Cristy0583's Reviews 08.30.09

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! cristy0583@gmail.com
Planning bio: www.cristinaandaian.weebly.com

Ceremony and Reception Venue - Douglas Entrance: A
http://douglasentrance.com/
I had my wedding ceremony and reception at the Douglas Entrance and I had an excellent experience. Raul was a pleasure to work with and was very responsive. I went there after looking at several other venues and I stopped looking once I saw it. It is a spectacular venue and was perfect for our wedding. I absolutely loved it!

Caterer and DOC - A Fancy Fiesta Productions: A
http://afancyfiesta.com/
I had the catering for the wedding done by A Fancy Fiesta Productions. Everything went great with them. I keep getting raves about the food and the service from guests. The food was delicious and they served the meal super quick. Marggie (with a Fancy Fiesta) was my DOC and she did a great job, everything flowed perfectly.

Flowers and Up-lighting - Petal Productions: B
http://petalproductions.com/
All of the flowers for the wedding were done by Petal Productions. They were included in the package I chose with Fancy Fiesta. The flowers looked beautiful; however, they were not exactly what I asked for. I wanted all of the flowers to be white and have some pale pink but some of the arrangements had bright pink. I was also not happy with the bridesmaid’s bouquets. They were made up of hydrangea and roses and I was expecting the roses to be open/full, but they were tight rose buds and were sticking out. The reception flowers looked amazing, and I am overall happy with their work.

Petal Productions also did up- lighting which really added a great look and feel to the reception.

Photographer - NB Photographix: A
http://www.nbphotographix.com/
(Pending photos) They have been so great to work with! We had our engagement session at the Grove and although it was super hot and we were sweating we had a wonderful time and the pictures look amazing. Bryan does a very good job of capturing nice shots and I was amazed by his creativity as he transformed one of our pictures right before our eyes.

On the wedding day I feel they did very well getting great shots. I have not received all of the pictures yet but the teasers are incredible!

Link to wedding teasers: http://tinyurl.com/mxwdp3
Link to engagement session teasers: http://tinyurl.com/lbhphz

Cake - Divine Delicacies: C

I also booked Divine Delicacies(DD) through my caterer. I went to them months before the wedding to show them the cake I wanted. I asked the girl that was helping me if it was included in the package and she takes out a list with the caterers they work with to verify. She told me that according to the list the cake I wanted was included. The week of the wedding I went to meet with Marggie(Caterer/DOC) and she was on the phone with Ileana (I think she is the owner) from DD who is telling her that the cake I wanted would cost much more and that I knew that and had told them that I would cover whatever the extra costs were!! They said the cake I wanted would cost an extra $4 per person! So I said that I will just change it. Marggie took the time to show me cakes that they had done for her before and I saw one that I liked and she printed it out for me. The cake had a fondant bow and the girl told me that would cost extra… We kept going back and forth about the cake and the girl kept going to the back to speak to Ileana, who did not have the decency to come out and speak to me herself after the mix up and the continued mix up. I ended up being so confused… For whatever reason the cake was an extra $10 so I just paid it. Marggie had told me to call her if there was any issues but I had a lot of other things to do so I just wanted to get out of there quick. In the end, the cake did look nice and tasted good.

Gown - Leggenda Bridal: A
I bought my wedding gown at Leggenda Bridal, it was a sample sale and I got it at a good price. They also did the alterations. The dress fit me perfectly and was clean and ironed when I picked it up.

DJ UBI: A
UBI did the music for the ceremony and reception. Everything flowed very smoothly and he kept everyone on the dance floor!

FAVORS - Gifts and Romantic Wedding D
I bought 80 little trinket boxes for my wedding favors here. First, I thought it was odd that they charged me for the shipping costs, I don’t know if that is common practice. They told me the order would arrive in 2 weeks and they arrived in 3 weeks. My mom went to pick them up and they each came in individual boxes. We didn’t open them until a couple of weeks later and we noticed that many of them were damaged. We separated 26 of the ones that were very damaged and the store agreed to order replacements. When we went to pick up the replacements we began to open them in the store to inspect them and found that many of them had damages. The lady in the store also made a point to state the vendor they ordered them from told her that they accepted replacing the damaged ones once but would not do so again. We ended up taking the ones that were in best shape, but by no means perfect, because the wedding was in a couple of days and there was no time to find alternate favors. We were not offered any type of reimbursement or credit despite the trouble we went through and ending up with damaged favors.

Hair and Make-up - Noel: A
Noel did my hair and make-up. He did a wonderful job, I was very happy with how I looked. He was great to work with and he made my time with him fun and relaxing. I highly recommend him!

Chiavari Chairs - Hitched: A
I rented the white wood padded chairs for the ceremony and gold chiavari chairs for the reception from Hitched and I had a very good experience. I also asked about specialty linens and he had them for a very good price. I did not get the linens because I was already over my budget, but they had the lowest prices that I found.

Linens - AB Cover Designers: B
I booked them through my caterer and was originally using them for chivaris and linens before I found the chairs much cheaper through Hitched. I met with them months before the wedding to chose the linens. I told them I had the basic package and that I wanted ivory linens. The man who was helping showed me beautiful ivory crinkled linen. I asked him if he was sure that those were included in the basic package and he said yes. Of course in the end I found out that they were not included and that is why they get a B!

DIY Invitations
Paperandmore.com: A
I bought all of the paper and envelopes for my invitations on this site and the paper quality was very good.

Staples: F-
I printed my invitations at home with a color laser printer so I only needed to have them cut to the exact measurements. I had a thick card stock for the backing and the text cardstock for the top layer with the crop marks. I took them to staples to get cut. I went to pick them up and as soon as I looked at them I knew they were off… I layered them to see how bad it was… It was terrible! Not only were they off in the measurements, they were also slanted. . I was devastated! I spoke to the manager and he tells me that it is not possible for them to cut to exact measurements and the employee should not have taken the job. Luckily I had bought extra paper and I reprinted them and took them to be cut at SirSpeedy.

SirSpeedy: B
They did a good job at cutting the paper. They do not get an A because one of the sides was a tiny bit longer and I had to trim them myself.

Vanessa&Eddie's Reviews - 7.24.09

Letty, LMG Events A+++++
Letty was absolutely INCREDIBLE!! I would like to point out that I won her day of services in a contest and boy did I luck out! I feel blessed to have met Letty. Eddie and I cannot stop raving about her and how she completely blew us away. She was on top of everything, there is NOTHING she cannot do! She took care of everything single detail for us. I had such an incredible, worry free day thanks to her constant attention to everything! If something went wrong I did not know about it. Everything she does, she does 100% and this is what makes Letty so special. I can truly say that she is professional, generous, sweet, and hard working. I can go on for days about Letty! If you are thinking of hiring a planner please consider Letty!!! Girls if you already have her rest assure you are in great hands. Letty will make sure everything on your wedding day goes as planned!

Coral Gables Congregational A
From the first time I stepped into this church I knew I wanted to get married there. The church is absolutely gorgeous and overall very easy to deal with. Rev. Milan was great to work with as well. He delivered a wonderful ceremony. I was crying from the isle all the way to the end of the ceremony! The soloist they provided also had an amazing voice!

Jungle Island A+
I had 3 different coordinators with Jungle Island,and about 6 months prior to the wedding I was assigned to Jessica. At first I was not 100% satisfied with the service, but 2 months prior to the wedding they kicked it up a few notches! Jessica was on top of everything. She made sure everything was exactly how I wanted. The day of the wedding Eddie and I felt like royalty. The service was outstanding and the food was very tasty. We used Prime Card, so their prices cannot be beat. They were very accommodating in allowing me to bring in my own liquor, which most venues did not allow. Overall I was very happy with Jungle Island.

Studio by Carmen Wedding Pics A+ (Pending Pics)
After seeing Carmen's pictures on The Knot I knew I wanted her to be my wedding photographer!! Carmen and Favio were great to work with the day of the wedding. Eddie and I were super excited to work with them again after a wonderful engagement shoot back in October. Carmen is super professional and has a great eye. I was able to see one teaser from the wedding and it came out great! They were there on time and started taking pictures right away. I can't wait to see the outcome of our day I'm positive they did an amazing job! LOVE CARMEN!!

Blueshore Productions A++
I booked Jeremy about 1 month prior to my wedding, after deciding we really wanted a video. I am so glad we made this decision and even more happy we chose Jeremy! After showing Eddie a few samples of his work we instantly decided his style fit us perfectly. Jeremy has gone above and beyond!!! He truly takes pride in the work. If you're considering a video, please contact Jeremy! You will not be disappointed!!! :)

Ubi (DJ and Up lighting) A++
Woah did I have a party! Ubi had EVERYONE on the dance floor the entire night. I hired him based solely on recommendations, and boy did he live up to his reputation! I didn't provide Ubi with a playlist and basically just told him to play whatever he thinks would work. He's a true professional..super nice..introduced himself and made sure we were happy with the music. I highly recommend him. The hot pink uplighting was spectacular as well!

