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!
Showing posts with label Ana Paz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ana Paz. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Ceventa's Reviews 01.27.08
Grand Bay Miami- A
We were really happy that we found this venue because it gave us the feeling we were looking for at a wonderful price. The catering manager, Noelia Trana, was a pleasure to work with. The food was excellent and the service was great. The only complaint I heard from guests was that the bar service was slow. The outside ceremony area didn't have a sound system, so we did have to bring that on our own. However, everything turned out great.
Cynthia Seaman from Lasso the Moon- A+
Cynthia was my planner from day one. I was so happy to have her there with me while I was planning. She always found away to make my vision come true and make it even better than I could have imagined it. I appreciated that she handled my vendors, this took a lot of stress away. Day of, everything was ontime and organized. She is one if the sweetest and most talented people I know. She was my absolute favorite vendor because she made everything fun and her vision for the wedding was impeccable. Our linens and lighting were provided through her company, everything came out beautiful! Contact: 305-668-9699
Cindy Karp Photography- A-
This is an interesting case for me mainly because I have so many mixed emotions. Our pictures came out beautiful and we had some amazing shots. I really loved how sweet Cindy was and how she took an interest in us as a couple. I fell in love with the photojournalism style and was so happy to have her on board. Her package was great, mainly the unlimited time. She was with us on the wedding day for 13 hours! As well as the day before for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. My mixed feelings come from the fact that there were shots that I wish I had, like us leaving during the sparkler send off. Some pictures came out a little dark. Day of, I noticed her getting flustered and sometimes she would tell me how she couldn't get the shot and why. Honestly, day of, I did not need the added stress of my photographer telling me the shots we didn't get. Some of the moving shots came out blurry, which was a little disappointing. However, I guess you can't have it all, the shots that we did get were amazing. This is the reason why I give her an A-, because the pictures were beautiful, I just wish we had gotten some key ones that were missed. Contact: http://www.cindykarpphoto.com/
Dreammaker Video- A-
We received our video on time, 12 weeks after the wedding. At first we weren't going to have video because we didn't think it would fit in our budget, however when we found this company, we were so happy that they were able to create a package that fit exactly what we wanted. In the end, I was so happy that we did choose to have a wedding video, it captured moments that photos could not. Our cameraman was very nice, he arrived on time (2 hours before the ceremony) and stayed until the very end. We didn't notice him the entire night. I wish he would have moved around more during the ceremony, instead he parked himself in one spot, I understand we only had one camerman and that tends to happen, however, I would have really like to have seen some more angles. The video turned out great, they used the music we asked for and they captured some great moments during the wedding. Contact: http://www.dreammakervideo.com/
Flowers: Parrish Designs- A+
Parrish Designs was one of my favorite vendors to work with. In the beginning, florals and decor intimidated me because I did not know where to begin. However, they were so creative and fun to work with that it made designing the wedding a blast. The flowers were absolutely beautiful, they went above and beyond my expectations. I think I had, by far, some of the most interesting centerpieces out there and I loved them. What I most appreciated was when my florist called me the day before to see how I was doing with all the wedding stress and to tell me that he had my favorite flowers available for the wedding, burgundy peonies! I loved the energy of Parrish and their attention to detail. Contact: http://www.parrishdesignslondon.com/
Cake: Ana Paz - A-
Ana Paz is a famous cake vendor here in South Florida, so I was really excited to find that they were included in our wedding package. My only peeve was the fact that during the tasting, the service was not good, I felt rushed and the lady seemed very distracted. However, they did replicate the design of the cake perfectly. Day of, the cake looked absolutely beautiful! It tasted wonderful. They did a great job and I would recommend them...just have a little patience during your tasting! Contact: http://www.anapazcakes.com/
Tiffany & Co. -A+
Tiffany's was our jeweler from the very beginning when my husband bought my engagement ring there. It was the ring I had fallen in love with from the beginning, and perfect princess cut solitaire. From then one, we decided to get both of our wedding bands there. Their service was amazing and the selection was beautiful. As a gift, my parents also gave me my wedding jewlery from Tiffany's. I still wear my pearl earings and bracelet, they are my favorite peices. Contact: http://www.tiffanys.com/
Ceremony Cellist: Robert Moore-A+
We found Robert Moore through the local music school where he is one of the instuctors. He used to play with the Miami Philharmonic and started teaching and playing freelance. He was a pleasure to work with, truly talented, he offered me a huge variety of music to choose from. Along with his cello, he had an amazing background system of music to play along with, which made it sound like we had an orchestra playing during the ceremony. Contact: http://www.musictechstudios.com/
Cocktail Hour: Jazz Trio- A+
Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the trio or their contact information. They were hired by my father as a gift to us. They were fantastic during the cocktail hour, full of energy, and lots of fun. They made the cocktail hour hip and classy, our New Orleans relatives really loved it.
