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First, I want to give the women who have given me advice and suggestions during my wedding journey an A++++ This site is incredible. I didn't have to call people for information. I asked a question and right away I got some answers. I found most of my vendors through this site! So LIWeddings gets A+++
Note to the Brides, Every once in awhile you are able to grasp a moment on your wedding day and then it is there forever. The faces float around you with smiles and you want to go to each person and thank them. You also want to tell them how beautiful or handsome they look but you are worrying about a vendor or where is grandma? You are also thirsty in the middle of five conversations while your Make-up Artist is painting your face. Before you know it, dad is walking you down the aisle and those you invited, whom you love are smiling. Your husband is connecting with you, you kiss, you eat two spoons of food, you cry, you dance, you throw your bouquet, you put cake on his face, everyone is leaving, and you are sitting on the Inn’s elevator floor wondering is it really over? Then, your heart swells and your eyes water while you are waving good bye to family and friends. Every once in a while I take some time to remember my wedding besides looking at the video. I remember my husband’s smile and his eyes fixed on me while I held his young, soft hands and he held mine. I remember getting ready and seeing my grandmother in the room wearing a gold and beige sparkly dress. We had a moment. She whispered to me a question. She asked if I love her. Of course she knows I do because I tell her every day but my heart fell a few stories. I told her that I love her more than anything and the reason for me to even celebrate my wedding day was because she was alive and with me. Was this really happening? I spent an entire year worrying that something bad may happen. It felt too good to be true to have everyone alive and well with us. I did wish my grandfather was physically there and Anthony's grandmother but we felt them in us. You will feel those you lost within yourself and those that are alive and well with you, take the time to notice them.
The wedding will seem faster than expected but it’s because there will be so many exciting memories unfolding before you. You will remember all the extra special ones. We danced to “In an Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel. It is our song. We have favorite lines in the song that we all shall live by.
“Let me hold it close and keep it here with me. And one day we will die and our ashes will fly from the Aeroplane over the Sea but for now we are young, let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see. Love to be in the arms of all I am keeping here with me.” I send you all hugs and I say to you, take deep breaths. Try not to let the little things like is Aunt Peggy having fun? Why is Uncle Tom not dancing? Don't let those events distract you or you have wasted some time, some precious time. I allowed some moments like that and I wish I didn't! Remember what is more important is the purpose of your day. Its your day! It is your husband's day! Surround yourself with the people who are celebrating you! Notice the people who love you the most. You get to see who celebrated your marriage after your wedding is over and who only came to eat! Speaking of eating, try to sit down and eat! Try!
It is a new beginning! You will wake up when you are back from your honeymoon and you are going to say 'wow no more planning.' You can check off GET MARRIED TO MY LOVE from your bucket list and enjoy a fancy dinner because you don't have to save for your big day anymore!
There was a moment during the ceremony, when I looked at everyone. It felt like a dream. I was also very calm and that isn’t like me at all. Anthony’s facial expression did not change. His eyes were on me the whole time. I glanced at the crowd and felt this cool peaceful sensation throughout my body because my grandmother was there, my nephews, my parents, my inlaws, close family, friends, a few friends from out of state came and even a friend who lives in Japan came just for our wedding, our friend Patrick. We all were there and I was marrying someone who I love with all my human capacity and more.
Officiant/Joseph Cammarrata: A++
Our buddy Joe married us for $0. My husband and I put together vows and Joseph read through it beautifully and clearly. He is also adorable. We paid him money because we thought he deserved it. We wanted a non-religious wedding. We wanted it to be neutral to everyone! One moment that brought me to tears was when I was asked by Joe to take my husband's hands and feel them, feel their warmth.
'These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life' I heard some people cry out loud after they heard my trembling voice. I then was swept away by my Prince!
Bridal party gifts from Etsy/Many little items:A++
The bridal party gifts we purchased from Etsy and other sources.
