She didn’t love the high pressure sales and really couldn’t book without her FH so we left and ended up going to this florist my other BM recommended in College Point. He not only came in 700 HIGHER than Pedestals but he didn’t include the Calla Lilies in the BM Bok, the sweetheart table flowers or their cake! His shop was a dump too!! Needless to say, she gladly went back to Pedestals with her FH the next day and got them to honor their original quote. Her FH used to work for a florist and even he was happy with them (tho he knows what a huge mark up there is!). Plus, they know they don’t have to worry about their flowers! Make that another A+++ for them!

Ceremony- Roslyn Presbyterian Church- Rev Carter- A+++

I knew from their web site (first of all- one of the few LI churches with one!) that they were the church for us-just the right combination of humor. The building is very old and set in the Roslyn Village- beautiful and I love buildings with history. On our first meeting in person with Rev Carter I knew we were in the right place. He does interfaith weddings for couples who want a church ceremony all of the time (I think he does off site too) and he’s not someone who takes things too seriously. DH felt that his church is too restrictive and doesn’t take the same view of the religion so this was perfect. The “Buddy Christ” figure from Dogma was the kicker!! Rev Carter clearly believes in his faith and insisted in certain levels of respect for the ceremony and what it means- he also stressed that it’s our day and he accommodates things like the Jewish glass breaking. Mainly- it’s his show but we are the stars and other clergy can have a prayer and/or reading but can’t steal the stage (much to my MIL dismay, who wanted her clergy to sit on the altar even though Rev Carter doesn’t like to use it for weddings himself). He was a little hard to get a hold of at times and we had to reschedule things a little because he sometimes forgot that there was another meeting etc. but we were so grateful to him for allowing us to use his church we never minded.

Rev showed just enough reverence and humor where appropriate and pulled out two rainbow colored swirled lollypops to represent the couple staying individual while becoming a new “one” – you could still see both colors and the blending in the middle. He set the tone for our day- ceremony with laughs. The church was a little smaller than I wish it was but the building is so charming. In the planning he stressed that it’s our day and our show and he wouldn’t allow anyone to over shadow that- not even himself. I was so anxious during one of the sections where I was supposed to say “I will” that I thought he was done and cut him off. Remembering that he told us to make sure the people in the “cheap” seats at our “show” heard us it was a fairly loud “I will” and all he did was say, “Hmmm” and moved on to the next part. I apologized profusely afterwards and he didn’t seem annoyed but clearly appreciated the apology. I liked him so much that I, the half Jewish non-religious person that I am, thought his church might be one DH and I should bring our future kids to.

Video- Amore Productions- Mike- before and day of- A+++

We didn’t ask much of Mike- we just knew we wanted someone with a video camera who wasn’t a family member to capture our day. I wanted a step above raw footage- mainly I wanted the highlight video to show people who weren’t there without boring them! We ended up getting Mike’s basic edit package. Mike was always willing to be flexible- he mailed the original contract to us in the mail because we didn’t feel comfortable booking that day and never ended up looking any further than Rambling Rose’s package (they mail you a whole thing which was great) but never actually meeting with anyone else. We didn’t mail the contract back because I misplaced it around x-mas time and DH had to stop in his office to sign – he held our day for us for about a month by the time we actually gave him money!! We did our final talk over the phone. Mike said he’d be at the church an hour early- I wasn’t there so the footage will have to speak for itself! He seemed to be capturing everything- he never disappeared when things were going on except at CH when he went to eat- which was clearly fine by me! He got the CH set up and I think the main room which is great b/c the pics took so long that the photographer didn’t have time! There was one part where the party was going full swing and Dh and I were talking large group shots with his large family (which, despite the timing, was a great idea my MIL had! Grouping families and taking the large shot!) so I mouthed to Mike to stop filming the pics and get our friends. He understood and went on over! I don’t even know if he was able to capture anything b/c it was chaos there- that’ll be explained in the photographer part! Mike got in touch with us quickly- tho I think he’s a little better by phone! We just contacted him (at the 3 week mark) about our video and he called DH back from FL! So far- I recommend him!

Finished product: To be added later!!