Havanna Soul - A+
They were awesome! Along with the band, we hired their DJ who had everyone up and dancing between sets. He did a great job and used all the music we requested. The band was phenomenal, they really got the guests dancing. Best part, they had that authentic Cuban feel that we were going for right down to their guayaberas. They were one of my favorite vendors to work with, I highly recommend them. Contact: www.gigmasters.com/cubanmusic/HavanaSoul/
Victoria's Bridal Couture - A+
I loved this bridal shop. They were so much fun to shop with! Being that I work in the area, I was able to make on weekday when they aren't busy and able to enjoy having the store to myself. They did a great job with my dress, the seamstress Sheila was amazing. All of my BMs and my mom bought their dresses there. The service was great, I highly recommend them. Contact: http://www.victoriasbridalcouture.com/
Hair and Makeup: Tatjana Tezeric - A
Tatjana was fantastic! She made us all look beautiful, I was so happy to have her as our makeup artist. This was my first experience with airbrush and I loved it. I appreciated how professional she was and how she knew her stuff. Her hair personal was Amelia, she did a great job with everyone's hair, it turned out exactly the way we wanted it to look. She is a little on the pricey side, which is why she got an A, however, I thought she was awesome and would highly recommend her...totally worth it! Contact: http://www.makeupbytatjana.com/
Wedding Paper Divas - A
We ordered our invitations from them and were so happy with the result. The invites were different and matched the style of our wedding perfectly, in fact, we carried the logo throughout the wedding. The prices were fantastic and they arrived quickly. I loved all the options they offered, however I wished they offered other paper items that matched the invites like programs, escort cards, etc. I think they offer it now though, just wish they had it then. Contact: http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/
Kate Spade- A+
A small vendor review, but an important one. My shoes were a wedding gift to me. Kate Spade was so much fun to shop in, if you can, make a trip. I loved the little personalized note that they sent! Contact: http://www.katespade.com/
Mens Warehouse- A
They did a great job with the tuxes, our orders came in on time and were what we requested. A couple of sizes came in wrong, however the were able to order new ones and have them on time for the wedding. We chose them because of all their locations which was very important since all of our groomsmen were in different parts of the country. Contact: http://www.menswarehouse.com/
Favors: Schakolad Chocolate Factory
We ordered our favors from this chocolate shop, chocolate covered cherries in white and dark chocolate. They were amazing, in fact, they were eaten before the entree arrived! I highly recommend them, they were a pleasure to work with. Contact: http://www.schakolad.com/
Shutterfly - A
We made our photo guestbook from Shutterfly. It was a big hit, I loved how it turned out. Contact: http://www.shutterfly.com/
The Knot - A+
Oh, what in the world would I have done without The Knot? This brought wedding planning to a whole new level. Fantastic references and ideas, most of all, I loved my local board and all of the great fun and support they gave...shout out to all my girls! I also ordered from The Knot Shop, their items were great, they just take a long time to get to you. The Knot was such an essential to me while planning...I big puffy heart The Knot! Contact: http://www.theknot.com/
Bridal Party Tees - A
I ordered the bridesmaid tanks and Ts from this company. I loved how I could personalize every shirt. The items were great and I received them quickly. Contact: www.bridalpartytees.com
We were really happy that we found this venue because it gave us the feeling we were looking for at a wonderful price. The catering manager, Noelia Trana, was a pleasure to work with. The food was excellent and the service was great. The only complaint I heard from guests was that the bar service was slow. The outside ceremony area didn't have a sound system, so we did have to bring that on our own. However, everything turned out great.
Cynthia Seaman from Lasso the Moon- A+
Cynthia was my planner from day one. I was so happy to have her there with me while I was planning. She always found away to make my vision come true and make it even better than I could have imagined it. I appreciated that she handled my vendors, this took a lot of stress away. Day of, everything was ontime and organized. She is one if the sweetest and most talented people I know. She was my absolute favorite vendor because she made everything fun and her vision for the wedding was impeccable. Our linens and lighting were provided through her company, everything came out beautiful! Contact: 305-668-9699
Cindy Karp Photography- A-
This is an interesting case for me mainly because I have so many mixed emotions. Our pictures came out beautiful and we had some amazing shots. I really loved how sweet Cindy was and how she took an interest in us as a couple. I fell in love with the photojournalism style and was so happy to have her on board. Her package was great, mainly the unlimited time. She was with us on the wedding day for 13 hours! As well as the day before for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. My mixed feelings come from the fact that there were shots that I wish I had, like us leaving during the sparkler send off. Some pictures came out a little dark. Day of, I noticed her getting flustered and sometimes she would tell me how she couldn't get the shot and why. Honestly, day of, I did not need the added stress of my photographer telling me the shots we didn't get. Some of the moving shots came out blurry, which was a little disappointing. However, I guess you can't have it all, the shots that we did get were amazing. This is the reason why I give her an A-, because the pictures were beautiful, I just wish we had gotten some key ones that were missed. Contact: http://www.cindykarpphoto.com/
Dreammaker Video- A-
We received our video on time, 12 weeks after the wedding. At first we weren't going to have video because we didn't think it would fit in our budget, however when we found this company, we were so happy that they were able to create a package that fit exactly what we wanted. In the end, I was so happy that we did choose to have a wedding video, it captured moments that photos could not. Our cameraman was very nice, he arrived on time (2 hours before the ceremony) and stayed until the very end. We didn't notice him the entire night. I wish he would have moved around more during the ceremony, instead he parked himself in one spot, I understand we only had one camerman and that tends to happen, however, I would have really like to have seen some more angles. The video turned out great, they used the music we asked for and they captured some great moments during the wedding. Contact: http://www.dreammakervideo.com/