Elsa, Elegant Bodas A++++++
After meeting with about 7 florists. I finally came across someone who's work was impressive! Not only was she the only florist that actually got my vision, but she came in under my budget! The day of the wedding I was IN LOVE with my flowers. Everyone could not stop raving about how beautiful they were. I still have people calling me about my flowers! Elsa has awesome taste and really does spectacular work! She's pretty well known in the wedding business and has been doing this for years. Give her a try you will NOT be disappointed!

Leyani A+ Linens and Draping
They did an incredible job on the draping and the linens. The draping really helped to transform the room! Leyani and her staff are super sweet and really helpful. We were super impressed with the final product!!!

Ana Paz- C-
I had a very good experience with Ana Paz up until a week before the wedding. I had Ana Paz's assistant contact me letting me know that my cake would be 4 ties instead of 5 b.c my guest count had dropped to 144 people instead of 150. I was not happy about this considering that the 5 tiers was in the contract and didn't really understand how 6 people would constitute removing a full tier. Well lucky Letty resolved this issue for me, but the day of the wedding my cake was dry, had sugar flowers on each tier which I did not request, and was TINY! I literally started laughing when I saw the size of my cake. Thank God I got a cake stand, which brings me to my next complaint. The assistant also asked me if it was OK to charge the credit card on file $350 for the cake stand. I asked her what it was for and why there were CHARGING the card. She said they would refund me as soon as the stand was returned. I told her it would be OK to place a hold, but not to charge it. They obviously had my credit card on file and if it was not returned they can go ahead and process the $350 they claim the stand it worth. Well Letty took care of that issue for me as well. My third and final issue with them was my ribbon. I had dropped off a full roll of 100 yard ribbon at Ana Paz in coral gables a couple of days prior to my wedding for them to use on my cake, well I called them back (Doral location, which is where they prepare the cakes) after my wedding to see when I can pass by to pick up my ribbon and they had NO CLUE what I was talking about. They told me that they cannot guarantee that my ribbon would still there and that they usually only keep it if the bride requests for it back (which obviously I did). Plus who tosses 100 yards of ribbon?!?! Luckily I complained so much that they miraculously found it. The only reason I do not give them an F is b.c I had a pleasant experience prior to my wedding.

Hitched A+
Luis is super easy to deal with and a total sweetheart! He has the best prices around. I highly recommend him!

Meilan- A
Pleasure to deal with. The driver was on time and super sweet. The only reason why I do not give them a plus is the drivers side window was broken and didn't go up. Good thing it wasn't a super hot day in July! I actually enjoyed the breeze..lol.

Gloria Pelo- A
Gloria is super sweet and was there right on time. B.C she is pretty expensive she only did my mom, sisters and myself. She did a good job on my hair and makeup, but it was falling out a lbit after the reception started. Granted I have a lot of hair and it's very heavy, so I guess this was bound to happen. Overall I was very happy with the way everything came out. My mom and sister looked beautiful.

Jorge A+
Jorge did everyones makeup. He was there on time and did a wonderful job! He's reasonably prices and very talented!

Mayda<3lester's Review 05.16.09

VENUE

Coral Gables Courtyard Marriott – A (service prior to the Wedding)/ B (Day of the Wedding)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/miagb-courtyard-miami-coral-gables/
I booked this Venue back in August 2008. It had recently been opened after they revamped the old hotel that used to be there and we looooved it the minute we walked in. The décor is very modern and stylish. The Ballroom was perfect for the small, intimate Wedding we wanted and since they only have one, we didn’t have to worry about running into another Wedding the same day.

Maggie, the Catering salesperson was very accommodating. We were the first ones to book a Contract for a Wedding once they opened as a Marriott. Their prices are very affordable being that is located in Coral Gables and the service is great! We did our tasting and changed a couple of things, so they scheduled another one for us to try the new Menu. Overall, the Cocktail Hour and Reception were perfect. The hor devours were delicious, they served Dinner on time, the waiters gave superb service to my guests and the food was great!

The only issue we had was on Wedding Day due to the weather. We really wanted the Ceremony to be Poolside in the Terrace but the forecast predicted rain for that Saturday so she called me on Friday to tell me that the Ceremony would not be outdoors as previously discussed in our meetings. The day of the Wedding the weather unexpectedly improved even though it was raining on and off. All we wanted was for her to give us the chance to wait a little longer to decide whether to move it or not but she was gave us a hard time and was not professional. Please contact me for further details…

My Ceremony was indoors but it was sooooo beautiful! (Even though, it didn’t rain outside in the end) We used our Chiavari chairs and they looked great! The Uplighting made it so romantic and we were very happy with how it turned out.



PHOTOGRAPHER

Devynn – DBImages A+++++++++++++++++++
http://www.dbimagesblog.wordpress.com/
http://www.dbimages.ca/
We were having issues with the photographer we had initially hired. Karla suggested to invest in a professional and reliable Photographer, and showed us Devynn’s wok. We fell in love right away! and hired her only 6 weeks before our Wedding. I am sooo glad she was still available for our date. Everything happens for a reason and even when you feel stressed, there’s something better out there. She was the BEST decision we made and we could not be happier with the end results.

Devynn was at the Hotel early to take some Getting-ready shots and even being pregnant, laid on the floor to get different angles. She and her crew were all over the place snapping shots of the night. She totally blew us away with the teasers only 2 days after our Wedding and captured our Beautiful Day perfectly. J I highly recommend Devynn to any bride looking for a Photographer, her work is awesome and she is a sweetheart!!!


VIDEO

Javier – My Treasure Videos A+++++++++
http://www.mytreasurevideos.com/
We contacted Javier right after we booked Devynn because my cancelled Contract with the other photographer included a video. I had seen his work and was crossing my fingers he was available so close to my Wedding date and he was!!!

We were very excited to have him on our Wedding Day. He is such a professional! plus he is very sweet. He was there early as well and started shooting our Pre-Ceremony pictures. We never really ‘felt’ him there because he did his job without being on everyone’s face. He even stayed over beyond the time contracted to get more footage and I can not thank him enough for being so generous. I totally recommend him!!!



UPLIGHTING

DJ Ubi A+++
http://www.ubismusic.com/
Ubi was our first option for DJ but he was booked for Our Wedding date already L. We hired him for Uplighting and he even went to walk-through our Venue to determine how many lights we needed. The end result was stunning! The room was glowing in pink and it gave such an ambiance! He also provided a GOBO and Pin-light for our Cake as a surprise to us from my sister. I highly recommend him!


MUSIC
JP Productions A++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.jpdisco.com/
Let me just say, JP had EVERYONE on the Dance floor all night long! He called me a couple of days prior to the Wedding to confirm our Play and Do not Play List. He followed everything to the T for all our Dances. We were going to provide him with a CD of music we wanted to play for our guests since it is very popular in our country but I was not able to get it. When he saw we didn’t have it, he downloaded the songs {very hard to find} into his laptop and played them for us!!! Our guests are very different to the usual Wedding crowd and he knew the in and outs of the music from our country which blew everyone away! We did the Crazy Hour and passed out masks and beads and he also did an amazing job with the Carnival Music.

This man went above and beyond our expectations and my guests are STILL talking about how good he was! At the end of the night, people were complimenting him as they left the party. I highly recommend!



LINENS & CHAIRS

ABCovers A+++++++++
http://www.abcoverdesigners.net/
I had a pleasant experience with Ana when I came in for my appointment. They have a great selection and she was very helpful when offering different options for Linens and Chairs. We came up with a Beautiful table set-up using my Wedding Colors, Lime Green and Pink.

I had rented some sashes for my Ceremony chairs but when we had to switch to plan B due to the rain, their crew came back to set-up those sashes on the white Chiavari Chairs we were using inside the Ballroom. It definitely looked even better than I had envisioned. Everything looked gorgeous on my Wedding Day!



FLORIST

Flowers by Gerardo- Final Product (A+++++++) Customer Service (Read below)
http://www.flowersbygerardo.com/
Gerardo came recommended by another bride who got married in November. She said he was affordable and her flowers were beautiful! When I came in for a consultation, he was not very helpful when it came to giving ideas (being the expert) but fortunately we knew exactly what we wanted. We just didn’t find his personality to be customer-friendly.

He gave us the quote right there and then, and when we saw the prices we knew we couldn’t get that somewhere else so we booked him on the spot! The fact that we were providing the Glass Cylinders helped us with pricing. When it was time to drop them off 2 weeks before my Wedding, I mistakenly took the wring vases to him. Once I realized that and took the right ones, we had an issue because he claimed not to know that they were that big but we had told him in advance.

In the end, he too blew us away with the Centerpieces, altar arrangements and my bouquet, oh so gorgeous!!! He even included a calla inside the vases, which he had told me wasn’t included so I appreciate that! Honestly, I just think his customer service can be improved but the quality and value for cost, it’s phenomenal! I highly recommend to all the brides on a budget just like me.



WEDDING CAKE

Rosie – Elegant Temptations A+++++++
http://www.eleganttemptations.com/
We met with Rosie to work on a custom design for my Cake. I wanted something that didn't look so common or copied out of a magazine. I told her that we were doing a Elegant Garden theme and she came up with a beautiful design that incorporated flowers, rhinestones and a gorgeous stand.