Photography- Gray Studios- Steve (photographer) and Chris (assistant)- before and day of: A+++

This was the area where DH and I looked at a lot of vendors and came thisclose to booking Duet – while they offered more quantity and have great quality the pictures didn’t talk to me as much as Gray. We did negotiate a little with Gray as their basic package needs updating- and ended up chatting with Rose for an hour about college and not to worry about her daughter there. Steve has a great personality and we liked him from the start. Chris actually works in the photo lab at Nassau Community College where I took Photo 1 and he’s really cool (I found that fact out after we booked- it’s such a small world). Our e-pics were nice even tho they charge to go out of the studio. It was always easy to get a hold of Steve and everyone there is very nice.

Steve and Chris were on time and set up quickly. Steve started snapping pics of me getting ready while Chris was getting the lights ready. They got great shots and I appreciated getting multiples of every shot because out of every group there is that one that stands out and it might not have been there if he only took 2! Esp on our group shots! We had such a large BP we needed multiple takes! I forgot to give my BM their gifts before the wedding and almost forgot that morning until I was about to take pics with my 2 MOH and noticed their lack of jewelry! I already told all of them that they didn’t have to worry about necklaces or earrings so they didn’t buy something just for that day. It turned into a great photo op! Steve kept joking with us and it kept the smiles natural. He said that the upward shot of the BM looking down always comes out bad but he likes to do them anyway- implying that he liked being surrounded by the girls! There was just one messed up shot and it wasn’t his fault (or the video guy). When DH and I went to walk though the “tunnel” at the reception we were told to go right through- well they didn’t tell our photo or video guys because as we were running through I saw them running to the other end! Steve had to slide on his BACK to try to get the shot!! He just caught it- tho not perfectly and the only one that we might have been able to use has DH with an odd look on his face! TOTALLY not Steve’s fault and everyone was impressed with how he tried! I thanked him and told him not to worry about the shot- tho I now wonder if we should have staged it! Steve knew from our conversations that we had a fairly rowdy group of friends and we loved them for it- he got the guys to take off their shirts and just wear their ties and vests and it was the highlight of the wedding. It’s what his friends do and we LOVED that touch! (we heard one guest say that they wouldn’t be happy if that was her wedding! Not us!) The DJ played Punjabi music and the GM were dancing around and having a blast- this is the part where I asked Mike to stop filming the photo session at our dais and get the party. Our friends eventually dragged us from our seats (literally) and carried us to the floor to make sure we got our party time in- I can’t say how much I love our BP! (the MC, Video guy, Matre’D, everyone- commented on how great our friends are- they went out of their way to do so too! They said they don’t see friends like that often!)

Finished product: A+++ so far…

The proofs are PERFECT!! After my MOH pics, which many people didn’t think were very high quality, many of my friends thought it was the digital photography- tho I think it was her photographer- their studio is a fairly good one but they use subcontractor from what I can gather and this one wasn’t good at all. Her pics were washed out- bad metering, back lighting…. My non-photography trained BM even noticed the huge color and clarity difference (tho you really can’t miss it, I’m sad to say). My MOH says that she’s happy with them and I try to not say anything negative to her about it. My proofs blew away my friend who works in TV and was critiquing online photographers in my decision process. She loved the quality and if it wasn’t for the quick turn around time and the 2-4 places you can see the metering compensation Steve had to do in one or two difficult shots she wouldn’t have believed that they weren’t touched up! (there’s a group shot in our limobus of the BP and one or two other people and with the dark lighting and number of people you can see that the white people in the front are washed out so he could get DH and I and the people in the back to not fade into darkness- of course those overexposed parts can be burned in more later- easier to adjust than the dark sections!)I also noticed that Sherwood Triart and Duet had similar quality proofs b/c my MOH bro used Sherwood- so I saw real proofs- it’s a good gauge of a photographer if you can confirm that they are actual proofs and not ones set up to wow you! I have SO many great shots I can’t even narrow them down to the 70 in my album!! My BM wants more details on them and she’s from a family who has so many weddings she had her planned before she got her ring and they are planning a 2008 wedding!


Reception- Fox Hollow- Briar Fox cocktail hour – Garden Terrace for dinner-booked with Arthur- before- A++

DH and I basically felt and still feel that the wedding business, esp on LI is a racket and most places are the same. We attended a wedding at FH years ago and had a great time- I fell in love with the Garden Terrace while there. We got a great price due to the time of the year and having it in the morning. Arthur was always great and while he has that salesman style he still seems natural and always greeted us when we were there for the showcase and for another wedding. He offered for us to grab a few drinks in his office the day we attended that other wedding b/c it was dry! I was a little worried about the food b/c I had some issues with it at the wedding we attended. FH has such a great reputation I was beginning to worry that they were riding on that and that maybe it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. In the end, cooking for 225 people can’t be as good as a real restaurant! They accommodated our extra beer requests and even arranged for an Indian food station at CH for us. They were pleasant to deal with and offer a lot. They don’t seem to like to give you receipts for payments tho!!