Flowers: Parrish Designs- A+
Parrish Designs was one of my favorite vendors to work with. In the beginning, florals and decor intimidated me because I did not know where to begin. However, they were so creative and fun to work with that it made designing the wedding a blast. The flowers were absolutely beautiful, they went above and beyond my expectations. I think I had, by far, some of the most interesting centerpieces out there and I loved them. What I most appreciated was when my florist called me the day before to see how I was doing with all the wedding stress and to tell me that he had my favorite flowers available for the wedding, burgundy peonies! I loved the energy of Parrish and their attention to detail. Contact: http://www.parrishdesignslondon.com/
Cake: Ana Paz - A-
Ana Paz is a famous cake vendor here in South Florida, so I was really excited to find that they were included in our wedding package. My only peeve was the fact that during the tasting, the service was not good, I felt rushed and the lady seemed very distracted. However, they did replicate the design of the cake perfectly. Day of, the cake looked absolutely beautiful! It tasted wonderful. They did a great job and I would recommend them...just have a little patience during your tasting! Contact: http://www.anapazcakes.com/
Tiffany & Co. -A+
Tiffany's was our jeweler from the very beginning when my husband bought my engagement ring there. It was the ring I had fallen in love with from the beginning, and perfect princess cut solitaire. From then one, we decided to get both of our wedding bands there. Their service was amazing and the selection was beautiful. As a gift, my parents also gave me my wedding jewlery from Tiffany's. I still wear my pearl earings and bracelet, they are my favorite peices. Contact: http://www.tiffanys.com/
Ceremony Cellist: Robert Moore-A+
We found Robert Moore through the local music school where he is one of the instuctors. He used to play with the Miami Philharmonic and started teaching and playing freelance. He was a pleasure to work with, truly talented, he offered me a huge variety of music to choose from. Along with his cello, he had an amazing background system of music to play along with, which made it sound like we had an orchestra playing during the ceremony. Contact: http://www.musictechstudios.com/
Cocktail Hour: Jazz Trio- A+
Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the trio or their contact information. They were hired by my father as a gift to us. They were fantastic during the cocktail hour, full of energy, and lots of fun. They made the cocktail hour hip and classy, our New Orleans relatives really loved it.
Havanna Soul - A+
They were awesome! Along with the band, we hired their DJ who had everyone up and dancing between sets. He did a great job and used all the music we requested. The band was phenomenal, they really got the guests dancing. Best part, they had that authentic Cuban feel that we were going for right down to their guayaberas. They were one of my favorite vendors to work with, I highly recommend them. Contact: www.gigmasters.com/cubanmusic/HavanaSoul/
Victoria's Bridal Couture - A+
I loved this bridal shop. They were so much fun to shop with! Being that I work in the area, I was able to make on weekday when they aren't busy and able to enjoy having the store to myself. They did a great job with my dress, the seamstress Sheila was amazing. All of my BMs and my mom bought their dresses there. The service was great, I highly recommend them. Contact: http://www.victoriasbridalcouture.com/
Hair and Makeup: Tatjana Tezeric - A
Tatjana was fantastic! She made us all look beautiful, I was so happy to have her as our makeup artist. This was my first experience with airbrush and I loved it. I appreciated how professional she was and how she knew her stuff. Her hair personal was Amelia, she did a great job with everyone's hair, it turned out exactly the way we wanted it to look. She is a little on the pricey side, which is why she got an A, however, I thought she was awesome and would highly recommend her...totally worth it! Contact: http://www.makeupbytatjana.com/
Wedding Paper Divas - A
We ordered our invitations from them and were so happy with the result. The invites were different and matched the style of our wedding perfectly, in fact, we carried the logo throughout the wedding. The prices were fantastic and they arrived quickly. I loved all the options they offered, however I wished they offered other paper items that matched the invites like programs, escort cards, etc. I think they offer it now though, just wish they had it then. Contact: http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/
Kate Spade- A+
A small vendor review, but an important one. My shoes were a wedding gift to me. Kate Spade was so much fun to shop in, if you can, make a trip. I loved the little personalized note that they sent! Contact: http://www.katespade.com/
Mens Warehouse- A
They did a great job with the tuxes, our orders came in on time and were what we requested. A couple of sizes came in wrong, however the were able to order new ones and have them on time for the wedding. We chose them because of all their locations which was very important since all of our groomsmen were in different parts of the country. Contact: http://www.menswarehouse.com/
Favors: Schakolad Chocolate Factory
We ordered our favors from this chocolate shop, chocolate covered cherries in white and dark chocolate. They were amazing, in fact, they were eaten before the entree arrived! I highly recommend them, they were a pleasure to work with. Contact: http://www.schakolad.com/
Shutterfly - A
We made our photo guestbook from Shutterfly. It was a big hit, I loved how it turned out. Contact: http://www.shutterfly.com/
The Knot - A+
Oh, what in the world would I have done without The Knot? This brought wedding planning to a whole new level. Fantastic references and ideas, most of all, I loved my local board and all of the great fun and support they gave...shout out to all my girls! I also ordered from The Knot Shop, their items were great, they just take a long time to get to you. The Knot was such an essential to me while planning...I big puffy heart The Knot! Contact: http://www.theknot.com/
Bridal Party Tees - A
I ordered the bridesmaid tanks and Ts from this company. I loved how I could personalize every shirt. The items were great and I received them quickly. Contact: www.bridalpartytees.com
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Melissainabq's Reviews 6.21.08
Ceremony and reception location: The Rusty Pelican
Planning review: A
I have been working with Betty, and she's been an absolute pleasure. She has been very accommodating and helpful, which has been a blessing since I'm not local and need all the help I can get.
