Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!! And now with Video Trailer...

I have been writing this review a little bit at a time. Reading other reviews was one of the most helpful things in planning our wedding. I got almost all of our vendors from reading other brides’ feedback. Thank you to LIW and all the brides who helped me along the way. If you have any questions, please feel free to FM!

It is important to say from the beginning that the weather on our wedding day was terrible. I felt so blessed to have the talented vendors we had. They made what could have been a disaster, a huge success.

*Just wanted to note that this review contains both non pro pictures and pro pictures. I hope you enjoy reading my review as much as I enjoyed reading those of other brides while I was planning!


Engagement Ring
Good Old Gold
www.goodoldgold.com
A+

I don’t wear a lot of jewelry and DH and I wanted to make sure I got something I really loved. So we went ring shopping together and I was able to pick out the style of ring I really wanted. I wanted something very simple and somewhat vintage. We heard about Good Old Gold from a friend and decided to give them a whirl. The second we met Jonathan (the gemologist) we fell in love with him. His enthusiasm for what he does shines as much as his diamonds do. You know EXACTLY what you are getting. His website is second to none and has continued to help us. Even when we changed our mind about the stone- they found us exactly what we wanted. I would recommend them to anyone who wants to make an informed decision about their engagement ring.







Engagement Party Venue
Amici’s in Mount Sinai
http://www.amicirestaurant.org/
A
We weren’t even sure if we wanted an engagement party. We knew we wanted something really small and low key. We had eaten at Amici’s and loved the food. We talked to them about having a party there and they were very accommodating. The room was small. We had about 30-40 people. I would not recommend you having as many people as we did in that tiny room. The food was awesome and it was a nice get together.


Photographer
Dan Wagner
www.danwagner.com
A+
Dan is awesome. He is very understated and that is exactly what DH and I wanted. We are not impressed by salesmen or overzealous personalities. Dan is everything we needed in a photographer. His work speaks for itself. He met with us as much as we wanted and gave us so much of his time. He listened and gave feedback when it was needed. He felt more like a friend than a vendor. We could not have been happier.

Engagement Pictures- Stonybrook NY- December 29th

When we had contacted Dan about doing some Christmas engagement pictures in Stonybrook, he was all about trying something new. He suggested we try doing them at night! We liked the uniqueness of the idea and said “Why not?” He even offered to do another shoot in the spring if we didn’t get any good shots. He spent 2+ hours with us in the freezing cold and never complained once. Wish I could say the same thing for me!

As for the wedding day, Dan was so creative. He turned something magical out of the most challenging of conditions. It poured the entire morning and afternoon of our wedding. DH and I still can’t believe how beautiful the pictures came out. Our reveal was at the indoor pool at our hotel and in most of the pictures, you can’t even tell. Dan made us all laugh all day and we felt like one big, happy family. His pictures speak for themselves.

Weather: C+
It rained ALL morning and afternoon the day of our wedding. It was HUMID, windy and gross. Needless to say, I had to redo my hair three times and we were stuck in the hotel taking pictures instead of at Argyle Park. We also had to have our ceremony inside CLM instead of out on the dock. The reason the weather got a C+ instead of an F is because it cleared up enough for us to get SOME outside photos.





Wedding Registry
www.bedbathandbeyond.com
A+
We originally registered at Macy’s and BBB. We very quickly saw that the experience we had at BBB was so much better. We wound up transferring almost everything to BBB from our Macy’s registry. The store has everything and is easy to navigate. Their customer service was amazing throughout the process as well.

Bridal Shower
The Library Café
http://www.lessings.com/UNI_home.asp?ui=LIB

My girls did an amazing job. How they surprised me I will never know. The food was great, (what I ate of it anyway) and it was exactly what I wanted: low key, simple and quaint. We were all able to talk and to interact with each other which made it that much more special.


Invitations, Placecards, and Table Numbers by Tessa
*E*v*e*n*s*t*a*r P*a*p*e*r*i*e
http://***************.com/

When I saw Tessa’s work on LIW I knew I had to contact her. I thought for sure I would never be able to afford her services. She assured me right from the beginning that there was no budget too small. She was kind and patient and together, we were able to come up with my dream invitation.

We worked on at least four different proofs, and when it wasn’t shaping up to fit what I had in mind, Tessa let me do some searching on my own to find what I was envisioning. I finally was able to find the flourish that really captured the feel I wanted. Once I found it and sent it her way, within thirty minutes she had whipped up exactly what was in my mind. She’s a vendor, not a mind reader.

My invites were getting done during a VERY busy time for her. She got swamped with brides since she has become so popular and she was very busy. Anytime anything didn’t go 100% as planned, she compensated us in some way by throwing in a free service.