Day of- A+++

Roy was our Matre’d (can’t spell it) and Jenn was our Bridal attendant. DH wasn’t without a beer all night and they quickly set up warm sweet milk for this milk ceremony thing where the mom’s give the milk to their new children to show their nurture to their new child- we told them about an hour before we needed it and they set it up perfectly!! I didn’t need much all day but they were very good. Roy even mentioned a good LIW write up! Everyone said that the food was excellent- and I usually think that people lie to the bride (a thing I have been guilty of myself) they kept raving in a way that makes me believe it. The time I knew my friends were lying they only said it to the bride once…I won’t get repetitive, what other reviews said is true- TONS of food- everyone loved it. Great service and no problems that I heard of! The only nitpick I have is on our cake. We asked for swirled angel food and devil food- we didn’t approach them- they offered it to us in the choices- and from what I saw and everyone remembers- it was angel food. Everyone loved it tho and they got our choc pudding and vanilla custard request correct. They have nice designs but my BM has nicer ones to choose from at Jericho Terrace! We left with a large case of Yuingling beer that we requested (it’s America’s oldest beer and our gang’s favorite)- it’s a shame the after party fizzled!

FH met my expectations and overcame my cynicism- which is no easy feat- esp given that I wanted a destination wedding. The other issue I had was the mix up with our tunnel walk- but honestly, I feel that if those are the worst things I’ll GLADLY take them!!

DJ- Bravo Sounds – MC- Mike DJ- Alfonso A+++

Our Queens vendor- great guys who did both of my MOH brothers weddings. They sit down with you and determine your style of party and assign the DJ and MC based on that – you can’t go wrong with any of their guys and what works for one party won’t necessarily work for another- trust them if you go to them and don’t just ask for my guys. Different combos did the other weddings I know of and they all were perfect for that couple. They are pros and poor Mike was trying to get DH Indian family members to dance and that side basically sat the whole time (they also left right after dinner- but there are a lot of nurses who worked that evening and they do that at every wedding- I wouldn’t have minded if some people didn’t give us $100 for a couple!) Mike kept asking what he should do and DH and I told him not to worry about it and focus on my side and those who are dancing. The younger people did get into it later on tho- it’s mainly the parents that sit there. I married the boring kind on Indian- the Northerners are the ones that party big!! The music only go better as the night went on and people did start getting blasted out a little at the end of the night but they turned it down when asked. Mike likes to ad-lib a little and make the announcements his won but he does a great job! I felt that whatever he needed to do to keep the announcements flowing well was fine with me. He always cleared them with us too. I highly recommend them too!! They specialize in ethnic music and played American, Indian and Reggaeton! The Reggaeton was the biggest hit!

Mother nature: B
It could have been warmer- it could have been a blizzard- given the weather this winter I would have done better with early Feb -late Jan but oh well. I was so on edge I wasn’t feeling the cold and I’m glad that I didn’t buy a special coat- I just wore my dress! Can’t really complain here considering a Feb wedding!


Honeymoon- us! Hong Kong 4 nights, Bangkok 5 nights

We met with In and Out travel and while I really liked David and had a great meeting but they came in too high for us. We tried to work with them to get the package lower- and they came really close- we started booking 3 weeks before the wedding due to various time and money issues (and work vacation issues) and it wouldn’t be us if it wasn’t last minute!! DH went back and forth with them (David was away in Israel so we had to follow up with, I believe, Ellen?) and he kept beating their prices online. It got to a point that DH and I were both sitting with our laptops researching different combinations and cross referencing with tripadvisor.com as we booked. We booked the flights first and then the hotels and ended up with a great price! I liked In and Out Travel so much I actually felt bad not giving them the business in the end but our budgets don’t allow for feeling bad and we worked 3 nights in a row until 2:00 am for those lower prices!! Our flights to Hong Kong, Bangkok and back home came to 1,800 for both of us and we booked a five start hotel in Hong Kong and a 2 room suite in Bangkok. We knew that this was our once-in-a-lifetime trip and I have never been outside of the US so I wanted adventure and nothing on this coast. I wanted South Africa but it was WAY out of our price range! We are so lucky to live in NY that trips to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas etc are so easy. We even decided against Phuket in Thailand after seeing that the main attractions were very beach based- we didn’t travel to the other side of the world to lay on a beach! While that is fun on it’s own it can be done on a long weekend trip to Puerto Rico! We’ll see how the rest of this review goes!