The Groomsmen had Cigars, sunglasses, lighters, argyle socks (including Anthony as you can see) to wear, all stuffed in beer mugs aside a cold one individually given with rustic thank you tags personalized for each groomsmen that we purchased from Etsy-Seller-YourAngil
The Bridesmaids had fluffy slippers, spa products, cream candles, flower pins, and organic card holders/clutches made and purchased by Etsy seller: YourAngil. All the gifts were placed in earth friendly bags. I purchased fem rustic thank you tags to hang from each gift bag and decorated the bags with lace and vintage buttons that are from my grandmother’s vintage collection. They all came in pastel colors. I wanted everything to be Organic and friendly.
Favors/ Vintage Oil and Vinegar/ De' lusso: A
People loved them! They were big and affordable! I wanted something that people can use!
Pillow/Amber Bottles/Table Cards/Etsy: A++
Basket/Center Pieces/Village Flowers/Huntington/Daniel: A++
We found Village flowers in Huntington after enjoying brunch. We walked by and thought the flower shop was adorable! We went in and it felt like we entered a tiny wonderland. They had rustic, vintage baskets and that was enough for me to fall inlove. We purchased moss from Michaels. Mom decorated them. We also decided to do our center pieces using flowers from Village Flowers. We purchased amber bottles, vintage glass bottles, and vases from Etsy and Michaels. Daniel offered to do our center pieces for an incredible price. They are one of our top vendors. We HIGHLY recommend them. They knew what we wanted and for a great price they helped give the wedding the whimsical accent it needed.
Shoes/Capparros Idalis:A+
I wore Capparros Idalis. I needed something comfortable. I didn’t want the heel to be too high. I also have wide feet, sort of. So I got a good deal online. The shoes were seriously $35 and I wore the shoes all night. I felt like a Princess.
This photo belongs to someone else/Allthingschic
Dress/La Sposa LisboaWedding Atelier:A++
Oh I love this place. I think every bride should have the ultimate bridal experience and this was one for me. I will miss the ladies there. The first time i went, i had a fever and thought, 'wow expensive, scared.' Jessica helped me find a dress within my price range and i went home right away because i was so sick. The second time I went, I had all the women there surrounding me. I felt like Cinderella. They spent so much time with me and captured my vision right away. Jessica is so passionate about her work, she is able to pull together your vision, even though the vision is a little blurry. She clears it up for you within your budget. One night, i caught an anxiety attack because i lost weight and thought, well i do remember the dress appearing too big (i failed to take a picture) but Jessica emailed me right away at night, to say that i am not crazy for freaking out and assured me that i could return the very next day to ease my worries and fix whatever I thought was a problem but the only problem was my own insecurities. After listening to the women there, I was able to pick up on my foolishness. I then felt beautiful and realized that my silly mind was making fun of me! They allowed me to wear my dress for almost an hour, until i made a mental note that i loved how i felt and what i saw in the mirror. I asked for a custom made vintage brooch for my dress. It was made for me by one of the ladies there. I can’t say her name because she did this on the side. However, if you want me to give you private info I will. She works there and she made this piece for me with authentic pearls.My dress was the La Sposa Lisboa (without the bow and the Brooch was added).
Bridesmaid Dresses/Davids Bridal:D-
My bridesmaids and I decided on Davids Bridal since some of my bridesmaids lived quite a distance from one another we figured it will be easier for everyone. We picked an Olivine Taffeta Teacup dress that compliments all body types. They discontinued the dress without giving us a warning. They also sent a dress with a huge stain to my friend TWICE.They kept sending her the same dress. The stain was huge, like a big ole' pancake grease stain. The website had the dress color as Green, not olivine, so one of my bridesmaids got the dress in a strange green color after a rep. on the phone said 'green' does not really exist at Davids Bridal so it had to be Olivine or Peridot. Well, she got a green wrinkled dress. Overall, the staff had no idea what was going on and they were lazy. When I say staff I mean online reps and the Davids Bridal in Long Island City. However, we got the dresses. It took two of my bridesmaids to send their dresses back twice but we got them. The Flower girl purchased her dress at David's Bridal and did not have a problem. So this is why we didn't give them an F
Tuxedos/ Mens Warehouse:A
Mens Warehouse on the other hand provided us with what we wanted. There aren't any complaints and my nephew looked adorable!
