New York-New York City — The Knot Community

All I want is a simple, but elegant….party!

sgutkina — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 01:51:02 +0000

I’ve been engaged for over 6 months, and still no idea what to do for the wedding, I need some serious help! I’m convinced I was born without the “bridal gene”. I’m extremely happy with every aspect of my life, except the fact that I have to plan a wedding. All I’m interested in is spending a weekend (preferably) or an evening with our friends and family to celebrate our life together. My fiancé and I are actually considering skipping the ceremony - we would leave for our honeymoon right after the party and get married on a beach, just the two of us.

Here are a few things important to us:

Food! – we are big foodies (thank god for good genes!), I would like our guests to enjoy the meal. I always thought that if you go to a wedding where the food is terrible, that’s all people remember, not the dress or the decorations, just that they went home hungry, or worse.

Location – we live on NY Metro area and would like to find a place within a 2 hour drive.

Hotel accommodations – we would like to offer our guests the option of spending the night.

Activities – ultimately, we would like to have a sort of local destination wedding. A place that offers activities for people to spend the weekend and enjoy themselves. Kid friendly, of course.

I’m sure there are many other things I haven’t mentioned that will need to be planned out. Right now, I’m trying to start off with a location, and not really sure where or how to begin searching. There are so many options, how do I figure out which is right for us? Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?? Any help or advice would be much appreciated!

DK Photography

RachRoseK — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:21:49 +0000

Has anyone used DK Collection Photography?

Funk Bands - NYC

amyjaye22 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:33:07 +0000

So my fiancee and I are big New Orleans funk and 70's soul fans. We'd love a band to play The Meters, James Brown, Otis Redding, etc. We also want to sit in for a song, so we'd like them to be flexible.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Terrace on the Park

tychandler — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:34:41 +0000

I went there today and the Penthouse is great, the views are amazing. The lobby looks a little dated with all the mirrors, but so far they are giving me the best deal. The reviews I have read on line are either loved it or hated it. Anyone here using TOP? I haven't committed to it yet, but I am leaning in that direction.

Bridal Shower locations/venues w/Appetizers?

angybanez — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:13:46 +0000

Hi everyone! Can anyone recommend a good venue for a Bridal Shower? Not necessarily a sit-down lunch/brunch but if they have appetizers and a nice area to sit? My sister is having a hard time looking for a place to accomodate at 50 minimum. Help!

Need hairstylist to come to house ASAP

GMC520 — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:18:27 +0000

Hi,

my wedding is 12 days away. Stacey Pitt is doing my hair but has another party and I have 5 bridesmaids who want to get their hair done. Any recommendations for someone who can come to the house? Thanks

XP: Sally Duvall

cknud112 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:36:13 +0000

Hi, if you've had a trial with Sally and/or used her for your wedding, would you mind sharing pics? My sister is in the process of scheduling a trial with her. TIA!

Oh - if you don't want to post your pics here, you can email them to me at knottie name at yahoo. Thanks!

GORGEOUS BURGUNDY TABLECLOTHS 120" ROUND FOR SALE!

Naush.Fahdi — Fri, 14 May 2010 04:41:32 +0000

Hey everyone,
I have 45 gorgeous burgundy tablecloths available for sale.
Asking $10 each, half of what they are worth.
Only used ONCE at my 11/22/09 wedding.

Email me at fana1122@gmail.com

I posted this previously in classifieds, but am hoping to sell to someone local to avoid shipping costs (it gets way too pricy).

I am in Fairfield Connecticut.

Email me if interested!
Thanks!

FREE - beautiful preserved boxwood garlands - for use in your ceremony or reception?

layla78 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:46:01 +0000

Hello all --

We purchased 14 beautiful 6-foot preserved boxwood garlands to decorate the church for our wedding, but unfortunately later found out we weren't allowed to decorate the church. We paid about $1,000 total from Jamali Garden (you can see them on their website, or picture below). They're in perfect condition, never removed from the boxes we got them in.

I tried selling them on the Knot, eBay, etc... but no luck.