I had also won wraparound labels from her, and when they came, they weren’t exactly what I had wanted. I emailed her and with 48 hours she reprinted all of the envelopes to match my response envelopes and had mailed them my way free of charge. She also did our placecards and our table names. Everything loved that my theme was consistent.

She is so professional and truly cares about her clients’ happiness. I would recommend her to anyone.







ATTIRE

The Dress
Paradise Bridal
http://www.paradisebridals.com/
A
I never really pictured myself on my wedding day. I haven’t had things planned since I was four years old. There was a lot of trial and error. The one thing I knew is that I had always been very taken by Carolyn Bissette’s wedding day look. That one picture of her and JFK Jr. always stuck in my mind. There was something so timeless and simple about it.

When I saw this dress on the rack at Paradise Bridal I knew I had to try it on. I didn’t want a white dress, but once I put it on, it all came together. It was exactly the style I had wanted. The salespeople were very helpful and they didn’t rush me at all. MrsDrinkH20 was there and told me the dress was made for me. It was so helpful to have another opinion! They also picked the perfect veil to match which I wound up using as inspiration to find elsewhere. It took a few months for my dress to come but they got it in exactly one week before they said they would. Overall it was a great experience.



Alterations
Ingrid’s Fashion Designs
(631) 751-5278

I had taken a bridesmaid dress to Ingrid’s a few years ago after she had been recommended to me by a friend. I was so pleased with the work that she had done that I knew that I wanted her to work on my wedding gown. My first fitting took about an hour as she carefully inspected and pinned every part of my dress. She tried it more than one way and really studied every detail of my dress. I couldn’t believe how much better my dress looked once it actually fit me! She was even able to make a 15 point bustle to show off the beading on my dress! She was worth every penny.




Veil
USA Brides
http://www.usabrideweddings.com/index.html
A+

Paradise Bridal had showed me a veil I fell in love with. I just couldn’t see spending $300+ on it. So I scoured the internet and I found this one. I was very picky about what I wanted, and this was as close as I could find. I ordered it from here because I felt comfortable with their return policy and they had good reviews. The veil came right away and once I steamed it, it was perfect.









Shoes
Coloriffics- Tori
www.endless.com
A+

I shop at endless.com all the time. With free shipping and free returns, what more could you want? These shoes were exactly what I needed: inexpensive and somewhat comfortable. I found out later they were two different sizes! I never knew! (Thanks to MrsDrinkH20 for the inspiration for the “I Do” letters)





Make Up
Bare Escentuals- ME!
www.bareescentuals.com
A+

I have very sensitive skin and needed to stick with the make up I wear every day. I wanted to look very natural, but I still wanted my make up to show up in pictures. I went to the BE boutique in Smithhaven Mall and they helped me pick the right colors and taught me how to do all of my day of make up myself. I think I practiced eight times to make sure I got it right. It came out awesome the day of. If you need specific info, please FM.






DOJ- Earrings
Eve’s Addiction
http://www.evesaddiction.com/
A+

Again, I don’t wear a lot of jewelry and I really didn’t want to spend a lot of money on my Day of Jewelry. I found this site online and it is awesome. They have exact replicas of jewelry that has been worn my celebrities. I found these earrings modeled after something Paris Hilton had worn and when they arrived, they were exactly what they had pictured on the computer. I had a hard time picking earrings but these had that vintage feel that I love.





Eternity Band for HM
http://www.emitations.com/
A+

I wanted a fake wedding band to wear on the HM when I didn’t want to wear my real set. I have a tiny finger (size 4) so it was hard to find a ring that would fit. Finally I found this one on emititations and I LOVE it! It is exactly what I wanted.

Here is a picture of it on my finger.



Bridesmaid Dresses
David’s Bridal- Lake Grove location
www.davidsbridal.com
A

I knew I wanted to go to David’s Bridal to get the girls’ dresses. I have a lot of girls out of state and I knew there would always be a David’s they could go to. I also liked the affordability of the dresses there. Everything went smoothly. I liked that all correspondence was done through my email. This helped me stay in the loop of what was going on. David’s received an A because we often had to wait for help when we really didn’t need any help at all.

Tuxes
Men’s Warehouse
www.menswarehouse.com
A

We went here because I wanted the guys’ vests to match the girls’ dresses exactly. It is sometimes hard to match yellow to yellow. They were fabulous! They were patient and so helpful to us. They even called four different stores to try to find the pocket silks we wanted. When we went to pick up the tuxes, there was no record of the pocket silks and they had to call around again, but in the end we got them and they looked awesome. It was a great planning experience overall.







