carpepm's reviews

THE WEBSITE:
I bought my wedding jewelry and bridesmaid's gifts online at www.1928.com. They have some items available on the website that aren't at the store, so I definitely recommend checking it out. The prices are higher than the outlet, but still pretty cheap for bridal jewelry. I purchased a necklace and hair clips for myself and bracelets for my bridemaids. Everything is gorgeous. I love the antique style of their jewelry. The necklace I ordered had a flaw and I had to exchange it. Anita was very sweet and sent me a pre-paid envelope. The whole process took less than 2 weeks and I LOVE my necklace...it matches my dress PERFECTLY!!!

THE OUTLET STORE IN BURBANK:
I found out about the outlet store after I had already made my online purchase, so I was a little bummed. The prices are definitely cheaper. Most items are 40% - 50% off. I got my Mom a Mother's Day necklace for $10 and it's beautiful! Though it's all in the same cool style, they don't have the exact jewelry from the online store. Definitely worth checking out.

My FI and I took Swing Dance 1 here...not for the wedding, but for fun. And it was fun! The instructor was very sweet and gave everybody individual attention. My only complaint is that in this particular class we had to rotate partners. Apparently the ballroom classes and the more advanced Swing classes don't work that way and let you stay with your same partner. Anyway, I really want to take some of their other classes. At the end of our Swing 1 class, the more advanced students would start arriving and everyone seemed so happy and excited to be there. The studio has great energy! We had a blast!

I was planning to use Mary's until I changed venues and no longer needed rentals. Their prices are AMAZING and they seemed very professional and helpful over the phone. Definitely get a price quote from them if you're looking for rentals in the LA area.

Mervyn is AMAZING! He was recommended by a friend of mine and the trip Downtown is WELL WORTH IT! I knew I wanted a sapphire in my engagement ring and that I liked antique styles, but that was about it. Mervyn showed me lots of styles and then let me pick and choose the features I wanted for my ring. I ended up with a BEAUTIFUL custom ring that looks like an actual antique...not to mention an awesome price. We just got back from picking our wedding bands and it was also a great experience. I emailed him pictures of what we like and he pre-selected bands for us to try on. He was right on the money! ...in fact, the first one he handed me is the one that I fell in love with. It's exactly what I wanted! Mervyn has a great heart and it definitely comes through in his jewelry.

-------UPDATE--------
I just picked up our wedding bands today and they are even more gorgeous than I had hoped! Mervyn added custom details to my ring that are absolutely stunning! ...even my jeweler friend was impressed. THANK YOU MERVYN! YOU ROCK!!!

I also just hired Carina for my May wedding. She's awesome! I was having trouble finding a reasonably priced ceremony and reception location in LA, and she had some GREAT suggestions. Based on one of her recommendations, I booked a beautiful and affordable site just a few days after our first meeting! YAY! She always responds promptly and is very organized and knowledgeable. She's really making this whole planning process seem a lot less overwhelming. I can tell from our conversations that she'll make the actual wedding day a snap for me. Can't wait for the big day! Thanks Carina!

**UPDATE**
We just got back from our honeymoon and I wanted to give props to Carina for an AMAZING WEDDING! She handled everything brilliantly! I was able to pass everything off to her so that I didn't have to stress or think about any details on the day of the wedding. The day was an absolute breeze thanks to her and I've gotten feedback from everyone that worked with her confirming that. She took care of all my vendors, the bridal party, my guests, everything! I'm so glad I hired her! Definitely check her out! SHE IS SO WORTH IT!!!