Reviews
Alterations
Elaine Morgan (Newark)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++) - What can I say?! Elaine is A-MAZ-ING!!!! Very affordable, great to work with, and excellent work!!!!!!!! I will be taking my gown there to get cleaned and preserved afterwards, and I have definitely found a seamstress for ALL of my alteration needs in the future!!
Bands
CTO SoHO
Mrs.Carina2u: (A++++++) - The band leader, Patrice ("Peaches" from "Peaches 'n' Herb") was a delight to work with the entire planning process!! She made me feel like I was the only bride she was working with... she lent her opinion/advice, made changes when needed, and really was understanding when we had last minute scheduling changes! The day of the wedding.... not a SINGLE guest passed on the opportunity to compliment me on the band choice, and kept asking where we found them!!! Seriously, the reception wouldn't have been NEARLY as successful without them! They kept on schedule, played every song we wanted, lots we were pleasantly surprised with... even learned MORE songs that we wanted played but they didn't have on their playlist!!!! Wow... seriously, words can not express how WONDERFUL this band is. Totally worth it!!!!!
Jack Faulkner Orchestra
lflick80: (A+) - Everyone LOVED them! JFO was a HUGE hit with our guests. The dance floor was packed all night long. Jack was awesome to work with. He returned my emails/calls very promptly and met with us a month before the wedding to review all the details. My dad and I did something a little different for our dance – we started out to a slow song, and then went into a fast dance, and Jack was so helpful! I can’t recommend them enough!
Bridal Gowns
Bridaltown
annielgril1: (A+) - A friend of the family works there and took very good care of me. It is far from Philly but it was worth it.
Brides & Grooms (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+): MUCH better experience with B&G!!! Faith and Marie were AWESOME and handled my situation so greatly! They placed the order correctly, it came in on time, and they made me feel special each time I was in the shop!!! I have even brought my soon to be future sister-in-law and another friend there to buy HER gown!! HIGHLY recommend!
Irini’s (Wilmington)
Mrs.Carina2u: (F-) - Where do I even start?!? I found my DREAM dress here... first store I went to. Everything went fine, except when I ordered and wanted "petite" length, she said that the manufacturer doesn't offer that option (I believed her), so we order. A few weeks later I find out from fellow knotties that it DOES come in "petite" length, and so I call Irini's to let them know that the order should be changed to reflect that, since we DID say that is what we wanted. After much arguing of them saying that we were wrong, they informed us that my dress was IN [2 weeks after ordering!] So my mother and I go in to try on the dress, and of course, I love it- but it's WAYYYY too long (petite would've been close to PERFECT!) So we tell them that no, we want it re-ordered, the size that we initially told them we wanted. After about an hour of arguing, they FINALLY admit that it is available in petite, but says that it costs EXTRA [no, it does not actually!] but whatever, we were willing to suck it up and pay... then the husband RIPS up my mother's receipt for the dress!!!!! That was OUR property! He also pretty much writes an addendum to the order form for the dress and REFUSES to order the dress in front of me (how do I know they won't just hem the dress that they already have and charge me extra?!?!) After much arguing, them yelling in Greek, and my FATHER threatening to call the cops and me being on the phone to my attorney, they FINALLY gave us our deposit back, and I re-ordered my dress from a very helpful shop that actually helped to find the information on the dress and prove that Irini's was trying to SCAM US!!!! STAY AWAY FROM IRINI'S!!! NO BRIDE SHOULD CRY IN HER WEDDING GOWN!
lflick80: (A-) - I heard mixed reviews about Irini’s, but I did not have any problems with them. My dress was in ahead of schedule, and my alterations were perfect and very reasonably priced. I had the neckline of my dress changed, which required quite a bit of work, and it turned out great. The place itself is very outdated and the service isn’t the greatest, but their prices are very reasonable.
Irma's Bridal
tunnel - I got my dress and veil from Irma's and I love Irma. After weeks and weeks of bridal dress shopping, Irma actually picked my dress for me. Literally, she said "I have the right dress for you" and she went into the back and got it and it was the One! I also got my beautiful veil from there. Yes, it was expensive but I received sooo many compliments on it. My BMs also got their dresses there. I found them at 2 other places cheaper. She price matched one of the places, but wouldn't go any lower. I still ended up going with her even though it was about $10 a dress because I felt confident that the order would be placed correctly and arrive on time, and they did. Don't be shy to call her if you dress arrival date passes and you don't get a call. If you call her for an update she will return your call at the end of the day.
Bridesmaids Dresses
Brides & Grooms (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Took about a month past the EDD to come in, but that was due to a huge snow storm in China... they were great to work with and no complaints here!
Coronet Bridal
anniegirl: (A) - They have a huge selection of BM dresses which can be overwhelming and the store is cramped so if you go on a weekend, it can be annoying. However they were very helpful and I got what I wanted with ordering swatches and matching up the swatch to the color that I wanted.
Cakes
Breadeneck’s
lflick80: (A) - They were easy to work with and the cake was good. What else could I ask for?
Cakes by Geralyn
Mrs.Carina2u (groom’s cake): (A+++) - Geralyn is a family friend, who owns her own pastry business! Her work is phenomenal… and I was super excited to work with her!! Needless to say, DH was ECSTATIC!!! Everything we wanted!!!
sweet jazmines
ec0983: A this cake was faaaaaaaaaaaantastic. it looked beautiful and it tasted even better. people still won't stop telling me how good it was. and, they made the top tier gluten free so that i could eat it- enough said.
Wedding Cake/Grooms Cake
Hotel DuPont
Mrs.Carina2u - We had our cake with all layers being Grand Marnier with alternating tiers of strawberry preserve filling and mango filling. DELISH! We used my parents' cake topper for ours, as well... it perfected the "vintage" feel of the cake!!! Surrounding the cake we had pictures of each of our grandparents' at their weddings! I loved it!
Calligrapher
Calligraphy by Carmela (Voorhees, NJ)
Mrs.Carina2u: (B+) - Initially, Carmela was booked for my wedding; however, I had heard SUCH amazing things about her work, that I practically BEGGED her to make room for my invitations! I’m SO happy that she was able to do them for us- and her work is INCREDIBLE! She also did my place card calligraphy. Her product was great, my only complaint would be that there were 11 place cards missing from the master list when I double checked everything a few days before the wedding!!!!!!! I had checked when I received them, but in all the hustle and bustle, I didn't realize the missing place cards! I contacted Carmela and I had to overnight the blank place cards to her first thing Monday morning (needed to get them to DCC by Thursday morning)... so she received them Tuesday, completed them and overnighted them back to me- and I received them by Wednesday!! She was excellent about getting them back to me on time... just a hassle to have to deal with so close to the wedding- plus, a stressor! Everything turned out wonderfully in the end, though!
Ceremony Music
ec0983: amore quartet- A the amore quartet was great to work with. they sent me a sample cd to hear their work (it was brilliant) and after we booked about 9 months out they kept in touch without being obnoxious. they played what we wanted how and when we wanted, and it was beautiful- exactly the feel i was going for. i was uneasy about them a week or two before the wedding b/c i had never met them, but they were right on time and we had no problems at all.
Day of Coordinator/Planner
Remember This Day Events (Carina)
lflick80: (A++) - Carina is amazing. She made sure all my “details” were taken care of just as I would have – if not better. We met 3 times before my wedding and went through every single detail. She knew my wedding inside and out. I am 110% happy with my decision to hire her as my DOC! It was money VERY well spent!