Final review: A
The Rusty Pelican really came through for us. I cannot imagine a better, more perfect location. They were handing us water when we needed it, filling our glasses when we were thirsty and made sure that our every need was taken care of. There were a few hiccups along the way, which I think is expected with any big event. But when I turned the corner and saw the room all decorated, it truly took my breath away. Anyone who is wanting a smaller wedding (like 100 people or less) without spending the money for the upper ballrooms, I have no qualms about recommending the lower lounge. At no point did we feel like we were in a public portion of the restaurant. We both had people coming up to us and telling us how much they loved the food and were impressed with the venue. I especially recommend the chicken with spinach and pine nuts with the sundried tomato sauce – it was soooo yummy.
String Trio: Music for Anything
Planning review: A
Victoria has been great. This is one of the vendors I'm most excited about because I know they will add so much to our wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour.
Final review: A
They made the ceremony so beautiful. The music was perfect, and they were easy to deal with during the planning process. Guests from another wedding taking place at the Rusty Pelican even booked them on the spot to play for a bit.
DJ: DJ Ubi
Planning review: A
I really enjoyed my meeting with Ubi, and I look forward to working with him throughout the planning process as the wedding gets closer.
Final Review: A
This is going to sound awful, but I do not even know that I ever got the name of the DJ that worked our reception. He screwed up a few names during the introduction of the wedding party, but the music was great and he was easy to work with on the fly. I highly recommend Ubi and his company.
Photography: Melissa Powell Photography
Planning review: A+
I have really enjoyed my dealings with Melissa. She has a beautiful style, and her booking process was a breeze. She does everything online (which for a bride halfway across the country is a huge help), and she always responds to emails very promptly - sometimes within minutes. I look forward to working with her and seeing her images of our wedding. I know she is going to bring so much to our day.
Final review: A+ and more
The images we've seen so far say it all. Her work is breathtaking, and we have a hard time looking at them and not crying (well at least I do). We also look at them and almost can't believe that it's us and it's our wedding.
DOC: Leah Beth Events
Planning review: A+
Leah has been amazing. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty for a DOC by helping this out-of-town bride with a bunch of stuff, including info on a marriage license and scouting out florists, hairstylists etc. Even though we've only talked by phone and email, I've been amazed with her attention to detail and her help with things I hadn't even thought of. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs coordination assistance. I know she is going to make our wedding run smoother than I ever could have imagined.
Final review: How many + can you add to an A?
I do not even know where to begin to describe how blessed we were to have Leah handling our wedding. She went far beyond the role of a day of coordinator, which because I was so far away was a huge help. She was calm and patient with my crazy family and many people came up to me and told me how impressed they were with her work. She kept everything running very smoothly and made sure that we were always attended to. I have absolutely no doubt that our wedding would not have been the party it was without her. I was able to just relax and celebrate instead of focusing on what time the cake cutting was being done or when the first dance would happen.
Chair covers/linens: AB Cover Design
Planning review: C
This vendor has been difficult to work with. I requested swatches of the chair sashes, which took almost six weeks to arrive because they never managed to get them in the mail. Ana has been better to work with than the original person I contacted, but to be totally honest - if they weren't part of my package at TRP, I'd have found another vendor by now.
Final review: B-
The final product was beautiful. We only ended up getting chair sashes and covers from them. We just didn't have money in our budget for extra linens, and in the end we're glad we didn't. Everything was beautiful as it was and we didn't need to spend any money on extra stuff. The only reason I upgraded her rating is because the final result was beautiful. I still don't feel like they were too easy to deal with.
Hair: Angelica Fernandez
Review: A
Angleica was great. The trial went really well, and she did a superb job with everyone the day of. She was very patient with my really disorganized, overly stressed family, and she even jumped in and finished my makeup since we didn't hire someone. Her prices were very reasonable and she was worth the money and more.
Cake: Edible Creations
Planning review: A+
Ana Paz: F
Cakes by Edda: C
At first, the Rusty Pelican gave me two choices for cakes: Ana Paz and Cakes by Edda. Recently I found out they had added Edible Creations in Pembroke Pines to their package. In an effort to be helpful to others struggling to make a decsion, I have reviewed all 3 vendors here.
Ana Paz was exceptionally rude to me on the phone and completely unhelpful and wouldn't listen to me when I told them I was not local and had limited windows for a tasting.
Cakes by Edda: While the staff was extremely helpful on the phone when I was trying to fit a tasting into an already busy wedding weekend, the cake left a lot to be desired. I did my tasting at the Pembroke Pines location as they were the closest to my family's house. While the cakes were beautiful, they didn't have the rich flavor I prefer. I found the chocolate to be rather dense and tasteless, while the vanilla rum (their signature flavor) was overly rum-tasting.