I was blown away when I saw my Wedding Cake. It was definitely a focal point in the Reception and my guests raved about the flavor and how original it was. I highly recommend Rosie if you want to have a delicious custom cake and great customer service.

I personally think that Edda's and Ana Paz are becoming too commercial and the service is not that good anymore. You feel like you are just another cake for the weekend and I prefer to pay a bit more for better service.


DOC

Karla – Stylish Events
http://www.stylishevents.net/
Karla designed our Wedding from scratch. We wanted a Garden-themed Wedding that was not overdone or tacky but Elegant and Classy. She took my vision and brought it to reality 100x more than I could have ever imagined! Our guests were WOWed with every detail throughout my Wedding, as it is I’m still getting calls to find out where I got this or how did I do that.

She designed and printed my paper goods (Programs, Placecards, Menus, Table Numbers and Signs). I wanted to have a Huppah for the Ceremony and Backdrop draping behind my Sweetheart Table but it was way out of my budget so she offered build it and it all came out perfect!. Karla also decorated the Cake stand to implement our theme and the result was stunning! I could go on and on talking about everything she did and it would still not be enough because it was all flawless!!!

I've been as impartially honest as possible and did not grade this review because besides being my DOC, she is also my sister and I'd like to avoid the validity of review being questioned.



Make Up

Jorge Pena - A+
786-306-5463
I had a trial with Jorge a few weeks before my Wedding and I loved how he did my make-up. That day, I had my Bachelorette party and the make-up looked weird (too white under my eyes) in the pictures so I brought this up to him the day of my Wedding and I showed him the pics. He worked on my make-up and then took pictures with my camera to make sure it was ok.

The make-up lasted all night and everyone told me how natural I looked which is what I really wanted. Jorge is really outgoing and clicks with you right away! I highly recommend him.



Hair

Alcira - A+
305-205-3579
I didn't have a trail with Alcira. I met with her in her house and showed her pictures of what I wanted my hair to look like. I simply wanted a loose updo that matched the natural make-up look I was going for.

She had done that Hair do for other brides as well and showed pictures of them. She arrived early the day of the Wedding and did my hair just as I had asked. It turned out perfect! After dancing all night, it started to undo a little bit but it was totally fixable. I was really pleased with Alcira and would recommed to other brides!


Alterations

Reina - A+
954-785-6222
I highly recommend Reina! She is not only very sweet but also does amazing work. She hemmed my dress and took in a couple inches. She steamed it for me and I was very pleased with the results! She is located in Pompano Beach but is worth the trip.


Tuxedo Rentals

Tommy's Tuxedos - A
http://www.tommystuxedos.com/
Best price in town. They are located on 87th Ave and SW 8th Street. Tommy takes care of his clients himself and the service is outstanding. They have tuxedos for $60.00 +tax and when you take the Bridal Party, the Groom gets his for free. I only had a Best Man and some family members but I think that is a great deal.


Vendor I do NOT recommend:

VARONA PHOTOGRAPHY- D
Do NOT use. Nestor Varona was the photographer I had initially hired and we canceled our Contract almost
6 weeks before the Wedding. Contact me for further details @ mayda.lester at gmail dot com

Tazdvl3's Reviews 07.18.09

Day of Coordinator A+
Jennifer Johnson
http://www.jenniferjevents.com/
Where do I begin?After meeting with DOCs, Dario and I knew right away that Jenn was the one after our initial meeting. I feel that I didn't even take full advantage of all her abilities because I kept so much to myself. Prior to the day of the wedding we had another meeting to discuss timeline, hand over all contracts, room layout, etc. During that meeting she offered some of her own supplies to use. For example, she added her own cylinders during the cocktail hour and in some areas of the reception room. She also let me use her frames for the table names. She requested sample linens for the sign-in, escort cards, and groom's cake table. Not to mention she included uplighting in the room and cocktail for free. There were endless emails going back and forth from when I booked her and she was always so nice in her responses and prompt. There were times when I'd send 3 emails in a row saying that there was a correction to the previous one! She had established such great communication with my vendors, especially with the venue! While doing the final walkthrough at the venue she saw everything I had explained clearly and after that moment I felt that I could do nothing and still have a beautiful wedding. The day of the rehearsal I went to pick up a pay check from my summer job and it wasn't there. I had to go to the corporate office the day of the wedding to pick it up. I was so upset. When I arrived at the rehearsal Jenn was there with her husband to handle everything. She overheard me telling someone the situation and she offered to go pick it up and deposit it for me at the bank! What a relief. Day of the wedding she texted me a few times to check up on me. I asked her to get a few things I forgot and she did. She had 3 other people with her for my wedding. I couldn't believe she had so many there. Maria was with me at the hotel. Gave me water, handled bags and anything else I needed. Jennifer was at the church when I arrived. Took charge and had everything under control there. At the venue Mark was in charge of my dress and stuff. The whole team did so well! I didn't have to worry about a thing! She also took care of purchasing supplies or the groom's cake and assembled it herself. Everything ran on time, which is weird for me because with latin families we're always running late! The guests all commented on how well she did things. At the end of the night the catering company refused to put the tables and chairs away. Jenn and her husband stayed longer to put it all away and clean up some things left behind. While I was on my honeymoon she brought all my supplies to the house nicely packaged. In regards to her fee. I was looking to spend $500 on a DOC she is more expensive than that. I believe her standard price is around $900 for DOC. My wedding was in the off season and I was able to negotiate with her. I will not put the exact amount I got her service for, but it was reasonable for everything I was getting. Highly recommend her!


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Photography A
Brad's Creative Images
http://bciphoto.com/
Brad is located in St. Lucie County, but drove all they way to Boca to meet with me. At our meeting he had completed albums of 5 brides and he also brought a proof box of a wedding he just did. He captures the moments with great lighting and angles. We met with Brad to take our engagement pics and I couldn't have been happier. He captured who we are and had a blast! He is extremely prompt at emails and communication. I hired him because I think he captures the moments perfectly. I never really 'posed' a little at the beginning and at the church. However, I wish so badly it didn't rain so that we could've taken pictures along the river and by the park. Those shots would've been posed and would've been great, but what can you do. He arrived early and was always there with a smile. I never really had him in my face which is great because I was too busy dancing. There was an issue because my brother was taking photographs as well. He was suppose to act like a 2nd photographer and not get in the way. Well he was in the way and looked like the main photog and it became a little problem. No A+ because the portraits at the church I felt were rushed and there's a pic with Dario's mom with her eyes closed and one with my nephew is looking at his flower. He said he is going to fix the eyes closed and we're checking on the one with my nephew. I really enjoyed working with him and would recommend him. The cost was $4,800 (I know!! ouch!! - the one vendor I truly didn't budget for.) that included our engagement session, all our pics on high res cd, 3 enlargements, thank you cards, a leather bound coffee table book, and more.


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Little Flower Catholic Church, Hollywood A+
Little Flower Catholic Church
http://www.littleflowerhwd.org/
This is the Hollywood Little Flower. Our ceremony was held in the chapel. The church was extremely flexible to deal with. I did not have to go through too many rules. I didn't do anything extra. No mantilla, arras, unity candle, etc. I didn't have an aisle runner either. I didn't have to work too much with them because a friend of the family that is a priest flew down to celebrate the mass. There was no fee or recommended donation. $400


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Reception A+
Josephine S. Leiser Opera Center
http://www.leisercenter.org
Originally when I booked the Opera Center I worked with Patsy. They had tables and chairs. You had to work with outside caterers. There was a preferred vendor list for caterering. To use an outside caterer you had to pay an additional $700. Parking was valet only and they charged $7 per car + tax. I wish I would've tried to negotiate, but I just accepted it. Patsy was great to work with and always very nice on the phone. Now there is someone else in charge, Mike. I didn't communicate with him too much because Jennifer had already taken over. He agreed to clear out the cocktail room, which they had said no to before. They agreed to open the venue earlier than the original time. They also allowed for Hitched to pick up chairs the following Monday. The valet did a great job. It was pouring rain when we got there and they had humongous umbrellas and walked everyone safely. Unfortunately, I learned that they no longer had a preferred vendor list and do not charge that additional $700. When we tried to get the price dropped they wouldn't and I really couldn't say anything because it is in our contract. Total rental fee $2,760


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Catering B
Amelia & Carmen Catering
http://ameliaandcarmencatering.com/
I booked the company after they did my friend's wedding. I wanted the food to be good, but I wasn't looking for a meal people wouldn't forget, because I know that comes with a price tag. I dealt with Richard on the phone and face to face. Each time he was very pleasant. At the first meeting before the contract I got the $30 pp for chicken, basic linens, and open bar. When I went back and negotiated I had the same price, but they upgraded to filet mignon, glassware for the bar (was plastic before), and champagne. When I went to give Richard the final head count I asked about chargers and he included them for free. I was also going to use Damask linens for free but Dario didn't like them. The extras I got were well priced; cocktail tables and portable bar. The day of the wedding they showed up on time and had set up all under control. The bartenders did great. They didn't run out of liquor and everyone was very happy with their drinks. The food was better than I expected! They do not cook on site and picked out the appetizers and entree carefully to ensure the food would taste the best. Waiters did an excellent job and were very professional. They get a B for 2 reasons. 1) The linens did not go all the way down to the floor. The tables are extra large and they were slightly above. Luckily you couldn't really tell. 2) They refused to put back the tables and chairs. Jenn had to do it all. The price was $30 pp, service fee is 12% and no taxes if you pay cash.


