Any new vendor names or reviews for the vendor review site?

peaches178

It's been a few weeks and I'm noticing a lot of new knotties on the board (perhaps they've been here for awhile and I've just been oblivious, haha).  Anyway, I just wanted to throw it out there again that if anyone has any vendor names OR a vendor review of someone they've already used, please send me the information.

And, as always, if you want to submit a review but would prefer to remain anonymous, just PM me the information and I'll be sure to avoid using your knottie name with your review.

It's best if you provide me with the vendor name, location (city and state), and website whether you're giivng me a full review or just the vendor's information to add to the site.

Here's the site in case anyone has no idea what I'm talking about right now, haha:
http://nnjknottievendors.weebly.com/

sfennell1

Hi Peaches

Here's are a few more Etsy vendor's I used
 
Swarovski Crystal Monogram cake topper
BellaLinaBoutique

Wedding Jumping Broom
marayahscreations

Personalized Wire Wedding Dress Hanger
 twistedwords

This one is not Etsy-

Wedding Cake Table Letters
Creative Custom Card Boxes
www.creativecustomcardboxes.com

maddie7

Birchcraft Invitations (online)
Wedding August 2010
Cost $230 for 100 invitations/responses/ inner and outer foil lined envelopes.

http://birchcraftinvitations.com/

Originally I went to Party City and found that most of the invitations were Birchcraft brand, a nice quality.  Online I found this vendor and she was wonderful! I ordered off the "sale section" and spent way below my budget for invitations.  The invitations came in 3 days! And they were just lovely.  I highly recommend using them!

maddie7

Honeymoon Aruba : RIU PALACE
http://www.riu.com/en/Paises/aruba/palmbeach/hotel-riu-palace-aruba/index.jsp
August 2010
Approx cost for 8 days in a suite $6K all inclusive

Aruba was absolutely beautiful. Since we married in August we needed somewhere out of the hurricane belt and Aruba is safe.  We booked the Riu Palace for its many amenities. We were not disappointed with the hotel, its probably the most appealing one there, its gorgeous.  We paid extra for the suite that was the size of an apartment! We had a spa tub in the middle of the room, very cool! Aruba's beaches were lovely, and the tradewinds took away any heat. There was a nightly show, a casino, and bars all around.
I would recommend the jeep tour to anyone, my husband and I had such a blast. The snorkeling was very crowded and it felt like the Titanic with the amount of people in the water around us.

Now why I wouldnt go back to the RIU, the food got old, you got tried of the buffet place, the Don Nichols. And to book the restaurants in the evening, you had to be in the lobby DAILY at 8 am and stand in line for them. They were better than the buffet but not by much. If you are a huge eater you will love the buffet.  Secondly, the beaches in Aruba are PUBLIC, so when we went into the water someone went into our bag and took our camera and room key (this was on the first day!) What a nightmare!  Thirdly, the downtown of Aruba is nothing but a shopping mall, and not much at that. Fourth, everyone got up at 6 am to put down towels on chairs near the pool and beach, so if you didnt get up you didnt have anywhere to sit! The pool also held various games and blasted music all day long, very spring-breakish! At times you just wanted silence! And finally, Aruba lacked culture, it felt like America with the Dunkin Donuts on the beach! I wanted culture like Bermuda and it just wasn't there.

cindyn9178

Hey.. I don't think this one is on the site (if it is already there, then my review below can be added).

Lingerie by Susan
Edison, NJ
(for bras, shapewear, lingerie, etc).

Review:
A friend of mine, and a few girls here had recommended I check out Lingerie by Susan in Edison, when looking for a bustier.
I went with my mom and sister, and it was great!
They measured me and found a bustier I loved and fit great, on the 2nd try! (I'm normally a size 38DD).
My sister opted for a regular strapless bra, which she always has a hard time finding one that fits right and stays up (she's a 32 c).. But they found her one she loved as well. She also got some spanx.
My mom also found a bustier she loves (she had never worn one before and was worried about it).. and she got spanx too.
It is great because you can try on all of the spanx there and figure out exactly which ones you want.
I didn't buy any Spanx yet, still deciding what I want to do about them.. but I highly recommend the store if you are looking for a bra, bustier, or spanx/shapewear!

speidelm

I have a bunch... I'll PM you soon!

maddie7

(Bored at work- ha ha)

(Same as above poster)
Lingerie By Susan- while they did have a vast selection, especially if you are an odd size, or need additional sizes, be warned that Susan does no cash returns, you get a credit in her store. And that was a fight to get! I got stuck having to buy a bathing suit cover-up and a nightgown that I really didnt want. Spanx you can get cheaper with a coupon at Lord and Taylor and its easier to return. Same with the bras, etc. Macys in Woodbridge has a lot of this. 8/2010

Make-up Sally Duvall 8/2010
Cranford, NJ http://www.sally.xbuild.com/

Sally was just such a talented person to work with. While she was not cheap, (prices on her site), she made me look incredible. She uses the airbrush technique and both my mother and I just knocked people's socks off! She offered to come by the wedding to touch me up also, I thought that was such a nice touch. We did 2 looks at my trial, a smokey eye, and another look. I went with the smokey eye, but for my coloring- blonde hair/hazel eyes. A top vendor on my list!