DIY
annielgirl1 - Programs: I used one of my friends templates and took it to Staples and printed them there for $31. That was the best $31 I spent during the wedding planning because I didn’t have to aggravate myself with paper jams, lining the paper up etc.
Mrs.Carina2u – I'm pretty awesome :-) I designed the menu cards, our monogram, the table numbers, and many other things on my computer using various programs... printed on cardstock bought online. I was VERY pleased!!! I also designed my programs, designed the template, and bought the materials, my brother's awesome girlfriend printed and assembled ALL of them- they looked SOOO professional!! :-)
lflick80 - (Candy Buffet, “Cake” Card Box, Programs, Place Cards, Donation Favor Tents, Save the Dates) I’m a teacher and I’m pretty crafty, so I think my DYI projects turned out pretty well
DJ
East Coast Event Group
anniegirl1: (A+) - Our DJ John was actually a replacement DJ because the DJ we requested was unable to come suddenly, so we were nervous about this as well. John kept the dance floor packed all night. He would come down to the dance floor every so often to check in with me to see if all of the songs were okay and to see if I wanted him to play anything else. At the end of the night, he gave us a copy of a CD with the songs he played for the night.
tom barrett djs (ken)
ec0983: A- i really felt comfortable working with tom barrett. they were clear and concise with their contract, and called me 2 weeks before the wedding to follow up with our requested music paper work, and then 4 days before to check for any changes. everyone was up and dancing all night, and they didn't play one song i asked them not to. our only complaint- we requested "i'm yours" by jason mraz to cut our cake to, and they didn't have it. but, the dj handled it extremely professionally and told us about it beforehand and offered other suggestions. it was still a let down, but at least he wasn't a jerk about it.
Favors
Four Seasons Liquor Store
Mrs.Carina2u - We ordered our champagne "Verdi Spumante" bottles in bulk quantity at this liquor store- and they also print PERSONALIZED labels to be put on the bottles for FREE!!! At first I thought there MUST be a catch... but there wasn't! Our bottles came in within 2 weeks, with our perfect labels- and it was less expensive than you would think!! Definitely look into getting these favors (they have many other liquor favor options in addition to what we got!) Ask for Dennis. He rocks. Tell him Carina sent you!
Park Avenue Pastries
anniegirl1: (A+) - (used as Place cards as well) I got this idea from a wedding that my mom attended. The place cards/favors were wedding cake cookies that had the people’s name and table number on it. They were probably the biggest hit of the night.
Florist
Belvedere Flowers
lflick80: (A+) I really wasn’t “into” shopping for a florist, as I know nothing about flowers. However, Belvedere ended up being one of my favorite vendors. They did a terrific job with all the flowers – bouquets, boutonnières, centerpieces, altar pieces. I was in awe of their work and their prices were awesome. Adam, the owner, was so easy to work with and the flowers really exceeded my expectations. He made “flower shopping” enjoyable!
Creations for Celebration
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++) Judy is just beyond words!! Her work is incredible, she is affordable, and really knows her stuff! When we had our mock-up centerpieces, I expected "traditional" sized... but they were HUGE... my father's jaw dropped when he saw them and then turned to me to ask "how much is this costing me??" haha... it was only a FRACTION of what other florists charge. Judy returned my calls promptly, responded to ALL/ANY of my concerns or changes in setup... and was a complete DOLL to work with! Love her!! The day of the wedding, everything was delivered on time, and exceded any and ALL expectations of what I had dreamed of!!! She was one of my FAVORITE vendors!!! :-)
Eventricity
tunnel - We used eventricity as our florist and they too were great. Their prices were great and they worked with us to give us exactly what we were looking for. They were very easy to communicate with via e-mail and phone, they even e-mailed me some pictures last minute. I paid a nominal price to have a mock up, and in my opinion it is worth it to do that. I ended up loving the mock up and it left me feeling assured.
Maureen’s Flowers
anniegirl1: (A+) Reenie was so patient with me because I was constantly changing my mind. Everything I pictured my flowers to be they were. She is so down to earth and her prices were very reasonable.
risher van horn (joan)-
ec0983: A+ joan rules. she did anything and everything i asked of her, made a million changes for me without blinking an eye, and even drove out to the venue and tried to figure out how we wanted to set up the outdoor space while it was pouring down rain. the flowers were exactly what i envisioned and they were delivered right on time. she even made a last minute addition to my bouquet on site. her prices were fantastic. DEFINITELY check her out.
Guest Book
My Publisher
Mrs.Carina2u - I made a custom photo guestbook with pictures of me and DH throughout our 7+ year relationship. Delivery was quick, and the product was great!! I then decided to use them for a supplemental gift for my MOH, which was a photobook of us throughout our friendship. QUALITY work!!!
Hair
Tiffani (used to work at Town Hair Salon in DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A++++) - Tiffani is my regular stylist/colorist... so as soon as I got engaged, I reserved her for our wedding day!! Sadly, Tiffani's last day at the Salon was our wedding day (she waited until then b/c she knew how badly I wanted her to do my hair! LOL) and now she has returned to California with her family... but she was amazing!!! She knew the look I wanted was 40's Old Hollywood Glam style, and it was even better than I imagined!!! However, some of my BMs had issues with the stylists at the Salon that did THEIR hair... I'm not sure if they didn't speak up about their dislikes, or if the stylists just didn't listen- but it even warranted a few of them returning to the salon at the last minute to get their hair FIXED!! Apparently a few of the girls at the salon were rude (which i was very surprised with since I use this salon several times a year since I was 7 years old!)
Hair & Makeup
Contemp Cuts
anniegirl1: (A+) - I go to this salon normally so I wasn’t a stranger. We brought in our own breakfast which was great. All of the girls were taken on time and were out by 11AM. All were very pleased with hair and makeup.
la vita bella
ec0983: A+ LOVED these people. my hair (by lori) was awesome, my bridesmaids' hair was awesome, my mom's hair was awesome, our makeup was awesome. they had a place for us to eat lunch and drink champagne and didn't care that we basically took over the salon. awesome.
Currie Salon
lflick80: (B+) - I was very happy with my hair and makeup, but it was a tad expensive for my bridesmaids. There seemed to be a lot of hidden costs that they weren’t upfront about when I booked them. Most of my girls just had their hair styled or blown out (they didn’t get updos) and they were charged more than I was told. All in all, the hair and makeup was good, just pricey.
Karen Capcino
tunnel - She was great and so was her assistant. My bridal party and I used them for hair and makeup. Everyone loved their hair and makeup, and they worked really fast (we didn't even have to get up that early!). She can be a little difficult to get a hold of sometimes (might take more than 1 call), but her prices and quality of her work and worth the effort. Contacting her by phone is definately the better way of contacting her.
Honeymoon
Riviera Maya
lflick80 (Excellence): (A+) - This place was just like Heaven! Hands down the best all inclusive I’ve ever been to, and it is perfect for a honeymoon!
Hotels
Inn at Wilmington
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - No complaints... only thing that I could think of was that when we ran out of rooms in our block, they didn't add more (even though guests were calling and requesting rooms under our block- they turned them down) until DH called and asked to add more rooms. I then called the guests that we knew hadn't booked rooms yet and told them to book. Granted, it was AFTER the deadline that I told them to book by- so it wasn't really the Marriott's fault, but still a bit of a pain to deal with 2 weeks before the wedding. Hotel DuPont was wonderful, HOWEVER- DH had scheduled a 12am pickup from the reception by the hotel's towncar, and come 12:20am still nothing!! DCC called them, and we didn't get picked up until around 1AM!!!! We were pretty upset about that, but didn't let it ruin our night!