Edible Creations (954-433-3445): Wow - that is the only word that comes to mind. From my first conversation with Lily, she has been a pleasure to work with. My mom did the tasting for me since I wasn't in town, and she seconded my great feelings about Lily. She said that Lily sat with her and explained everything - down to the thickness of each layer. She also said the cake was incredibly flavorful and that she that in her eyes, choosing Lily was a "no brainer."
Just for reference, I thought I'd include one more review here. While sending my mom on a whirlwind three-tastings-in-one-day adventure, she also visited Elegant Temptations in Hialeah Gardens. Rosie was a joy to deal with by phone and email, and my mom said the chocolate cake with chocolate chip cheesecake filling and the banana cake were just amazing. Her work is beautiful, and the main reason we went with Edible Creations was that they are part of the package and that Rosie's cakes were a little beyond our budget. However, I have no problems recommending her to others because of the taste and outstanding customer service both me and my mom experienced.
Final review for Edible Creations - Speechless
I didn't do the tasting. I never met Lily, and she is one of my new favorite people. She came through with flying colors. The cake looked amazing and tasted amazing too. In fact, it was so beautiful that it stopped me in my tracks when walking to the ceremony. I shouted "look at the cake" without realizing everyone was looking in the windows waiting for me to walk down the aisle. My coordinator was sitting there waving "come on" at me and I was just mesmorized by the cake.
Flowers: Flowers by Gerardo
Planning review: A+
Gerardo has been great to work with so far, and he is working with our very small floral budget. I look forward to seeing the final product.
Final review: A+
This is another vendor I never got to meet and someone I'd love to give a big hug. The flowers were simply gorgeous. When they were delivered, the room literally fell silent. All the girls just stood there staring at them in amazement. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful result. He quote me based on a picture and stuck with the design and the quote. I highly recommend them.
David’s Bridal – Miracle Mile
Review – F
This location truly was awful to deal with from start to finish. We took my dress there a week before the wedding for a light steaming. It was supposed to be free but they charged my dad. Then on the day before the wedding, when I called to confirm my pickup appointment, they could not find the dress. The woman even said “don’t worry – we’ll just get you another one.” When I told her the wedding was the next day, she said “ooh – maybe not.” I gave them my name and my father’s name, and they never bothered to look under his. So for 45 minutes they kept me in a total panic (we were on our way to the rehearsal so this is what I was stressing over as we got ready). When they found it, they had not even started steaming it. A few hours later, when I went to pick it up, they did not even acknowledge what had happened earlier. Plus, it was storming like I had never seen, and the water in front of the store came up to just below my knees. I had to run into the store barefoot, and that was all they could focus on. I asked if they had a back door with better drainage since we had to go and were going to have to run through the rain in the dress, and they very begrudgingly said yes. They led me back there, and no one even bothered to help me carry the dress through the store. They glared at me and talked about me in Spanish (and I understood the nasty things they were saying) while I waited for my mom to drive around to the back of the store. There was not one friendly person there, and if that was the experience I’d had when looking for a dress, I would never have purchased from David’s.
David’s Bridal – Albuquerque, NM
Review – C
I have very mixed feelings about this store. I had a few bumps with their staff, but I loved my dress. I also had a few glitches with the alterations, but I was happy with the final outcome. They shipped my dress perfectly and it actually didn’t require much touch-up steaming.
Tuxedos: Mr. Tux in Albuquerque
Planning review: A
These guys have been great. We had visited the Men's Wearhouse on the west side, and walked out almost immediately because they were so rude and because we didn't want to pick our tuxes from a book. Mr. Tux (Eubank Blvd Location) is giving us a great deal and we can take the tuxes with us to Florida. They aren't even charging us extra for the extended rentals. I feel so much better knowing that we will be able to closely check the tuxes before we leave and that they can make any last-minute changes if necessary.
Final review: B-
The servie we got during our planning definitely was not what we got during pickup. Shirts were dirty. Stuff didn't fit. And we didn't notice until we got to Florida that they gave us a long tie instead of a bow tie for our ring bearer. The guys looked great, though, so in the end I wasn't too disappointed.
Invitations: Elva Marie's Fine Papers
Final review: A+ and more
I struggled choosing invitations. I must have ordered 20 samples from various catalogs, but none of the samples looked like "my" invite. Then I stumbled across a brochure from Elva that I had picked up a while ago at a bridal show and shoved away when I made the decision to have my wedding in Florida instead of New Mexico. I am so thankful I found that brochure because Elva is bring my thoughts to life. She brought a designed sample to our first meeting after I sent her some ideas. And she has been so patient with my many changes. I am really excited to see my final product. Plus I'm getting custom-designed invites with an RSVP card and additional insert, plus printed envelopes for about $3 per invite. Yay!
3/28 update: I picked up my invites today and I'm so happy. I just wish we had more to do because working with Elva has been a true delight.
Bridesmaids' Jewlery: Etsy.com seller Handmade by Diana
Final review: A+
Diana was very easy to work with during the ordering process. Her store had pictures of the necklace on a jewelry form, and I had trouble determining how they'd look on a person. I asked for pictures, and she sent them within 24 hours. Seeing them on a person (she took a pic of herself wearing it) sealed the deal, and I'm excited to see how they turn out.