SO, since we live in a little NYC apartment and need to clear some space... they are FREE to the first person willing to come to our apartment building on the Upper East Side and pick them up. They're in five medium-sized boxes, and we can arrange for you to pick them up at your convenience.

Hope someone can use them for their celebration!

Please send me contact info if you're interested.

Faze 4 Band- True Blue??

jporco23 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:54:31 +0000

Hi everyone,

Has anyone used the band True Blue or been to a wedding where they played? I'd appreciate any reviews!

Thanks!!

nyc engagement pictures

xtreme0120 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:35:09 +0000

I am having my engagement pictures taken in the city in July and I only have a few hours with the photographer. Where are some really great places for engagement pictures and that can also really capture the city.

Venues similiar to the River Cafe in NYC

crazyglue007 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:21:38 +0000

Hi there,

Fiance and I found our DREAM wedding location... The River Cafe at Dumbo. It's a verdent garden of lush greens and flowers amid a majestic Manhattan backdrop with a private river terrace. It's the perfect mix of what we are looking for. NYC vibe + nature. It's refined bohemian romance. HOWEVER, they are quoting us $275 pp + 20% admin fee + tip + cake plating fee + ceremoney fee (1000) + sparking wine by the bottle + 3% credit card fee + tax. After all that, it's coming out to be about $417 per person with a 50 person min on Saturday nights. Which I think is kind of nuts.

The brunch menu is a little bit more reasonable at $130pp with the same surcharges. But it means I will have be married at 11am. I am really not a morning person and I rather not rush to my own wedding.

Does anyone know of anything that has the same sensibility of River Cafe (romantic) but is around $225 pp that's all inclusive for about 30 - 50 guests?

I would love to have the ceremony on site as well if it's got a killer view. Please share! Thank you so much!

help- budget photographer!

priscilla687 — Sun, 30 May 2010 00:22:00 +0000

Hey ladies,
I was hoping I could get some help finding a photographer in Brooklyn, New York. I was going to use ThePros.com (the package for all 3 services) but I'm hearing a lot of negative reviews. Anyone have another recommendation? Budget is 1,000 to 1,200 and I just want the pics on CD with right to reprint, no albums. I would need the photographer for approx. 8 hours (getting ready, church, portraits, reception).
Thank you!

After party location?

trehak — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:55:08 +0000

our reception ends at 11pm and we are trying to find a place to have an after party to keep the party going! we were hoping to find a bar that has a private room with a bar in it so we basically have our own space and bartender but we don't want to have to pay a location fee. and we want to be able to set it all up in advance so we aren't trying to get 40 people in a bar on a saturday night and have a guaranteed space. i have heard that some places are willing to give you the space for free if you can guarantee that you will have a decent size group come, which we will, but where are these places?? does anyone know of any bar (not a club) that has a back room or private room that might be good to check out?

thanks!!

Vendor Reviews Pt 1: pre-ceremony & misc.

slbriz34 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:56:24 +0000

The best compliment you can pay is provide positive reviews of your vendors to help other brides decipher through the endless list of options. I didn't rate any, but just described my experience with each vendor I used, which is a lot. Because of the volume, I thought it would be best to break them up, so this review will be all the vendors that served its function before the wedding (ie. rings, invitations, etc.). I also listed the names using the websites, so the info would be at your disposal. If you are interested in any and would like more info, feel free to PM me.

PAPER

Invitations: My invites was a diy project, these vendors were my suppliers...

EnvelopperInc.com (NJ) - I wanted a particular pocketfold size, and the few places that carried them were charging way too much. I got all my pocketfolds, as well as envelopes and corner trimmer.   Shipping was free (order over $150), my order came in very quickly, and the final results of the invitations were exactly what we wanted.

PaperPresentation.com (NYC) - I can be really lazy so I resisted going to the store, even though I live in the city. Finally made it there and there's so much more that's not on the website. Some things are a bit pricey, but they are a specialty shop focusing on a certain segment, so you are going to pay for that. I wouldn't get, say, a pen there when you can get the same one somewhere else for less, but ribbon, invites, etc., yes. It's a fun store and you can buy a lot of things and also have services done - I got paper cut which only cost me $2 per cut.

