My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

OK so better late than never I figure, here's my review. On reading this over I feel like I was harsh with some vendors, but honestly, this was like a second job to put together and if vendors don't deliver on their end, I want to note it!

LIW A+
This site is so helpful to so many people in so many different ways. Whether you're an active poster or not there is a lot of information you can get from here that can really help shape your perfect day. Sometimes the boards can get a little crazy I (figure it's just what happens when you join the LIW family) and you just have to keep perspective on things and remember what LIW is there to do. It's a fantastic resource and has incredible staff and events behind it that make it invaluable to every bride, but it is also a business and is not the be all and end all of wedding planning.

Jenerations A+
I did a boudoir party in October 2010 and cannot praise Jen highly enough. She is the absolute best and well worth her money. The whole experience was great and the photos blew my husband away!

Frassanito Jewelers A+
Frassanito Jewelers in Huntington has a beautiful store and such a friendly staff. It's a family run business and you can really tell. They give you personalized attention as though you are one of the family! They carry Hearts on Fire engagement rings and I had fallen in love with one of their mounts. I followed up with them for my wedding band and gifts for my girls and have nothing but great things to say.

Twelfth Night (12th Night) A+
I LOVE Twelfth Night! I was sold on their photos before I even entered their studio. Dom was great and really got what we wanted. Mike and Vicki were our photographers and they were both just amazing. I was very clear about what I wanted from them and they certainly delivered. They had great communication and every time I look at my photos I find a new favorite. Highly recommend them.

Classic Video A
Video was something I wasn't sure about. I eventually decided that I wanted it and went with Classic Video because they gave a very basic package and were familiar with our venue. The video I got is perfect, just a record of the day and events. It's not edited, and not super high quality, but it does it's job! Lou and Fran are great people to work with too.

Thomas Knoell A+
My mother-in-law and I stopped by Thomas’s studio in Mineola just to check out what he had and we walked out with a customized headpiece in production. Not only was Thomas a pleasure to deal with but I also liked dealing with his staff. My piece was a little delayed in production but they were able to bump it up for me without me causing a scene. Expensive but worth every penny, I even went back to get hair combs for my mother.

Kleinfelds A
Kleinfelds were great. Even when my dress came in and had a huge pull down the front they organized it’s return and replacement. What could have been a hugely stressful issue was not. For me that’s what makes Kleinfelds worth it. The knowledge that you are going to get exactly what you want in the end no matter what. Stella was a great fitter and my dress fit amazingly.

Bra*Tenders A
This is a store in Manhattan that provides the cast of Broadway shows with their specialized undergarments. You have to make an appointment for a fitting and the store is set in an office building so it's not really like a regular store. You have to be buzzed in. They are great though. They gave me a number of options for my undergarments and at my first fitting when the first one didn't work, they allowed me to exchange the items. I ended up getting cups sewn into my dress in the end but I have a fantastic strapless bra for every other event!

RK Bridal A+
I got my bridesmaids dresses from RK Bridal using their no frills program. They were in after a month. Since I had bridesmaids coming from out of the country, this just made sense so that everyone could get their own alterations. Would recommend.

Kacey from Khoulouds Beauty A
Kacey did a great job on my girls’ hair. She also made my mother look amazing. At my trial I went for a look but then ended up getting the headpiece from Thomas Knoell so had to change it. She worked with me on the day and was fab. She talks a lot, so if that’s not what you want, consider that, but it was great to have her there for my day.

Karen A Makeup Artist A+
I love Karen Abitol! She’s not a name used on here a whole lot but she’s a LIW vendor. I think she’s great. So professional and does a really nice natural look. I’m not a fan of the orange blusher some people do and Karen just has a really good eye to accentuate your features without going overboard. I highly recommend her.