Card Box, Photo Guest Book and Cake Topper: Etsy.com seller SheaChicDesigns
Final review: A+ and more
Amanda has been simply amazing to work with. We have easily exchanged 100+ emails over the last 8 weeks and I can not rave about her enough. The cake topper isn't done just yet, but I can't wait to see it. If it's even half as gorgeous as the card box and guest book, we'll be thrilled to no end. I highly suggest her for any projects you just don't have the time or energy to DIY.
Update: I didn't see most of the pieces until I walked into the reception, and Amanda really came through. Everything was just beautiful and worth the time and investment.
Garter: Etsy.com seller GartersbyKristi
Final review: B+
They aren't quite the color I had in mind (a little more turquoise than I pictured) but the work is nice and the shipping was very fast.
Ring Pillow: Etsy.com seller regianna
Final review: A
I haven't seen the pillow yet because like many other things, it was shipped directly to the wedding destination. However, her responses were always very quick and it arrived in under a week. I have a feeling it'll be more gorgeous in person than it is in pictures.
Update: The pillow was gorgeous and just what I wanted.
Candles: http://www.candlesjustonline.com
Review: A
Fast shipping. Good prices. And they looked great!
Group accommodations: Marriott Residence Inn, Coconut Grove
Planning review: C+
These people have been horrible to deal with. They act as though they are doing you a favor by hosting your group. I know for a fact that they are very empty during my timeframe (because a friend works for Marriott and looked up their occupancy for my wedding weekend), yet I can not get them to do anything - like return messages or emails. If the hotel wasn't so convenient to my wedding I'd find another one. As such, I'm just stuck for now. But I will be following up with Marriott when the wedding is done.
Final Review - B
As I said above, I had a pretty miserable experience with them in the months leading up to the wedding. But all of the people I dealt with had been fired by the time our wedding rolled around. My biggest complaint about our stay was that they had a list with all our group room names, and they still put us all at opposite ends of the hotel. Plus, my contract specified that we had half-price parking and no one there had any of the info. So I still have to follow up with them in order to get the extra money refunded to all of my guests. But the location of the hotel, the breakfast and the manager’s reception all were really nicely done and overall it was a good value for the money.
Bridal/wedding night hotel: Sonesta at Coconut Grove
Final review: A
The one bedroom suite with the bay view was gorgeous. The servie was also fantastic. No complaints! Plus the suite had a jacuzzi tub, which I didn't know about until I arrived.
Travel: Carnival Cruise Lines, Kenneth Hagen
1-800-819-3902, 85904
Review to-date: A+
Kenneth has been so wonderful to work with. He has been very friendly and never seems upset when I send him 20 questions in any given email. He called to let us know they were having a double upgrade sale, and no one has been able to meet or beat that price since we put our deposit down back in November. I highly recommend using Kenneth if you're considering Carnival. If you do talk with him, let him know Melissa sent you.
Planning review: A
I have been working with Betty, and she's been an absolute pleasure. She has been very accommodating and helpful, which has been a blessing since I'm not local and need all the help I can get.
Final review: A
The Rusty Pelican really came through for us. I cannot imagine a better, more perfect location. They were handing us water when we needed it, filling our glasses when we were thirsty and made sure that our every need was taken care of. There were a few hiccups along the way, which I think is expected with any big event. But when I turned the corner and saw the room all decorated, it truly took my breath away. Anyone who is wanting a smaller wedding (like 100 people or less) without spending the money for the upper ballrooms, I have no qualms about recommending the lower lounge. At no point did we feel like we were in a public portion of the restaurant. We both had people coming up to us and telling us how much they loved the food and were impressed with the venue. I especially recommend the chicken with spinach and pine nuts with the sundried tomato sauce – it was soooo yummy.
String Trio: Music for Anything
Planning review: A
Victoria has been great. This is one of the vendors I'm most excited about because I know they will add so much to our wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour.
Final review: A
They made the ceremony so beautiful. The music was perfect, and they were easy to deal with during the planning process. Guests from another wedding taking place at the Rusty Pelican even booked them on the spot to play for a bit.
DJ: DJ Ubi
Planning review: A
I really enjoyed my meeting with Ubi, and I look forward to working with him throughout the planning process as the wedding gets closer.
Final Review: A
This is going to sound awful, but I do not even know that I ever got the name of the DJ that worked our reception. He screwed up a few names during the introduction of the wedding party, but the music was great and he was easy to work with on the fly. I highly recommend Ubi and his company.
Photography: Melissa Powell Photography
Planning review: A+
I have really enjoyed my dealings with Melissa. She has a beautiful style, and her booking process was a breeze. She does everything online (which for a bride halfway across the country is a huge help), and she always responds to emails very promptly - sometimes within minutes. I look forward to working with her and seeing her images of our wedding. I know she is going to bring so much to our day.
Final review: A+ and more
The images we've seen so far say it all. Her work is breathtaking, and we have a hard time looking at them and not crying (well at least I do). We also look at them and almost can't believe that it's us and it's our wedding.
DOC: Leah Beth Events
Planning review: A+
Leah has been amazing. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty for a DOC by helping this out-of-town bride with a bunch of stuff, including info on a marriage license and scouting out florists, hairstylists etc. Even though we've only talked by phone and email, I've been amazed with her attention to detail and her help with things I hadn't even thought of. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs coordination assistance. I know she is going to make our wedding run smoother than I ever could have imagined.
