Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more! TY Card updated on page 3.

So here it is, my review. It took me over a month to actually find the strength to finish this review. My day was truly magical and I have this site to thank for it. Never in a million years would I have thought I would have had a wedding as elaborate as the one I had. Coming across this site has taught me several life lessons as well as tons of ideas I was able to incorporate into my wedding. I have also met life long friends on this site. So along with thanking LIW/EDP, I have to thank my sister Giovanna for taking all of the ideas I gathered to the next level. Anytime I gave her instructions on something that I had to have on my big day, she took it and ran with it adding little twists to make it go with my theme. She really paid close attention to my wedding as if it were her own. I will be forever grateful to her for her attentiveness.
So on to my LONG review. You may need to read some then come back to it. Enjoy and please FM me with any questions!

Before the Big Day

Exclusive Weddings – A
www.exlclusiveweddings.com

This was probably the first item purchase I made for the wedding. The binder I thought would be the best thing to have especially all the little accessories I brought to go along with it. When I called to upgrade the purchase, I received excellent customer service and was not charged separately for the items even though purchased at separate times. I must admit I did not use it as much as I was supposed too but it did go with me to every vendor meeting.
Embroidery – A

Evan from New Age Embroidery
www.newageembroidery.com

Evan was great to work with. Totally honest and even showed all the proofs before completing the work. There were a few things that went wrong and had to be done over, but I must take partial blame since there was over a year between our meeting and we both could not remember the full instructions. Not to mention the count on my bridal party changed frequently. In the end I was very happy with all the items he made for me. I will definitely use him again for future projects.




DJ Chic – A+
Denise from DJ Chic
www.djchic.com

I ordered hankies from Denise at the very last minute. With only 4 days until my wedding Denise was able to deliver 5 beautiful hankies that I gave to family members. Since I wanted them it to have silver writing with red detail, Denise was kind enough to make a sample and send me pictures for my approval. I was also able to get them in the time I needed. The hankies were also great quality. Sorry I do not have pics of her beautiful work.

Garter – A++
Christy from the Garter Maker
www.thegartermaker.net

I had seen these garters quite sometime before ordering but was not sure I wanted to spend that kind of money. But to me there were no other vendors out there that could compare to the designs Christy had to offer. Not to mention she would get back to any inquiries in less than 30 minutes. In the end I decided that I wanted the garter and dress label from her to go with my theme. There is a package that she has that has on her site that includes the garters, ring bearer pillow (even though I had one I ordered one with my monogram too), cake table runner as well as a free tote. I got all of these fabulous items for a really good price. The quality was awesome.




CustomGlamGirl.com - A
www.customglamgirl.com

I knew I had to have the underwear with the Mrs. in stones since it would go with my theme plus it was so dang cute. When I went on the site I saw other things that I wanted as well so I placed the order. Even though custom, the pieces arrived in a timely fashion. The only thing I was very disappointed with is the quality of the robe. It was flimsy and ran very small. I actually got my BM’s better robes for a lot cheaper.


Other things ordered – A+
Cocktail Hour Napkins

Toasting Flutes from Macy’s



My Dress
Bridal Reflections – Carle Place
www.bridalreflections.com – A+

BR was the only salon I went too. I met a few of the representatives at the Oheka show and knew that I wanted to purchase an Eve of Milady gown. Since they had the largest selection and were having a trunk show the following weekend, I made an appointment. I went in a little apprehensive since all of the bad reviews I have seen of them on this site. Yes they did ask me my price range when I called but quickly explained that they didn’t want to waste my time since they only carry gowns that are 3k and up. I worked with Dana Michelle and Christine, they were absolute dolls. I went in thinking I wanted a ball gown but Dana quickly educated me on how that would not fit my shape. I believe my dress was the third one I tried on and I have never doubted my decision. My fittings were a lot painless then I thought. Each time I was out in less than 20 minutes. The seamstress Lee always made me feel comfortable. I also thought that I wanted a French bustle but Lee showed me it would be a waste since everyone would not be able to see the details of my dress. It was better (and cheaper) for me to have an original bustle instead. The dress was ordered in March 06 and here by Nov ember 06. Eve of Milady makes the most incredible silk as well as attention to detail.




Bridal Reflections (Mom’s dress) - A
Stephen Yearick Evening Gown

Ok here is where I was about to have a heart attack. My Mom purchased a beautiful Stephen Yearick gown. I almost cried when I seen her in the sample. So we placed an order for the dress in a different color. When the dress came in although beautiful, it was the wrong fabric. They ordered Taffeta which we agreed too but we did not know the material of the sample was actually SILK! After all the bad reviews of them on this site, I was ready to get in a huff and puff about this dress. Everything for the wedding was going too good to be true and I felt here where the issues were going to begin. Ladies, I have to tell you I have never seen an issue dealt with such professionalism. All managers in BR worked overtime to rectify the problem. They could have easily said you signed off on the Taffeta dress and that is what you are getting. They called up Stephen’s office and had a replacement dress within a month. They also made sure to expedite all the fittings my mother needed. I will forever recommend this place to anyone seeking a dress. Too bad I am not getting married there to use their services again!