Camelot B
We booked Camelot based on the reviews on LIW. Joe was always great to deal with on the phone. We ended up booking the Cadillac Escalade and a shuttle bus. We then decided to book a party bus to pick up all my family from the airport when they got in the week before the wedding. My main reason for giving them a B relates to the party bus. When we were on the way to the airport to meet my family, the driver of the party bus called me and told me he was outside waiting…an hour before the flight even landed. I thought “Ok well that’s prompt” and reminded him that on an international flight it can take time to get through customs. He agreed and said “Oh yes I know, it'll be about 45 minutes”. So a half hour after the flight landed, he called me and asked where everyone was because he’d been waiting for an hour and a half already. I explained we were still waiting for them to get through customs. Finally they arrive and we go out to get the bus. We are greeted by the driver who is complaining non-stop about how he’d been waiting for 2 hours. He arrived an hour before the flight even landed and knew he had to make time for customs! During the 20 minute ride to the hotel, he complained again twice. Then he took us to the wrong hotel and complained again because he hadn’t been given the right address by the company. In the end, the whole party bus fun idea was ruined by his constant complaining about things that were the fault of either him or the company. In addition to that, my DH and his groomsmen said the driver on the day was driving too fast and it wasn’t a comfortable ride, and when they came around to get me and my girls, there was no champagne in the car because the 1 bottle had been used by the groomsmen and they didn’t replenish it for the girls. Thirdly, the shuttle bus for some reason took way longer to do a round trip than was necessary, delaying the ceremony by a full 20 minutes while all the guests got there. I know they are popular and I haven't really heard negative reviews but I was very disappointed.

Riviera at Massapequa A
The Riviera is a great venue. Food was good, décor was great, people were great. Things that were not great, a tip was stolen from my bag in the bridal suite (the only money in there), and a stack of cards a friend left in the suite went missing. The Riviera reviewed the video but couldn’t see the angle where the cards were so can’t see who took them. Great. The Riviera has had this problem before, and I really think they need to be a bit more vigilant around the bridal suite. I have also posted previously about the wedding crasher we had. He's ALL over the video and pro pictures. The venue did throw him out more than once, but he kept coming back. The police were eventually called at the end of the night, but not soon enough in my opinion. Another small thing, the entrances got screwed up because we wanted to announce our officiant but the MD didn't get him to put him in the line up, so when they called his name the first BM and GM wemt.... they were letting people walk out before their names were even called.

Here's a pic of the crasher watching my dance with my father, anyone recognize this ****?

*************** B-
Tessa designed my invitations with me and they were beautiful. We got so many compliments on them and I was so happy. I decided to go with Tessa to do all my wedding day stationary too. Tessa’s policy is to send out all that stuff the week of your wedding so that you can have the most updated information. Fine. Well my place cards, table numbers, menus and programs were due to the venue the Thursday before the wedding. Tessa got them to me on the Wednesday. The place cards all had the wrong date on them. Seeing this I got in touch with Tessa and told her. The proof was right, she had just printed them wrong. She agreed to overnight me a new set but by that time I didn’t get them until Friday because she had to send them Thursday. When I got them and was folding them, I realized that 3 place cards (a total of 8 people) were missing. She hadn’t put any blank ones in for me just in case either. I emailed her that night and she has never responded. It honestly left a sour taste in my mouth. I had gone to the effort of entering this all in an excel sheet and she not only got the date wrong, but then missed people out, PLUS there were no spares! Why pay that money for them if you’re going to end up with cards sticking out of place that don’t match? It looked like we had forgotten about people, important people. Not to mention the stress with getting them to the venue the day of the wedding due to their last minute arrival.

Black Forest Bakery A+
Black Forest Bakery was one of two options for a cake that the Riviera offer. They were outstanding. I absolutely loved my cake and it tasted great!

Sound Image Faze 4 A+
Sound Image were great. We received so many compliments on them. I think there was too much going on for me to really appreciate them though, but the dancefloor was always packed!

Dynamic Entertainment – Photo Booth A
The photo booth was a big hit! I really wanted an authentic photo booth, just as I had grown up with and Dynamic Entertainment offered that. The assistants were great too.

Designs By Rose A+
Designs By Rose were definitely my favorite vendor. Rose and her mother run a great business. Any question I had they always got back to me right away and I never had any problems with them at all. In fact, because the weather was unpredictable on the day, they set up flowers in both the inside location and the outside just in case which I thought was amazing. All the flowers were just perfect and my bouquet was stunning! Can’t recommend them highly enough.