Final review: How many + can you add to an A?
I do not even know where to begin to describe how blessed we were to have Leah handling our wedding. She went far beyond the role of a day of coordinator, which because I was so far away was a huge help. She was calm and patient with my crazy family and many people came up to me and told me how impressed they were with her work. She kept everything running very smoothly and made sure that we were always attended to. I have absolutely no doubt that our wedding would not have been the party it was without her. I was able to just relax and celebrate instead of focusing on what time the cake cutting was being done or when the first dance would happen.
Chair covers/linens: AB Cover Design
Planning review: C
This vendor has been difficult to work with. I requested swatches of the chair sashes, which took almost six weeks to arrive because they never managed to get them in the mail. Ana has been better to work with than the original person I contacted, but to be totally honest - if they weren't part of my package at TRP, I'd have found another vendor by now.
Final review: B-
The final product was beautiful. We only ended up getting chair sashes and covers from them. We just didn't have money in our budget for extra linens, and in the end we're glad we didn't. Everything was beautiful as it was and we didn't need to spend any money on extra stuff. The only reason I upgraded her rating is because the final result was beautiful. I still don't feel like they were too easy to deal with.
Hair: Angelica Fernandez
Review: A
Angleica was great. The trial went really well, and she did a superb job with everyone the day of. She was very patient with my really disorganized, overly stressed family, and she even jumped in and finished my makeup since we didn't hire someone. Her prices were very reasonable and she was worth the money and more.
Cake: Edible Creations
Planning review: A+
Ana Paz: F
Cakes by Edda: C
At first, the Rusty Pelican gave me two choices for cakes: Ana Paz and Cakes by Edda. Recently I found out they had added Edible Creations in Pembroke Pines to their package. In an effort to be helpful to others struggling to make a decsion, I have reviewed all 3 vendors here.
Ana Paz was exceptionally rude to me on the phone and completely unhelpful and wouldn't listen to me when I told them I was not local and had limited windows for a tasting.
Cakes by Edda: While the staff was extremely helpful on the phone when I was trying to fit a tasting into an already busy wedding weekend, the cake left a lot to be desired. I did my tasting at the Pembroke Pines location as they were the closest to my family's house. While the cakes were beautiful, they didn't have the rich flavor I prefer. I found the chocolate to be rather dense and tasteless, while the vanilla rum (their signature flavor) was overly rum-tasting.
Edible Creations (954-433-3445): Wow - that is the only word that comes to mind. From my first conversation with Lily, she has been a pleasure to work with. My mom did the tasting for me since I wasn't in town, and she seconded my great feelings about Lily. She said that Lily sat with her and explained everything - down to the thickness of each layer. She also said the cake was incredibly flavorful and that she that in her eyes, choosing Lily was a "no brainer."
Just for reference, I thought I'd include one more review here. While sending my mom on a whirlwind three-tastings-in-one-day adventure, she also visited Elegant Temptations in Hialeah Gardens. Rosie was a joy to deal with by phone and email, and my mom said the chocolate cake with chocolate chip cheesecake filling and the banana cake were just amazing. Her work is beautiful, and the main reason we went with Edible Creations was that they are part of the package and that Rosie's cakes were a little beyond our budget. However, I have no problems recommending her to others because of the taste and outstanding customer service both me and my mom experienced.
Final review for Edible Creations - Speechless
I didn't do the tasting. I never met Lily, and she is one of my new favorite people. She came through with flying colors. The cake looked amazing and tasted amazing too. In fact, it was so beautiful that it stopped me in my tracks when walking to the ceremony. I shouted "look at the cake" without realizing everyone was looking in the windows waiting for me to walk down the aisle. My coordinator was sitting there waving "come on" at me and I was just mesmorized by the cake.
Flowers: Flowers by Gerardo
Planning review: A+
Gerardo has been great to work with so far, and he is working with our very small floral budget. I look forward to seeing the final product.
Final review: A+
This is another vendor I never got to meet and someone I'd love to give a big hug. The flowers were simply gorgeous. When they were delivered, the room literally fell silent. All the girls just stood there staring at them in amazement. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful result. He quote me based on a picture and stuck with the design and the quote. I highly recommend them.
David’s Bridal – Miracle Mile
Review – F
This location truly was awful to deal with from start to finish. We took my dress there a week before the wedding for a light steaming. It was supposed to be free but they charged my dad. Then on the day before the wedding, when I called to confirm my pickup appointment, they could not find the dress. The woman even said “don’t worry – we’ll just get you another one.” When I told her the wedding was the next day, she said “ooh – maybe not.” I gave them my name and my father’s name, and they never bothered to look under his. So for 45 minutes they kept me in a total panic (we were on our way to the rehearsal so this is what I was stressing over as we got ready). When they found it, they had not even started steaming it. A few hours later, when I went to pick it up, they did not even acknowledge what had happened earlier. Plus, it was storming like I had never seen, and the water in front of the store came up to just below my knees. I had to run into the store barefoot, and that was all they could focus on. I asked if they had a back door with better drainage since we had to go and were going to have to run through the rain in the dress, and they very begrudgingly said yes. They led me back there, and no one even bothered to help me carry the dress through the store. They glared at me and talked about me in Spanish (and I understood the nasty things they were saying) while I waited for my mom to drive around to the back of the store. There was not one friendly person there, and if that was the experience I’d had when looking for a dress, I would never have purchased from David’s.