Jackie (BM dresses) – A+
Dresses by Jackie and Cynthia
FM me for number
I knew that I wanted my girls to wear cherry red dresses. Problem is any dress that I did see for Bridesmaids were either a candy apple red or more of a burgundy. So my dresses had to be made. I knew I would use Jackie since she has been a family friend for many years. She also has an awesome portfolio of things she has made for previous weddings. I knew she would do a good job but I was amazed at how close she came to the actual dresses.



My Lady Bridal – FG Dresses - A

All FG dresses were ordered in this location. This was once again another painless purchase. This is one area I really didn’t spend too much energy on so my sister picked the design, contacted the store and made all the arrangements. When they went in for their first fitting, one of the dresses was in the wrong size but this was quickly corrected.




Payless Shoes (FG shoes) - A

We definitely hit up BOGO for FG shoes. We got the cutest little white sandals for them to wear. Since it was only for a short time and shoes they were sure to outgrow, I did not want their mothers to pay too much money. During Easter time was the time to see the entire collection. We estimated that the children’s feet would not grow anymore than a half a size by time of the wedding day. We were right!

Shoes – A+
Manolo Blahnik
www.bergdorfgoodman.com/

What better time to purchase Manolo’s? I saw these shoes and knew I had to have them! Not only do they go perfectly with my gown and theme, they are so much fun that I know I can wear them again and again. They are also extremely comfortable. Highly recommend the brand and service I received from GB.



Bridal Party Shoes – A

The Leather Company
Kings Plaza Mall

I wanted some funky shoes that I know my BM’s would wear again. I was lucky to find some inexpensive silver shoes that carried out my bling them as well. I was able to strike a deal with the manager since I was buying so many shoes at once, to get them at an awesome rate. Everyone loved their shoes. I wish I would have a brought a pair for myself.


Tuxedos-A
Dante Zeller Tuxedo’s – A
www.dantezeller.com/

This was an easy and painless process. They were very on top of things. They made sure that all 14 guys were in on time and corrected any issues when the tuxes arrived in a timely fashion. The customer service was great as well.


Tiara – A+
Denise Leli
www.deniseleliheadpieces.com/

I went to a bridal showcase Denise was having at Bridal Reflections. I knew that I would be checking with Denise since I fell in love with some of the pieces that I had seen at the Oheka bridal showcase. Funny how the piece I seen and tried on before even purchasing my dress, would be the piece that I purchase! Once Mia pinned in the tiara and I looked in the mirror and saw how perfect the tiara was, I shed a tear. I always thought that if I am going to spend that much money on a tiara, I would have to sell it later; I cannot bring myself to part with the piece. It is everything I wanted it to be. I may not pass it down to my daughter, but I am sure one of my nieces will want to wear it to their sweet sixteen.



Day of Jewelry – A+
Thomas Knoell
www.thomasknoell.com

Tom is just a pleasure to work with. I went in with a picture of my dress and he carefully selected coordinating pieces. He never rushed me after I was very indecisive regarding my necklace. He treated my family and I like royalty. In fact the service was so grand; we went back to Tom once it was time to pick out my Mom’s jewels. Even though very pricey, I can definitely wear them again.



Wedding Bands – A
Elsa Rings
www.elsarings.com
I had no idea where I wanted to go to purchase my wedding bands. I ended up meeting Elsa at one of the bridal shows at CB. She was very nice and had a slew of rings to pick from. I also like that fact that she does custom designs. I was very excited to work with her since my FH brought me a new e-ring and all pieces would match perfectly together. There was a little communication part on both ends. I sent Elsa an email with what I wanted our rings to be engraved with. When we went to pick it up it had no engraving. Since we could only get out there the day before the wedding there was no time to do the engraving. I will take partial blame since I should have called and followed up and made sure she got the email. I still have no idea when I will want to part with my rings for a week. We do love our rings though.


Crystals for Cake Topper – A
Beads Time USA and Artbeads.com

I purchased the stones from a store on 6th Ave. in the city named Beads Time USA. They were the cheapest store to purchase them in here in the city, what I did forget to factor in was the sales tax. When I ran out I purchased them online at artbeads since there is no tax as well as free shipping at any dollar amount.