CLOTHING

Wedding Gowns:

DorisFashions.com (Brooklyn) - I purchased what I thought at the time would be my wedding dress (wedding was subsequently postponed and I got another). Being from and living in Brooklyn, I didn't want the hype of the big bridal shops and also thought the attention I could get and cost of would be occur is I stayed closer to home. Lana was a nice associate. I had emailed ahead of time to schedule an appointment and I indicated the type of dresses I was looking for and provided styles. She had a few dresses for me to try and I like the second one I put on. No high pressure sales, got a great deal. We also purchased my MOH's dress; she was super helpful in listening to what I wanted and giving us options that was close. MOH's dress looked great and the price was excellent. I found out later a friend also got her dress there as well; definitely would recommend.

ManhattanBridalUSA.com (NYC) - The dress that I got married in was purchased here. Because I already had a Maggie Sottero dress (dress purhased a Sottero Midgley), I already knew the size to order. It did have a sample on hand to show me, so that was enough for me to purchase without trying on. I went after work to purchase and picked up early on a Sunday morning. I mention that because a few brides have complained of customer service; if you go when it's super busy, it's obviously tougher than when you go and the store is calm. It was pretty much a cash and carry transaction, but the dress came in on time without any issues and that's all I needed.

Veil:

OBridal.com / OccanseyDesigns.com - I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars for something I'd only use once, however, I also wanted to look good. Saw a bride review on a post and decided to check it out and glad I did. I emailed a few times to ask questions and my emails were promptly answered. My drop veil was exactly what I wanted - simple yet elegant - and looked as good if not better than the expensive veils you'd get suckered into buying at the bridal store, and it was super budget friendly. Big plus, it came in the mail super fast.

Gown Alterations:

The Wedding Dresser (Brooklyn/NYC) - My husband couldn't believe how I looked in my dress. Susan Ruddie did such an amazing job. There was a lot of lace appliqué on the hem that had to be tended to in order to raise the line; you couldn't even tell it was sewn back wonderfully. I also needed to have some kind of jacket or sleeves, as modesty was a factor for the ceremony. Susan created and designed the perfect top that seamlessly fit with my sleeveless dress and then easily could be taken off to allow me to have fun at the reception.

And so many brides also want a lovely bustle; mine was great in that it not only kept the dress off the ground and didn't fall or come apart once (like some others), it was done in such a lovely way that you could still see the lace at the back of the dress. I got nothing but compliments on my dress and her hard work showed. It's definitely not cheap, but it’s comparable to bridal salons except with much more flexibility – and you do in fact get what you pay for. Plus, she does house calls - which was great so I never had to worry about dragging around my dress to get done. www.yelp.com/biz/the-wedding-dresser-brooklyn">www.yelp.com/biz/the-wedding-dresser-brooklyn">www.yelp.com/biz/the-wedding-dresser-brooklyn">http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-wedding-dresser-brooklyn

Pressing:

BridgeCleaners.com (Brooklyn) – DO NOT USE! The woman told me and put on my receipt that the dress would be ready on Saturday at 5:30pm; we went there at 5pm since it was near the hotel and I wasn’t going to go out afterwards. We get there and the store was closed. Fortunately, there was tailors there and after much yelling and convincing, they got me my dress. I’d have busted through the doors if needed to. And the irony is that the tag that was on my dress said Friday at 5:30pm – don’t ask me how she created two different tags with two different days. I will never, ever go here again for anything – who needs that kind of stress before their wedding?!

Tuxedos:

EisenbergandEisenberg.com (NYC) – I accompanied my Hubby to get his tuxedo. We placed an order for him and also picked out the color vest and tie for his best man (brother) who wasn’t yet state side from serving overseas. We were told to call the info in as soon as we could in order to get the vest and tie combo. We did so about 2 weeks later; it took awhile for him to find the receipt but he did and made the notation. DH called the day before the pick up to verify it would be at the store and initially, they didn’t have the order for his brother. DH didn’t know what to do but he was called back by the store a few minutes later and was told his BM's tux order was found. The day they tried it own, BM just needed his hem done and everything seemed like it went well (I wasn’t there).