Flowers/Flower Michele:A+
Joseph at Flower Michele was a joy to be around. He had just begun working with Flower Michele and of course hearing this had us a bit skeptical. He also did not know the names of some flowers we showed him in photographs that we provided for him but he worked with our budget and he and his team designed our personals exactly like the photographs I have sent him. It was incredible. I had changed my mind several times but he was patient and worked well with me. The ladies at my job also love his voice. He is full of energy and loves what he does.
Photographers/ Monica Z:A
Monica Z photography comes from married couples that live in Chicago. It took a while to find photographers we were interested in because we wanted some creative photos. We stumbled across Monica and Chris Z and found that we really enjoyed some of Chris’ work. We met with them in a coffee shop and instantly clicked. Their price was incredible considering that it included so much. Monica appeared exhausted by the end of the night. Some people said she wasn’t too nice but I think it had a lot to do with them traveling from Mexico to Long Island. They are troopers. It takes a whole lot of strength to photograph people who are occupied and great talent to capture emotion. Seeing my family in smiles during epic moments was worth the big chunk of money to our photographers.
DJ/Expressway Music/Dan Kingman:A
Dan is our long time DJ. He arrived extra early on our wedding day. He edited “Songbird” the song I danced with my father, for me. He announced our bridal party elegantly, not like he was announcing a wrestling match. He is also a very handsome man! However, the music was low a few times. Overall his price was great and we didn’t even pay for it. It was a gift from my sister and brother in-law. Everyone who enjoys dancing shook their bums.
Live Musician/Annalisa Ewald:A+
Anthony and I needed someone to play during our ceremony. We found her so very quickly in very little time. We were eventually going to play music on our own with some hidden player some where but we had the extra money so why not finish our tasks with live music for our big day? Anthony found the website, Gigmaster. We left our information and immediately received phonecalls but when we found Annalisa, we were thrilled. We cheered and giggled like children because we could not believe how quickly we have found someone that was not only affordable but brilliant. We knew this when we googled her on youtube and found a video of her moving her fingers across a classic nylon string guitar. She appeared wise and beautiful as if she were a character in a fairytale. We were certain that we made the right decision. She was patient and offered to play anything we wanted. We asked her to play some Beatles songs and some of her music. She arrived on time. She was pleasant and accommodating.
Fox Hollow Inn:A++
Well, I remember the night before when we arrived at the Fox Hollow Inn. We were so impressed by how well Ray and his Staff organized everything. We had given them our hotel gift bags the night before. In addition, they provided us a complimentary extra room for the three nights that we stayed. The suites were big and so very clean. I enjoyed every bit of my stay. They have robes and slippers in the room waiting for you. Everyone loved wearing the robes before the wedding and after. One of Anthony’s uncle wore a robe with his snakeskin boots after the wedding, just before bedtime. My cousin stayed in my extra room since Anthony was staying with his family. We talked, we laughed and fell asleep. The beds in the inn are so comfortable. I felt like a queen sleeping in this very large bed for me. My cousin woke me up with coffee and moved the drapes so some light could shine through. It was a rainy day but it didn’t bother me at all. We had complimentary buffet breakfast from Fox Hollow inn and enjoyed it. I drank my coffee and with every sip I kept saying, I cannot believe it is my wedding day. They reserved a room for our party to enjoy breakfast. I got to finally meet Ray. He smiled and I thanked him for the tranquility the inn provided.
Venue/Fox Hollow Catering:A+++
They awarded us with hard hats that said #1 bride and #1 Groom in the Somerley. They presented it to us and recorded it. Here is the link. We look so tired! It was at the end of the night! Hahaha! We were pooped!