STD Magnets – A+

Brian from Magnet Queen
www.magnetqueen.com

OMG. It was the best idea ever to order my STD’s from here. Not only were they easy to work with, their quality of magnets by far surpassed any other vendor I received a sample from. You really get a lot more for the price. They also give special discounts to LIW brides. I was so in love with my engagement pics that I could not choose just one. The photo film strip was a great way to showcase my favorites.



Rum Cake

Cake Enz
718-257-6010

I searched all over to find a place to make homemade rum cake. Luckily there was a new place that opened up in the neighborhood that would be able to accommodate me. I ordered 2 full sheet cakes to cut and place in my cake boxes. The cake was nice and moist. Since I have been back from my HM I have been there for more cake!

Cake Server – A+
Fortunoff’s


Efavormart.com (chair bows and Chinese take out boxes) A+
www.efavormart.com

After speaking with many vendors regarding pricing of the chair bows, I realized it will cost me the same amount to own as it would to rent. Since CB was already providing the chair covers, I wanted to make sure that I was getting the bows at a discount price, without renting them online and worry about them returning it.
Since I decided to do the candy bar, I wanted to get the take out boxes. They were not the cheapest price but I did not want to look for another vendor. The quality is excellent. They also gave me a discount for having such a huge order.


Big Lots (charger plates) – A
www.biglots.com

Here was another area after research that proved that purchasing was better than renting. I went all the way to the Big Lots at exit 62 on the LIE (I am from Brooklyn), to purchase these chargers. I only wish they were able to alert others stores that I was on my way to pick them up so I wouldn’t waste my time. Luckily I was able to get all 240 that I needed. CB has the chargers but they are gold and I was so not trying to make anything mess up my theme. Plus I know I can rent them out when I have other functions. I know I am crazy.


Photo Cufflinks – A+

www.Cufflinks.com

I don’t remember how I came up with this idea, but my DH father passed away a few years before we met. I know that there is not a day that goes by that he doesn’t wish he was still here with us. What better way of remembering him on that day then to wear him. I decided to get the photo cufflinks. They were reasonably priced and I had them in less than two weeks after I sent them the photograph. I HIGHLY recommend them. This is a gift you can give to a guy that they will never expect and appreciate.


Jordan Almond Flowers – A+
www.confettiflowers.com/

I came across a picture of the little red flower holder. I knew this was something that I had to have since I was using Jordan almonds. I searched all over for the flower until I came across this site. Not only do they have them in red but a variety of colors. I contacted the owner a month before my day and she warned me that not only was she about to go on vacation, the flowers would need to be shipped all the way from Italy which would cost me $75 dollars just in shipping. I wanted it so bad that I gave in. She made sure she was available by email through her vacation and the flowers arrived in time with no problems. The quality is also amazing. I highly recommend.



Michael’s and AC Moore – A+

I got so many things from these two stores I can’t list them all. At least one component of each of my DIY items was purchased through this store. Whether it is a cutter or cardstock, it was brought. If you have time I would highly suggest going to AC Moore while they are having their moonlight madness sale. All items are 25% off.

DIY’s

Invites
Invitations were a very hard thing to choose. Anything that I seen that was in one of those books that looked half way decent was either flimsy or way too expensive. I knew after a few searches that I wanted pocketfold invitations. It was a great way to use my color scheme throughout not to mention modern as well. After speaking with many vendors, if I were able to get the pricing right, the invite just did not grab my attention. So since my sister was doing most of the DIY pieces for the wedding, why not have her do my invites as well. I ordered the paper for everything and we got to work. My sister was actually able to even make the pocket folders by hand, all 200 of them!!!!! I went out a brought an impressive printer that could print on the metallic paper, and then got to work. The end result was absolutely priceless.
Backing Paper (Michaels)
The silver backing paper was purchased from Michaels. We just brought the 12x12 sheets and cut them down to size. I believe we were able to get 4 squares out of each sheet.
Pocketfolds (Paper from Anchor www.amchorpaper.com)
We ordered the stardream metallic paper from the website above and gave them the dimensions we need them cut in, they even give you the left over scraps which I was able to use on other projects. I also ordered the paper for the program folders from here as well. The customer service was fast and reliable.
Paper for Invites (paper-papers.com)
This is the only website that carries the ice silver metallic paper. I was so excited when this came in since I had originally ordered ice gold. The color is fantastic since it looks like snow with light sprinkles. This company is really great since they will send you a sample of the paper ahead of time.
Wine Stop Favor (was not DIY)



Newsletter


Cake Topper


Flower Girl Shirts


Tags


Signature Drink Menu


Pew Bows


Programs










Aisle Runner


Flower Girl Wands


Broom



Banner


Shirt


Candy Bar
Most of the candy purchased was either from a local drugstore or from economycandy.com in their NYC location. The jars were purchased from Big Lots, Michaels and Wal-Mart.











