mcb225
Wedding Newbie
Member since 6/04 13 total posts
Wedding Date:
5/22/2004
Wed. Location:
Old Field Club
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5/22/04 Old Field Club wedding review!
Hi everyone,
I’ve visited this site quite a few times over the past several months, looking for answers to particular questions about etiquette, specific vendors, et cetera. Since I was planning from a distance (I live in PA) it was especially great to see your comments about Long Island vendors. I found your insights on the boards to be very helpful in my planning, so I decided to post a review of my May 22, 2004 wedding, in the hope that you might find it helpful in your own planning process. This may look suspicious, but I promise you I am not a fake bride. I’m just a lurker who never had time to post anything. Please FM me if you have any questions! I am happy to help. (By the way, A+ is my highest rating.)
Ceremony and Reception
Reception hall and caterer: Old Field Club, Setauket. A+
We had a lot of ideas about what we wanted (and didn’t want) in a reception hall. We decided on the Old Field Club because it’s classy without being glitzy, it’s located on the water, and it’s relatively small, hosting only one wedding at a time. We worked with Marvin Price (the events manager), who was helpful, funny, and amazingly adept at keeping things running smoothly. Our guests raved about the beautiful location, the impeccable service, and, most of all, the delicious food! Truly one of Long Island’s best-kept secrets.
The OFC website is: http://www.oldfieldclub.com
Ceremony officiant: Reverend Janine Burns. A+
Reverend Janine is enthusiastic, upbeat, and creative. We met with her twice before the wedding to coordinate ceremony ideas and structure. My husband and I are not religious at all, so writing a ceremony and selecting readings was somewhat difficult, but Reverend Janine had plenty of suggestions; she also provides a “ceremony kit” with ideas that you can mix and match to your liking. She is very open-minded, so if you are looking for a personalized ceremony, look no further. LOTS of our guests approached her after the ceremony to ask about the readings and to tell her that she did a great job.
Her website is: http://www.ilovetodoweddings.com
Band: The Moonlighters. A+
I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Moonlighters – a band I had already liked from hearing their CDs – were available to play at weddings! They have a wonderful, unusual sound: old-time blues and Hawaiian music, with two harmonizing female vocalists (my father thinks they sound like the Andrews Sisters). Perfect for a spring or summer evening, and especially appropriate if you have a wide mix of age groups at your wedding (they seem to appeal to everyone). They were fun, friendly, and completely professional. I loved them – and so did the crowd!
Here is their website: http:// www.misanthrope.com/moonlighters/
Also, one of their singers is in a few other bands, with music genres including jazz, delta blues, and 1920s dance music. I’m not sure if her other bands play weddings, but check ‘em out at http://www.blissblood.com/
Florist: Fashions and Flowers, Northport. A+
Sandy is so much fun to work with and has a great sense of humor (but is a consummate professional as well). I came in with too many different ideas, and she helped me to narrow down my options and select centerpieces and bouquets that would best complement the look of the reception hall and my dress. She’s so creative – if you work with her, I recommend that you tell her some of your favorite flowers, give her a basic color scheme, and then just let her do her thing. Our guests were so impressed with her work!
Cake: Copenhagen Bakery, Northport. A+
Stacey at Copenhagen is soooooo nice and helpful. Our guests said that our cake (chocolate with chocolate mousse filling, white buttercream icing, and fresh hydrangeas as decoration) was the best they’d ever eaten. It was so pretty that it was a shame to eat it!
Photographer: Paula from Imagine Studios. A+ so far.
We haven’t seen our proofs yet, but I can say that Paula and her husband/assistant, Vladimir are very sweet and patient. I told her that my family and I are not comfortable with very “posed” pictures, and while she insisted on taking a few, she was flexible about how many and what kinds of poses. She remembered people’s names and was nice to everyone. Also, she was unobtrusive at the ceremony and reception (though I know she was taking pictures the whole time).
Limo: Class A Limos (I’m pretty sure that was the name – I’ve already forgotten and these limo companies tend to have similar names!). A
We had a small bridal party and needed only one limo. The driver was on time, reliable, and very nice, helping me with my dress whenever needed. The back seat had a lot of glitter stuck to it (probably from a prom the previous night) and my husband’s tux was covered with glitter by the end of the ride! Also, my sister’s boyfriend left his sunglasses in the car… we thought we’d be able to recover the glasses, but they were never found. That was a little strange.
Clothes, Rings, and Accessories
Dress: Demetrios Ilissa Collection, from Macy’s Bridal Shop at Smithhaven Mall, Lake Grove. A+
When I first went to the shop, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted in a dress, but the Macy’s staff was extremely helpful. I mentioned a few preferences and dislikes (vintage/1920s look, not too “poofy,” a short train or no train, A-line) and the saleswomen pointed me in the right direction. I tried on five or six gowns (with help and honest criticism/commentary from one of the saleswomen – I’m sorry that I can’t remember her name) and fell in love with mine – I ordered it that same day. The dress came in on time, and needed only minor adjustments after my first fitting (the second fitting was perfect). Rosie, the seamstress, was sweet, cheerful, and efficient.
MOB dress: Belsoie, from Macy’s Bridal Shop. A+
My mother is very stylish and found a lot of the typical MOB dresses to be a bit stodgy for her tastes. So, she decided to get a beautiful bridesmaid dress instead. Again, the saleswomen at Macy’s were very helpful. The dress was “delayed in customs” (not the store’s fault) and therefore took slightly longer than expected, but the alterations (by Rosie, see above) went smoothly.