Invitations
Brodie Invitations
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Mary was really helpful in all aspects of the stationery choosing process! She was patient and knowledgable! Invitations came in a timely fashion and with no mistakes! Highly recommend!
Exclusivelyweddings.com
anniegirl1: (A-) - I ordered samples online of what I wanted, got them, liked them and ordered. I thought their prices were decent. It took a week to get the invitations. It was one of the easiest things I did wedding planning wise, because I didn’t have to go anywhere to look at them or book them.
Jewelry /Hairpiece/Rings
Jewelry Exchange, Norristown, PA
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Engagement ring - FI got my AMAZING e-ring at Jewelry Exchange, and supposedly got a great deal- its clarity, cut and everything are the highest quality that I've ever seen!! HIGHLY recommend.
Robbin's Diamonds
Mrs.Carina2u (Wilmington, DE): (A) - Wedding Bands - We got our wedding bands from Robbin's Diamonds... great service, amazing rings- DH even got me the matching band for a wedding gift! HIGHLY recommend!
tunnel (Philadelphia, PA) - We got our rings at Robbins (we used both the one on 8th and Walnut in Philly and the one in Deleware - no taxes). They were really wonderful and had a great selection.
Makeup
Face the Occasion
Mrs.Carina2u (Kelly): (A++++) - I had 2 trials with Kelly before deciding exactly how I wanted my makeup done... she was a DOLL and really worked with me to create the look that I envisioned for myself!! She arrived EARLY on our wedding day, and did my mother's makeup- which looked even better than the trial (which my non-makeup wearing mother was very skeptical with after the first trial- she kept raving about her makeup during the wedding day!) And Kelly was awesome doing my makeup.... she made me GLOW... which was awesome :-) Highly recommend!
Misc
Mrs.Carina2u
(Personalized Shirts/Undergarments)
Customizedgirl.com (A) - I ordered the tank that I wore while getting ready from them- as well as the fitted tee that I wore while traveling to Hawaii for our HM!!! Great products, great prices, fast shipment!
(Parent Gifts/Toasting Flutes)
Things Remembered & Ebay - Great products, fast shipment, recommend!
(BM Gifts)
Overstock.com & Ebags.com - I got my girls each a black pearl bracelet and dangle earrings to wear at the Wedding, and also any day thereafter!! They came in quickly, in great condition, and were GORGEOUS! Wish I had bought a set for myself!!! I also got them each a Vera Bradley bag. HIGLY recommend!
(Groomsmen Gifts)
Whoopassenterprises.com - Great customer service, quick delivery, they looked PERFECT! The only problem we had was that they made my brother's face a bit wide- it looked like him+20 pounds! LOL Other than that, a HUGE HIT! They were the LIFE of the party at the RD... everyone was super impressed with how unique of a gift they were!!
tunnel
(candle topper, unity candle set, garter and some small gifts)
Treasures By Trish - I found out about this store from knotties and I'm glad I did. I was able to buy my stuff here all at the same time. The one stop shopping was really convenient and the owners were very friendly. They also dye shoes, but I didn't have that done.
Photography
Cindy Guessford Photography
tunnel - I absolutely love the pictures I've seen so far! We did an engagement session, and the photos turned out great, and there was a slideshow at the reception of the some of the pictures we had taken that day. The slideshow really wowed our guests. Cindy's prices were more than we initially budgeted to spend, but so far I am so happy we decided to go with her. She has such incredible ideas, and you wont feel like your posing the whole time.
Erin Farrell
lflick80: (A+++) Wow – Erin is fantastic! She was an absolute pleasure to work with and went above and beyond. (She was 7.5 months pregnant at our wedding!) I am in love with my pictures. My friends and family cannot stop talking about how fabulous she is. I recommend her VERY highly.
Michael's Photography
anniegirl1: (A+) Michael and his assistant Lisa were so friendly and easy to work with the day of the wedding. Aside from our traditional shots and portraits, you didn’t even know they were there. The proofs that I just got back are amazing!
Photography by Lauri
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++++) From the moment I first met with Laurie, I KNEW she was the right photographer for us!! We really clicked, I loved her style, and she's great to work with!!! She did my b-pics a month prior to the wedding, and she made me feel completely comfortable- which is a huge feat, being that I'm really modest at times!! She is so completely talented, and I know that we will be using her for ALL our family photography needs for the rest of our lives! She truly is amazing!! If you don't book her for your wedding, you're a fool!!! Her and her assistant, Rob, were on time the day of the wedding- Rob made the GMs and DH feel very comfortable in front of the camera, and Laurie kept me and my girls calm and collected (despite the rain!!) They worked really well together, and quickly when it came to the SUN that peeked out after our ceremony for pics!!! The only pictures that were "missed" were of my mom and dad alone and posed (we have candids, but none formal of just the two of them) and my mother with her two brothers and her two sons. While it was disappointing that these were not taken, we have SOOO many amazing pictures, we are extremely pleased!! You are BOUND to miss a few shots in the hustle and bustle of the day! I plan to use Laurie for family pictures and when we eventually have children!! LOVE her!!
zachary gallery (jim indelicarto) - ec0983 A jim is really fantastic to work with. he's energetic and extremely talented. he's pretty high priced, but he's got the experience to back it and his quality is incredible. only complaint is that now that we're getting ready to get our album, it's going to cost more than he initially told us so we're having to review our contract pretty closely.
Reception Locations
Drexelbrook, Drexel Hill, PA
tunnel - It was absolutely 100% top notch. Their servers were very attentive, the staff was on top of everything, the coordinator gave us her opinion (hey, she has seen a lot of weddings in her day!) and was very helpful and easy to get in touch with even up to the last minute. And our food was outstanding and plentiful - but I will let you know that we did pretty much upgrade to their most expensive food options. Their staff also worked with us to get specialty wines and other foods. We went to showcase, but also had a tasting and if you are at all hesitant about their food I definately recommend having a tasting as it will put your mind to rest.
DuPont Country Club (Wilminton, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++++++). Originally we had been working with Leah M. as our point-person at DCC. She was WONDERFUL, but left in June to go to the Christiana Hilton (totally miss her, she's a DOLL!) We then got June as our point-person and let me tell you... A-MAZING!! She returned my calls within minutes, responded to any and ALL questions and concerns, etc. I made lists of details for the "record" and she incorporated everything into the "confirmation" documents the week before our wedding. I can't say enough wonderful things about the service we received from DuPont Country Club! I have DOCed weddings at this venue before, and worked with the DOC that they appoint you- and one of them was really superb, so I requested her for our wedding, knowing she was as much of a perfectionist as I am!! Michele H. was awesome... she dealt with my crazy details and even the binder I gave her with all the info HAHA (it actually came in BIG handy when last minute things/changes came up- she didn't even need to call me because she had EVERYTHING in front of her!!!) I had SOOOOOO many compliments on how grand the ballroom was, the cocktail hour, the service, the FOOD, everything... no complaints WHAT SO EVER!!!! I know it is quite expensive to hold your reception at DCC, but if it is in any way possible, DO IT- you won't regret it!
villanova conference center
ec0983: A+++ everything about villanova was fabulous from when i first went to look at their site over a year ago to the day after my wedding when we went to pick up some of the things we had left behind. they were helpful, accommodating, and they made sure DH and i and bridal party had a drink in our hands and food on our plates all night. they even turned the crappiest october day in history into the perfect day for a wedding. i didn't even notice that we had to move the ceremony inside. and i'm still getting compliments on the food- a meal for 125 that was made ENTIRELY gluten free because i'm a celiac. AMAZING.
