Below are reviews that I have posted on weddingwire (unfortunately I posted anonymously by accident and can’t fix it) that I thought you may find helpful since I really valued the reviews I found. I have not formally posted reviews for my photographer and videographer pending receipt of the final product but I have provided brief comments below. Vendors were from both CT and RI so I have cross posted this.
We had a perfect wedding day and I would not change a thing! Please email me at rifallbride at gmail .com if you have any questions, best of luck:
Lake of Isles (reception) - Lake of Isles is a beautiful venue that sets itself apart with the quality of service that is provided. Sheila, director of catering, is the utmost professional. She knows weddings and is able to provide guidance to ensure that your day is perfect but she is not pushy in anyway. The entire wedding planning process was a breeze; they did everything in their power to accommodate our requests. Sheila would always respond promptly to any number of crazy questions we had, always professional. The venue itself is breathtaking with a private ballroom overlooking the lake with beautiful decor and large windows. The ceilings are very high which make the room feel even more open. The entire building is well maintained. We were able to take pictures on the grounds which are stunning. I want to stress that the ballroom is very private from the other parts of the clubhouse, you don't have another wedding going on nor do you run into other people. We received so many compliments on the quality of the service and the food. On the day of, Bethany was there by our side to ensure our vision was executed. A late call had to be made on whether we should have cocktail hour indoors due to weather, it was important to us to have it outdoors but ultimately Bethany and her team quickly transitioned it indoors when the weather changed. We could not have been happier with our choice of venue; it was an amazing day and experience! Lake of Isles is a one of a kind establishment in Southeastern CT/Southern RI that we are thankful we found.
Zenobia Studios (photography and photo lounge) – I adored working with Jen and Kendall; they are so creative and fun. When I met with Jen I got that instant relaxed feeling and knew that I could trust her with our day. Our engagement photos came out gorgeous confirming our choice. Both Jen and Kendall are easy going, they both are experienced and can quickly get the shots that they need but also know how to manage crowds. I have been impressed with the timeliness of the sneak peeks, 2 weeks for our wedding photos. We also used them for our save the date designs and received so many compliments. The photo lounge was a huge hit at the wedding and allowed for many more guests to get in than a photo booth plus there is a photographer to ensure the photo is of high quality. We are thrilled to have found Zenobia and look forward to using them for years to come! Fresh
Focus Productions (videographer) – Videography was something I was on the fence about, I really didn’t want another person in our faces but I couldn’t have been happier with Michelle. Honestly I barely knew she was there all day but I know she captured all the important moments plus the awesome dancing. She is very experienced and can easily roll with the day. To top it all off she is a sweetheart and I can’t wait to see what she pulls together!
Jen Strunk (stationery, DOC) - Jen is off the charts AMAZING! We used her for stationery as well as day of coordination. We will start with stationery. Stationery is a love of mine however I recognized early on in wedding planning that most guests don't appreciate it. Jen was able to come up with a stunning affordable invitation suite that still knocked people's socks off without breaking the bank. We provided Jen will a few ideas of what we liked and then she ran with it and created a beautiful invitation suite for us. She then continued on to make table numbers, menu cards, place card tags, and various other paper items to match the invitation suite. Jen takes critique well and recognizes the importance of pleasing the customer. The product look is extremely professional and well done. DOC was something that I really wanted but my husband was hesitant about. Easily the best decision we made during the entire process was hiring Jen! I was surprisingly, freakishly calm on the wedding day because I knew that Jen was out there taking care of anything. Leading up to the wedding no vendors called me with questions/concerns, Jen handled all of that. We hired Jen about 10 months out from the wedding and she was available via email/phone from that day forward, she helped me with timeline, vendor suggestions and generally just listened to my crazy bride brain ideas. I can't express how grateful we are for Jen's hard work and guidance throughout wedding planning and the day of, she is extremely professional and calm. Very capable hands, plus she can create some amazing stationery!
Heavenly Weddings (officiant) - We wanted a non-denominational service that would really reflect our relationship; working with Mike Egan we achieved just that. He is extremely nice and very experienced with weddings; during our first meeting it was clear that he was a good fit for our ceremony. Mike was always available over the phone or email to discuss any questions concerns. During the rehearsal, Mike was extremely knowledgeable and had worked in the chapel before giving us various options. On the wedding day itself, he kept us both calm and was perfect during the ceremony itself, giving us tips to ensure the ceremony was smooth. You can tell that he enjoys what he does and he takes pride in it, we are very grateful that we found him.