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Chivari Chair Rental A+
Hitched Event Rentals
http://www.hitchedeventrentals.com/
Chivaris was a last minute decision. I'm so glad I made it and think that the whole look was so much cleaner and classier. Luis was super great to talk to on the phone. I originally got the price for $4 a chair and a $75 delivery. Well after Michi posted about the special, which btw she specifically said not to mention her name, I called him up. Since I booked so close to when he did the special he gave it to me for $3.50 a chair! Delivery was prompt and so was pick up. Jenn said there were no problems at all! Total cost about $470


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Cake A+
Mayu's Cakes
http://www.mayuscakes.com/
When I met Maria and saw "MY Cake" I fell in love. She is unique. I don't like flowers or very feminine looking cakes. I prefer clean, simple, and chic. The original plan was to spend about $250 - $300 and just get a cake at Publix, because we thought they would do a good job and we really didn't care about the cake. After meeting Maria at a wedding show I had to schedule a meeting. She has a warehouse where she bakes and decorates. We met at her home. Extremely detailed and organized. After the meeting Dario and I were like there's no question we need to book. She was one of my favorite vendors to work with. Unfortunately, I didn't have a piece beyond the cake cutting, but everyone loved it! $700 ($6.50 per person, based on 100; $50 delivery.... $250 security deposit for cake stand, which you get back when you return it)


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Flowers A+
Gil Sosa
This is now the third florist we've hired. LOL. First it was a family friend of Dario's and we kept getting the runaround. Then I had Al's Florist. I cancelled them less than a month away, because when I gave Jenn the contracts I was concerned about the wording. It turns out I had a right because the quote I thought I got for all 3 bridesmaid bouquets turns out was for just one! Well when I met with them they said they can make the bouquets smaller and I just got a bad vibe. So, I figured I'd loose the $50 deposit and went with Gil. I didn't have any of the communication issues other had because I booked so close to the wedding. He arrived on time the day of and had everything perfect. The flowers were more beautiful than I imagined! When I walked in the room and saw everything it looked unreal. He also included a flower on each charger for free! It was a surprise to me! He's a great guy and would recommend him in a heartbeat. Price was $880 (Bouquets - Bridal, Tossing, 3 BM; Boutonnieres - Groom, 2 RB, 2 Dads, 3 groomsmen; Coursages - 2 Moms, 2 Grandmas; 11 centerpieces, sweetheart table)


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Ceremony Music A
Master Musicians
http://www.mastermusiciansinc.com/
I was going to use Music for Anything because they were cheaper, but based on their lack of communication and other reviews I chose to switch. Julie from Master Musicians was easy to communicate with. I tried to set up a meeting to discuss music, but she said it wasn't necessary. We hired a cellist and once I finally got all the music settle it was about a week and a half before the wedding. She responded with an email saying some songs couldn't be played on a cello. So I replied with what should we do. I didn't like her email response, it was like well you just sent it what do you want me to do. In an effort to not burn any bridges she came through and performed the violin at the ceremony. I didn't like the email, but the fact that she canceled the cellist so late and filled in got her the A. She also arrived 15 min. early. $250 for an hour and a half


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DJ A+
Ubi's Music Productions
http://www.ubismusic.com/
Thank you Knotties. Ubi is the best. He is a pleasure to work with and is very professional. It actually turns out that my sister had used Ubi for her wedding! LOL. He definitely lives up to his reputation. He had the dance floor jamming the entire time. We didn't give him a playlist, besides the intro and stuff. I wanted him to just feel the crowd. I asked for my little booty remix, but the people loved it so much we stretched it a little longer. It may be a little ghetto, but I loved it. My poor dress suffered; I did hydraulics!! During the day we changed the BP introduction song to "I got a feeling" and there were no problems. The next day Dario's family was saying how good he was because he played something for everybody. Oh and he stayed off the mic! I can't take cheese and people talking to hear themselves. He let the music do the talking. Total for 4 hours $675.


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The Dress B-
The Bride's Choice Bridal Salon
http://www.abrideschoice.com/
Amazing salon. Stacy is great to work with. I purchased one of their designs. It was everything I wanted. I've also purchased a custom mantilla veil. The salon got a B instead of an A, because the mantilla did not come in how I had ordered it. A mantilla has lace around the trim right? Well it just had a border. They did fix it with no problems. I had no problems or issues with them other than that and do recommend their store. I decided however to take my dress somewhere else for alterations, because of the reviews on their alterations department. When I asked them to look at it for the alterations, they shrugged and looked vaguely and said, "I don't know maybe $300." With the reviews and their rough estimate, which you know would be more, I went elsewhere. Gown - $1,400, Veil - $375


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Alterations A+ quality/B for always waiting
Reina 954-785-6222
I decided to finally go see Reina, because the reviews were just phenomenal! She is sooo cute! She is did a lot of work to my dress. She's lifted up the top and sleeves, took in around the bust and waist, gave me room around the hips, bustle, and hem. Also, my comb for the mantilla needed to be fixed and she did no problems. I went to Reina 4 times. 1) to determine all the alterations, 2) adjustments with nothing sewed down, 3) everything sewed down and bustle, 4) final pick up. Reina's work is phenomenal! The bridal salon tried to scare me b/c of all the lace in my dress, but I'm so glad I went to her! I did give her a B- because every time I went I had to wait for my dress about 20 min. But please don't let that deter you!! She was always very cooperative and helpful throughout the entire process and so worth it! Work was $200.

The day before the wedding my sister finally convinces my mom to try on her dress. It turns out that it needed to be hemmed, let out at the waist and fixed at the top. So annoying that my mom waited until the last minute to get this all done! Well she went to Reina and the dress was ready the day of the wedding. It fit perfectly!

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Hair A, Make up A+
Jorge Pena
786-306-5463
I had a trial with Jorge for my epics and loved him. The day of he came late because he got lost, but he called me to explain. As soon as he walked in he opened up his cases and chair and got straight to work. He has such a great personality and does incredible work. All my girls had completely different looks and we all looked fab. I think they looked too good; j/k. Oh and let me just say that my girls kept bothering him to add more here and there. LOL, they overdid it. My mom was so scared about makeup and didn't want any! Luck ily she did it and was surprisingly happy with her look. He finished with time to spare! Bride- $150 ($50 due at trial, balance day of); BP $50; $60 if you get lashes.

Alcira
305-205-3579
I was going to have Gus do my hair, but he doesn't travel to you unless you do it at the salon and I did not want to travel the day of. The day of the wedding Alcira came earlier than she was suppose to and got straight to work. She did FABULOUS! Each girl had a completely different look and got exactly what they wanted! It showed her versatility. My hair looked exactly as it did for the trial. If you look at my pictures however you will notice that my hair was coming out. This was not because of Alcira. My hair kept getting caught on my dress! Also, people don't know how to hug! Oh gosh everyone kept pulling on it and touching it. =( Alcira did not get an A+ because there was an issue with the pricing. She told my girls $75; well she told me because of the number of girls it would be $60. She didn't get an attitude and after like 2 comments she agreed to leave it. Because of the way she handled it, I decided to still give her an A. I highly recommend her! If you go to her - $60, If she goes to you - $75, BM - $45 style, $60 updo. *Five or more BM you get a discount.


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Tuxedo - A+ service/C+ execution
The Tux Shop
http://www.thetuxshopfl.com/
Dario and the BP ordered their tuxes from the same shop. Their customer service is excellent. They were always incredibly pleasant and easy to talk to. When I called to pick up the tuxes earlier, to ensure there weren't any problems, they had no issue. Dario's tux was the only one that didn't have a problem! Some ties were stained, shirts were too big, shirts were too tight, etc. Even though there were problems with all of them. They completely took care of it with no issue what so ever! They really pulled through and the problems were resolved. Tuxes were $140 ($10 extra for the shirt with the wing tipped collar), RB I think were around $90.


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Limousine A+
Coastal Limousine
http://www.coastalcar.com/
Wow! On time, right, clean limo, and incredible service. Our driver was sooooo nice! I had a great experience everyone there was very nice. I got a standard, black 8-10 passenger stretched limo for 3 hours. $250 including tax and tip.


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Rings A+
Jared's
Pembroke Pines location.Dario purchased my engagement ring from there and charmed the woman at the counter. Always happens when he has "older" woman helping him. =) He had such a positive experience that we went back for our wedding bands. She showed us many options and even showed us more economical rings. I love our rings! They match perfectly. We also got our engraving done there and had absolutely no problems! Mine - $750; His - $550 ... Engraving - $17ea


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Rehearsal Dinner A+
Scruby's BBQ
http://www.scrubys.com/
I have used Scruby's for catering at school. The price cannot be beat and the food was excellent! Everything came perfect to order and everyone was happy. There wasn't much left at the end, if anything! $4.49/pp (1/4 chicken, baked beans, potato salad, bread and butter), $25 for a gallon of garden salad, $25 delivery, + tax.