P&P Caterers
anniegirl1; Southampton Room and Fountain Room (cocktail hour): (A+) Teri was so helpful and accommodating during my whole planning process. Anything I wanted or needed or had a question about, she answered and if she didn’t know the answer, she got back to me immediately. The cocktail hour and reception ran so smoothly due to the efficiency of the staff. The room looked gorgeous when it was set up. I cannot say enough great things about it.
Radisson-Warwick Hotel
lflick80: (A+) Everything was fantastic...the service, the food, the atmosphere! We were 100% pleased, as were our guests. Lori, the wedding sales specialist, is very knowledgeable, friendly, and prompt with email/phone call responses. I highly recommend The Warwick.
Rehersal Dinner
Café Gelato (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (B+) - We knew we wanted this venue for the RD from before the expansion was complete... food was great, service was excellent... only complaint was that we had reserved this room back in FEBRUARY and yet almost every table in our room was SAT when we arrived for the cocktail hour!!! Needless to say, my MIL and myself got on them RIGHT away and luckily one of the servers was an old college buddy of DH's, so he cleared them all out pretty quickly.
Due Amici Italian Grill, Cinnaminson, NJ
tunnel - They are very reasonably priced and it's a BYOB, so that helps keep the prices down. The food was very good, the staff was average but very nice, and it is conveniently located. I definately recommend this place if you are on a tighter budget.
Save the Dates
Magnet Street
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Quick delivery, perfect product!! I've gotten MANY compliments on our magnets, and I absolutely LOVE them!!!
Stationary
Vistaprint
anniegirl (Thank you cards): (A-) - I uploaded my favorite picture from our wedding into a Vistaprint note card and just typed Thank You on it. I ordered 150 of them for $112. They came in a week and I just started the daunting task of writing them all out.
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - This is where I ordered our return address labels, envelope seals for "Thank You" cards, Photo sharing cards, OOT welcome letters, business cards for my business... pretty much everything!! Great products, great prices, Love them!!
Bridalandbabyexpressions.com
lflick80: (A+) - These ladies were a HUGE find! I wanted pocket fold invitations, but didn’t want to spend a ton. I could not get over BB&E’s prices and service. They were amazing and I communicated with them solely through email, which made things really easy for me. They sent me proof after proof until I was 100% satisfied. People loved my invitations, as did I! They also addressed my envelopes, which was very convenient.
Transportation
Buker Limo (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: We got the 1976 Rolls Royce and the 14-passenger Excursion. Jack, our driver in the Rolls was awesome- him and the other driver were RIGHT on time, and even listened to our request to change the way we drove to the church (due to parents' weekend and a football game at the university). No complaints!!!!
Celebrations Limousine
anniegirl1: (A+) - I was a little nervous about this because the manager who I dealt with was very abrasive after I booked, so I was unsure how this turned out. Our driver was fabulous. He arrived early, helped with flowers, fluffing my dress, opening and closing the church doors, telling the girls when to start up the aisle. He was more like a day of coordinator!
ETA Worldwide
tunnel - Transportation Services (out of Berlin) - I only ended up booking my limos about two weeks before the wedding, so I was concerned about how it would work out. They were absolutely wonderful!! Our main limo driver helped open the doors to the church for me to walk out, helped coordinate where people had to go after the ceremony, brought us some water after the ceremony, and even went out and got us some champagne! They arrived 15 minutes early everywhere, they knew exactly how to get everywhere, they knew alternate routes, they knew places to stop to get photos. Their service was great, and I definately recommend them.
Krapf's Coaches
tunnel - We used them to take guests back to the hotel we had a block at after the reception. Their prices were the best around for an air conditioned motor coach, but the driver was the slowest driver in the world, was cranky and had an attitude. He really just did not want to be there. This was probably the only vendor I would not recommend.
carey limousines
ec0983: B eh. booking with them was kind of frustrating- when i first booked the limo to go from my house to the salon to the venue, they gave us a VAN so i had to call and change it. the shuttle driver we had from the hotel to the venue refused to leave the hotel until the shuttle was full, so about 10 of my family and friends were stuck waiting on the shuttle for 30 minutes and were consequently late. they eventually got everyone where they needed to be, but it was a pain getting there.
Limos Today
lflick80: (A+) - Never did I think I’d rate my transportation as an A+, transportation for a wedding seems pretty standard, right? However I really was impressed with Limos Today. They were prompt, courtesy, and so helpful! Our driver even went out and got ice during the ceremony. We spent a bit more compared to a few other limo companies, but we wanted to make sure our transportation would be reliable!
Tux
Domenico's
anniegirl1: (B-) - They were very easy to work with but one groomsman got the wrong size vest and another got the wrong size shirt so they were uncomfortable the day of the wedding, but it was kind of their fault for not trying their tuxes on before the day of the wedding.
Flocco’s (Conshohocken, PA)
lfick80: (A+) - This place is great! It’s family owned and the people are so friendly and helpful. They were very relaxed about when the tuxes needed to be back, which was very refreshing. Some places insist on having them back by noon the next day, which wasn’t going to happen for us. Also all of the groomsmen live out of state, and Flocco’s did a great job keeping them in the loop.
Men’s Warehouse
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - I went in with FI about 5 months before the wedding to look at tuxes. While they don't have ANY to try on "in store"... I showed them a picture of the tux my grandfather wore- and was interested if they happened to have anything similar. Imagine my shock when the salesman opened to the page of the book with practically the EXACT tux!!! The GMs had a few alterations they needed completed, but all were done immediately on the spot, and my BIL had gone in early enough to have them reorder his! NO complaints... you just have to be "on top" of things with them and quadruple check everything before you leave the store.
Veil
Occassney Bridal
Mrs.carina2u - I ordered TWO veils from them… the first one was JUST what I wanted; however, when I tried it on with my gown, it wasn’t what I envisioned- so I contacted them and they gave me a coupon code so that I could get my DREAM veil at a discounted rate!!! Awesome work! Great customer service!
Video
Martins
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++) We booked Martin's purely on reviews from fellow knotties. They were really easy to work with via email and phone (being that they're about an hour drive from me). The woman who worked our wedding (Christy?? I don't remember her name) was there early, stayed till the end, and we barely noticed her filming (although I am SOOOOO glad we got a videographer because there were some CRAZY moments during our reception that photos just can't capture! ie- my brother getting up with the band singing blues brothers with sunglasses on... BIL singing "I Feel Good" with the band... my FATHER playing the tamborine! hahah) If you are on the brink of whether or not to get a videog... totally do it!!! I know I will watch that video my entire life to come! The video is A-MAZING!!!!! I'm soooo happy we decided to have a videographer- and Martin's has been a pleasure to deal with!! The level of service that the owner provides is just amazing!! He went above and beyond for us- LOVE them!!!
lflick80: (A) We barely noticed the videographer and he was very nice. We’ll get the video in a few months, but I highly recommend getting a videographer. I know some brides think “I’ll never watch the video” and it’s a good place to cut costs, but I can’t wait to see what I missed at the reception and ceremony. I want to see everyone walk down the aisle and into the reception, listen to the speeches again, etc. It was such a whirlwind of a day.