TaraK22

I will have vendor reviews soon, will PM you after i get back from Hawaii

cindyn9178

Here are some other reviews that can be added for vendors that are already on the site:

Etsy Seller - Dawns Craft Store:
I purchased personalized hangers from this seller for myself and each of my bridesmaids. Dawn was extremely helpful in answering all of my questions and completing the order very quickly. The hangers came out really cute, and look just as pictured. I would highly recommend this seller.

Etsy Seller - Element4You:
I had purchased a bridal hair comb from a different Etsy seller and was very disappointed with it (wrong color and size). So I contacted Element4You and explained the problem to her. I sent her a picture of what I wanted, and she was more than happy to help. She made the comb in less than 24 hrs and sent me pictures of it to make sure it was correct before shipping it to me. It was shipped from Canada and I still received it in less than 2 weeks. I highly recommend this seller!

Etsy Seller - PT Creations:
I purchased a bridal necklace and earrings set from this vendor. The shipment was very fast, the quailty is perfect and they are beautiful and better than pictured! The seller also included a free/matching bracelet! Highly recommended!

Etsy Seller - StephanieWalker11:
I purchased a personalized waffle weave cosmetic tote for my MOH from this seller. Great communications, great quality and fast shipment. A++

Esty Seller - Avysm:
I purchased a NY Giants garter from this seller. I needed it to be a special size, which the seller was more than willing to accomodate. I received the item quickly and it fit perfectly. The quailty is excellent. A+

Exclusively Weddings:
I ordered my wedding invitations from this website. (I had first ordered a sample for free). I received them relatively quickly, the were perfect. Looked exactly like the sample, no issues with them. They also included 5 extra of each element (invitations, inserts, envelopes, etc), for free. A+

Vistaprint:
I have ordered our Save the date cards, photo share cards, rehearsal dinner invitations, thank you cards, pens, tote bags and more from Vistaprint. The quailty has always been great, and the 21 day shipping always turns out to be about 7 days from the time I placed the orders. A+

I don't believe the following vendors are on the site yet, so if you could add these, along with my reviews, that would be great:

Angela's Bridal Boutique
www.angelasbridalboutique.com
I ordered my veil from this website. It came exactly as pictured, fast shipping, great prices. A+

Etsy Seller - www.etsy.com/shop/terihuang">terihuang
I ordered a bridal hair comb from this seller. It was supposed to be a 3 inch comb, with white Swarovski pearls. When I received the comb, it was the wrong size and color. (off white pearls). I immediately contacted the seller, who insisted that it was the right color and size. I took a picture of it and sent it to them, so they could see the issue. They said it was possible that they sent me the wrong size, but
that the color was right. They said they didn't have pearls that were any whiter, so I could return the item if I wanted to, but they couldn't help me. I ended up receiving a refund, however, the seller was extremely rude during the entire process, and I would NOT recommend this seller. Rating - F.

Edit - not sure if you need dates for these.. I don't remember exact dates I purchased things.. I guess you could put April 2011.

peaches178

Wow!  I'm glad I asked!  I wasn't expecting to get so many responses.  :-) 

Thanks everyone!  I'll be adding them all later on today.

wdubin122

I have a review of a vendor I didn't get to use.  I've wrote about it on here.  The vendor is Jeanine Mangan.  Can I do a review?

peaches178

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_new-vendor-names-reviews-vendor-review?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:91cad5db-f2f3-44da-8e6c-eb9c74577782Post:5d7c63c6-32ec-4078-906b-e76eddd591be">Re: Any new vendor names or reviews for the vendor review site?</a>:
[QUOTE]I have a review of a vendor I didn't get to use.  I've wrote about it on here.  The vendor is Jeanine Mangan.  Can I do a review?
Posted by wdubin122[/QUOTE]
I'm actually only including vendors that have been used for wedding day services only because everyone would have a million reviews of vendors they met with but didn't wind up using and often times that has to do with personal preference.  In your case it was for other reasons, but I don't want to get into a grey area where I have to figure out whether a negative review of a trial or a vendor that wasn't used is based on personal preference or a lackluster experience. 

stapletond

Here are some of my vendor names and review from back in July!  I had to hunt for this in my posts from August!