Maid of Honor dress (my sister was my MoH; I had no additional bridesmaids): Watters & Watters, from Adrienne’s, Islip. A+
I’ve seen some complaints on this site about the bridal shop at Adrienne’s, but I have nothing but compliments for the staff of the bridesmaids dress shop. We went without an appointment, and even though the store was busy, the saleswoman (again, I really wish I could remember her name) was cheerful, funny, and very helpful. No problems whatsoever with the fittings and alterations. (My sister’s first fitting was cancelled due to inclement weather, and it was easy to reschedule.)
Groom’s tuxedo: Hugo Boss outlet store, Tanger Outlet Mall of Lancaster, PA. A+
My husband decided to buy rather than rent. We got a great deal on a gorgeous tuxedo, shirt, and tie. Amazingly, no alterations were needed! Hugo Boss makes beautiful, high quality clothes.
Engagement ring and wedding bands: J.A. Sharp Jewelry, Lancaster, PA. A+
The women who own and run this independent jewelry shop are absolutely delightful. The rings are so unique – they will make one of a kind jewelry based on your input. If you’re ever in Lancaster, drop by!
Here is their website: http://www.jasharp.com/
Shoes: Dyeables by Liz Rene from Varone’s, Sayville. A+
This is a very small shop with a wide selection of shoes, about half of which are dyeables. I’m picky about shoes – and I have narrow feet – so I was especially grateful for the patience of the saleswoman. With a little practice beforehand, these shoes stayed comfortable long into the night. (I also got a comfortable pair of Chinese Laundry white mules – from the clearance rack at DSW on Jericho Turnpike – for taking photos on the beach.)
Bag: Mary Frances from Lord & Taylor, Walt Whitman Mall. A
I always need at least one bizarre accessory per outfit, and this was the one. Tasteful but definitely unusual. Lord & Taylor has a decent selection of evening bags, in a wide range of prices.
Hair and Makeup
Hair: Kim and Marie at Cactus Salon, Northport. A+
My family has known (and adored) Marie forever. A few weeks before the wedding, she cut my hair and gave me warm, natural-looking highlights. I was very happy with her work. Kim, who’s also a real sweetheart, styled my hair for the wedding day. It stayed in place all day and looked so sleek and shiny! She did my sister’s hair, too… and my sister has long, thick curls (not easy to work with). She looked so beautiful!
Makeup: Melinda at MAC counter, Macy’s, Walt Whitman Mall. A+
Melinda came to my parents’ house and did makeup for my mother, my sister, and me. She is extremely nice and very talented! She did exactly what we asked her to do – I was concerned about having too much makeup on, but she did just enough so that I would stand out in the photos. Our makeup stayed put all day.
Rehearsal Dinner
Three Village Inn, Stonybrook. A for service, B for food
We had a private dining room at the inn for a 30-person party. Before the dinner, the staff was extremely helpful, and the planning went flawlessly. Also, the room was pretty and the outside of the restaurant is gorgeous for taking photos. I can be picky about food, and I felt that the entrees were bland, but that may be due to the kind of cuisine the restaurant serves (very typical beef-chicken-fish type stuff, plus a boring vegetarian meal – grilled veggies with no sauce or spice – that they obviously threw together without thinking about it). Other people seemed to like the food, so I’m giving that aspect a B.
Hotel
Holiday Inn Express, Centereach. B
We had no problems securing a fairly large block of rooms (a lot of our guests were out-of-towners), but some of our guests, when they called to make reservations, were told that the hotel was sold out… it wasn’t. People definitely got mixed messages when they called, but things worked out in the end. My husband and I decided to stay at the hotel as well, because we’re out-of-towners too, and we didn’t really want to stay on my parents’ pull-out couch for the night. When I called to make our reservation (and mentioned that it was our wedding) the woman asked if we’d like a room with two twin beds! Duh. Our room was unimpressive, but a few of our guests got rooms with Jacuzzis! At least we all enjoyed a free breakfast. My grandmother must have stolen every Sweet-and-Low packet in the place!
Invitations and Placecards
Lion in the Sun, Huntington. A+
After a frustrating experience with another vendor (see below), I visited Lion in the Sun to explore other options. Mary asked about my tastes and preferences, selected the best possible sample books for me to look at, and offered helpful suggestions to guide my decision. She also patiently explained different types of invitations to me (letterpress versus other options, for example) and suggested ways to get a “pricey” look without spending absurd amounts of money. We finally decided on a Julie Holcomb design for our invitations (we got countless compliments on them!) and placecards. I’m convinced that Mary would do anything in her power to help a customer.
Snow & Graham, Chicago. D
First off, I have to say that this design company did a fantastic job on my “Save the Date” coasters, which were adorable and came in earlier than expected. My experience swiftly went way downhill from there. I wanted to order invitations from them, called and left messages four (count ‘em, four) times, and was dismayed to find that they never returned my calls. I find this behavior completely unprofessional. The fifth and last message I left was more than a little nasty. I will never buy or order anything from them again.
Honeymoon
Holland America cruise (and land tour) to Alaska. A+
The cruise went to Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, and Seward. From there, we took a land tour to Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Denali National Park (which is the size of Massachusetts!) At each port, we booked a “shore excursion” or two – kayaking, whale watching, and hiking, to name a few. We had almost perfect weather (in late May and June, Alaska temperatures range from 50-70 degrees or so, with some rain in the coastal areas). As for the cruise itself, we were spoiled rotten! The service was absolutely impeccable and the food was delicious. The whole trip was a real adventure. I think I took ten rolls of photos.
I hope I haven’t forgotten anything. If you need contact information, let me know. Please FM me if you have any questions!
Best wishes,
Megan
Message edited 6/16/2004 8:17:26 AM.
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congrats...
Sorry!