Turns out, DH’s vest was way to big for him; isn’t that the point of taking measurements? He found a way to pin the vest but didn’t want to take his jacket off all night, so I wasn’t very happy about that. I chose these place because of the reviews (on yelp); the price was good but I felt they were a bit unorganized with how they keep their records and I wasn’t happy that despite taking measurements, the vest just did not fit. We had a nice day so in that sense, it all worked out, but I’d probably try another place (though not Men’s Warehouse) if we ever need to rent a tux in the future.

JEWELRY

E-Ring:

PhilmarJewelers.com (NYC) - This review is based on what my husband told me. He was referred to this place by his step-father. He checked it out, then also checked out other jewelers in the area, but came back here because he felt the guy was the most honest/trustworthy sort of everyone he spoke to. He knew what ring I wanted and worked with the salesman to put it together. He was shown a lot of good quality diamonds and got the setting hubby desired. The salesman even was able to save hubby some money on it, so it was a pretty good deal. The ring is amazing and I love it. Hubby and salesman really got the ring design down, and the price, compared to comparable rings we've seen elsewhere for comparable rings, it was a great deal.

Wedding Bands:

DanielaDiamonds.com (NYC) - We wanted to go back to Philmar to get our wedding rings, however it, and many stores in the area, are closed on Sundays. We stopped into this one and it seemed okay. They had plain 14k white gold bands, which we wanted. The salesman had his calculator and did his thing to make it seem like we got a great deal - we weren't overcharged but I don't really feel like we got a super price/deal. Had it been up to me, I'd have gotten our rings for a lot less at Amazon, but hubby was okay paying to have them in hand and not have to worry about anything - so I guess we paid for comfort. All the jewelers use a person down the block to size up/down rings, so we got our rings resized on the spot (included in price). He was great and I'd go back with any jewelry issues in the future.

In all, okay experience, nothing to write home about...

MISC.

Cake Topper:

MisCaketops.com – Mirror Image Studio was a great find; someone posted their sporty cake topper, which is what I was looking for, and after viewing the website, I was hooked. We were able to customize the look of the toppers, so everything from our skin tones to hair color looked very much like us. I was even able to personalize the look of the dress and tux, and add accessories. Love it and we got kudos for having something different.   And the order was fulfilled and completed fairly quickly. I’d highly recommend.

Guest Book:

MyPublisher.com & Blurb.com – I’ve used the latter before and am never disappointed. I love the various layouts and that I can edit the pages to my liking. I used blurb to design our guest book, using the portrait format, and all our guests loved it. I got a great deal on mypublisher and decided to make a second book, but including photos from the entire time we dated, as a personal book just for us. The book was designed in landscape and looks great. So we have one book with everyone’s well wishes and another of more personal photos. If you are considering making a guest book, either company will do – though depending on the type of photos you have, blurb is better for portrait sizes and mypublisher for landscapes. Also, mypublisher offers regular discounts, so you can get a great book at an unbelievable price.

Accommodations:

Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel (Brooklyn, starwoodhotels.com/sheraton) – My MOH and I needed a place to stay the night before and would look nice enough to get ready the day of. This is a relatively new hotel. It’s small, but quaint and centrally located (close to Bklyn Heights, DUMBO, NYC). The room itself, which was two doubles, was small but cozy. Nice flat screen TV, beds were super comfy, and the room was nice for some good photos. Room service is pricey though, but there is a McDonalds and Burger King, as well as an IHOP, near by for take-out or eat-in service.