WE LOVE YOU MIKE TINELLIhttp://www.youtube.com/user/TheFoxHollow#p/a/u/0/Qvnx-w7-7tw
We have developed a gratifying closeness with Fox Hollow. Mike Tinelli, Jose Aviles, Mike Maruntino, Joan, Mike the Executive Chef, Courtney, etc have been patient and extremely giving. Every time I called or showed up in a panic because the room wasn’t ready, one of them calmed me down. Mike Maruntino, the General Manager called us in seconds after I posted my angry review and emailed Fox Hollow Reps. Of course the room should have been ready earlier but it was ready the night of my wedding. The staff walked me through the room during cocktail hour so I can see it. It was a personal moment for all of us and Fox. We celebrated together. I once was afraid to be the first Somerley bride but we are so thankful to have experienced the birth of this room with the Fox Team. We were spoiled by them. They had given us a Viennese hour that was complimentary to compensate from the construction frustration we experienced. A spoon full of sugar helps a headache go down! Honestly, our visits to Fox also brought on lots of humor and free dinner. They spoiled us rotton.
Everyone who likes to mingle, eat (the food was yummy. The Lobster Ravioli was a hit), and drink had their comfort with the nice view of the fireplace, friends, high ceilings, nice music etc. Everyone who enjoys smoking and the outdoors, got to spend time outside and had fun just doing that. People, who like to dance, danced the whole night and those that needed rest, walked a few steps to their hotel room or the lounge area to rest. No matter what, everyone had their nook. I thought complaints may have been said the following morning about people being in different areas but no. Everyone said they appreciated everything there. MY brother who does not like to dance and is rarely satisfied with anything, enjoyed being with my friends outside where they smoked cigars and told funny stories. He felt so calm; he went back in and danced with those who twirled and moved all night, something he had not done in a long time.
We went from being angry at Fox Hollow to loving each person there. We spent a lot of time with them and we got to know each one of their personalities. Trust me when i say you are in good hands no matter what anyone says. We were lucky enough to get married during Easter Weekend, so we were able to have Easter dinner with Fox, all complimentary for staying there that weekend. We were left with two huge suites and two huge bellies. We will return on our one year anniversary! We love them and we will never forget them. Mike Tinelli is a good man. We can't forget him. No way! No how! He put up with me and he delivered. I had 165 guests. I had the option to set the tables the way I wanted. Somerley brides you can ask me questions if you like.
Hairstylist/Angela's Hair Design:A++
Angela isn’t just a stylist but we consider ourselves friends. She immediately picked up on my sense of humor. Her sarcasm and personality blended well, with all of us. My bridesmaids loved her. My aunt videotaped me getting ready. While my aunt was recording she asked me some questions. She asked how I had been feeling. I said nervous, scared, paranoid, worried and Angela answered “happy”. She was right. I was happy, very happy and needed to show it. She was my hair stylist and my Therapist. She did exactly what I wanted. I wanted an Old Hollywood hair style. I showed her photos of what I wanted. She offered to blow dry my hair but I had already gotten it done the night before. She stayed at the hotel for hours with us. At one point, I was surrounded by family and friends peeking in that I forgot Angela was still around. I felt so sorry because I had her money in an envelope. I called her in and she answered that she did not mind at all. She stayed and placed my veil on my head. She was there for me like a friend would be. She smiled the whole time. She enjoyed the experience. It felt like she were a family member hanging around with everyone. The only issue would be that my hair grew flat after awhile BUT that was not her fault, she wanted to put more hairspray and I said no!
Make-up Artist/Lolalovesmakeup:A+++
Make-up Artist: Andrea is an Artist alright. All you have to do, is tell her that she can do whatever she wants and she will do even better than what you imagined. She will be my make-up Artist forever. I usually have dark rings around my eyes. It is so challenging for me to put my own make-up on. When I met Andrea I was excited but also a bit nervous because I know lots of people who get make-up done and look like clowns. She helped boost my confidence. I never thought I would wear false eyelashes. She had done my make-up for my engagement photos and for the wedding.
Again, I wish you all a beautiful wedding day! I will remember you LI Brides!
'You will Know where love is as you grow old'