Card Box


True Love letters


Kids Centerpiece


Table Numbers


Veil


Petal Cones



Unity Candle



Slipper Basket


Memorial Pic


Water Bottles


Wreath Letters


Placecards



Flower girl Wands and Kiss balls




Timeline


Menu


I also wanted to add the review of my Bridal Shower photographer!

Irinia from CreativeI Photography - A+++++++++

I had the pleasure of meeting Irinia on the Knot. This girl is amazing. She went above and beyond to take family pictures that I will be able to have for a lifetime!























THE DAY
Mia – A+++++++++++++
www. B r I d a l l o u n g e .com
212- 961- 7019

Mia is definitely everything that you hear about. Besides doing a fabulous job, she truly takes her clients to heart. I actually had two hair trials with Mia since I went from doing half up and half down to all up. Mia never felt bothered by my indecisiveness. What was even more awesome was at my second trial Mia had time to show me her new makeup line. She showed me what a person like me that knows nothing about makeup will need to wear everyday and how it should be applied. It is her goal to make sure you look and feel like a million dollars on your wedding day. Mia was gracious enough to come the day before the wedding to do my bridal party hair since it was so many of them she did not want me to have the added stress on the actual day. She came early with a team and they set up a production line to get my girls in and out of there. Anyone that needed a touch up in the morning (very few) was done in seconds. The morning of she also came very early to set do my entire bridal party. Her and her teams made my girls look AMAZING! I could not have asked for anything more. I know it was a strain for Mia since she did another wedding in the morning as well but it never showed. I didn’t have the pics from my trial so Mia was only left with a vision of what we did. In the end I just asked her to freestyle. I knew there was no way she would let me down. While she did my hair and makeup I made sure not to look in the mirror not once. I didn’t want to see how I looked, I knew I was in good hands. Mia by far exceeded my expectations. I knew she was good, I didn’t know she was that good. Once I looked in the mirror it took everything out of me not to cry and mess up my makeup. I looked and felt like a million dollars before I even got dressed. My husband even went up to her at the end of the night for making me look so beautiful. For that I will be forever grateful to her. My bridesmaids even mentioned that once Mia put her touch on them, all their make up just popped! I am very fortunate to have become good friends with Mia.







Church – A+

Saint Jude’s Roman Catholic Church
718-763-6300

When we decided it was time to set a date. Jeff mentioned he wanted to get married at a church around one of his own neighborhoods. I was already familiar with the church since it was only a few minutes away from where we live now. So we went to find out what we will need to do in order to get married there. During this meeting the priest asked me if I ever thought about getting the rest of my sacraments. No I have never thought about it before but felt that it was a good time to do this. It also enabled us to have a full mass. Going through the RCIA program made me a much calmer person. The funniest thing happened, when we went through RCIA, the priest that was conducting the first night actually went to school with Jeff. He was so funny and down to earth that we just had to ask him to perform our ceremony. Jeff and him already had a connection and through one of our meetings, he made me feel comfortable and I knew he was the right choice for us. He didn’t fail me. There were so many times during the ceremony he brought the crowd in with his laughter but not once forgetting why we were there.

Another great thing about this church is that they have gorgeous grounds. In the back of the church they have a bridge which is great for picture taking.



DOC
What a horrible experience it was finding the right DOC. The most important aspect a DOC had to have for me was to understand the time and details that I put into my wedding. I wanted it to be executed to the next level. A close attention to detail was also a must. Unfortunately most DOC’s looks at booking weddings as just another date booked.
I was originally booked with Rosalie from Expressions. Even though I had no worries about her performance on the actual day, there were several emails I sent to her that did not get a response. Instead of moving forward fearing a communication problem, I searched for another DOC a year before my wedding.
Another one of my favorite vendors here suggested I look into Michelle from Pink Monkey Events. During our first meeting Michelle seemed too good to be true. She gave me some ideas of how things will be carried out on my wedding day. I was definitely fine with this kind of personal attention. Michelle 'sold' me on ALOT of promises that no other DOC has ever offered when I met with them and I actually exhaled and said that I have FINALLY found the DOC of my dreams. Not to mentioned, she said she only does one wedding at a time, since she claimed she did not like to overbook.
Here is where things took a turn for the worst.....
Upon booking with Michelle I knew she had a wedding that she was finishing up before mine (4 months before) - which was fine with me as I knew the bride. In the weeks leading up to this bride's wedding finishing up I would e-mail Michelle and she would take a while to get back to me. I really didn't stress it to much as I figured she was busy dealing with the other bride. Okay now the other bride's wedding is finished and I noticed that Michelle has not contacted me to check up. I am kind of baffled at this as I know my wedding is supposed to be the next one for her as she stated. It did make me wonder if I still had a DOC- well actually I was sure I did because I paid her in full way before I was supposed too.