ParkSouthHotel.com (NYC) – We didn’t do bulk rooms because we didn’t have enough out-of-town guests, but my friend found this gem and I passed it along for those that wanted a place to stay. It was conveniently located just four walking blocks from our reception site. I did have a chance to visit and it’s in a great location, subways for either the east or west side are within walking distance. No trouble trying to get a cab. The lobby is small but quaint and there is a bar. And the rooms were nice as well. I was glad some friends were able to take advantage – I’d recommend booking through hotels.com, as they offered a better deal than the hotel.

Bridal Accessory Shops

fchan1 — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:06:52 +0000

Hi ladies,

I'm actually from DC but I'll be spending the weekend in the city with my bridesmaids this weekend. I wanted to find some beading/brooches/appliqués for my wedding dress (don't really like the one that's on it now and my bridal salon said they can change it out) and obviously, NYC seems to have everything :) Can you please recommend any good bridal accessory shops that sell some nice appliques? We're staying in Manhattan/Times Square but will travel around as needed.

TIA

Hindu Temple Needed for Wedding Ceremony

NCJW — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:53:04 +0000

Hi everyone,

I am a Hindu woman marrying a Catholic man. We are performing both ceremonies in the same day. We found a Catholic Church in Manhattan but are still looking for a Hindu temple. We have a Hindu temple in Hicksville, Long Island, but it is going to be a challenge trying to get my 20-30 wedding guests to go from Long Island to Manhattan in one day.

Does anyone know of small Hindu temple in Brooklyn or Queens that they would recommend? We already looked at the Ganesh Temple, which didn't work out with our date. We are also considering the Hindu Community temple in Flushing. Does anyone have suggestions for any other temples?

Thanks!

studio 450

alisonz — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:58:14 +0000

anybody else getting married at Studio 450?

SQUINTING!!!-HELP

jenniemarras — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:05:21 +0000

Hi girls,

I have a problem, I squint like crazy when I'm outside in the sun...guess I should have thought about this before I planned an outdoor wedding. Has anyone heard of contact lenses that act as sunglasses? Or any other advice is so appreciated.

Thanks!

average centerpiece costs???

LandJ777 — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:28:33 +0000

i'm trying to find a ballpark figure of how much my centerpieces will cost. i'm thinking of tall crystal trees or tall fall tree themed centerpieces. can i please have some figures from brides in ny
thanks xoxoxo

Jennifer Boyle photography

smw42 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:01:40 +0000

Any feedback/reviews?

good bars/nightclubs in the city?

BmoreChick99 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:10:08 +0000

hi knotties! my brother is going to be in NYC this weekend and asked if i had any recommendations on where him and his friends could go out. i did get married in NYC a few weeks back but didn't go out that much when we were in town. any thoughts on fun places for a group of guys in their late 20s/early 30s? both bars for drinks and nightclubs for dancing?

thanks in advance!

Live Wire Entertainment?

kristen12345 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:30:32 +0000

Has anyone used or been to a wedding with the Live Wire as their wedding band? http://www.livewireny.com/

They seem to be very reasonably priced, but I don't know anyone who has used them. If you know anything about them, let me know. Thanks in advance!

(I also posted this same question on the Hudson Valley board.)

Chair Covers?

colleenshea7 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:22:47 +0000

I decided I want to cover my chairs at my venue. My florist quoted me a price which I thought was a bit high. Does anyone have any suggestions of where I can go to get these? Or how much they are typicalls?

Winter Wedding

lesliefklein — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:40:24 +0000

Hi All, Any fun suggestions for a winter wedding? We are jewish, so no Christmas themes please. We were thinking of putting snowflakes on the cake and/or invites. Thanks!

Hair Accessories stores in NYC?

mwinerock — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:28:36 +0000

I just had m y hair and makeup trial today~ I am doing an up-do and now need a crystal and beading hair comb accessory. There are so many sites online to buy the hair combs, but I really wanted to look at them in person and try them in my hair before purchasing... any suggestions of stores in NYC that sell quality hair accessories. I wanted to spend $50-75.

Non-Denominational Officiant

jsmagil — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:53:06 +0000

This may have been posted already so I apologize for the repitition. We are looking for a non-demoninational officiant for our ceremony. Does anyone have any reccomendations?