David’s Bridal – Albuquerque, NM
Review – C
I have very mixed feelings about this store. I had a few bumps with their staff, but I loved my dress. I also had a few glitches with the alterations, but I was happy with the final outcome. They shipped my dress perfectly and it actually didn’t require much touch-up steaming.
Tuxedos: Mr. Tux in Albuquerque
Planning review: A
These guys have been great. We had visited the Men's Wearhouse on the west side, and walked out almost immediately because they were so rude and because we didn't want to pick our tuxes from a book. Mr. Tux (Eubank Blvd Location) is giving us a great deal and we can take the tuxes with us to Florida. They aren't even charging us extra for the extended rentals. I feel so much better knowing that we will be able to closely check the tuxes before we leave and that they can make any last-minute changes if necessary.
Final review: B-
The servie we got during our planning definitely was not what we got during pickup. Shirts were dirty. Stuff didn't fit. And we didn't notice until we got to Florida that they gave us a long tie instead of a bow tie for our ring bearer. The guys looked great, though, so in the end I wasn't too disappointed.
Invitations: Elva Marie's Fine Papers
Final review: A+ and more
I struggled choosing invitations. I must have ordered 20 samples from various catalogs, but none of the samples looked like "my" invite. Then I stumbled across a brochure from Elva that I had picked up a while ago at a bridal show and shoved away when I made the decision to have my wedding in Florida instead of New Mexico. I am so thankful I found that brochure because Elva is bring my thoughts to life. She brought a designed sample to our first meeting after I sent her some ideas. And she has been so patient with my many changes. I am really excited to see my final product. Plus I'm getting custom-designed invites with an RSVP card and additional insert, plus printed envelopes for about $3 per invite. Yay!
3/28 update: I picked up my invites today and I'm so happy. I just wish we had more to do because working with Elva has been a true delight.
Bridesmaids' Jewlery: Etsy.com seller Handmade by Diana
Final review: A+
Diana was very easy to work with during the ordering process. Her store had pictures of the necklace on a jewelry form, and I had trouble determining how they'd look on a person. I asked for pictures, and she sent them within 24 hours. Seeing them on a person (she took a pic of herself wearing it) sealed the deal, and I'm excited to see how they turn out.
Card Box, Photo Guest Book and Cake Topper: Etsy.com seller SheaChicDesigns
Final review: A+ and more
Amanda has been simply amazing to work with. We have easily exchanged 100+ emails over the last 8 weeks and I can not rave about her enough. The cake topper isn't done just yet, but I can't wait to see it. If it's even half as gorgeous as the card box and guest book, we'll be thrilled to no end. I highly suggest her for any projects you just don't have the time or energy to DIY.
Update: I didn't see most of the pieces until I walked into the reception, and Amanda really came through. Everything was just beautiful and worth the time and investment.
Garter: Etsy.com seller GartersbyKristi
Final review: B+
They aren't quite the color I had in mind (a little more turquoise than I pictured) but the work is nice and the shipping was very fast.
Ring Pillow: Etsy.com seller regianna
Final review: A
I haven't seen the pillow yet because like many other things, it was shipped directly to the wedding destination. However, her responses were always very quick and it arrived in under a week. I have a feeling it'll be more gorgeous in person than it is in pictures.
Update: The pillow was gorgeous and just what I wanted.
Candles: http://www.candlesjustonline.com
Review: A
Fast shipping. Good prices. And they looked great!
Group accommodations: Marriott Residence Inn, Coconut Grove
Planning review: C+
These people have been horrible to deal with. They act as though they are doing you a favor by hosting your group. I know for a fact that they are very empty during my timeframe (because a friend works for Marriott and looked up their occupancy for my wedding weekend), yet I can not get them to do anything - like return messages or emails. If the hotel wasn't so convenient to my wedding I'd find another one. As such, I'm just stuck for now. But I will be following up with Marriott when the wedding is done.
Final Review - B
As I said above, I had a pretty miserable experience with them in the months leading up to the wedding. But all of the people I dealt with had been fired by the time our wedding rolled around. My biggest complaint about our stay was that they had a list with all our group room names, and they still put us all at opposite ends of the hotel. Plus, my contract specified that we had half-price parking and no one there had any of the info. So I still have to follow up with them in order to get the extra money refunded to all of my guests. But the location of the hotel, the breakfast and the manager’s reception all were really nicely done and overall it was a good value for the money.
Bridal/wedding night hotel: Sonesta at Coconut Grove
Final review: A
The one bedroom suite with the bay view was gorgeous. The servie was also fantastic. No complaints! Plus the suite had a jacuzzi tub, which I didn't know about until I arrived.
Travel: Carnival Cruise Lines, Kenneth Hagen
1-800-819-3902, 85904
Review to-date: A+
Kenneth has been so wonderful to work with. He has been very friendly and never seems upset when I send him 20 questions in any given email. He called to let us know they were having a double upgrade sale, and no one has been able to meet or beat that price since we put our deposit down back in November. I highly recommend using Kenneth if you're considering Carnival. If you do talk with him, let him know Melissa sent you.
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