Elaine Morgan (Newark)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++) - What can I say?! Elaine is A-MAZ-ING!!!! Very affordable, great to work with, and excellent work!!!!!!!! I will be taking my gown there to get cleaned and preserved afterwards, and I have definitely found a seamstress for ALL of my alteration needs in the future!!
Bands
CTO SoHO
Mrs.Carina2u: (A++++++) - The band leader, Patrice ("Peaches" from "Peaches 'n' Herb") was a delight to work with the entire planning process!! She made me feel like I was the only bride she was working with... she lent her opinion/advice, made changes when needed, and really was understanding when we had last minute scheduling changes! The day of the wedding.... not a SINGLE guest passed on the opportunity to compliment me on the band choice, and kept asking where we found them!!! Seriously, the reception wouldn't have been NEARLY as successful without them! They kept on schedule, played every song we wanted, lots we were pleasantly surprised with... even learned MORE songs that we wanted played but they didn't have on their playlist!!!! Wow... seriously, words can not express how WONDERFUL this band is. Totally worth it!!!!!
Jack Faulkner Orchestra
lflick80: (A+) - Everyone LOVED them! JFO was a HUGE hit with our guests. The dance floor was packed all night long. Jack was awesome to work with. He returned my emails/calls very promptly and met with us a month before the wedding to review all the details. My dad and I did something a little different for our dance – we started out to a slow song, and then went into a fast dance, and Jack was so helpful! I can’t recommend them enough!
Bridal Gowns
Bridaltown
annielgril1: (A+) - A friend of the family works there and took very good care of me. It is far from Philly but it was worth it.
Brides & Grooms (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+): MUCH better experience with B&G!!! Faith and Marie were AWESOME and handled my situation so greatly! They placed the order correctly, it came in on time, and they made me feel special each time I was in the shop!!! I have even brought my soon to be future sister-in-law and another friend there to buy HER gown!! HIGHLY recommend!
Irini’s (Wilmington)
Mrs.Carina2u: (F-) - Where do I even start?!? I found my DREAM dress here... first store I went to. Everything went fine, except when I ordered and wanted "petite" length, she said that the manufacturer doesn't offer that option (I believed her), so we order. A few weeks later I find out from fellow knotties that it DOES come in "petite" length, and so I call Irini's to let them know that the order should be changed to reflect that, since we DID say that is what we wanted. After much arguing of them saying that we were wrong, they informed us that my dress was IN [2 weeks after ordering!] So my mother and I go in to try on the dress, and of course, I love it- but it's WAYYYY too long (petite would've been close to PERFECT!) So we tell them that no, we want it re-ordered, the size that we initially told them we wanted. After about an hour of arguing, they FINALLY admit that it is available in petite, but says that it costs EXTRA [no, it does not actually!] but whatever, we were willing to suck it up and pay... then the husband RIPS up my mother's receipt for the dress!!!!! That was OUR property! He also pretty much writes an addendum to the order form for the dress and REFUSES to order the dress in front of me (how do I know they won't just hem the dress that they already have and charge me extra?!?!) After much arguing, them yelling in Greek, and my FATHER threatening to call the cops and me being on the phone to my attorney, they FINALLY gave us our deposit back, and I re-ordered my dress from a very helpful shop that actually helped to find the information on the dress and prove that Irini's was trying to SCAM US!!!! STAY AWAY FROM IRINI'S!!! NO BRIDE SHOULD CRY IN HER WEDDING GOWN!
lflick80: (A-) - I heard mixed reviews about Irini’s, but I did not have any problems with them. My dress was in ahead of schedule, and my alterations were perfect and very reasonably priced. I had the neckline of my dress changed, which required quite a bit of work, and it turned out great. The place itself is very outdated and the service isn’t the greatest, but their prices are very reasonable.
Irma's Bridal
tunnel - I got my dress and veil from Irma's and I love Irma. After weeks and weeks of bridal dress shopping, Irma actually picked my dress for me. Literally, she said "I have the right dress for you" and she went into the back and got it and it was the One! I also got my beautiful veil from there. Yes, it was expensive but I received sooo many compliments on it. My BMs also got their dresses there. I found them at 2 other places cheaper. She price matched one of the places, but wouldn't go any lower. I still ended up going with her even though it was about $10 a dress because I felt confident that the order would be placed correctly and arrive on time, and they did. Don't be shy to call her if you dress arrival date passes and you don't get a call. If you call her for an update she will return your call at the end of the day.
Bridesmaids Dresses
Brides & Grooms (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Took about a month past the EDD to come in, but that was due to a huge snow storm in China... they were great to work with and no complaints here!
Coronet Bridal
anniegirl: (A) - They have a huge selection of BM dresses which can be overwhelming and the store is cramped so if you go on a weekend, it can be annoying. However they were very helpful and I got what I wanted with ordering swatches and matching up the swatch to the color that I wanted.
Cakes
Breadeneck’s
lflick80: (A) - They were easy to work with and the cake was good. What else could I ask for?
Cakes by Geralyn
Mrs.Carina2u (groom’s cake): (A+++) - Geralyn is a family friend, who owns her own pastry business! Her work is phenomenal… and I was super excited to work with her!! Needless to say, DH was ECSTATIC!!! Everything we wanted!!!
sweet jazmines
ec0983: A this cake was faaaaaaaaaaaantastic. it looked beautiful and it tasted even better. people still won't stop telling me how good it was. and, they made the top tier gluten free so that i could eat it- enough said.
Wedding Cake/Grooms Cake
Hotel DuPont
Mrs.Carina2u - We had our cake with all layers being Grand Marnier with alternating tiers of strawberry preserve filling and mango filling. DELISH! We used my parents' cake topper for ours, as well... it perfected the "vintage" feel of the cake!!! Surrounding the cake we had pictures of each of our grandparents' at their weddings! I loved it!
Calligrapher
Calligraphy by Carmela (Voorhees, NJ)
Mrs.Carina2u: (B+) - Initially, Carmela was booked for my wedding; however, I had heard SUCH amazing things about her work, that I practically BEGGED her to make room for my invitations! I’m SO happy that she was able to do them for us- and her work is INCREDIBLE! She also did my place card calligraphy. Her product was great, my only complaint would be that there were 11 place cards missing from the master list when I double checked everything a few days before the wedding!!!!!!! I had checked when I received them, but in all the hustle and bustle, I didn't realize the missing place cards! I contacted Carmela and I had to overnight the blank place cards to her first thing Monday morning (needed to get them to DCC by Thursday morning)... so she received them Tuesday, completed them and overnighted them back to me- and I received them by Wednesday!! She was excellent about getting them back to me on time... just a hassle to have to deal with so close to the wedding- plus, a stressor! Everything turned out wonderfully in the end, though!
Ceremony Music
ec0983: amore quartet- A the amore quartet was great to work with. they sent me a sample cd to hear their work (it was brilliant) and after we booked about 9 months out they kept in touch without being obnoxious. they played what we wanted how and when we wanted, and it was beautiful- exactly the feel i was going for. i was uneasy about them a week or two before the wedding b/c i had never met them, but they were right on time and we had no problems at all.
Day of Coordinator/Planner
Remember This Day Events (Carina)
lflick80: (A++) - Carina is amazing. She made sure all my “details” were taken care of just as I would have – if not better. We met 3 times before my wedding and went through every single detail. She knew my wedding inside and out. I am 110% happy with my decision to hire her as my DOC! It was money VERY well spent!