Vendor Reviews Pt II: ceremony & reception, personal

slbriz34 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:57:58 +0000

The continuation of my vendor reviews - told you it was long. Hope that someone can benefit from these. I really lucked out in that, with one or two exceptions, I had super great vendors.

BEAUTY

Hair and Make-up:

GoGlamBeauty.com - The day started a bit behind schedule; JoAnn was stuck in traffic - guess not everyone was out of the city for the long weekend. Fortunately, she got to me fairly quickly and we had factored in plenty of extra time so things worked out. She was efficient and because we had a trial before, she knew exactly how to get my hair going and do my make-up as we previously practiced. My MOH didn't have a trial, but I did send her photos and allowed my MOH to decide what colors she wanted. Being only 23, JoAnn incorporated a nice twist to the updo styles I was trying to achieve and my MOH loved it. And the make-up was clean and age appropriate. We made it all night looking great and got nothing but complements by everyone (and I do mean everyone). The value far exceeded anything I feel like I would have gotten from the usual make-up and hair folks that get press here and elsewhere, and big plus - JoAnn can do all hair types (I am Black, my MOH is biracial). I'd highly recommend and if I ever need an event do and/or make-up, she'll be my first choice.

TRANSPORTATION

Charter Bus:

ExpressBusServices.com (Queens) - My personal feeling is that many companies want to charge more for weddings than should be the case. Be that as it may, I needed one way transport only, which was less than 40 minutes of work and while this was the best I could find that didn’t break the budget.

After several confirmations and making a note that the driver needed to be on time the day of, and having a contract with both the pick-up and drop-off locations, the driver was late the day of - she got lost (hello, map out your trip ahead of time). She was also erratic on the roads and then she initially took my guests to the wrong spot. After chastising them for not having the exact info on hand, once provided, she instead left them on the bus as she went to speak to some random person on the street - who btw wasn't helpful. One of my guests, having had enough, took the reigns and told her what turns to take to get them to the destination. They were late but I'm happy they got there to enjoy a good portion of the cocktail hour, and did so in one piece.

I did contact the company and a week later – nothing. Doesn't surprise me, they were paid and simply could care less that consumers now have to worry that they may or may not get someone to show up on time (especially if time is of the essence). This is why I have a problem with vendors that put the tip in the price, because she certainly would have gotten a small one (if she got any) after her incompetent service. Word to the wise - I'd skip Express Bus Services and pay a little more for competence and reliability.

Limo:

NYExecTransportation.com (Brooklyn/NYC) - While I had a limo company in mind that I was going to use, I just couldn't wrap my head around the cost and I waited. Less than 3 weeks out, I needed a limo; I somehow didn't see the review for NY Exec here before but when I did, I thought I might be saved. Got a fairly fast response, great price, and contracted for my date. And the day of? Awesome! Limo was amazing - perfect condition, even bigger than we though for an 8 passenger, and our driver was amazing. Unlike horror stories, he was timely, he knew where he was going, and his driving was impeccable. He always opened and closed our doors (I've heard stories of drivers that don't), and he was just a very nice, polite guy. I'd recommend in a heartbeat and plan to keep their info on hand for any future need.

DÉCOR

Flowers:

FlowersbyRichardNYC.com - One word - fabulous! I knew exactly what I wanted my flowers to look like. I went through several sites and really liked the samples of Richard's. I emailed him introducing myself, what I wanted, and sent him a few samples. We set up an appointment not too long after that and he knew exactly what I wanted. We met up one final time a few days before the wedding just to finalize matters and to get a sneak peak of the centerpieces. The day of... I was floored. Loved, loved my chuppah, how the entire sanctuary of our synagogue looked. And I was just as pleased went we went to the venue - the cocktail flowers were cute and he did an amazing job on the petals on the cake table, and setting up the centerpieces. I'd recommend Richard in a heartbeat; super nice, excellent skills, super flexible!