Bridal Party Gifts

I had a hard time choosing what to get my girls. They are all VERY different and I knew I wouldn’t be able to please everyone. So I played it safe. I did a summer theme and I got them personalized totes, beach towels and aluminum water bottles. For the guys, we got them personalized pilsner glasses.

Totes: www.theknot.com

Beach Towels: www.kohls.com

Water Bottles & Pilsner Glasses: http://www.beau-coup.com/






Gift for FH
Photo Cufflinks
http://www.inthecuffcufflinks.com/

DH always talked about having his puppy at our wedding. Even though he couldn’t be there, I wanted him to be there in spirit. I ordered the cufflinks from this website and they exceeded my expectations. DH adored them!




The Minute Details: Some DIY
Menus, Parasol, Bubbles, Fans, Thank You parasol
For help, directions or details- feel free to FM or check out my albums. I had no problem with any of these companies.
A

So many of the ideas here came from LIWeddings. I don’t know for sure that everyone really paid attention to them, but I am glad they were there.

The menus took forever! I printed them on vellum paper and then glued them to cardstock with one single ladybug at the top.



The thank you parasol is one of my favorite things. It took forever to make! We are using it for our thank you card (obviously) and it looks awesome in pictures.



Fans and Chinese Lanterns: Luna Bazaar & Beacoup.com



Here you can see the chinese lanterns:



Parasols and Bubbles: Oriental Trading





In lieu of favors, we donated to breast cancer research and we had some M&M's to give out. The pink and white were for the breast cancer, and the black and red was for the ladybug theme in memory of my Mommie.











The ladybug doll was AWESOME! I sat her next to the placecards and the ladybug poem...




Rehearsal Dinner
Chilis South Setauket

My favorite restaurant! They accommodated all thirty of us and the food was awesome!


Marriott Courtyard
Farmingdale NY
A

They were great. We booked them because of the free shuttle service, but then no one in our family got a hotel room there so we wound up with no shuttle anyway. The bridal suite was beyond gorgeous and spacious! Thank goodness since we wound up in there for most of the pictures due to the weather. They were very accommodating, especially when the power went out the morning of the wedding! I went across the street to their other hotel to get my hair done and all was well again.




Our reveal was supposed to be at Argyle Park, but due to the rain, Dan had us do it in the indoor pool. I couldn't believe the shots came out as great as they did for where we were!











Flowers
Verbena Designs
http://www.verbenadesigns.com/
A++

Planning: Jen was awesome. She gave me input when I needed it but she was never pushy. She knew I was on a tight budget and she never made me feel like she was trying to sell me something or not treat me well since I wasn’t spending thousands of dollars. Our centerpieces were very simple, which is what I wanted. It really kept the cost down. Jenn totally got what I was looking for and she delivered. She even did the labor of putting up the lanterns and setting up for the ceremony. Looking back, I don't think I needed the large arrangements I had made. Even though they were beautiful, I didn't think they added much to the ceremony or the reception.





Here is a pic of the arrangement over my shoulder:




Day of: When our flowers arrived I was blown away. I couldn’t believe how stunning they were. I just kept staring at them. I sent our photographer over to them right away because of how amazing they were. I couldn’t believe how many flowers we got in our bouquets. They were beyond stunning.









DJ
FM Entertainment

This one is a toughie for us. We decided to give them two grades to be fair.

Our music:
Ceremony:
Ceremony processional: Pachelbel's Canon
Ceremony recessional: Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire

Reception
Family Entrance: 8 Days a Week- The Beatles
Bridal Party Entrance: Unbelievable- EMF
Our Entrance: Hot for Teacher- Van Halen
First Dance: I'll Stand By You- Carrie Underwood
Father/Daughter Dance: Daddy's Little Girl- The Mills Brothers
Mother/Son Dance: Through the Years- Kenny Rogers
Remembrance Dance for my Mommie: Together Again- Janet Jackson
Cake Cutting: Ice Cream- Sarah McLachlan
Garter: A Little Less Conversation- Elvis
Last Dance: Last Dance- Donna Summer

Planning and Attention to Details: B-
We filled out all of our lists and went for our final appointment. We went over everything with Deidre and Frank. They were so helpful and took so much time helping us find the right music to fit our day. We had typed up lists and were very organized. Everything was in place. Unfortunately, the day of there were some mistakes made. They were small details that no one would notice but it still meant a lot to us. For instance, they played the wrong part of the song for our walk up the isle as man and wife. They were supposed to play the very beginning of St. Elmo’s Fire and instead they started it in the middle which sounded choppy and terrible. Then we were supposed to walk in to Hot for Teacher- we specifically asked for the chorus so people would get the joke; instead they played it in the beginning and no one recognized the song. Also, my must play list was mostly played (slow songs) during dinner. That was frustrating because I couldn’t dance to them since we were eating. Finally, our ballroom dancers wound up being an hour and a half late because they were waiting downstairs thinking they were part of another wedding. No one ever went to find them which really messed up the flow of things when they got there. That said, the dancers were our favorite part of the wedding.