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Honeymoon A+
Central Holidays
http://www.centralholidays.com/
I don't know if you all believe in the secret, but 3 years ago (prior to the engagement), I told Dario I wanted to go to Europe and we should just set a date. He blurted out, fine! July 19, 2009!! Our wedding date was originally July 11th and we had to switch it to the 18th because of family. So, we ended up in Europe on that date! Freaky! After ensuring our dae with the church and venue we booked our honeymoon! I didn't want the expenses we would spend to hinder the honeymoon. I'm so glad we did and I strongly recommend anyone that loves traveling to do the same. I didn't use a travel agent, because after meeting with so many I learned that I could find better prices on my own. I used Central Holidays to book a land & sea package. It was 2 days in Athens at a 5 star hotel, 6 day cruise (Istanbul, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete), and a 2.5 day stay in Santorini at a 4 star hotel. The package was $4,000 for both, not including airfare. Dario's family one roundtrip tickets to Amsterdam and offered them to us for $500 each! So that is how we were able to go to Amsterdam. We were there for 2 days prior to Athens. Our honeymoon was the most amazing experience! It was a trip of a lifetime. We pinched ourselves the entire time, because we couldn't believe we were actually there! Prices: land & cruise with Central Holidays - $4,000; Amsterdam flight - $500; Hotel in Amsterdam - $450; Flight to Ams. - Athens, then Santorini-Athens, Athens-Ams. $1,500.

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Shoes
Endless - A+
http://www.endless.com/
After buying a pair of shoes on the trash to treasure board that didn't fit, I went online on the hunt. I love my shoes and it was super easy to shop through their site. I had free overnight shipping and they arrived beautifuly! Tip - check size comments; some shoes run too small. $90


Topper
Cake Topper Cake - A+
http://www.caketoppers.com/
I loved these monograms. Others I had seen were to flimsy and cheapy looking. I went with the solid brushed metal design. It came in right away and its beautiful! $67


Invitations
Envelopeme.com - A+
http://www.envelopeme.com/
I purchased the z-card, large envelope, RSVP envelope, and cardstock. The quality is great. Everything arrived faster than anticipated. The colors were also pretty true to form. $200 (70 - large and small envelopes, 70 wicked 5x7 cardstock, 70 z cards, and other cardstock)

Melissa Virguez Designs - A+
Melissa is my personal friend and was asked to design my invites on very short notice. She listened to every request and designed the invites beautifully. I'm extremely happy with how they came out. She rocks.


"Pillows"
StuffedAnimals.com - A+
http://www.stuffedanimals.com/
Purchased our monkey here as our ring pillow. It came right away and I was very happy with it. $10

Angie's Kids Zone - A-
http://www.angieskidszone.com/
Purchased our penguin here for my nephew's ring pillow. Was a little disappointed with the size but it works. $10


Centerpiece Items
Glass Cylinders and Stand
Costco. $20 each
River Rocks
Lowes $7 a ba (one bag filled about 2 sets of centerpieces).


Luggage
Paper-Source - B
http://www.paper-source.com/
I loved the suitcase and they came in fairly quickly. They get a B though just because I feel the pictures are deciving to the actual product. They are not super sturdy. $50


Photosharing Card
Vista Print - A
http://www.vistaprint.com/
I ordered 250 business cards. The cards were free. I paid extra for color (don't think I needed it, but wanted to make sure they were right and shipping. The quality is great for the price and it came super fast. $15


Shower Gifts
Umbrellas - A
http://www.horchow.com/
Michi gave me the best idea for a shower gift. Each hostess will receive a personalized monogramed umbrella. The umbrellas were on back order, but they were sent right when they said they'd be ready and they arrived much sooner than I expected. $20 ea


Guestbook
Blurb - A+
http://www.blurb.com/
Our guestbook was ordered 12 days before the wedding! I was so scared it wasn't going to get here on time. I paid extra for overnight shipping. The book came out better than expected. Would have liked the paper to have come out a little more glossy, but the quality was is excellent. Also, when using their program, the pages seem like there's more white space then there actually is. $35 + shipping (paid extra for hardcover, wrap around picture, and stronger paper)


Favors
Partywise Favors - B+
http://www.pricewisefavors.com/
I ordered 110 metal luggage tags. They came in nicely. Shipping took forever though. $1.18 ea


Gifts
Ring Bearers
Rumors.com - A+
http://www.rumors.com/
I purchased two car piggy banks for our ring bearers and had it personalized with their name. They are excellent quality and arrived as expected.

Parents
Molly and Mom - Communication A+/Delivery C
http://www.etsy.com/
I ordered personalized handkerchiefs for each of our parents. Communication has been great. However, it has taken much longer to receive them then it was initially suppose to take. ~ $15 ea

Groomsmen
Lillian Vernon - A+
http://www.lillianvernon.com/
Ordered the personalized wallets for the groomsmen. The quality is great and the shipping is accurate. $15 ea

GatorNicole's Reviews 02.21.09

Officiant - page for info - A+
He made the ceremony perfect. He knew the right thing to say and everyone loved him. He got to know DH and I and everything he said came from the heart. We wouldn't have wanted anyone else to have married us! (it was a Jewish ceremony)


Deering Estate (ceremony on lawn)- A/B-
A - The place is beautiful!! ; We had a huge flock of white birds pass over right before the ceremony began, there were manatees in the water behind us, the weather and lighting was also perfect!
B- - There was trash everywhere on the lawn. My DH was picking up trash when we were having the rehearsal the day before. Then when we had some family setting up our chuppah/arbor the day of, they were picking up trash as well. (Everything from plastic eating utensils, straws, cigarettes, etc). When I was walking down the lawn (on my way to getting married), I was avoiding trash. There also were boats docked near the water they said they would have moved, after persisting over two days an several times, they finally moved them. Security guards wandered aimlessly talking on their cell phones.
I still recommend Deering Estate. The place was beautiful. Despite the hiccups on the road, I would still get married there.


Photographer - Lux Images - A++
Andy and Oscar were there to capture our day. Amazing doesn't begin to describe them. They were our favorite vendor to work with since day one. DH who was apprehensive about taking photos now wants to do photo sessions with them in the future. We cannot recommend them enough!! EVERYONE who has seen the photos they put on their blog love them! (Also, Andy noticed the waiters at the reception taking our cake away before we cut it, thanks to him, DH and I were able to have our cake cutting!)


Videographer - George Y. - A
George and his son were great. They were there but we barely noticed them. They were waiting for us at the ceremony and stayed the entire reception. They worked great alongside the photographers and were reasonably priced. They also shoot in HD! I can't wait to see the final product! We are supposed to have the video in just 2 weeks! UPDATE: Video looks great!


Makeup - M./Bobbi Brown - A
Bobbi Brown in Miami
M. has worked there a while and done lots of weddings. She did me, my mom and grandmother. She basically gave me a free trial the day before the wedding and gave my mom a quick one when she went in. Typically you have to spend 50-60 dollars to get the makeover. We bought a TON of stuff from her on Saturday. She is SUPER nice. Extremely patient. I got TONS of compliments too. The makeup lasted all night! I definitely recommend her!


Crowne Plaza (reception) - B+
The event manager/coordinator was very easy to work with. However the guy who was in charge of the event didn't seem to care. When I initially met him the week before he seemed to be in a rush and annoyed with the meeting (IMO). I had forgotten about vendor meals and told the main event manager I wanted to feed four people. Soon the other guy who was overseeing everything that night came up to me and told me I had one meal left and he already fed another vendor who I did not want fed and never told them to feed. Then I was getting a hard time on them cooking something for them! There was also some miscommunication and they forgot to ask/I forgot to give, a credit card for them to charge the rest of the payment on and I didn't feel it was appropriate to be telling me this at the reception that I'm supposed to be enjoying. My MOH took care of everything, but they are lucky I had my wallet on me! Then my MOH told them we would be cutting the cake in 15 minutes and I have my photographer coming up to me and telling me they took the cake away! I had to run and find someone and explain to them not to cut the cake because DH and I hadn't cut it yet. That was a huge mistake that was avoided thanks because of Andy and my MOH who had also noticed. Most people said the food was good. I guess I wasn't a fan.
When everything was setup it looked beautiful, but I don't know how much that was my people or them. I would still have another event there. Gigi was fabulous to work with.


Cake - Edible Creations - A
Lily was great to work with. We sampled a few cakes and liked hers the best. We had vanilla rum (I have a piece to try in my fridge) and red velvet. We got the vanilla rum and red velvet. The cake didn't look exactly like the picture that we were expecting (there were supposed to be more swirls and not many of the "c's" and the top half was supposed to look like the bottom and be half blank, the ribbon, then the bottom half swirls... BUT it was still very pretty, very yummy, and a great price! I highly recommend Lily!


Millenium Limo - B
Everything was great in the beginning. Our driver was patient and nice. He didn't need a lot of directions as far as where to go/how to get to our places. I was unhappy when we told him that we were going to use him for additional hours so he'd be able to drive us to our hotel at the end of the evening, he told us he had another party to transport. This was annoying because when I signed the contract I said I was going to be using the limo for extra hours and now the driver was telling us when we had to leave our reception by and we suddenly left ourselves trying to find a ride to our hotel that night.