Miriam Shilling Harpist B
Miriam played the harp for our ceremony. She was great with communication, and learned a specific song for our bridal party processional and then for a ceremony song. When the day came, the weather was iffy and the Riviera didn’t know whether to do it outside or inside. Miriam came to me and told me that if it rained during the ceremony outside, the harp would be out. I said then that I don’t mind doing it inside so just set it up there. We ended up having the ceremony inside which was fine. However, both the venue and my Mother-in-law commented that Miriam was very rude to the venue, and said something to the effect of “Well I don’t care how we do it, I’ve already been paid!” I don’t really appreciate that unprofessionalism.

Hilton Huntington B-
The Hilton Huntington in Melville was great (with the exception of telling relatives the room block was all booked when it wasn’t) until it actually came to pulling off the weekend. We had the rehearsal dinner there to make things easier for the people coming in from out of the country. I settled the final payment on this in person on the Thursday before the wedding, however after the rehearsal dinner (which was great), they presented my parents with a bill for $2,200! My mother had to find me in the bar, to ask what was going on because my father had run to his room to get a credit card to take care of it. I rushed back and told the server we had already paid it. They verified it and said OK. Then, after the wedding I got another call asking for the $2,200! Needless to say I got incredibly irritated and gave them a piece of my mind.
Aside from that, I found out through guests that they were giving out 1 OOT box per room, instead of 1 per person as I had instructed. I called the front desk and they started giving out 2 per room, and I ended up with a bunch left over because they weren’t giving them out appropriately. As a result of this some people didn’t get the info on the shuttle bus. They asked at the front desk and they said they didn’t know about it either, even though I had confirmed all these details with the hotel the week of and they told me it would be posted for guests. Basically it was really poor service and I regret giving them so much business.

Secrets Maroma A+
Secrets Maroma in Riviera Maya Mexico was a great resort! SO perfect! It was so relaxing and great great service. My only recommendation is to go there, and upgrade to a swim out room over an ocean view room.

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

That's crazy about the wedding crasher!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!!



Do you think it was him who went into the bridal suite or is it the employees?? ?????

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

They said on the security video they didn't see him going up the stairs to the bridal suite, only guests, bridal party and staff. Personally I trust my guests and bridal party over the staff, but we will never know. The crasher was just tripping on some kind of crazy drugs apparently and trying to plug his cell phone into the wall where there wasn't even an outlet. And playing in the dumpsters. And dancing.

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Nevermind, I just read your old posts!

I'm happy to see that at least you liked the Riviera enough to give them an "A"

I'm in a wedding there in May.

P.S. I like your bridesmaid dresses, very unique!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Yeah I really liked them, and to their credit with the crasher, they said they had never had that happen before so I'm sure it was something new for them to handle on top of everything else involved in a wedding.

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Everything looks GREAT, and thanks for your help with vendors, I had plan to use Tressa, thats out

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

That's really crazy and SCARY about the wedding crasher! He looks so tripped out and nutty.
Congrats on everything else though!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

I used Mike from Twelfth Night also! We LOVED him!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

There was really a crasher? LOL

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

OMG that is crazy about the crasher! I'm so sorry he showed up all over the pro pics and video

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Your bridesmaid dresses are amazing - who is the designer/style? I love, love, love!

Great review - honest, which is what we all need!! I will be keeping my valuables locked up, sad to have to tho!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Beautiful pics! glad everything went well...i cant even imagine having a wedding crasher thats just crazy...who does that!..set aside i am happy it was a great day for you

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Thanks! They are from the WTOO collection by Watters and Watters. You can pick all the separate colors out.

Edit: Style number 876

Message edited 11/13/2011 12:59:11 AM.

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Beautiful day!!!! Congratulations and thank you for sharing!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

So beautiful!!!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Love the Riviera.

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

Great review! You looked stunning and I love the BM's dresses! That was a little crazy that you had a crasher but in shorts and sneakers on top of it!!! Congrats top you and your husband!!

Re: My 7/3/11 Review! Riviera at Massapequa, Faze4 Sound Image, Designs By Rose, Twelfth Night, Camelot, Karen A, and more!

great review and i loved ur dress but omg a crasher thats nutso!