So let’s fast forward to the month of July 07. I went to my final meeting with Chateau Briand so I wanted to fill her in with how that went so I gave her a call. More importantly, I needed to tell her that CB would not be able to put on the chair bows that I brought. She states that out of the THREE people that I hired, she doesn’t know how this will get done, but we will figure something out, (Mind you this was one of the things she has promised to do as she would have enough staff on hand that day), At this time she also mentions that even though it states in her contract that she will hand out all final payments and gratuities the day of the event, she will no longer be in charge of that because another bride accused her of taking one of her cards. I found this very unprofessional of her. What happens at one wedding should not affect what you do on future weddings. After all most people book DOC’s for this sole purpose alone. The following week I called her back to let her know the limo vendor (Not a Long Island Vendor) that she recommended has FAKE 2007 phantoms on their lot. This made me and my DH VERY concerned at this point. She states she will call him immediately since she is the one that referred him. To me immediately meant as soon as we got off the phone.....well two days go by and Michelle does not call him or myself. Ok I am beyond frustrated at this point. There is no reason for a month before my wedding for a vendor to give me so many problems. As it is one month before my wedding and I am on pins and needles now waiting for a call back from Michelle in regards to the limo situation- I decided that I am not going to wait any long to hear back from her. My DH and I took matters into our own hands and called the Limo guy and spoke to him myself and told him my concerns.

Now I had scheduled my final meeting with Michelle one month to the day of my wedding 8/2. I get an email on 7/30, to confirm our meeting- but also saying that she wanted to relocate our meeting location, and asked if we can meet for lunch in the city, ummm NO! (We were supposed to me at my house.) Michelle stated that her car was out of commission and would not be available until the following week. First of all I came out to you two times on the weekend in NYC with no problem. Secondly, you knew that we had a lot of details to discuss and there was NO WAY I was bringing all of my DIY's (which you guys know I as well my sister Giovanna worked hard on) to the city. You promised that you were coming to my house and that is what I expected. So Michelle was told that whenever her car become available we could set up a meeting for the following week- as it seem that her car being fixed was the reason why she couldn't come out to Brooklyn.

Here is the kicker on 8/2 I received this exact e-mail:

“Eliana,

I have been out of the office for the past couple of days and I am sorry that I did not have a chance to call you. I do not know the next time that I am going to have a chance to get in touch with you so I thought that sending you an email would be the best thing. At this time I am sorry to inform you that Pink Monkey Events will not be able to work with you on your wedding. We will be sending you a full refund check for your full amount within the next week or so. We really feel that it is really unnecessary for you to pay Pink Monkey Events for a job that is already taken care of.

We wish you the best....

Michelle “

Are you kidding me????? She cancels because I have things all together? I’m sorry but that is the kind of bride you WANT to work with. I feel that things happen for a reason. I tried calling her after receiving the e-mail but there was no answer. Then finally I spoke to her and she showed her true colors!! I spoke very nice and professional to her telling her that I would need my money sooner than the 'week or so” she stated. Michelle then said, “I SAID I WAS RETURNING YOUR MONEY- YOU ARE ACTING VERY UNAPPRECIATIVE!” This is why you can't work with certain people.' My mouth just dropped as I could not believe she said that to me. I just could not bother arguing with her. I stated to her that I needed my money no later than that following Wednesday. I reiterated this via e-mail as well. As agreed I did receive a full refund via messenger.
Now back to the Limo Company she recommended- since she felt she could cancel me ONE MONTH before my wedding unprovoked and unprofessionally there was no way that I could rely on a vendor recommendation from her. The next day I took off from work to drive all the way to Westchester to get my deposit back!!! So once we arrive we tell the owner Nick that we were not comfortable and what happened with PME and he wrote out a check to me with no problems. I was so relieved to have this taking care of until….THE CHECK BOUNCED! I called him and he said it’s impossible, this turned into he wrote the check from the wrong account and he is sorry. Just to sum this up, I went back out there to get my money in CASH. The name of this company is M Gucci (mgucci.com) .

The Defining Moments – A++++++++
Michelle Gordon
www.thedefiningmoments.com

Now this brings to scrounging for another DOC. I called the major ones and they were booked but then it dawned on me, why not give Michelle from Defining Moments a call. She was the very first vendor I spoke too and we lost contact for various reasons. I called Michelle and she was available! I booked her on the spot and we got down to business. Michelle was much more than a DOC. She went to meet vendors for me as well as went all the way to CB just to see how the chair bows would need to be tied. Not only is Michelle an awesome person but she handled every issue that occurred on my wedding day with ease (trust me there were issues!).