COORDINATION

Day-of-Coordination (DOC):

MyBridalBudget.com - I'm not one that likes to delegate; but having the ceremony and reception in two separate locations (Brooklyn and NYC respectively), I knew I needed some help and wanted to do it at a reasonable cost. Fouzia and her staff did not disappoint. She is very, very detailed oriented and made sure that we touched upon each and every portion of the day so that she and her staff knew what to do and where things should go. I was stressed because of family issues (ie. rsvps, other drama) and just worrying about everything/everyone running on time, etc., but she assured me everything would work out and it did.

Her staff picked up all the items for both locations days before the wedding; they got everything set up exactly as I'd hoped, and the day of things ran smoothly and efficiently. She even kept on the charter bus driver, who was running late, and made sure all my guests got to the reception. Whether you need a full planner or DOC, and especially if your wedding involves multiple locations or a very large guest list, I'd highly recommend Fouzia and her staff at My Bridal Budget.

VENUES

Ceremony:

FlatbushJewishCenter.org (Brooklyn) – My husband and I are active members here. We originally were looking to have our wedding somewhere else, since our wedding was a bit too big to have the reception on-site. But after being so disappointed with many places we saw, we just decided that we’d have the ceremony here and then just look to have the reception elsewhere. We got nothing but complements about our synagogue, which made us proud. Our rabbi is the synagogue’s rabbi and we had a good friend, also a member, serve as cantor the day of. Anyone can use the facilities for a small fee if you aren’t a member; and if your wedding is small enough, you can certainly have a tish and b’deken on site, and then also have the reception (or do like us and go to another site). One slight drawback is that all parking is street, but on a Sunday it’s generally not so bad and everyone was able to find a spot okay.

Reception:

PrinceGeorgeBallroom.org (NYC) - We had a place for the ceremony, but we needed a site for the reception. I'd checked out quite a few places and they either just weren't aesthetically pleasing, or we needed to guarantee numbers in order to book. That wasn't the case here. Downside is that you do have to get rentals, but they have some on-hand, which we were able to use and kept our rental costs low. The space itself is amazing. It can fit up to 299, but you can do so many things to make a smaller room if that's needed (we had about 100). The cocktail space was slick and modern in that NYC sort of way, and the ballroom left folks speechless. We got nothing but compliments on the space and the facilities were up to par. And, the money on the space goes to support homelessness - so you can have your party and be charitable at the same time. On site manager, Jonathan, always answered my emails and he went above and beyond to make sure I could get into the space when needed and that the day would run smoothly.

MUSIC

Ceremony:

JenniferGirone.homestead.com (Brooklyn/NYC) - I just wish this part of the day could have lasted longer. I hired Jennifer, who is a cellist, for a trio and she and her fellow musicians were just great. We mixed classical, popular/modern, and Jewish pieces and it was wonderful; every piece sounded perfect and exactly as I had hoped/desired. I hope to be able to need music again in the future - I'd contract for the services again in a heartbeat.

Reception:

PopshopDJs.com (Brooklyn/NYC) - I got nothing but compliments on the music. Colleen had a great mix of music for our crowd and we were pleased. She went above and beyond and her first and only priority was what we wanted in order for the guests to be happy. It just so happens in our case, our wedding served as more of a reunion than a reception/party, but those of us (including myself) danced as much as we could, when we didn't need a break to munch and drink. I'd definitely use her company's services again and highly recommend.

FOOD

Catering:

MainEventCaterers.com (NJ/NYC) – Hubby and I keep kosher and while we can be somewhat flexible when we go out (eating only veggies), this wasn't going to do for our wedding. I contacted quite a few caterers and narrowed it down to a handful. After some positive reviews by brides I spoke to, I decided to go with Main Event. Although we didn't get to do a tasting, we weren’t disappointed - the food on the wedding day was spectacular. Many of our guests were non-Jews and aside from deli food, not familiar enough with how fancy kosher food can get. Our event didn't look much different than any other. The portions were hearty; the flavors just burst into your mouth. We received nothing but compliments on the food, the staff, and the set up (our venue only provided some pieces, so Main Event provided the linens and tables; the cutlery, plates, and glasses was included in the catering price). I highly recommend and would use Main Event again for a party or other catered affair.

