j230's reviews

Limor was a lifesaver! Days leading up to the wedding, I discovered that the forecast called for rain, and I had planned outdoor pictures after the ceremony. I was freaking out, but Limor remained calm, suggesting that we buy golf umbrellas and look for an alternate indoor location, just in case. Two days before the wedding, she was able to reserve time at a beautiful historical mansion just down the street from the reception hall! She totally calmed my nerves before and during the wedding, which was priceless!

When we ordered with them, they were in the process of buying out "After Hours," so needless to say, I was worried something would go wrong. They did not miss a beat, and we were able to lock in the previous year's prices. They had the lowest rates we could find. Everyone was measured and had their tux delivered without a problem.

Great service! The limos were right on time (a bit early, actually!), and the drivers were very friendly. When we arrived at the church, my driver helped me get out of the car, fluffed my train, and held on to my fur wrap during the ceremony! Great experience, and highly recommend!

My husband and I knew we wanted to get married here. The church is GORGEOUS, and the priests are so nice. They were very organized during the rehearsal, and were flexible in offering us a "ceremony" instead of a full-fledged mass. Everything went smoothly the day of the wedding, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Large selection of dresses and alterations are wonderfully done. My saleslady, Ginny, was extraordinarily patient as I tried on upwards of 40 dresses and came to the shop 3 separate times before ordering my dress! The negatives - they rip the tags out their dresses, which I didn't appreciate, especially if you want to find a picture of the dress online to remember what it looked like. Also, they really mark up the prices of their dresses, and they have a "flat" alteration fee of $250. I thought this was beyond ridiculous since all I needed was a hem and bustle.

FLOWERS:

AWESOME!! Santos is such a well kept secret! They quoted me $1000 cheaper than all of the other florists I looked at, and their quality probably exceeded all of them! I worked with Manny, the owner, and he was absolutely terrific - very accommodating and really understood the anxiety/paranoia/craziness that brides feel and did everything to make me feel comfortable! He offers a complimentary trial, where you can see & approve your centerpieces. I wasn't sure how many boutinerres I would end up needing for the wedding (wasn't sure if elderly grandfather could make it), and he said, "no problem, I'll include 2 extra ones at no charge, just in case." The flowers were fresh, beautiful, and delivered on time. Everyone raved about the centerpieces - about how big the roses were and how "full" they looked. Highly recommend!!!

INVITATIONS:

I used Santos for invitations and flowers, and was thrilled with both. I ordered beautiful Carlton Craft invitations. However, I was undecided about which invitation I liked when I went to the store, so they let me take the books home with me!! I'm talking about the huge binders you find at Hallmark, etc! They were so accommodating and provided several round of proofs before they were printed. Despite this, I had my invitations in no time - total of 3 weeks for the entire process! And since I also ordered my flowers through them, they discounted the invitations 20%!

Mandy is great at what she does, but I felt a disconnect in our communication. She gave me curls in my updo the day of the wedding, even though I specifically told her I didn't want curls, and despite the fact that I had pictures of the hairstyle in front of her to use as a guide. Thankfully, I had planned on wearing my shorter veil the entire day, so the back of my hair was covered and it wasn't a huge issue. Also, I found it SO irritating and nerve-wracking that she insists on not having yoiu see what she's doing until she's done with your hair (ie, no mirrors)! I think allowing clients to see what's happening as she's working on their hair could save a lot of problems in the end! Especially if you have an updo, it's not like you can make a lot of adjustments once it's up!

Alexa was great and a lot of fun to work with. I hired her for airbrush makeup, and it looked flawless all day. She charges way too much for trials, in my opinion, but I decided to go with her because the trials I had with other artists weren't as good. The only negative was that she did run behind the day of the wedding, which threw our entire schedule off. She ended up needing more time for each person than was planned for. However, everything worked out in the end, and I made it to the church on time! Just goes to show that you REALLY need to allow PLENTY of time to get ready, since you can't control for everything!

My husband and I chose the Richfield Regency because it is elegant, conveniently located, and was able to give us by far the best bang for our buck in Northern NJ. Their prices are extremely reasonable, and you really get a TON of food for the money. Trish, the manager, is wonderful to work with and made the process go smoothly. Their pricing includes the cake, which was beautiful and delicious! The only downside was that they don't offer a food tasting, which I would have liked. All in all, a GREAT budget-friendly venue!