On the big day every time there was an issue I told everyone to go to Michelle. Even when I thought things were going to go totally wrong and I needed someone to make a phone call, Michelle had already made the call. She was also very good at keeping all vendor issues away from the bride. I strongly believe things happen for a reason. My journey of a DOC came full circle and was truly a blessing.

Ceremony Musicians
Royal Brass – C-

This is one vendor I did not worry about at it. There is one major thing I did notice that made me panic before walking down the aisle, they did not play Canon n D for my Bridal Party entrance. I clearly told Rodger the day before that is what I wanted played. I wanted to heart this more than my own entrance. I started panicking when I didn’t hear it thinking my wedding was off to a bad start. I was also told that they were pressuring my DOC for their final payment at the beginning of the ceremony which I can totally understand but my Godmother left it at the house and had to run and get it (we live 5 min away from the church), we also ran 15 minutes late for the church which we had to pay RB overtime for. Again all of this is fine since it came straight out of their tips. What really pushed me over the edge was when they came over to apologize for all the issues. Also the priest motioned for them to play during the signing of our marriage license and they did not. It is my wedding day; as long as it is handled by my DOC I would have wished to not have been alerted of the issues but allowed to continue enjoying my wedded bliss. They only reason why they got a C is because they showed up and on time.







CH Musicians – A+
Juliana Riccardi
www.julianariccardi.com

I learned about Juliana through another bride on here. At first I was dead set about wasting money on any form of cocktail hour entertainment, but once I heard her sing I knew she would be a great addition to my wedding. We traded emails and phone calls for about a week before I actually booked and she was great each time. A few months later I decided to surprise Jeff with a live rendition of our first dance song. Since the singer had the same soulful sound I thought this would be great! I called Juliana up and asked her if this could be done and she was able to do it in less than three months. The song sounded wonderful! Even though I didn’t meet Juliana until a few minutes before my cocktail hour begun, I had totally confidence even when she gave me a heads up that a different guitarist would be with her that day, I had no worries!



Florist
Flower Michele – A++++++++++++++++
John Feeny
www.flowermichele.com

I met several florists before going to meet John. After I seen many pics of his work, I was for sure he was out of my price range. There was a nagging feeling that I should go and meet with John and see what his packages were like. Upon meeting John one of the very first things he stressed to me that he can work with any budget. All I had to do was tell him what I was working with and we can take it from there. He took his time to take out his flower book and slowly introduced me to various types of flowers in the red and white family. I did not know exactly how I wanted my centerpieces but knew it had to be high. Since red was my color scheme I knew I wanted red roses the color of cherry. As it turns out John worked with cherry love roses a lot. I met with John several times and made sure I took pics of whatever he had in his office to help other brides. Not only does he have a winning personality, he is a flower genius. John has also begun to add the service of upligthing to his brides. Never in a million years did I think it was possible to have a dimmed red room. The place card table that I rented from John, set the tone for my entire reception. This was the first thing they seen upon entry and gave them an idea of what was in store ahead. Upon entering the room I almost cried. To see everything we discussed executed was a breath of fresh air. I will make sure to use him at any floral event possible. I will never be able to thank him enough!
My BoK


BM Bok’s



Bouts


Dais Piece

Church Piece

Place Card Table Arrangement

Centerpiece Table Arrangement




Limos
Since the limo drama from above I scrambled to find a limo company on such short notice that would have the cards we need. Unfortunately limo companies are usually the biggest disappointment of the day. I used Diamond Limousines- D- from Brooklyn (diamondlimony.com/, not to be confused with Double Diamond limos), and I must say that at first the owner Luis took good care of us. I booked them for the 2007 phantom (review below) and a 2007 Chrysler for the parents. Luis even called me the same day to tell me if I needed anything else he would have the cars on standby for us. Well, the Chrysler broke down during the ceremony and left!!!!!!!!!!! I had no idea and my parents and everyone else in that car did not have a way to get to the reception. It appears the car left since it had a flat tire and a replacement was being sent. Well IMO the replacement should have arrived before leaving. My guests now had to be taken in a car that I did not pay for. So in the end I did get the three hours that I paid for. My next upset came with Star City Limos – F----------. I booked a 2007 Range Rover for the girls and 2007 Escalade for the guys. The escalade showed up 20 minutes late. Then to top things off, I was supposed to pay in cash the day of. When we went to the bank to redraw the funds, the bank said it was already being held by them, so I was like ok great, they have their money so no issues. Well, after my ceremony, I was approached for the same money they were holding. I said since you are holding it just take it, they would need to charge me 9% as well as an imprint of the card (like I had one hidden in my wedding gown). I won’t divulge the language that I had to use to express my frustration. My father seeing me upset took care of it. No bride should have been treated the way I was after my ceremony. Still I did not let it get to me. They had the nerve to only refund me 50 dollars for all the aggravation. I will still file a BBB report.