DIY
annielgirl1 - Programs: I used one of my friends templates and took it to Staples and printed them there for $31. That was the best $31 I spent during the wedding planning because I didn’t have to aggravate myself with paper jams, lining the paper up etc.
Mrs.Carina2u – I'm pretty awesome :-) I designed the menu cards, our monogram, the table numbers, and many other things on my computer using various programs... printed on cardstock bought online. I was VERY pleased!!! I also designed my programs, designed the template, and bought the materials, my brother's awesome girlfriend printed and assembled ALL of them- they looked SOOO professional!! :-)
lflick80 - (Candy Buffet, “Cake” Card Box, Programs, Place Cards, Donation Favor Tents, Save the Dates) I’m a teacher and I’m pretty crafty, so I think my DYI projects turned out pretty well
DJ
East Coast Event Group
anniegirl1: (A+) - Our DJ John was actually a replacement DJ because the DJ we requested was unable to come suddenly, so we were nervous about this as well. John kept the dance floor packed all night. He would come down to the dance floor every so often to check in with me to see if all of the songs were okay and to see if I wanted him to play anything else. At the end of the night, he gave us a copy of a CD with the songs he played for the night.
tom barrett djs (ken)
ec0983: A- i really felt comfortable working with tom barrett. they were clear and concise with their contract, and called me 2 weeks before the wedding to follow up with our requested music paper work, and then 4 days before to check for any changes. everyone was up and dancing all night, and they didn't play one song i asked them not to. our only complaint- we requested "i'm yours" by jason mraz to cut our cake to, and they didn't have it. but, the dj handled it extremely professionally and told us about it beforehand and offered other suggestions. it was still a let down, but at least he wasn't a jerk about it.
Favors
Four Seasons Liquor Store
Mrs.Carina2u - We ordered our champagne "Verdi Spumante" bottles in bulk quantity at this liquor store- and they also print PERSONALIZED labels to be put on the bottles for FREE!!! At first I thought there MUST be a catch... but there wasn't! Our bottles came in within 2 weeks, with our perfect labels- and it was less expensive than you would think!! Definitely look into getting these favors (they have many other liquor favor options in addition to what we got!) Ask for Dennis. He rocks. Tell him Carina sent you!
Park Avenue Pastries
anniegirl1: (A+) - (used as Place cards as well) I got this idea from a wedding that my mom attended. The place cards/favors were wedding cake cookies that had the people’s name and table number on it. They were probably the biggest hit of the night.
Florist
Belvedere Flowers
lflick80: (A+) I really wasn’t “into” shopping for a florist, as I know nothing about flowers. However, Belvedere ended up being one of my favorite vendors. They did a terrific job with all the flowers – bouquets, boutonnières, centerpieces, altar pieces. I was in awe of their work and their prices were awesome. Adam, the owner, was so easy to work with and the flowers really exceeded my expectations. He made “flower shopping” enjoyable!
Creations for Celebration
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++) Judy is just beyond words!! Her work is incredible, she is affordable, and really knows her stuff! When we had our mock-up centerpieces, I expected "traditional" sized... but they were HUGE... my father's jaw dropped when he saw them and then turned to me to ask "how much is this costing me??" haha... it was only a FRACTION of what other florists charge. Judy returned my calls promptly, responded to ALL/ANY of my concerns or changes in setup... and was a complete DOLL to work with! Love her!! The day of the wedding, everything was delivered on time, and exceded any and ALL expectations of what I had dreamed of!!! She was one of my FAVORITE vendors!!! :-)
Eventricity
tunnel - We used eventricity as our florist and they too were great. Their prices were great and they worked with us to give us exactly what we were looking for. They were very easy to communicate with via e-mail and phone, they even e-mailed me some pictures last minute. I paid a nominal price to have a mock up, and in my opinion it is worth it to do that. I ended up loving the mock up and it left me feeling assured.
Maureen’s Flowers
anniegirl1: (A+) Reenie was so patient with me because I was constantly changing my mind. Everything I pictured my flowers to be they were. She is so down to earth and her prices were very reasonable.
risher van horn (joan)-
ec0983: A+ joan rules. she did anything and everything i asked of her, made a million changes for me without blinking an eye, and even drove out to the venue and tried to figure out how we wanted to set up the outdoor space while it was pouring down rain. the flowers were exactly what i envisioned and they were delivered right on time. she even made a last minute addition to my bouquet on site. her prices were fantastic. DEFINITELY check her out.
Guest Book
My Publisher
Mrs.Carina2u - I made a custom photo guestbook with pictures of me and DH throughout our 7+ year relationship. Delivery was quick, and the product was great!! I then decided to use them for a supplemental gift for my MOH, which was a photobook of us throughout our friendship. QUALITY work!!!
Hair
Tiffani (used to work at Town Hair Salon in DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A++++) - Tiffani is my regular stylist/colorist... so as soon as I got engaged, I reserved her for our wedding day!! Sadly, Tiffani's last day at the Salon was our wedding day (she waited until then b/c she knew how badly I wanted her to do my hair! LOL) and now she has returned to California with her family... but she was amazing!!! She knew the look I wanted was 40's Old Hollywood Glam style, and it was even better than I imagined!!! However, some of my BMs had issues with the stylists at the Salon that did THEIR hair... I'm not sure if they didn't speak up about their dislikes, or if the stylists just didn't listen- but it even warranted a few of them returning to the salon at the last minute to get their hair FIXED!! Apparently a few of the girls at the salon were rude (which i was very surprised with since I use this salon several times a year since I was 7 years old!)
Hair & Makeup
Contemp Cuts
anniegirl1: (A+) - I go to this salon normally so I wasn’t a stranger. We brought in our own breakfast which was great. All of the girls were taken on time and were out by 11AM. All were very pleased with hair and makeup.
la vita bella
ec0983: A+ LOVED these people. my hair (by lori) was awesome, my bridesmaids' hair was awesome, my mom's hair was awesome, our makeup was awesome. they had a place for us to eat lunch and drink champagne and didn't care that we basically took over the salon. awesome.
Currie Salon
lflick80: (B+) - I was very happy with my hair and makeup, but it was a tad expensive for my bridesmaids. There seemed to be a lot of hidden costs that they weren’t upfront about when I booked them. Most of my girls just had their hair styled or blown out (they didn’t get updos) and they were charged more than I was told. All in all, the hair and makeup was good, just pricey.
Karen Capcino
tunnel - She was great and so was her assistant. My bridal party and I used them for hair and makeup. Everyone loved their hair and makeup, and they worked really fast (we didn't even have to get up that early!). She can be a little difficult to get a hold of sometimes (might take more than 1 call), but her prices and quality of her work and worth the effort. Contacting her by phone is definately the better way of contacting her.
Honeymoon
Riviera Maya
lflick80 (Excellence): (A+) - This place was just like Heaven! Hands down the best all inclusive I’ve ever been to, and it is perfect for a honeymoon!
Hotels
Inn at Wilmington
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - No complaints... only thing that I could think of was that when we ran out of rooms in our block, they didn't add more (even though guests were calling and requesting rooms under our block- they turned them down) until DH called and asked to add more rooms. I then called the guests that we knew hadn't booked rooms yet and told them to book. Granted, it was AFTER the deadline that I told them to book by- so it wasn't really the Marriott's fault, but still a bit of a pain to deal with 2 weeks before the wedding. Hotel DuPont was wonderful, HOWEVER- DH had scheduled a 12am pickup from the reception by the hotel's towncar, and come 12:20am still nothing!! DCC called them, and we didn't get picked up until around 1AM!!!! We were pretty upset about that, but didn't let it ruin our night!