Flowers - J. Morgan Flowers - D (photo's on ProjectWedding.com)
Based on my experience, I did not enjoy working with this vendor and do not recommend them.

The reception was simple. I paid over $ 45 each centerpiece. Assorted colors of 'stock' were placed into our vases. (The $ 45 were for only for the flowers -- the centerpieces and candle holders were provided by me)

The bouts were simple. I paid over $ 40 for four single flower boutonnieres with green floral tape around the stem and a pin stuck through them.

I paid over $ 60 for three usherette corsages, each with three roses in them. One of them began falling apart before it was put on.

Below is a photo of the bouquet that I wanted and had discussed with Jacqueline from J Morgan Flowers (as well as emailed to her). However, I wanted the reverse of colors (more light pink with touches of off white, with a few added mini calla lilies that are the pale pink to off white color).

Below are photos of my bouquet. Their were no pale pink roses (which were stated in my contract), the calla lilies were hot pink and the roses looked yellow. I paid over $ 200 for my bouquet.

It was about the size (in width) of a roll of paper towels. Also, it was supposed to be tied in all satin (again, as stated in the contract), instead it was tied in satin and organza (and the organza was fraying).

I paid over $ 100 for petals to be in the aisle-way. The contract states a "heavy sprinkle." Below is a photo of the aisle-way with the petals I received.

I paid over $ 80 for the two bridesmaid bouquets you see below.

--- see my photos in my profile ---


Rings - Rogers Findings and Castings (Seybold Building) - A+
Lucy is great. The quality was amazing. Turnaround time was super fast. Prices were great too! DH and I love our rings! Mine was custom made and DH's was found at another store and they managed to get it. They also did a great job engraving our rings and dipping my e-ring. I DEFINITELY recommend them!


Dress - Pearl's Place - A
Everyone who answers the phone is VERY nice. There were a few very minor hiccups along the way which is why they are getting an A over the A+. After I left my deposit, I never received a copy of my receipt. After a short phone call, another one was sent out very quickly. I was told I should have my dress by Nov. 22nd, when I called them that day, they said it wasn't expected in until mid December. The dress showed up the second week of December. It was still packaged by the designer, Pearls Place seemed to be just a pit-stop in the shipping. Overall, I got my dress exactly the way I wanted (no ordering glitches) and saved some money.


Dress Alterations - Alterations by Reina - A
The dress came out beautiful and everyone loved it. She does quality work in a short amount of time. She is reasonably priced. I would definitely make a long drive to reach her!


Groom/Groomsmen - Mr. Tux (Kendall) - B-/C+
We went in there and called several times to make sure they had the groom's tux jacket pockets sewn in like they suggested when we picked the tux. Everytime we went in or called they kept "making a note." Of course, the day the tux was picked up the pockets weren't done and they didn't want to change them. After DH persisted, he got them to fix them. Also, my brothers tux was missing a button. They took it away from him and said they would fix it and ultimately shoved it back into a garment bag and wouldn't let him open it up in the store. The missing button made his tie crooked all night.


Veil - Occansey Designs/Obridal.com - A+
Great quality, fast service. I definitely recommend custom ordering your veil!


Rumor Has It Party Rentals - A+
Best prices, great furniture. Everyone was very nice to deal with. They setup everything how I wanted and did a great job. They also were prompt in picking everything up and even picked up our arbor/arch to temporarily store in their warehouse! I would definitely recommend them.


DJ Ubi - A-/B+
We had AJ for our ceremony and Lionel for our reception. Both did a great job and exactly what we wanted. We left a few parts of our song list blank, Lionel chose some good songs to fill in. They both were on time, easy to work with, and very nice. My only complaint is Lionel disappeared some for parts of the reception, leaving my brother and one of the photogs to figure out how to lower the volume because people couldn't talk during dinner. He disappeared periodically, but was there when the main dancing was going on. Otherwise, everything was good.


Hair - Gina - A
The hair looked great and lasted all night! Gina is sweet and patient and will do exactly what you want.


Invitation Design - Michelle Vega (page for info)/ Bella Michi/DIY - A+
Michelle designed the most gorgeous invites and put up with all the little revisions and tweaks. I give myself a B cause it took me longer than I had planned to get them assembled and mailed out.

Lafemmelor's Reviews 06.27.09

Church: St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Miami Beach
I went this this church because it was the easiest to book and the required steps were quite simple and short-- show up to the orientation, pay a deposit for my day $450, provide ONLY the baptismal certificates, attend the Engaged Encounter (total waste of time & $100), turn in marriage license, and attend the rehearsal. One thing that I didn't like is the fact that I cannot bring my own musicians, I would've loved to have a string ensemble but they said "no" and that I had to go w/ their music director who charges $300. I don't get to hear him until my actual wedding day. I'm trying to negotiate this music fee at the moment. The infamous Father Alberto was to have performed the wedding ceremony but there was a scandal and so I was assigned another priest, and it was no biggie to me.
Unfortunately, right next to the church a massive parking garage was under construction and the City of Miami Beach had construction on Lenox (the road in front of the church's main entrance).

Wedding Day Review: Walking to the church with the construction was a little tricky because of my dress and shoes, but I was ok and my guests parked in the back parking lot of the church and easily found their way without having to step on any construction debris.
The church's wedding coordinator, Adriana, was very organized and professional in getting us organized in walking down the aisle and reviewing our cues for the ceremony. The music director, Ivan Diaz, performed beautifully at the ceremony. Our priest, Father Julio Alvarez, performed a lovely and relatively quick ceremony with a thoughtful homily.
We were given 15 minutes for pictures and went a bit over so were warned by the coordinator who gave us an extra 5.
Overall Grade: A


Reception Site: Doral Park Country Club
I booked this venue waaaaay in advance and got a pretty good deal w/ a buffet dinner and 5 hour open bar package and I didn't have to pay a rental fee, which is something I'd have to pay with other venues. However, for cocktail hour guests would have to walk by the dining area w/ tables and see the setup because there is no wall.

One drawback (at the time) was that I had to find my own florist, dj, cake, lighting and any other thing as they didn't provide this. Looking back, I'm glad that it turned out this way as I was able to find vendors to my liking and avoided the 20% service fee that's tacked on the regular rate and taxes. I hear that now they do upgraded packages w/ the vendors.

I changed my wedding date w/ Doral Park a few times and when I finally booked a date w/ the church I asked DP to please change it and resend the contract. The catering manager did not charge me the $250 fee that the contract stated if I changed the date. She did however take over a week to get back to me w/ the papers after I had already booked the date w/ the church and was stressing over this.

With my selected package, basic linens and chair covers were offered but I didn't like them. Last year I upgraded the chairs but was charged a whooping $7 for each (and I needed 100)! Two months before my big day I began to do some research and got a fantastic deal w/ Hitched, who happened to be the very same vendor Doral Park was going to use. The assistant at Doral Park, Jessica, was very helpful and quick w/ communication via email/phone, but when I wanted to get the chairs removed from my catering agreement she didn't want to accommodate me. Luckily, her boss, Ana, said it was ok and took it off. Another thing I ended up upgrading was the glassware because it seriously looked cheesy like it came from the Dollar Store or something.

Finally, when I went to the last meeting prior to the wedding I was told that there would be another wedding reception at the venue after being told a year ago that they don't double-book events at Doral Park. I brought this up but Ana insisted that it was in another room and earlier than my event. If I hadn't had Letty Gobel, my day-of-coordinator, I would've been terribly nervous about leaving my items for decor and not knowing if someone from the other party would've taken something and it being a mess.

Wedding Day Review: As I hired a day-of-coordinator, I did not have direct contact with the venue regarding the arrival of the hired vendors and logistics, but was told they went back and forth with the timing. However, when I arrived to the reception site with my husband, we were kindly greeted by the catering manager and assistant (Ana and Jessica), we were immediately asked what we wanted to do/go and provided with a plate of our selected hors d'oeuvres, which were a treat! Throughout the night the two ladies were present and seemed to have things under control with their staff. Again, I had a DOC so I know she did many things as well.

On the food: All my guests raved about the five station buffet, and I had sampled a few items from it and it was scrumptious! In addition,the presentation of each station was very elegant and at the carving station there were three chefs all dressed up adding to the poshness of the event. I hired a second bartender and it seemed to help with the traffic of guests ordering drinks, and had no problem there. The waiting staff was very courteous.

All in all, the night was a success! :-D
Overall Grade: B+


Photography: Luis Manuel Photography http://www.luismanuel.com/index.php
Just like my reception venue, I booked this vendor a year in advance and was not aware of too many other photographers.
Michelle, Luis' wife, has been very professional in contacting me and providing all the information requested. They offer about 4 types of packages that include a matted album, a CD w/ images, unlimited shots of the event, 5 hour coverage, and a few portraits starting at $1750.
At my last meeting, we discussed what group photos would be taken and I said how I wanted detail shots of the reception as well. We also reviewed the types albums they provide. Michelle does most/all of the album designing.