Phantom – A++++++++
Sasha
FM me for his number if interested.
I was fortunate enough to meet Sasha again after dealing with him many years before. It is important for me to showcase him by himself since he was the star of the day and treated us like Royalty. This is a driver that used to driving around people like Jennifer Lopez and Jay Z and he still treated us as if we were that important. I will continue to use him for any event that I organize.


Cake – A++++++++
Jason Ellis from Cakes by Jay
Tel: 516.674.8115, 631.484.3869
[email protected]

At first I was just going to use the cake that the hall provided, but after seeing there selection I decided that I wanted a cake that could carry out the overall feel and look of my wedding. Not to mention Erga Bakery could not make red velvet cake. I stumbled upon Jay when CB was having a bridal show. We scheduled an appointment for a tasting and I booked on the spot. I gave Jay a pick of how I wanted the cake to look in addition to the base and he made sure I got exactly what I wanted. Also another LIW bride Tricia (thanks Tricia!) gave me her coupon for a free groom’s cake and Jay let me use it with no problems. What I really like about Jay is that he would not leave the hall until I came down and saw my cake. There is nothing that I would change about my cake. I guarantee my expression was priceless since I begged CB not to cut the cake. I really wanted to go home with it. Jay superceded my expectations. I will continue to use him for all of my future affairs.





Groom’s Cake




Reception Hall

Chateau Briand – A+++++
www.chateaubriandcaterers.com/

This place is simply amazing! I originally booked with Jack and became concerned when he would no longer be there after moving on to another catering hall. A few months shy of my wedding I did not need the added stress. Tom was our new BM and even though I felt the transition could have went a little smoother, Tom surprised us on our wedding night by being in attendance and making sure everything went ok. We also wanted to have a MD by the name of Kirkland but he was already reserved so we were stuck with Elmer. My problem with Elmer is that he was not as warm as the other MD’s I have seen. And he also refused my DOC food while they were in the middle of putting on all of my 200 bows that they would not help with! All and all I did not make that bother me. My room looked amazing and I loved the fact that they walked me through each room before letting my guests in to get my approval. They also set up all my little details (and there were tons) exactly how I wanted them. The whole night I never saw another bride. The food was delicious and everyone thought my cocktail hour in the Davinci was my actual reception room. Also for my signature drink menu, CB had all of the drinks lined up next to the menus so the guests would just be able to grab one of my drinks as soon as they walked in. It was great to see the bar lined with all red and blue drinks. CB also added a cool new feature to the Normandy room that while you are waiting to come up from the floor you actually can see the entire party happening before your grand entrance. My Bridal Attendants Jackie and Alicia also went above and beyond to make sure my guests and us never needed or wanted for anything.













Wedding Night Hotel – A

Fox Hollow Inn
www.foxhollow.com

It was a great feeling to end the night at such a fabulous hotel suite. When we arrived to the room we were greeted with chilled champagne and chocolate truffles. The breakfast the next morning had a great selection.

DJ

Ultimate Sound DJ’s – A++++++++++++++++++
www.UltimateSoundDjs.com
718-204-1938

Boy o Boy do these guys know how to throw a party. I was originally booked with two other DJ’s but I always had this nagging feeling that although they were good, they would not be able to play the cultural music that my crowd would be accustomed too. Through luck of this site I was able to come across Ultimate Sounds. I set up a meeting with them right away and was very impressed with their studio set up. What really sold me is that their training studio is located in the building. To make sure we were truly comfortable before booking, Frank the owner had the DJ come in a play a quick snippet of what to expect on that day. We were blown AWAY. I also love the fact that we had a female MC by the name of Janiera. We saw her on several DVDs and we loved the fact that she gets the crowd involved without being obnoxious. Our DJ Raphael even came to us in the bridal suite to make sure that everything was ok and if there was anything that he could do for us. We took the package that included mostly everything that they offer. We had; DJ, MC; Percussionist (Heraldo did a fabulous job); Zap Shots with the plasma screen (I loved all the pictures Juan took), live video feed and custom made montages. I gave Frank hell to get this completed by not giving him pictures in time and adding pics the same week of the wedding, the end result was a beautiful montage that we will be able to treasure forever. I also pride Frank on his honesty and customer service. At one point the DJ I booked left the company, he called me right away informing me of what happened and gave me the option to decide what I wanted to do next. He also gave me suggestions on things that I could do to make my wedding different. For example, he had us come in one night to do voiceovers for our second dance. We never even thought of having a second dance and what made it more special, we would have no idea what the other the said until the time the song was played at the reception. Janiera even took it a step further and met us on two separate evenings to coach us on how to dance our first dance song. The party rocked from the minute everyone walked in to the minute the party was over. Since the reception had an extra hour, USDJ made sure my guests did not want to leave. I am truly grateful to have met this company and have them represent me on my wedding day. Everyone is still calling me for their information so that they can book.