Invitations
Brodie Invitations
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Mary was really helpful in all aspects of the stationery choosing process! She was patient and knowledgable! Invitations came in a timely fashion and with no mistakes! Highly recommend!
Exclusivelyweddings.com
anniegirl1: (A-) - I ordered samples online of what I wanted, got them, liked them and ordered. I thought their prices were decent. It took a week to get the invitations. It was one of the easiest things I did wedding planning wise, because I didn’t have to go anywhere to look at them or book them.
Jewelry /Hairpiece/Rings
Jewelry Exchange, Norristown, PA
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Engagement ring - FI got my AMAZING e-ring at Jewelry Exchange, and supposedly got a great deal- its clarity, cut and everything are the highest quality that I've ever seen!! HIGHLY recommend.
Robbin's Diamonds
Mrs.Carina2u (Wilmington, DE): (A) - Wedding Bands - We got our wedding bands from Robbin's Diamonds... great service, amazing rings- DH even got me the matching band for a wedding gift! HIGHLY recommend!
tunnel (Philadelphia, PA) - We got our rings at Robbins (we used both the one on 8th and Walnut in Philly and the one in Deleware - no taxes). They were really wonderful and had a great selection.
Makeup
Face the Occasion
Mrs.Carina2u (Kelly): (A++++) - I had 2 trials with Kelly before deciding exactly how I wanted my makeup done... she was a DOLL and really worked with me to create the look that I envisioned for myself!! She arrived EARLY on our wedding day, and did my mother's makeup- which looked even better than the trial (which my non-makeup wearing mother was very skeptical with after the first trial- she kept raving about her makeup during the wedding day!) And Kelly was awesome doing my makeup.... she made me GLOW... which was awesome :-) Highly recommend!
Misc
Mrs.Carina2u
(Personalized Shirts/Undergarments)
Customizedgirl.com (A) - I ordered the tank that I wore while getting ready from them- as well as the fitted tee that I wore while traveling to Hawaii for our HM!!! Great products, great prices, fast shipment!
(Parent Gifts/Toasting Flutes)
Things Remembered & Ebay - Great products, fast shipment, recommend!
(BM Gifts)
Overstock.com & Ebags.com - I got my girls each a black pearl bracelet and dangle earrings to wear at the Wedding, and also any day thereafter!! They came in quickly, in great condition, and were GORGEOUS! Wish I had bought a set for myself!!! I also got them each a Vera Bradley bag. HIGLY recommend!
(Groomsmen Gifts)
Whoopassenterprises.com - Great customer service, quick delivery, they looked PERFECT! The only problem we had was that they made my brother's face a bit wide- it looked like him+20 pounds! LOL Other than that, a HUGE HIT! They were the LIFE of the party at the RD... everyone was super impressed with how unique of a gift they were!!
tunnel
(candle topper, unity candle set, garter and some small gifts)
Treasures By Trish - I found out about this store from knotties and I'm glad I did. I was able to buy my stuff here all at the same time. The one stop shopping was really convenient and the owners were very friendly. They also dye shoes, but I didn't have that done.
Photography
Cindy Guessford Photography
tunnel - I absolutely love the pictures I've seen so far! We did an engagement session, and the photos turned out great, and there was a slideshow at the reception of the some of the pictures we had taken that day. The slideshow really wowed our guests. Cindy's prices were more than we initially budgeted to spend, but so far I am so happy we decided to go with her. She has such incredible ideas, and you wont feel like your posing the whole time.
Erin Farrell
lflick80: (A+++) Wow – Erin is fantastic! She was an absolute pleasure to work with and went above and beyond. (She was 7.5 months pregnant at our wedding!) I am in love with my pictures. My friends and family cannot stop talking about how fabulous she is. I recommend her VERY highly.
Michael's Photography
anniegirl1: (A+) Michael and his assistant Lisa were so friendly and easy to work with the day of the wedding. Aside from our traditional shots and portraits, you didn’t even know they were there. The proofs that I just got back are amazing!
Photography by Lauri
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++++) From the moment I first met with Laurie, I KNEW she was the right photographer for us!! We really clicked, I loved her style, and she's great to work with!!! She did my b-pics a month prior to the wedding, and she made me feel completely comfortable- which is a huge feat, being that I'm really modest at times!! She is so completely talented, and I know that we will be using her for ALL our family photography needs for the rest of our lives! She truly is amazing!! If you don't book her for your wedding, you're a fool!!! Her and her assistant, Rob, were on time the day of the wedding- Rob made the GMs and DH feel very comfortable in front of the camera, and Laurie kept me and my girls calm and collected (despite the rain!!) They worked really well together, and quickly when it came to the SUN that peeked out after our ceremony for pics!!! The only pictures that were "missed" were of my mom and dad alone and posed (we have candids, but none formal of just the two of them) and my mother with her two brothers and her two sons. While it was disappointing that these were not taken, we have SOOO many amazing pictures, we are extremely pleased!! You are BOUND to miss a few shots in the hustle and bustle of the day! I plan to use Laurie for family pictures and when we eventually have children!! LOVE her!!
zachary gallery (jim indelicarto) - ec0983 A jim is really fantastic to work with. he's energetic and extremely talented. he's pretty high priced, but he's got the experience to back it and his quality is incredible. only complaint is that now that we're getting ready to get our album, it's going to cost more than he initially told us so we're having to review our contract pretty closely.
Reception Locations
Drexelbrook, Drexel Hill, PA
tunnel - It was absolutely 100% top notch. Their servers were very attentive, the staff was on top of everything, the coordinator gave us her opinion (hey, she has seen a lot of weddings in her day!) and was very helpful and easy to get in touch with even up to the last minute. And our food was outstanding and plentiful - but I will let you know that we did pretty much upgrade to their most expensive food options. Their staff also worked with us to get specialty wines and other foods. We went to showcase, but also had a tasting and if you are at all hesitant about their food I definately recommend having a tasting as it will put your mind to rest.
DuPont Country Club (Wilminton, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++++++++). Originally we had been working with Leah M. as our point-person at DCC. She was WONDERFUL, but left in June to go to the Christiana Hilton (totally miss her, she's a DOLL!) We then got June as our point-person and let me tell you... A-MAZING!! She returned my calls within minutes, responded to any and ALL questions and concerns, etc. I made lists of details for the "record" and she incorporated everything into the "confirmation" documents the week before our wedding. I can't say enough wonderful things about the service we received from DuPont Country Club! I have DOCed weddings at this venue before, and worked with the DOC that they appoint you- and one of them was really superb, so I requested her for our wedding, knowing she was as much of a perfectionist as I am!! Michele H. was awesome... she dealt with my crazy details and even the binder I gave her with all the info HAHA (it actually came in BIG handy when last minute things/changes came up- she didn't even need to call me because she had EVERYTHING in front of her!!!) I had SOOOOOO many compliments on how grand the ballroom was, the cocktail hour, the service, the FOOD, everything... no complaints WHAT SO EVER!!!! I know it is quite expensive to hold your reception at DCC, but if it is in any way possible, DO IT- you won't regret it!
villanova conference center
ec0983: A+++ everything about villanova was fabulous from when i first went to look at their site over a year ago to the day after my wedding when we went to pick up some of the things we had left behind. they were helpful, accommodating, and they made sure DH and i and bridal party had a drink in our hands and food on our plates all night. they even turned the crappiest october day in history into the perfect day for a wedding. i didn't even notice that we had to move the ceremony inside. and i'm still getting compliments on the food- a meal for 125 that was made ENTIRELY gluten free because i'm a celiac. AMAZING.