Wedding Day Review: Luis showed up to the church on time and came in to the limo to take pics of my father and I in various angles. He followed the instructions given to him by the church's coordinator and priest and when the ceremony was over we were given only 15 minutes to take the posed shots at the altar. During this time a few of my family members were taking digital pictures as Luis was trying to take his, I could see he was annoyed by that as some of the flashing would interrupt his shots so he would joke w/ my family to stop. Some of them took this the wrong way, but I totally understood where he was coming from as a pro. Outside the church the sun was already setting and there was construction on the roadway to the church's entrance so Luis made sure we did not have any pictures in that direction, the lighting was great and he took some fantastic pics of my hubby and I at the church's doors and showed us right away!

At the reception Luis immediately got to photographing the reception, but some of the guests started to sit at the tables instead of being outside during the cocktail hour. He took photos of all the moments (cake cutting, garter toss, bouquet, etc)

I have yet to see his photos, but am hoping they look fantastic.
Overall Grade: A, Pending album review


Dress and veil: Leggenda's Bridal in Coral Gables
Mon Cheri in satin ivory w/ sweetheart neckline, mermaid cut.
($90 f/ alterations on dress, which included hemming and bustle.)

I tried various other bridal shops but they were either out of my budget OR didn't have a mermaid cut dress that wasn't made of lace. When I went to Leggenda's I actually tried on an oyster colored dress, which ended up being the one I bought but in ivory. So I never saw the actual dress and color until 7 months later! When I saw it on the hanger I was initially horrified and felt that it was a cheap looking dress, but when I put it on and the lady turned off the lights to show the "glowing effect of the dress" then I was totally loving my dress! I ordered my dress in August '08 and received it in April '09. Also, three days before my wedding I took it in for ironing and it was returned within an hour.
Overall Grade: A

Groom's Tux: Hugo Boss (Aventura Mall)
My fiance checked out the Men's Warehouse tuxes but didn't like the fabrics and already wears HB suits, so I told him to just buy one. Susana Rodriguez, the assistant manager, is very down to earth and helpful in finding the right suit for your guy. Alterations were also used and completed promptly. The final product made my husband look very dapper!
Overall Grade: A+

Bridesmaids (BM) & Jr. BM Dresses: Daisy Tarsi in Coral Gables; Lazaro & Jim Helm;
I had my mind set on getting a metallic blue and found a lovely style from the said vendor. I was considering of buying the dresses online but but wasn't comfortable buying something that might/might not be the real thing and didn't know of anyone who had. From my research only two local places in Miami carried the Lazaro & Him Helm so I went to the closest. At the store, the sales lady said that the alterations were overpriced there and recommended I go elsewhere and I ended up using my neighbor who I later found out makes wedding gowns and all sorts of alterations! With the purchase of 5 dresses I was given a 10% discount, although still pricey I ordered the dresses in late January (paid more than half the amount for the deposit) and received them at the end of May.

I called in between the waiting period to confirm arrival time and to make sure everything was going well. I received a call that the dresses were ready and picked them up promptly. When I asked about ironing the dresses as they were wrinkled the owner said to bring them the week of the wedding. So Just like my dress, I took the BM dresses for ironing but was told that they wouldn't be ready until two days later (a day before the wedding) and made the appointment. I was also informed that the fabric (silk taffeta) was very delicate and could not get wet as it would be permanently ruined. I said there should be a label or something informing the customer of this, so I asked the owner, why aren't there tags informing of the delicate nature of the fabric and she answered, "oh the Vera Wang dresses have them, but they're too big and we cut them off." WTF!

So in June when I arrived at the store carrying 5 dresses I find that the store was closed and I was getting upset. It took about five minutes for someone to arrive and open the store and then asked me if I had purchased the dresses (hello, the dresses were still in the bags provided by Daisy Tarsi that even had the name all over!) so I had to play it cool and dropped off the dresses and came back within an hour to get in writing that I had left those dresses there. I asked if I they would be ready at least by the end day and was told by the owner to call and see. I said "I'm getting married in two days and have a million things to do, can you please call me to let me know when I can pick up the dresses," the owner said to her employee to "write it down in the calendar."

Did I ever get a call from them? No. For two days I continuously called to follow-up on the status. The customer service there seriously lacks, starting with the owner who doesn't seem to care about the customer once she's got your money. However, when I picked up the dresses and inspected them, just as they did when I dropped them off I was helped by another employee to take the dresses to my car, which surprised me considering how I was treated the days before.

So basically I just want to inform you that Daisy Tarsi is overpriced and sucks when it comes to customer service!
Overall Grade: C

Groomsmen & Father's Tuxes: MW Tux (Aventura & Dadeland Malls)
At the Aventura store the young lady who worked there helped the groomsmen with the sizing and styles. The same could be said at the Dadeland store where the young man called me to review the styles of vests for my dad online.
I was not impressed with the quality of the ties and shirts and you would have to buy the handkerchiefs that would go in the outer pocket of the jacket and they didn't even match the ties in color. The actual tuxedos are okay and have adjusting buckles for varying waist widths. One of my uncles had a lot of trouble with it that it was loose and he had to carry the pants from the pockets! lol

When I went to pick up my dad's tuxedo I unzipped the bag and saw the shirt, vest, and tie had fallen from the hanger and requested it be ironed, which was promptly done.

Also, tuxes must be returned the next day or you're charged $20 for each day it's late.
Overall Grade: B

Florist: Gil Sosa
I choose him because his work is top-notch and his prices are not ;) At my first meeting with him he was really funny and showed my sister and I tons of pictures around my color scheme and suggested I change my centerpieces (see above color inspiration picture) as they wouldn't go well with the venue. I was hesitant at first because I felt that he was pushing what I think to be his signature centerpiece, but after seeing the demo at my venue I completely agree w/ his point of view. He isn't the best w/ communication, especially if you're event is months in advance but he was prompt w/ sending out a detailed list and pricing of the floral arrangements and bouquets discussed. He also informed me of when he received payment. Also, he was on time at the trial, something he prides himself in.
His son's wedding was actually a week before mine and he was kind enough to invite me and his other clients to view the reception decor a day before, which was absolutely breathtaking and stunning.
The week of my wedding Gil called to follow-up and review the contract detail by detail.

Wedding Day Review: When I arrived at the church (30 minutes early and a mass was going on) I contacted Gil via phone and asked about my bouquet and bridal party flowers, he said his staff was waiting for the mass to end to setup the altar pieces and provide us w/ the flowers. They absolutely delivered and the bouquet looked fantastic and was really heavy! The ribbon was done beautifully as was that of my bridal party's bouquets. The boutonnieres were also superb. The altar arrangements looks awesome, but the church placed those BEHIND the altar table and not on its sides :-(

At the reception, the centerpieces were so elegant and looked wicked with vase containing the blue water and long orchid stem. The sweetheart table looked just like the original floral arrangement I showed Gil at our first meeting but in ivory and included orchids too! The cake table was just as beautiful with a variety of orchids surrounding the cake. Finally, behind the sweetheart table there's a fireplace mantle that Gil decorated just beautifully.

Gil actually made the centerpiece arrangements on-site and was so generous with the flowers he put on display that made the reception look posh :) He truly delivered and used more flowers than what I paid for, which I am truly grateful. I would highly recommend Gil and use him again if I have a major event and require floral arrangements.
Overall Grade: A+


DJ/Lighting: Ubi's DJ & Lighting
I only met with him for this service and felt that he was very informative and even provided insight on my venue as far as service and food quality too! I had read from other brides that he isn't always the DJ at the wedding and asked him about this, which he said that depending on the music selection was how he determined who would be assigned for the night. Also, I booked him for uplighting and later emailed him about recommendations for colors.

He said that two weeks before the wedding to submit the playlist on his website and he'd contact me.

In searching for tracks for the reception, my fiance and I compiled a list of songs (Artist/Song Title) from a variety of genres and kept our guests in mind for the dancing portion, so we did our research using iTunes and Beatport.com.

Two weeks before the wedding, I submitted my playlist online and called him to make sure all was well. He said that I was the first bride to submit an entire playlist for a wedding and that I had to remove several tracks and limit it to 30, which I did and apologized for sending too many if that was the case. (My fiance and I are really into music, so much that he's a DJ and I use to have my own college radio show.) Anyhow, I promptly edited my list and let Ubi know. When we spoke again, I said it must be a good thing that I had given him a specific playlist but then he said "it's good for you, but not for us because it's more work." I thought to myself, but that's why I'm paying you for this! So I told him that for every song that I listed, I found it on iTunes or Beatport.com and it would be easy to locate. He seemed to take offense and said that he and his Djs don't use iPods for Djing and I was like ok, just letting you know WHERE you can find the songs. Ubi said he would be able to get the requested tracks and that it wouldn't be a problem.

Wedding Day Music Review: Ubi was not my DJ, rather it was Luis. I was not informed until I contacted my DOC. When I arrived at the reception, Luis was elegantly dressed in a tux and greeted us as a true professional. He briefly spoke w/ my husband about song selections and had the cocktail hour music (lounge/ambient) playing inside (songs that we had selected).

Dinner music (Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, etc.) was played just as requested and guests were enjoying the vibe.

Luis mentioned how some of the first dance songs were too long and if we didn't mind him editing them, so we were really happy he asked us and we said sure. When it came time for the bridal party entrance songs and first dances, Luis' MC skills were impressive and very professional, not too loud/obnoxious.