Photography/Video

Duet Weddings- A++++++++++++++
www.duetwedding.com

All I can say is WOW. I met Eric back in 2005 at the show in the Marriott in NYC. They must have been the fifth photo vendor I met. When I went to their studio I was wowed by the portraits that were on the wall. I also love how Eric was so carefree and not pushy like some salesmen. He was not the type to say you can’t get this type of work anywhere else. There was also no pressure to book. He made me so comfortable in my decision that I never had doubts. Each time I visited his studio I would keep adding to my package. I ended up with three photographers (Jay, Danny and TJ) as well as two videographers (Eric and David). I was so happy to get two videographers since I will be able to see what Jeff and his guys were doing leading up to the ceremony. Not to mention they took commentary of members of the bridal party which I will be able to see as well. I first met Jay and Danny the day of my epics. No one that received my STD could believe that the backdrop was real. We had people come up to us saying that they know for a fact we were in front of a poster. These guys work HARD. Jay and Danny are just the most down to earth people I have ever met. They are passionate about what they do as well as they go over and beyond to make the bride happy. Jay even pinned on some bouts for me just to help move things along. At the end of the night when people were only dancing I begged them to go home. They kindly refused. My pictures were more than I asked for. If I can tell you one thing that I told Jay that I belived helped was, even though I gave him a must take list along with pictures that I liked, I stressed that he must not stick to the list. It was important for me to give him freedom to create the work that I trusted in when I booked. It is impossible for me to ask them to recreate someone else’s moment. I wanted our moment. I didn’t get the pic where the dad reflection is in the limo window while I sat in the car, but what I did get was a picture of my dad glazing through the church vestibule sad at the fact that he is about to marry his youngest daughter. For me that is priceless. That was our moment. I will forever use Duet for any photo or video needs I may have. Here are some of the pics (out of 3k plus):

Before the Ceremony













The Ceremony








After the ceremony











The Reception

Wow! What an absolutely STUNNING wedding! Everything looked so incredible! You were a beauiful bride. Thank you for the great review! Congratulations

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

WOW great review!!!! love the pics. looks like a great time!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

WOW... INCREDIBLE!! your review was amazing along with the pics... you were a gorgeous bride!! i cant believe how much you did for you wedding... it looks amazing!!

CONGRATS!!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Oh my goodness, your wedding was spectacular. Everything was well coordinated and the details were great. I know planning couldn't be anything short of being stressful but judging from your pics, it was well worth it. By the way, your flower girls are soooooooooo cute!

Thanks for sharing!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

AAAAAA--MAAAAAA-ZIIIIIING!

Great review, beautiful wedding, beautiful pictures... LOVE IT!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Your wedding was amazing!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Congratulations on a beautiful wedding. I can tell you put alot of time and dedication into your planning and it really paid off because your wedding was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S !!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

AMAZING!!! Your wedding looked out of this world!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Fabulous review, what a beautiful wedding!!!!!! Your pics are amazing, future brides will use this as inspiration for years to come!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

All I can say is WOW, WOW, WOW

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Wow! You've done so much for your wedding.
It must have taken you years to plan.

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Thanks for the review. Your wedding looked beautiful. All of the special touches really stand out! You worked so hard and you should be so proud of yourself. Congratulations to you and your new hubby!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

HOLY REVIEW BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eliana, everything was AMAZING!!! Your attention to detail, there is just no words for it.

It was a pleasure meeting you through this site and thank you for all your ideas & advice

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Thank you so much ladies! I just added some BS pics which deserve credit.

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

You did a great job on the wedding and the review. Congratulations and thank you for sharing.

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

GORGEOUS REVIEW!!!! wow... Congratulations PS- I'm a DUET bride too- can't wait

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Gorgeous pics!!!!!!!!! You looked absolutely stunning!!!!!!!!
Your review was very detailed and included great pics!
Congrats to you and your DH!

Re: Our Fairytale Wedding Story featuring Mia from BL, Duet, Flower Michele, The Defining Moments, Ultimate Sound DJ's, Cakes By Jay and Many, many many more!

Thank you for an amazing amazing review.... It looked wonderful... Congrats