My invites was a diy project. 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.
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.
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.
My invites were diy. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.