Wedding Cake:

Chatilly.com (Brooklyn) - World of Chantilly isn't your run-of-the-mill bakery - in fact, it's not a bakery at all but a warehouse where the output of cakes each year is phenomenal. Of course, I didn't know that ahead of time so I was disappointed not to have those cake tasting moments. But the final product was great - delicious, fluffy pareve cake (it's a kosher out fit). My only complaint is that although it looked okay and folks didn't know any better, having gone over the ribbon and outline of the cake layers, it wasn't what I wanted so I wasn't happy. In all, good value for the cost and I'd definitely order on a large scale from them again.

Alcohol:

TopsLiquor.com (Brooklyn) – Just did a Google search to find kosher wines. I found a few in the area, but the drive just didn’t seem worth it. I stumbled onto Tops Liquor, conveniently located in Brooklyn and decided to contact. I supplied my of the wines and spirits I needed for the wedding and asked for a rough estimate. Jeff Cohen promptly responded and was kind enough to price out each item, and gave me a great price for my bulk purchase. They were out of the champagne but ordered it and it came within a few days. They also recommended a beer distributor just a few blocks away (Thrifty Liquors), so in one stop we were able to buy all our alcohol for the wedding. They have a great selection of kosher wines and also liquors that you can’t get at regular stores, if you keep kosher (ie. amaretto, etc.). I will go back for all my future kosher liquor needs.

PERSONAL

Photography:

StellaviewStudios.com – Bill Walsh, owner/proprietor, and I clicked right away when we spoke. He listened to what I wanted and had to say, made some suggestions and observations, and always discussed options with me so that we were always on the same page.    On the day of, he did not disappoint. He made us feel super comfortable and there were many times we even forgot he was around (like all those kissing shots).

He is super personable and made us laugh; my husband couldn't believe I found someone so cool. We got all our pre-ceremony done timely and he was very good at navigating the families during the formals (we, essentially, had three families to deal with). He definitely has the personality for shooting weddings – some photographers could learn a thing or two from him. And he was totally within budget; he was a great find - past brides spoke highly of him and I’m happy to do the same. I certainly will keep him on my list for any future events that I’d like shot. I will update once I receive prints in about 6-8 weeks.

Videography:

StardustVideos.com (Bklyn/Queens/NYC) - When I decided that I did in fact want to have our event taped, I did lots of searching and just didn’t see anything that suited my taste or budget. Every person I spoke to just didn't under how I wanted my day to be recorded and made it seem as if I didn't know what I was talking about. I finally asked my photographer (Bill Walsh, owner/proprietor of Stellaview Studios) for a few recommendations; he gave me three and Khach Turabian (owner/proprietor) by far was my favorite. I told him want I wanted and he sent me some samples and we were exactly on the same page. Plus, he has a good working relationship with my photographer, which I think having that rapport is a great thing.

The day of they both worked seamlessly; and he didn’t have a bunch of bulky equipment like many do and he was able to get around and get footage without being in the way. I highly recommend Khach and very much looking forward to seeing the final product (I will update my review then).

Wedding Cancellation Insurance???

onedelorean — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:29:20 +0000

I overheard someone talking about this the other day. Should I be concerned about this? I did find a company that sells it (http://www.filmemporium.com/weddings.html), but im really not sure what to do. Any advice?

Perfect reception venue

krelme321 — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:29:24 +0000

We recently had our wedding reception in the gallery loft at Thalassa in Tribeca. It was absolutely perfect, start to finish. For anyone looking for a smaller, private venue for a wedding our size (45-50 people) this is the place to do it. The space was so spectacular, the service was off the charts, and we loved the decor of the restaurant; it truly didn't even need to be decorated. There are great shots of the space on our photographer's blog. www.dibezi.net. (Kristen and Rodrigo May 1, 2010). Tasso at Thalassa is wonderful to work with : )