Band:  The Dreamteam (of NYC Swing)  A

http://www.nycswing.com/
Contact:  Joe Shane

My husband and I went to see a showcase featuring The Dreamteam and were hooked!  They had such a fun energy and could cover a wide expanse of musical genres.  Joe Shane was their band leader and was easy to work with.  They provided our ceremony music (popular rock songs arranged for piano, guitar, and flute) as well as our reception music (jazz trio for cocktails and rock/R&B/etc for the party).  The dance floor was packed the entire night and people raved about their music.  Some of the older guests thought that the band was loud, but my husband and I weren’t bothered by it!  They created a beautiful arrangement of our first dance (“Thank You” by Led Zeppelin).  I loved them and would highly recommend them!

 

Hair:  Shannon Mcloughlin- A

shannonmac877@yahoo.com

Shannon is a superhero.  She was punctual, did the hair of 9 women, and kept a smile on her face the entire time!  I was nervous about having only one hair person work on so many people, but she assured me she could do it!  Shannon did an amazing job and made everyone’s hair look beautiful.  My hair stayed put all night, as did everyone else’s!  I highly recommend.

 

Make-up:  Sally Duvall-  A

http://sallyduvall.com/

I chose Sally as my makeup artist because I loved that she used airbrushing and that her brides looked so natural.  On a day to day basis, I don’t wear a lot of make-up and I didn’t want to look too made up on my wedding day.  She did a fabulous job and I loved my makeup.  It lasted all day and night long!  She made me a touch up kit to take with me.  Beyond her artistic abilities, she is really chill and mellow; a great person to have around on your wedding day!

 

Bridesmaids Dresses:  Bella Bridesmaids- A+

We ordered Amsale bridesmaid dresses from the NYC boutique and worked closely with Eva.  She was a delight to work with and the dresses only took 3 months to come in!  To help save on taxes, we had them shipped to their store in Madison, NJ.  I would HIGHLY recommend this salon.  The staff and service were great!  Easy to work with, friendly, positive, and just awesome!

Calligrapher:  Calligraphy by Maria

(Westwood, NJ) - A+

201.358.8557

Maria did a beautiful job on our invitations (outer and inner envelopes) as well as our place cards.  She was punctual, had minimal errors, and was just a pleasure to work with.  She is moderately priced and does beautiful work.  So many people praised her work and couldn’t believe that the calligraphy was done by hand on our wedding invitations.  I highly recommend her!

 

Photographer:  Kenny Pang- A

New York, NY

www.kennypang.com

We hired him for both our engagement and wedding photos and they came out beautifully.  Kenny is upbeat, positive, and keeps you laughing.  I give him an A.  He was punctual, creative, energetic, and had our proofs to us within 3-4 weeks.  

MCRM22011

Cozy Formalwear 

695 Passaic Avenue, Nutley, NJ

www.cozytux.com/

I really enjoyed our experience at Cozy Formalwear. Ralph was easy going, nice, and very helpful. I felt that the prices were fair and reasonable and that the selection of tuxes, vests, and shirts were extensive. My fiance was able to get his tux rental for free with only 6 total rentals. So far, our experience with picking out the tuxes was phenomenal and I look forward to seeing the tux on our wedding day.

peaches178

Thanks everyone.  I think I added them all.

MCRM - I'm not adding your review because you haven't received the final product yet.  Unfortunately, even if a vendor seems great in the days leading up to the wedding, on the actual wedding day they can wind up being crap so I'm going to hold off until after your wedding to get your full review of Cozy.  :-) 

schrutebeets

Etsy vendor - Abusymother
I bought a custom veil from this seller. She had the best communication, talked with me until the veil was exactly as I wanted it, shipped it quickly and it was EXACTLY as I envisioned. Identical to a $500 veil I tried on at a bridal shop but cost $50.

schrutebeets

2 more vendors, sorry I didn't list them all at once:

Ebay seller - Luggagetag0
Bought nice quality leather luggage tags here for favors, cheapest I've EVER seen! I bought  160 tags for $80 including shipping.

thought I posted this one before but I don't see it on here:
Etsy seller  - EmilyEClaire
She normally does "cartoon" STDs, but I contacted her with a custom order for a custom comic of our friend as a groomsman gift (we have had a long time inside joke with this friend about him being a comic book character). She was a fanastic communicater, after I gave her the photo/vision, she had different versions of proofs done within 5 days. The entire purchase was $25 (any size i choose) and I didn't have to put down any deposit until the entire thing was ready.

schrutebeets

One more Etsy Seller that I received today:

Jurgitahandmade. I ordered a haircomb and custom sized bracelet from her. The quality is UNREAL. I too loved the jewelry at the bridal shop but refuse to spend $300 on a pair of earrings that are not real ANYTHING. Her stuff isn't "cheap" but its $30-$90. I actually got the stuff in the mail and I can say its nicer than the stuff are the bridal store! Since it comes from Lithuania, the shipping does take about 2.5 weeks.

melliott09

Bridgewater Manor/Tropea Room – Bridgewater NJ

Dealt with Erin and Pat, both wonderful to deal with, and no major issues. Not sure if it was because we had such a small wedding/package, or if this is a normal occurrence, but I requested a couple things, like removing some décor that was previously in the space where our reception was, and it wasn’t done. I actually didn’t even notice until I saw a couple pictures from that night. Not a huge deal, but shows how much they pay attention to requests, because I probably mentioned it at least 5 times.