Alexandra’s Bridal Boutique (dress, veil, bridesmaids’ and moms’ gowns) - I loved working with Rosana at Alexandra's, she was the consultant assigned to me during my appointment and the one that suggested THE DRESS to me. She is a sweetheart and knows what she is doing, she will help you learn what you like and then go select a dress that you hadn't considered. Every time I went back after purchasing the gown, if she was there she would greet me with a big hug and you could tell she was excited to see me in my gown again. We ordered my veil, bridesmaids’' gown and both mother gowns from them and everyone had fabulous experiences. Their selection is large and they truly have some unique gowns. I had my alterations done there as well, pricing was reasonable and they listened to all of my concerns to make sure we got the dress right. I can't even tell you how many compliments I received on my wedding gown; it was a unique gown that I would not have found anywhere else. I highly recommend Alexandra's especially Rosana!
Sara Faella (make-up/hair/accessory) - Sara is an extremely talented artist. She did a beautiful job on our hair/make-up the day of the wedding, we all looked like models. Her assistant is super easy to get a hold of to schedule appointments and ask questions. Julie from her glam squad also did make-up on the day of the wedding and she was fabulous. The make-up/hair held up for the most part. My one gripe, my hair was not as it should've been. Throughout the wedding day Sara indicated that she needed to look at the pictures from my trial to confirm before she started on my hair. When she started on my hair, I felt her use a curling iron and I asked at that point if she had found the pictures from my trial she clearly said yes. Maybe I should've been more forceful, pulled the pictures up myself, but frankly when you are paying that much for a vendor they should at least refresh on the hair style before beginning. My hair looked beautiful however it was not what I had chosen nor is it something I would've chosen, I don't particularly care for curls. I did not confront Sara on my wedding day, I looked beautiful and there was no time to fix it. I did send a note subsequent to the wedding and have not received an acknowledgement of the error, mistakes happen and an apology would go a long way. Our wedding day was perfect however I am disappointed that the hairstyle I really wanted was overlooked.
Just for You (floral) - Jane is easily one of the nicest most down to earth vendors you will find. She is amazing to work with and oh so talented. I appreciated her flexibility and creativeness. I was immediately comfortable working with Jane and knew that she got our vision. Her prices are reasonable and she is willing to travel/work with you. The bouquets were gorgeous on the day of and filled with fresh beautiful flowers, just as we had planned. It was so exciting to see the church decorated and the reception room centerpieces, Jane did an amazing job. I appreciate all of her hard work and would highly recommend her as a vendor.
DJae Melee (DJ, uplighting) - DJae Melee is an amazing DJ; he is very nice and experienced with weddings. On the wedding day everything went beautifully, he played the right songs to keep the dance floor full and he was perfect with announcement. He worked with my husband on a custom entrance mix and it was awesome. Jae also did uplighting in the room which looked beautiful. His prices are so affordable and you can tell he enjoys what he does. My only critique would the communication; Jae's business has obviously grown significantly in the last few years. As a bride sometimes it is easier for me to shoot an email off with a question, sometimes the email would get lost in the shuffle. However if it was something urgent or once the wedding date got closer, if I picked up the phone I would hear from him within 24 hours. I would not change a thing, we enjoyed working with Jae and he did an awesome job on our wedding day!
Rockstar (rehearsal and day of transportation) - We used Rockstar for one way transport after the rehearsal dinner and then for the guys on the wedding day. They are super easy to work with and offer various quality transportation options. We would have used them for a trolley, however they were all booked. The transportation was very nice and on time for both pick-ups. No trouble getting to the destinations, polite well dressed driver both days.
A Limo Affair (trolley) - We used the trolley from Limo Affair for our day of wedding transportation. The trolley is beautiful and the driver, Mike, was extremely attentive and helpful. He arrived early and helped us load things into the trolley, when we changed picture locations he was available and happy to help. Throughout the planning process Melony was awesome to work with, she is extremely nice and really takes pride in the business. I highly recommend Limo Affair!
Amy’s Apples (favors) - I am so happy we worked with Amy; we had chocolate covered apples as our favors. We have received so many compliments, they are delicious! Amy was so nice; during our meeting she provided various samples and recommendations. We attached our place cards to the apples and she was happy to do that at no additional charge. Everything looked beautiful on the day of the wedding, thank you!
Hey Lady (shoes) - I loved, loved working with Hey Lady. The ladies are awesome and really worked with me to ensure I got the right size/style of shoe. The shoes were crazy comfortable on the wedding day, I wore them from 2 pm to 11 pm with no issue. Can't recommend them enough for stylish comfortable shoes.
Tejani (jewelry) – The review I wrote for this is older but I still wanted to acknowledge how awesome they are. I can't say enough good things about Urvi and her team. They were so patient and provided excellent advice for me. They worked with me when sizing was off, due to an error on my part, and the jewelry is stunning! I feel very lucky to have found them and can't wait to wear the jewelry and lend them to my sisters in the future. Thank you!