Ladies, I have mostly been a lurker here for the past year of my engagement, up to and through my wedding this past Sunday. I've posted a few times, but really nothing too substantial. Still, the reviews posts were among the MOST helpful advice I could have asked for - I found many of my vendors through this forum, and I truly appreciate all the advice and help. For this reason, I'd like to "give back," so to speak. If anybody would like pictures or more detail, please feel free to pm me! Otherwise, good luck and happy planning 
Helen Bohn Bridals (Dress): A I know that Helen Bohn gets some mixed reviews. Luckily, I started off on a great foot with Alice, and things couldn't have gone better! There was one minor snafu with my dress, which actually was coming in from Spain and got stuck in customs. While I was highly panicked, Alice and Jen dealt with it like pros, and my dress came in perfect. Their seamstress did a fabulous job on it - she color coded the bustle so my bridesmaids were able to handle it no problem the day of the wedding. Also, I was supposed to pick my dress up on Friday, but when the weather forecast called for heavy rain, they went out of their way to call me on Thursday to find out if I wanted to come in and get it early. I thought this was an incredibly personal touch, and it was definitely something that stood out to me.
Jeanine Mangan (Makeup): A
I found Jeanine through this board, and am so grateful I did. She was really easy to get along with, and completely professional the day of. Because we had so many people (9) who all needed to be done by 9:30 in the morning, she brought an assistant with her at a very reasonable price. I believe, but cannot be sure, that this was actually Merri from Guide the Bride, who was also excellent. (Please don't quote me on that, though - I only suspect it because her name WAS Merri, and at one point, Jeanine mentioned to me that she did day-of coordination as well). She was also giving excellent advice to us that morning on when to get dressed and how to not forget things when we left for Seasons
Everyone's makeup turned out beautiful and lasted ALL day. Her prices were extremely reasonable, especially in comparison to some that I researched, and I can't recommend her highly enough!
Seasons (Venue): A+
I actually grew up around the corner (literally walking distance) from Seasons, and so this was one of the first places I looked into once I got engaged. I made the appointment on a whim, thinking that there was absolutely no way I'd be able to afford it - but I was wrong. I worked with both Carl and Mark throughout my engagement, and they were both fantastically helpful. I especially loved Carl - when I first booked, their fantastic lighting package was advertised as free. It was later added on as a cost, but when I mentioned that I was told it was free, they worked with me to come to an arrangement we both thought was fair.
As for the day of, I couldn't have asked for anything more. Our maitre'd, Rich, was fantastic and helpful - we were laughing and joking around before long. And my bridal attendant, Megan, was unreal - every time I turned around, she was there to see if I needed anything. Family and friends have been raving about the food and the atmosphere, especially their famous cocktail hour. They also served us dinner first so we could grab some food before walking around to say hello to our guests - this was a clever way to make sure we had the time to eat but also to be able to walk around and say hello to everyone.
Finally, for you ladies who are having day weddings, they have wonderful blackout shades that we lowered after the meal, which really lent the atmosphere a party vibe! These little touches made my day amazing.
Time Machine Band (Band): A+
I haven't seen many reviews on Time Machine Band on this board, and truly think that is a shame. They came highly recommended from a friend, and I am SO glad I took that recommendation!! TBH, while I had always wanted a live band, my husband was the one who really made the push to make the band our "splurge" item. And, in retrospect, I could NOT be more grateful! We had the 13-piece band with the full horns section, and wow, I cannot even begin to explain how amazing they were. Their biggest gimmick during the booking phase is that they have wireless amps for their microphones and instruments and, as a result, don't stay on the stage but instead wander through the crowd during the songs. This may not sound like much, but it really brought the music to the guests, and made everyone feel involved. They truly kept everyone on the dance floor from start to finish, and their energy and excitement was infectious. They played everything from Frank Sinatra to Rihanna, giving our considerable age range of guests (from under 2 to 87) something for everyone. I truly can't recommend Time Machine Band highly enough.
AW Flowers (Florist): A+
AW Flowers also gets great reviews here, and it's easy to see why. Before I went to see Adam, I'd had it up to "here" with the ridiculously high quotes - but from the moment I set foot in their (admittedly tiny) store, I knew I was going to book with him. He knew exactly what I was going for, and pulled it off to perfection. The day of, he showed up amazingly early and had everything set up with more than enough time. My bouquet was just gorgeous, and we got so many compliments on the chuppah. More than anything, he gave me a level of comfort - we went over the final contract many, many times so I knew exactly what I was getting. I couldn't recommend Adam more - he's a great guy and an incredible florist!
Lindsey Farina-Bowlin from Lindsey's Photography (Photographer): A++
This was a tough call, but my husband and I agreed that if there was one vendor we would recommend the most highly, it would be Lindsey. I actually found her from a small, isoteric thread on this board, and am so grateful I did! From the moment we met (in a Barnes and Noble in Menlo Park), we completely clicked. When I told my bms about my photographer, the only way I could explain it is that she would have been one of my friends if we met in a different lifetime. And, sure enough, she fit right into the group on the day of the wedding. And because of that, I know she got a thousand amazing shots that she might not otherwise have gotten. I've gotten many comments from family and friends that she was just EVERYWHERE the day of the wedding, and I absolutely believe it.
As for her photographs - they grabbed me right from the start. If you are looking for a photojournalistic, slightly edgy, slightly artsy vibe, I highly suggest you take a look at her website: www.lindseysphotography.net. When we met, she also showed us some traditional family pictures she'd taken, which was a wonderful way to show us that she could do it all. Which I'm very confident she did!
Park Ridge Marriot (Hotel): C
Unfortunately, I'd have to say that the Marriot was the only negative spot in the entire planning situation. We originally booked with them because they were close to Pearl River, which is where we had our after party, and for a while there, I highly regretted it. They gave us a room rate which we thought was reasonable… until many of our guests discovered that this rate was $40 dollars HIGHER than their typical nightly rate! Of course many guests then booked under their regular nightly rate, which I certainly would never begrudge them.
The problem, however, was that because so many of our guests booked under the nightly rate and not our room block, the Marriot originally refused to shuttle our guests to and from Seasons. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I found this ridiculous - was I supposed to ask all my guests to pay $40 dollars more a night just for a shuttle? Absolutely not. After a great deal of haggling (and a good amount of yelling) they finally agreed to do so - but would only provide ONE shuttle trip to Seasons and ONE back. Which did not help, since the shuttle only holds 12 people. As a result, I was forced to hire a second van to make sure our guests got there.
The only reason their rating is not lower is because they actually agreed the day of to shuttle us to and from the bar in Peal River where we had our after party, at the relatively low cost of $40, which one of my groomsmen very generously paid. Still, I think this had more to do with the people at the front desk that night than their hotel policy. Also, there was a small problem with our room for the night of the wedding, which was supposed to be free and they mistakenly charged us for. However, the lead front desk woman apologized profusely and fixed this right away - she was very pleasant.
Lindt Truffles (Favors): A
This is pretty self-explanatory - all I can say is, use an online coupon! My favors were ridiculously cheap in the end (I had over 200 guests and paid about 250 if not less) and everyone loved them! I got the favor boxes and ribbon from G&G, and did them myself, and they turned out beautiful. I am only including this as a "review" because the favors were my biggest headache - I didn't want to pay a fortune but also didn't want to look like I was cheaping out. This was a great compromise, and if you're in the same position I was, I recommend giving this a shot!!