April 16, 2011, Saturday Night Ceremony & Reception, 6-11

We booked the Viva Las Vegas Package that BWM offers, for fewer than 36 guests. BWM has a very low “service charge” compared to all other venues we looked at, and for the size of the wedding, and what is included, you really can’t beat it! Sit down dinner, open bar, ceremony (John Graf) included, wedding cake (Palmero’s Bakery) included, under $4,000, for a Saturday night!

Reverend John Graf was awesome! Great personality, sense of humor, and very easy to work with. He provided us with a bunch of sample ceremonies to help with the “flow” of the ceremony, and I was able to put whatever I wanted pertaining to us into the ceremony. He actually seemed like he had everything memorized as well, and was not reading off a paper at all during our ceremony. He is available to be booked privately I believe, so you are not restricted to only using him at BWM.

The food on the night of the wedding wasn’t exactly great, specifically the steak, but the cocktail hour was delicious, and their spinach salad is amazing! I’m not thrilled at all with Palmero’s Bakery, only thing I enjoyed was the canola filling, but the cake was included, and it was beautiful to look at! The presentation was perfect, and we did choose the cake after a cake tasting, but much like the dinner that night, I felt like it didn’t taste the same.

Elite Entertainment – Eatontown, NJ

WONDERFUL!!!! Having such a small and intimate wedding, with all family, which was an older crowd, I was concerned that there wouldn’t be much dancing, well there was! We had John R. and he was awesome! We paid under $1,000.00 for the whole wedding, including ceremony. I don’t have anything but good things to say about my whole experience with Elite!

Where Flowers Bloom – Florist, Debbie – Parsippany, NJ

Debbie was amazing! She was so friendly, and had the same “visions” I had. She was not pushy, didn’t try to change my ideas and so affordable! I called so many florists, and a again, since it was such a small wedding, a lot of florists couldn’t “accommodate” our party and had table minimums. We only had 5 tables, and other then our 3 children (ring bearers) and my 3 nieces (flower girls) we had no bridal party. I had all roses for my bouquet, with lots of bling! We paid under $800 and she decorated everything in my reception room, with many of my decorations (I made pomanders, and supplied the vases, vase rocks, and candles) She played the role of wedding coordinator/decorator the day of. She was extremely easy to get a hold of, and such a wonderful woman!

Captured By Erika, Photographer – Parsippany. NJ

Erika ROCKS! She is not a “well-known” Jersey photographer, but has tons of experience shooting 2^nd camera for a lot of “bigger names” in NJ. Being an amateur photographer myself, I took a chance when I saw her work. Despite not-so-positive feedback I received on The Knot regarding using a newer photographer, I am beyond pleased with the pictures I have seen thus far! I had her for about 6 hours the day of, starting with my “preparation” pictures, and ending during the reception, prior to the cake cutting. She included either a Boudoir Shoot or an Engagement Shoot in her package, and I requested a package with only a disk of all pictures and re-printing rights. I have not received my wedding pictures back yet ( it’s only been a little over a week) but the disk I received from my B-Shoot were AMAZING! I got the pictures back quickly, and created a Shutterfly Photo Book for my husband. He was SO HAPPY! We paid about $1,200 for 2 photographers the day of, the Boudoir Shoot, TONS of communication, a couple meetings, and the 6 hours the day of. I am confident that I will have memories FOREVER because of her talent!

Men’s Warehouse – Piscataway NJ

We got my husbands and 3 kid’s tuxedo’s here. Great service for a chain, decent quality, and prices you can’t beat, since we didn’t have a wedding party, we paid for all 4 tuxedo’s and it was about $350.00.

Monogram - www.ayleebits.com – Used for Favor Labels, and various DIY wedding items

Super quick turnaround, I actually found her on The Knot, when someone mentioned a promo she was doing. I got 5 different monograms, for $5. Awesome work!

Invitations – Double Trouble Designs – Found on Etsy - doubletroubledesigns.net

Sarah & Nikki were a pleasure to correspond with! I got my invites quickly, and was about to get a digital and hard copy proof prior to the start of printing. We paid under $200 for 50 invitations, RSVP cards, front/back addresses printed.

Crystal Celebrations – Found on Etsy - http://www.CrystalCelebrationLLC.com

I found her on Etsy, although she is located in Cliffside Park, NJ. $65 for a 5 inch single initial cake topper, all Swarovski Crystals. Beautiful work!!!

 

peaches178

Thanks ladies!