HM- A+++ The only thing- I wish we had more time- I know everyone says this but we mainly went sight seeing and didn’t have much down time. There was just too much to see and do! I wanted it this way but we needed a vacation after our HM! I don’t regret it tho!! Even coming home a few days early didn’t help. The flights were great- people in both places were great. Hong Kong and Thailand are opposites- Hong Kong is clean and clearly a former UK colony- Thailand never was occupied and it shows with a more authentic culture (tho not many know English- even the cabs with the “we know English” signs! DH and I want to go back!! We didn’t get to see everything. I’ll post more details on the HM page- I’ve rambled enough on here!



LIWeddings: Overall A++++++++

I couldn’t have planned my wedding and stayed so sane if it weren’t for LIWeddings! I didn’t love the way negative comments are always handled on here- tho overall I understand that they have to watch for vendor bashing that isn’t warranted- I wish it was more of a free forum. I still don’t see why I can’t give a negative comment if I know for a fact that a friend had a bad vendor experience so long as I state that it wasn’t my experience and it’s not my second cousins friend Molly who told me something….there were some petty arguments that I know I wasn’t alone in getting sick of!! Overall, there is such a great group of people on here and even tho I never attended the WOTY or any get-togethers I still know who is a LIW pro and that what they say is going to be honest. I always appreciated the feed- back too. Overall, I have recommended and still recommend this site to new brides- even if they just lurk the boards. I still hope to pop in and give my two cents but doubt I will have much time. To anyone who this review helps- do the other brides a favor and make sure that if you never make a post- make sure you post a review!! (tho you may be believed to be a fake if it’s your only post!)HAHA!. Thanks again to everyone and I wish you all happy marriages and happy and healthy children if you ever have them! Remember- it’s just one day- and while it should be special it is one day and things will go wrong!! Take it in stride and always remember that there are worse things that can happen!! Many people have loved ones who can’t attend due to death or illness and the world doesn’t stop for your day- just keep things in perspective and you’ll be better for it! GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU LIW!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

I posted on the BHB board- thank you for the detailed reveiew. I can't wait to see pics

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

congrats

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations! I really appreciate the honesty in your review...I blocked rooms at the Wingate and am also using Bravo Sound!!

post pics!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congrats Date Twin, Dress Twin and Hall Cousin!!


I cant wait to see your pics!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

thanks for the great review!!! congratulations!!!!!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

great review i cant wait to see the pics!!!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Great review - looking forward to seeing your pics!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

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Posted by JessicaM.

Congratulations! I really appreciate the honesty in your review...I blocked rooms at the Wingate and am also using Bravo Sound!!

post pics!!

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You'll be happy with them both, I'm sure! Good luck!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

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Posted by jilmadison

Congrats Date Twin, Dress Twin and Hall Cousin!!


I cant wait to see your pics!!

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Thanks and same to you!! I'll do a hunt for your review soon.... I remember you had some family health issues before your wedding (FIL? I'm so sorry that I can't remember!) seems to have worked out- you both look SO happy in your avatar pic! YAY!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congrats on your wedding, can't wait to see pics.

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations!
Thanks fro sharing the review...looking forward to pics.
I also loved my Fox Hollow wedding!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations! Can't wait to see pics!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations! I'm glad you had a wonderful day! Very nice review. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations...................thanks for the review...can't wait to see pictures

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congratulations and great review.

Cant' wait to see some pics.

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Great review! Can't wait to see the photos!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

congrats!!!!

Re: My Feb 25, 06 review! Fox Hollow, Gray Studios, Amore Video, Bravo Sounds, Concours D'elegance (Maria), Michelle of Defining Moments, Pedestals, Royalty limo, Macys in Manhasset, Barrons, LONG!!!

Congrats

Great review! I love the FH! Can't wait to see pics!