Aliki's reviews

We got my e-ring and both our wedding bands from John's Jewelers. We got great deals, the stones are stunning, we couldn*t be more pleased.

I got French Manicure false tips done, and she even threw in a little extra-- she hand-painted a floral design on the nails of my ring fingers using a toothpick. She spent a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes carefully buffing, polishing, and painting my nails. I felt like a queen. However, word of caution: my mother also got her nails done at this same salon with someone else, and they rushed through her manicure and my mother later found an eyelash stuck in the paint of one of her nails and smudgy edges along her cuticles.

Hair: Danielle

I hear the price varies, but I got charged $90 for my updo-- and I felt it was worth it. Danielle got my hair exactly how I wanted it just from my description of it (no photos for props), and even reworked several sections that I wasn't totally pleased with. She spent a total of 1 hour and 20 minutes on my hair! It stayed up all night, and I didn't have any problems with it.

I got my tiara from Princess Bride Tiaras. A little on the pricey side, but well worth it. I made my veil myself (two-tier, elbow length, pencil-tip edging, with crystals on it). Earrings and necklace from Charter Club at Macy*s.

I was very disappointed with the attention I got at four or five bridal salons I visited in Middlesex County, most of the time I felt rushed, the salespeople were pushy or even intrusive to the point that one insisted on being in the changing room with me at all times! At Dolores Bridal, they were very attentive to the styles I liked, features about various dresses I wanted, and viola-- they pulled out my dream dress, the Maggie Sottero Dion. They offer free unlimited alterations, free storage, free steamings. I got my bridesmaid dresses, After Six A#6192 in Claret, at this bridal salon too. My only disappointment was that I had told them to sew cups into my dress and they forgot despite two fittings, and they asked for an additional $50 to alter one of my bridesmaids dresses. They were also curt to my maid-of-honor when she asked them to hem the dress a bit, and take a little fabric in on the sleeves-- but aside from that, they were wonderful. They even stayed open late to get our dress es altered.

Make an appointment to meet Karin now. Not only did our bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres turn out exactly as I had envisioned, Karin did it for *half* what other vendors quoted me for the exact same bouquets (same roses, same stems per bouquet)-- and they were flawless. Bridal bouquet consisted of 3 dozen black magic and charlotte roses, burgundy calla lilies, and hypernicum berries. Bridesmaid bouquets were 2 dozen chocolate roses, mango calla lilies, and hypernicum berries. Groom was a black magic rose, groomsmen have chocolate roses, my dad has a mango calla lily. White dendrobium orchids in my hair. I was beaming from ear to ear. She even accomodated my last minute changes (added burgundy calla lilies to my bouquet one week before wedding), and the only kink in everything was we couldn't find the boutonniere for one of my ushers. I highly recommend Karin as a florist.

We met with five or six photographers before we met Sharon, but once we did, we knew she was the one. Her photojournalistic style, confident personality, experience and flexibility with an a la carte pricing plan was exactly what we were looking for in a photographer. I also loved that all our proofs are unmarked. She was unintrusive in capturing the special moments, helpful with suggestions for the formal portraits, and the photos we received complete surpassed all my expectations.

It was $105/night compared to $85/night at Crowne Plaza in Clark, and while it did provide us a more convenient location (across the street from the church and hair salon, and within closer proximity to my nail salon, rehearsal dinner and reception site), I felt it didn't live up to my expectations. We got locked out of the building once, my friend found blonde hair on the bedsheets (she's got Asian black hair) and the continental breakfast selection was meager.

My coordinator was Laurine Mahon, she was extremely helpful. Our reception was in the LaDonna room and we had our cocktail hour downstairs in Scalzy*s. Prices at the Westwood are incredibly affordable, it*s right next to the NJ Transit train station (we had NYC commuters), the rooms are lavishly beautiful, and our maitre*d was impeccably attentive. Food was excellent, service was great, room was decorated as specified. My only word of warning is that their offer in the contract for "free centerpieces" really means no more than $4.50 per table (i.e. if you want a nice centerpiece, you have to fork over some money).