P&P Caterers
anniegirl1; Southampton Room and Fountain Room (cocktail hour): (A+) Teri was so helpful and accommodating during my whole planning process. Anything I wanted or needed or had a question about, she answered and if she didn’t know the answer, she got back to me immediately. The cocktail hour and reception ran so smoothly due to the efficiency of the staff. The room looked gorgeous when it was set up. I cannot say enough great things about it.
Radisson-Warwick Hotel
lflick80: (A+) Everything was fantastic...the service, the food, the atmosphere! We were 100% pleased, as were our guests. Lori, the wedding sales specialist, is very knowledgeable, friendly, and prompt with email/phone call responses. I highly recommend The Warwick.
Rehersal Dinner
Café Gelato (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: (B+) - We knew we wanted this venue for the RD from before the expansion was complete... food was great, service was excellent... only complaint was that we had reserved this room back in FEBRUARY and yet almost every table in our room was SAT when we arrived for the cocktail hour!!! Needless to say, my MIL and myself got on them RIGHT away and luckily one of the servers was an old college buddy of DH's, so he cleared them all out pretty quickly.
Due Amici Italian Grill, Cinnaminson, NJ
tunnel - They are very reasonably priced and it's a BYOB, so that helps keep the prices down. The food was very good, the staff was average but very nice, and it is conveniently located. I definately recommend this place if you are on a tighter budget.
Save the Dates
Magnet Street
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - Quick delivery, perfect product!! I've gotten MANY compliments on our magnets, and I absolutely LOVE them!!!
Stationary
Vistaprint
anniegirl (Thank you cards): (A-) - I uploaded my favorite picture from our wedding into a Vistaprint note card and just typed Thank You on it. I ordered 150 of them for $112. They came in a week and I just started the daunting task of writing them all out.
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - This is where I ordered our return address labels, envelope seals for "Thank You" cards, Photo sharing cards, OOT welcome letters, business cards for my business... pretty much everything!! Great products, great prices, Love them!!
Bridalandbabyexpressions.com
lflick80: (A+) - These ladies were a HUGE find! I wanted pocket fold invitations, but didn’t want to spend a ton. I could not get over BB&E’s prices and service. They were amazing and I communicated with them solely through email, which made things really easy for me. They sent me proof after proof until I was 100% satisfied. People loved my invitations, as did I! They also addressed my envelopes, which was very convenient.
Transportation
Buker Limo (Newark, DE)
Mrs.Carina2u: We got the 1976 Rolls Royce and the 14-passenger Excursion. Jack, our driver in the Rolls was awesome- him and the other driver were RIGHT on time, and even listened to our request to change the way we drove to the church (due to parents' weekend and a football game at the university). No complaints!!!!
Celebrations Limousine
anniegirl1: (A+) - I was a little nervous about this because the manager who I dealt with was very abrasive after I booked, so I was unsure how this turned out. Our driver was fabulous. He arrived early, helped with flowers, fluffing my dress, opening and closing the church doors, telling the girls when to start up the aisle. He was more like a day of coordinator!
ETA Worldwide
tunnel - Transportation Services (out of Berlin) - I only ended up booking my limos about two weeks before the wedding, so I was concerned about how it would work out. They were absolutely wonderful!! Our main limo driver helped open the doors to the church for me to walk out, helped coordinate where people had to go after the ceremony, brought us some water after the ceremony, and even went out and got us some champagne! They arrived 15 minutes early everywhere, they knew exactly how to get everywhere, they knew alternate routes, they knew places to stop to get photos. Their service was great, and I definately recommend them.
Krapf's Coaches
tunnel - We used them to take guests back to the hotel we had a block at after the reception. Their prices were the best around for an air conditioned motor coach, but the driver was the slowest driver in the world, was cranky and had an attitude. He really just did not want to be there. This was probably the only vendor I would not recommend.
carey limousines
ec0983: B eh. booking with them was kind of frustrating- when i first booked the limo to go from my house to the salon to the venue, they gave us a VAN so i had to call and change it. the shuttle driver we had from the hotel to the venue refused to leave the hotel until the shuttle was full, so about 10 of my family and friends were stuck waiting on the shuttle for 30 minutes and were consequently late. they eventually got everyone where they needed to be, but it was a pain getting there.
Limos Today
lflick80: (A+) - Never did I think I’d rate my transportation as an A+, transportation for a wedding seems pretty standard, right? However I really was impressed with Limos Today. They were prompt, courtesy, and so helpful! Our driver even went out and got ice during the ceremony. We spent a bit more compared to a few other limo companies, but we wanted to make sure our transportation would be reliable!
Tux
Domenico's
anniegirl1: (B-) - They were very easy to work with but one groomsman got the wrong size vest and another got the wrong size shirt so they were uncomfortable the day of the wedding, but it was kind of their fault for not trying their tuxes on before the day of the wedding.
Flocco’s (Conshohocken, PA)
lfick80: (A+) - This place is great! It’s family owned and the people are so friendly and helpful. They were very relaxed about when the tuxes needed to be back, which was very refreshing. Some places insist on having them back by noon the next day, which wasn’t going to happen for us. Also all of the groomsmen live out of state, and Flocco’s did a great job keeping them in the loop.
Men’s Warehouse
Mrs.Carina2u: (A) - I went in with FI about 5 months before the wedding to look at tuxes. While they don't have ANY to try on "in store"... I showed them a picture of the tux my grandfather wore- and was interested if they happened to have anything similar. Imagine my shock when the salesman opened to the page of the book with practically the EXACT tux!!! The GMs had a few alterations they needed completed, but all were done immediately on the spot, and my BIL had gone in early enough to have them reorder his! NO complaints... you just have to be "on top" of things with them and quadruple check everything before you leave the store.
Veil
Occassney Bridal
Mrs.carina2u - I ordered TWO veils from them… the first one was JUST what I wanted; however, when I tried it on with my gown, it wasn’t what I envisioned- so I contacted them and they gave me a coupon code so that I could get my DREAM veil at a discounted rate!!! Awesome work! Great customer service!
Video
Martins
Mrs.Carina2u: (A+++) We booked Martin's purely on reviews from fellow knotties. They were really easy to work with via email and phone (being that they're about an hour drive from me). The woman who worked our wedding (Christy?? I don't remember her name) was there early, stayed till the end, and we barely noticed her filming (although I am SOOOOO glad we got a videographer because there were some CRAZY moments during our reception that photos just can't capture! ie- my brother getting up with the band singing blues brothers with sunglasses on... BIL singing "I Feel Good" with the band... my FATHER playing the tamborine! hahah) If you are on the brink of whether or not to get a videog... totally do it!!! I know I will watch that video my entire life to come! The video is A-MAZING!!!!! I'm soooo happy we decided to have a videographer- and Martin's has been a pleasure to deal with!! The level of service that the owner provides is just amazing!! He went above and beyond for us- LOVE them!!!
lflick80: (A) We barely noticed the videographer and he was very nice. We’ll get the video in a few months, but I highly recommend getting a videographer. I know some brides think “I’ll never watch the video” and it’s a good place to cut costs, but I can’t wait to see what I missed at the reception and ceremony. I want to see everyone walk down the aisle and into the reception, listen to the speeches again, etc. It was such a whirlwind of a day.