When it came time for the dancing portion of the night, Luis started off with the songs I listed but then started to play songs that wasn't on our list and I wasn't going to let it bother me, but I noticed that it was clearing the dancefloor. Since a few people were dancing, I didn't say anything to him and just made my rounds and greeted my guests with my husband. Luckily, 30 minutes later or so it was time for the fun part of the night: bouquet toss, garter removal, cake cutting, etc. So those requested songs were played and got the crowd roaring.

But, just like Luis did earlier he played other songs that were not on the list and slowly my guests started to leave. I'm not completely blaming Luis for emptying the dancefloor because it was getting late and some guests had to go, but I was disappointed that it wasn't more of a party atmosphere in which Ubi is supposedly known for maintaining at weddings.

At one point one family member said, "your DJ is playing too much of the same thing, do you mind if I tell him to change it up and play some Spanish songs," and I quickly said, "yeah, go for it!" So as requested, Luis played the Spanish dancing songs that were on our list and people started to get up and dance and get into the party vibe, but there weren't as many people at the reception by this time.

Wedding Day Uplighting Review: As soon as I entered the reception room, I was floored by how awesome the place looked with the requested blue uplighting.

Overall Grade: B (DJ), A (Uplighting)


DOC: Letty Gobel, LMG Events
While doubtful of giving a complete stranger access to my contracts and such, I used a variety of vendors and felt the need to hire a day-of-coordinator (DOC).

I went with recommendations from The Knot's SoFla board and met w/ Letty. My fiance and I immediately liked her and felt she was perfect for the job, so far she has definitely gone above and beyond.
She even looked for a sugar-free groom's cake and printed my menus (they were slightly problematic).
We met about 3 times and I gave her the personal items for display at the reception. By hiring her, I felt more relaxed and calm days prior to my wedding day.

Wedding Day Review: Letty and I went back and forth via text messages and she came by my house as I was getting ready to wish me luck. She stayed at Doral Park to receive all the vendor products/services and coordinated the logistics. She worked with her assistant and both did a lovely job in keeping my fiance and I on track with the timeline of events, receiving the gifts, and staying after the night was over to collect my belongings. Everything was exactly as I requested it to be placed. She also helped me get my dress bustled. If there were any real problems that night, I never heard about and truly enjoyed the night. This is a service that I felt was a true investment.

I asked her to help me find a vendor for bouquet preservation and the next day she immediately contacted me about it, in the end I didn't do it and she took it to my sister. She also took my cake stand back to Edda's while I went on my honeymoon.
Overall Grade: A+


Transportation: Padrino's Limousine Service, 2 white limos.
The location is east of the airport and in a warehouse district. There's a variety of vehicles in their fleet. If you want a classic car, they have them but not as many as Meilan. Since I'm not getting a vintage vehicle, it was not an issue and my fiance and I selected an SUV and limo. The prices include tip and the invoice was immediately emailed to me. More to come after the wedding and actual service.

(I went to Meilan first but when I arrived and even called in advance we looked at the beautiful vehicles at the garage and waited for someone to come and meet us as I told the lady that we were there and she pretty much ordered me to go through the office. I found it a bit confusing as to where to locate the office. When my fiance and I got inside the lady was busy on the phone and took about 5 minutes. When she opened the schedule, very old school notebook, she said that she had booked the last limo the day before and asked if we wanted a Rolls Royce, which was not in my budget so we proceeded to the next vendor.)


Wedding Day Review: The drivers for both cars called about 40 minutes before the arrival time to confirm addresses and arrived 10 minutes later. Both gentelmen were dressed in suits and assisted us. The drive was smooth and we also arrived to the church early and this gave me the chance to soak in the day and enjoy the fun I was having with my bridal party and take pics on my digital camera. I also got to see all my guests enter the church without them seeing me, so it was a really great experience.

After the ceremony, the driver waited for my husband and I to take our photos w/ the photographer and drove us to the reception. On the way, he drove at a comfortable speed that gave my husband and I to talk about getting ready and ceremony.
Overall Grade: A+


Make-up: George
An old friend recommended George who use to work for MAC and is now self-employed and tag-teams w/ Gus. I had my first and only trial w/ him at his apartment, he is great for conversation and makes the time fly. I went w/ fake lashes and gave him a few pictures of what I was looking for. I don't usually wear a lot of makeup so I felt that it was too heavy and some of the eye shadow was too pink for my liking. He said that w/ all the photography and wear that the color wasn't too much and would be fine. I took a digital picture and he was completely right about it. I did request to change the lipgloss color to something more natural and coral as my eyes were dramatic w/ pinks and gold and eyeliner. I don't have pics of the trial as my MacBook's hard drive died a few weeks ago and I LOST my wedding files and stuff :(


Wedding Day Review: George arrived to my house 5 minutes before scheduled (I was still at the salon w/ Gus!) and started to work on my family members. He was very professional and asked where he could set up and worked on over 6 people in my living room. He actually worked in the dark because the lighting was too yellow for him, but it seemed to have worked for him!
He asked me how I wanted my sister's makeup and I showed him a picture and did a fantastic job.
When it was my turn he dicussed the colors we used at the trial and I told him how I wanted to change the long fake eyelashes to something shorter (I spoke with him a few days before so he could bring them) and showed him another picture, so he proceeded to work on me (it took about 45 minutes but felt like 10). Everyone was really impressed and it was the best I've ever looked! He is very focused on his work and is more of an artist than a "makeup guy" he knows his colors and does wonders.
He offerred to help me put on my dress and veil and it was fun! Never did I imagine my makeup artist to be the one dressing me on my wedding day!
Overall Grade: A+


Hair: Gus @ D&L Hair Studio
I also had my hair done w/ Gus who's roomate is George and the trial hair was too high for my liking and felt too messy for the amount of money that I paid. Gus said that because it was only a trial he would make it look more polished on my wedding day. I will be going to the salon he works at, which happens to be owned by "Dee" the winner of Bravo's Sheer Genius and it's a fantastic place w/ a great vibe. The only drawback to the salon is that it's in Sunset and you have to pay for parking and when it comes to tipping you have to bring spare cash or pay w/ your debit card and request cash back, and it's a pricey place.

Wedding Day Review: I went to the salon and showed Gus the Emily Blunt picture of how I wanted my hair for the wedding. He promptly started to blowry my curly hair and chat away. The salon was surprisingly slow that day, which was to my advantage, and his co-workers offered to help him so I basically had a glam squad working on my hair. Gus used a curling iron and bobby pins to achieve the hair-do and loads of hairspray. I was at the salon for a full hour, but had a blast. I also brought my hair jewelry (see pics above) and he placed them on the right, back side of my hair and it looked quite lovely.

When I got home and bent over t o get something on the floor, one of my hair jewels was loose and a bobby pin fell out. I had George help me with this but it was stubborn and kept on falling most of the night so in some pictures I have a loose curl at the back of my head.
Overall Grade: A

Linens and Table Number Holders: Leyani Linens
I'm paying $20 f/ each table linen (10) plus a delivery and pickup fee.
At a bridal show I saw the linen and absolutely wanted those for my wedding and as my fiance and I are going w/ a fleur-de-lis motif we are getting table number holders in gold as well. When I called to borrow a sample of my selected linen for a table mock-up at the venue, the ladies at Leyani could not find the linen in the warehouse. I waited over 15 minutes with the cleaning staff and they told me that the linen wasn't even in stock. I was then given the one linen they had with the samples and nervous about them having the 10 linens

Wedding Day Review: All the correct linens were on the tables as ordered as well as the table numbre holders.
Overall Grade: A-

Glassware: A Party 4 Less, I had to order your basic water goblet and fluted champagne glasses as my venue has these hideous glasses that look like they're from the dollar store--no joke! I received a prompt email with the quote for the glasses and everything went smoothly.

Wedding Day Review: As far as I know, all the glasses ordered arrived and all the tables looked great!
Overall Grade: A

Chiavari Chairs: Hitched Events,
Fantastic deal @ $4 p/ chair compared to my venue $7 p/chair + 20% service fee
Luis is very quick with emails/calls/text messages. He called the week of the wedding to follow-up and then contacted my DOC for the logisitics.

Wedding Day Review: 100 Chairs were ordered and they sent 4 extra and made the room look elegant. At the end of the night (1:30 a.m.) his staff was waiting outside with the truck for pickup as my venue requested.
Overall Grade: A

Invitations: Encore (purchased online from An Occasion to Celebrate stationary store based in California)
Overall Grade: A

Guestbook: DIY from Blurb
The software is slightly complicated and the book was smaller than expected. Paper quality is nicer than Shutterfly's albums.
Overall Grade: B

Paper Menu: Paper & More (website)
A+ speedy delivery, ordered and received items in 2-3 days f/ reg. ground shipping, fantastic paper quality on champagne metallic card stock 5x7 (100 sheets) this will not work with regular laser printers and is more of a backing!
Overall Grade: B

Paper Ceremony Program: Paper & More (website) see above but champagne regular paper 8 1/2 x 11 (100 sheets)
I ended up using this paper as well for the menus (THANKS Letty!)
Overall Grade: A