Working the Crowd: A
They kept the dance floor packed and definitely played the right music for the crowd. We couldn’t complain at all about that. Our friend who is a DJ even said they did a great job mixing the songs and blending everything together. Frankie, our MC was phenomenal. He asked me all night if everything was alright and was understated just like we wanted. He was fantastic. I would recommend him to anyone.



My Mommie was my best friend in the world. Getting through my big day without her was tough. To honor her, I didn't want to do something that would make me sad. So instead, I played the song Together Again by Janet Jackson and all of her/my family and friends came out on the dance floor and we danced and sang the words (and we cried). It was, by far, one of my favorite moments of the day.




For the garter removal- I messed with my DH a little... he kept looking at me like 'ANOTHER one??'



(Non pro)



Limos
Camelot Limos
http://www.camelotlimo.com/
A+

Camelot was great. They worked with us within our price range, showed up on time, were so polite and did everything we could have asked for. When I needed a drink of water during photos, the limo driver offered to get me a water from the car. I didn’t even realize who he was at the time but I was so grateful! I would highly recommend them to anyone. Our driver for our end of the night pick up was exceptional. He offered to carry things out to the car and never rushed us out the door.






Wedding Video
Timeless Treasures- Ray
http://www.timelesstreasuresvideo.com/
A

We booked Ray at the last minute when I decided that I did want some sort of video. The second I met him I knew he was going to fit right in. Between him and Dan (the photographer) we had a blast and I knew that my wedding would be turned into beautiful memories. Ray was laid back and unobtrusive while always being around and never missing a shot. To see our video trailer, click here.

Wedding Ceremony and Reception
Chateau La Mer
www.chateaulamer.com
A

What can I say about CLM that hasn’t already been said? They were organized and ran like a well-oiled machine. We did all of our planning with Lou and he was nothing short of wonderful to us. He always had us laughing and was more than accommodating. Even though he wasn’t our Maitre’D on our wedding day, he came up to our wedding to make sure we were being taking care of and that everything was to our liking. We loved him. Tino was our Maitre D’ and he took great care of us. They attended to every detail and everything was set up just as it should have been. They even arranged for a last minute boat ride once the weather had cleared up. They always made sure we were eating and that we had everything we needed. The food was spectacular and the night shots on the dock are some of my most favorite pictures.











Campbell’s Bakery
Owner: Greg

Our cake was fantastic. It was so much more beautiful than I ever imagined it could be. It blew our minds. Not to mention, it was delicious!



I can't imagine you'd want or need to see more pictures but they are in my album.

Thanks so much for reading my review. I hope it will help a few brides along the way!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

This was a lovely, lovely review. Your photog did a great job - very clearly captured how much you and DH are in love! I love the pictures.

Congrats!!!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

I really enjoyed your review!!! You did an awesome job!!! Congrats again!!!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

what a great review

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Great review! I loved your colors - the flowers were gorgeous! And the ladybugs...what a beautiful tribute! Everything looked beautiful!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

great review! i love lengthy detailed reviews...they help alot. thank you for taking the time to write it

you looked beautiful...love all the yellow...congrats!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Amazing review, and amazing pictures. You were a beautiful bride and it looks like you had a great wedding. I love the lady bugs. Great touch

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Awww what a great review!!! Everything looked BEAUTIFUL!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Congrats!!! What a awesome review!! You were a gorgeous bride and your colors were stunning!!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

This was a great review - thank you for this! I love your gown and your rings!! You looked beautiful - congratulations!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Congrats!!!!! Great Review!!!!!! I love your flowers, they are amazing!!!!!!!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Congratulations...you looked absolutely beautiful! Thanks for taking the time to write such a great review!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

You looked beautiful awesome review congrats

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

fantastic review!!1 you looked stunning Congrats

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

great review . loved the lady bugs and the puppy cufflinks. you made a beautiful bride!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Beautiful!! i loved your flowers...

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

amazing review, you looked timeless congrtas!!!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Congrats! Great review!!! I love your use of the lady bugs and your flowers look great! I am using Verbena too so it's great to see Jen's work

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Great review. Your wedding looks amazing, the photos are beautiful. You look gorgeous!

Re: Our 8/2/09 Wedding Review: CLM, Dan Wagner, Verbena, FM Entertainment, Camelot Limos, E*venstar P*aperie, Timeless Treasure Video & more with TONS of Pro-Pictures!!

Beautifulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll