The Manor - 111 Prospect Street, West Orange, NJ - www.themanorrestaurant.com
B+
We had both our ceremony and reception at The Manor. It's a beautiful location, and we had a great experience dealing with Rolf Shick, our coordinator.
Customer Service Pre-Wedding: A+
When we finalized our menu, we found that they added things for us - we were given an extra chafing dish for a hot item at the cocktail hour, and instead of one seasonal fish choice besides the standard salmon, we had FIVE. And they were willing to play with the preparation too, so instead of something basic, our fish choice was macadamia-encrusted red snapper. When I wanted a last minute change, they were fine with making it pistachio-encrusted red snapper instead.
The on-site pastry chef provides the cake as part of the package, and they've got a book of designs from which to choose. I didn't like any of those, and they all required toppers, which I don't want to do. So instead the pastry chef did a cake to my specs, based on photos I brought in. It was to be hazelnut with fresh raspberries folded into the chocolate mousse filling, and covered in plain white buttercream. Again, at the 11th hour I asked for a change - to make the middle tier chocolate cake rather than hazelnut. And again they worked with me and made the change.
Food: A
The food at both the cocktail hour and dinner were wonderful, as were the desserts. I'd just gush if I started talking about it.
The only negatives: I didn't try the oysters, but Eric said the ones at our cocktail hour were NOT the same ones as the oysters we had at dinner during the "trial." They were still good, don't get me wrong, but not quite *as* good.
The cake was gorgeous, exactly what I wanted and absolutely beautiful. But while the trio of desserts we got were phenomenal, the cake was not quite up to the same standard. It was kind of what you'd expect when you go to a wedding; a little dry, and kind of "eh."
They still get an A, because overall the food really was amazing.
Service Day-Of Wedding: C
I knew that with a 3/28 wedding in NJ, an outdoor ceremony was really iffy. That's why we picked the Manor; because they've got a very pretty ceremony room indoors too. On the morning of the wedding, I was at home with my hairdresser, getting my hair done, when I got a call from my florist, who was at the venue setting up. I'd told the coordinator that if it was 60-65+ degrees and sunny, we could try for an outdoor ceremony. Well, on this day it was maybe 55, cloudy, and windy. Apparently, they didn't have the ceremony room set up for a ceremony and were pushing the florist to set up outside anyway, so she called me. With some pushing, they let her move everything indoors.
I only had 3 bridesmaids and my mom in the wedding with me. The bridal room they gave me could barely hold us; it was tight with all our stuff. I was very glad I did hair & makeup at home, there'd have been no room.
The Manor does not have a room for the groom and groomsmen. Unfortunately, Eric's groomsmen were taking mass transit out from NYC, and were loathe to come already in their tuxes. To the Manor's credit, they gave them an extra bridal room in which to change (ours was the only day wedding that day). However, the bridal attendant, Isabelle or Isabella, I forget which, was rather INattentive, plus during the wedding went and took all of the groomsmen's personal items, together with Eric's, and unceremoniously dumped it all IN my bridal room on top of all our stuff. Then after the wedding, when everyone wanted to change, she was right outside but started letting the guys walk in on us half-dressed. We chased them out, and had to change in shifts, fishing through the guys' stuff to get to ours.
Note that at the cocktail hour, there are no servers for the chafing dishes. I didn't mind that, but it didn't go unnoticed by guests (and my mother). Also, they tried to stop the butlered hors d'oeuvres 35 minutes into the hour. My mother told me what was going on, and our maitre d', to his credit, did correct that quickly, and send them out with more trays. However, I've heard that many people only got one or two of the passed items, and didn't otherwise see any.
During dinner, our waitress stood by our sweetheart table and was MORE than on top of everything, refilling before we could even breathe. It was great. However, I've heard that the guests' waitstaff were not as attentive, failing to refill drinks and more or less disappearing for periods of time. In addition, the "rolling drink service" promised by the venue did not roll, forcing the guests to get up for their drinks either at the bar in the room or the "rolling bar" that just stayed outside of the main room in the cocktail hour room, very accessible but annoying.
Overall, we had a great time and believe our guests did as well, but there were disappointments in the service in some areas. For people having weddings there in the future, I'd suggest assigning someone to keep an eye out for problems and deal with them as they arise.
We had both our ceremony and reception at The Manor. It's a beautiful location, and we had a great experience dealing with Rolf Shick, our coordinator.
Customer Service Pre-Wedding: A+
When we finalized our menu, we found that they added things for us - we were given an extra chafing dish for a hot item at the cocktail hour, and instead of one seasonal fish choice besides the standard salmon, we had FIVE. And they were willing to play with the preparation too, so instead of something basic, our fish choice was macadamia-encrusted red snapper. When I wanted a last minute change, they were fine with making it pistachio-encrusted red snapper instead.
The on-site pastry chef provides the cake as part of the package, and they've got a book of designs from which to choose. I didn't like any of those, and they all required toppers, which I don't want to do. So instead the pastry chef did a cake to my specs, based on photos I brought in. It was to be hazelnut with fresh raspberries folded into the chocolate mousse filling, and covered in plain white buttercream. Again, at the 11th hour I asked for a change - to make the middle tier chocolate cake rather than hazelnut. And again they worked with me and made the change.
Food: A
The food at both the cocktail hour and dinner were wonderful, as were the desserts. I'd just gush if I started talking about it.
The only negatives: I didn't try the oysters, but Eric said the ones at our cocktail hour were NOT the same ones as the oysters we had at dinner during the "trial." They were still good, don't get me wrong, but not quite *as* good.
The cake was gorgeous, exactly what I wanted and absolutely beautiful. But while the trio of desserts we got were phenomenal, the cake was not quite up to the same standard. It was kind of what you'd expect when you go to a wedding; a little dry, and kind of "eh."
They still get an A, because overall the food really was amazing.
Service Day-Of Wedding: C
I knew that with a 3/28 wedding in NJ, an outdoor ceremony was really iffy. That's why we picked the Manor; because they've got a very pretty ceremony room indoors too. On the morning of the wedding, I was at home with my hairdresser, getting my hair done, when I got a call from my florist, who was at the venue setting up. I'd told the coordinator that if it was 60-65+ degrees and sunny, we could try for an outdoor ceremony. Well, on this day it was maybe 55, cloudy, and windy. Apparently, they didn't have the ceremony room set up for a ceremony and were pushing the florist to set up outside anyway, so she called me. With some pushing, they let her move everything indoors.
I only had 3 bridesmaids and my mom in the wedding with me. The bridal room they gave me could barely hold us; it was tight with all our stuff. I was very glad I did hair & makeup at home, there'd have been no room.
The Manor does not have a room for the groom and groomsmen. Unfortunately, Eric's groomsmen were taking mass transit out from NYC, and were loathe to come already in their tuxes. To the Manor's credit, they gave them an extra bridal room in which to change (ours was the only day wedding that day). However, the bridal attendant, Isabelle or Isabella, I forget which, was rather INattentive, plus during the wedding went and took all of the groomsmen's personal items, together with Eric's, and unceremoniously dumped it all IN my bridal room on top of all our stuff. Then after the wedding, when everyone wanted to change, she was right outside but started letting the guys walk in on us half-dressed. We chased them out, and had to change in shifts, fishing through the guys' stuff to get to ours.
Note that at the cocktail hour, there are no servers for the chafing dishes. I didn't mind that, but it didn't go unnoticed by guests (and my mother). Also, they tried to stop the butlered hors d'oeuvres 35 minutes into the hour. My mother told me what was going on, and our maitre d', to his credit, did correct that quickly, and send them out with more trays. However, I've heard that many people only got one or two of the passed items, and didn't otherwise see any.
During dinner, our waitress stood by our sweetheart table and was MORE than on top of everything, refilling before we could even breathe. It was great. However, I've heard that the guests' waitstaff were not as attentive, failing to refill drinks and more or less disappearing for periods of time. In addition, the "rolling drink service" promised by the venue did not roll, forcing the guests to get up for their drinks either at the bar in the room or the "rolling bar" that just stayed outside of the main room in the cocktail hour room, very accessible but annoying.
Overall, we had a great time and believe our guests did as well, but there were disappointments in the service in some areas. For people having weddings there in the future, I'd suggest assigning someone to keep an eye out for problems and deal with them as they arise.
David's Bridal - Route 4 West, Paramus, NJ - www.davidsbridal.com
C, and they're lucky it's not F
From David's Bridal, I got my perfect wedding gown as well as my tiara, veil, bra, and slip. The prices are reasonable and the service for me was impeccable.
The seamstress was very nice, and she did a great job on the 12-point double French under bustle. I hear that their alterations are very expensive, but at $113, it seemed about average. I did have the advantage of needing no other alterations.
I also picked the bridesmaids dresses from this store. They were very nice to my sister/maid of honor, but I've been with her when she was there. Her fittings were the same days and times as mine as well.
My mother also got her dress here, and while the woman working with her was also very nice, she was harried working with a crew of bridesmaids from a different wedding at the same time. Unfortunately, my mother has since decided that she does NOT like or want this dress. David's Bridal has a no-return policy, so I'm looking into selling the dress since mom has an alternate. I hate the no-return policy, which originally earned them an A-.
And then came the bridesmaid dress drama:
One bridesmaid ordered her dress from the Brooklyn location on February 11. DB apparently waited to order from their supplier on 3/3, to be shipped directly to the bridesmaid.
DB wrote the WRONG apartment number on the UPS slip, and the person living there sent it back. The bridesmaid called DB to find out where it was since she should've had it already, and DB tried to tell her it was her fault somehow. In the end, they promised to overnight it by Saturday.
After a TON of back-and-forth, and screaming and fighting with DB, the dress was finally shipped to my bridesmaid on Tuesday, 4 days before the wedding.
An A- from me and an F from my bridesmaid give DB an average grade of C.
From David's Bridal, I got my perfect wedding gown as well as my tiara, veil, bra, and slip. The prices are reasonable and the service for me was impeccable.
The seamstress was very nice, and she did a great job on the 12-point double French under bustle. I hear that their alterations are very expensive, but at $113, it seemed about average. I did have the advantage of needing no other alterations.
I also picked the bridesmaids dresses from this store. They were very nice to my sister/maid of honor, but I've been with her when she was there. Her fittings were the same days and times as mine as well.
My mother also got her dress here, and while the woman working with her was also very nice, she was harried working with a crew of bridesmaids from a different wedding at the same time. Unfortunately, my mother has since decided that she does NOT like or want this dress. David's Bridal has a no-return policy, so I'm looking into selling the dress since mom has an alternate. I hate the no-return policy, which originally earned them an A-.
And then came the bridesmaid dress drama:
One bridesmaid ordered her dress from the Brooklyn location on February 11. DB apparently waited to order from their supplier on 3/3, to be shipped directly to the bridesmaid.
DB wrote the WRONG apartment number on the UPS slip, and the person living there sent it back. The bridesmaid called DB to find out where it was since she should've had it already, and DB tried to tell her it was her fault somehow. In the end, they promised to overnight it by Saturday.
After a TON of back-and-forth, and screaming and fighting with DB, the dress was finally shipped to my bridesmaid on Tuesday, 4 days before the wedding.
An A- from me and an F from my bridesmaid give DB an average grade of C.
Men's Wearhouse - Paramus Park Mall, Paramus, NJ - www.menswearhouse.com
A-
We got the guys' tuxes at MW Tux. Eric picked his within minutes, and we got him measured right away. The store clerk was a riot, but even with the three of us laughing nonstop, we were out of there in under half an hour.
We got the guys and dads the same tux and shirt as Eric, but with different color vests and ties.
The tuxes came in on Tuesday, a day earlier than scheduled, which was nice. Eric's was fine, my my father's and Dan's came in with the arms too short on the jackets. MW is taking the arms down to fit properly, and the tuxes were ready to be picked up on Wednesday before the wedding.
We got the guys' tuxes at MW Tux. Eric picked his within minutes, and we got him measured right away. The store clerk was a riot, but even with the three of us laughing nonstop, we were out of there in under half an hour.
We got the guys and dads the same tux and shirt as Eric, but with different color vests and ties.
The tuxes came in on Tuesday, a day earlier than scheduled, which was nice. Eric's was fine, my my father's and Dan's came in with the arms too short on the jackets. MW is taking the arms down to fit properly, and the tuxes were ready to be picked up on Wednesday before the wedding.
Hartly Fashions - 104 Westwood Avenue, Westwood, NJ
B
Mom's dress came from here. It's a beautiful Junnie Leigh, and Hartly has a great selection of dresses and evening gowns.
The first time we went and found the dress, the girl who helped us was very nice and it was a great experience. However, my mom went back with my dad to show him, and another employee there was very snotty to them. My mother ended up getting the manager to help her instead, and she was much better.
The dress itself came out great, but in general the staff at the store is snobby and pushy, and downright annoying.
Mom's dress came from here. It's a beautiful Junnie Leigh, and Hartly has a great selection of dresses and evening gowns.
The first time we went and found the dress, the girl who helped us was very nice and it was a great experience. However, my mom went back with my dad to show him, and another employee there was very snotty to them. My mother ended up getting the manager to help her instead, and she was much better.
The dress itself came out great, but in general the staff at the store is snobby and pushy, and downright annoying.
DSW Shoe Warehouse - www.dsw.com
A
I got my shoes online at dsw.com. I already knew I could live at the store, but their online service is great too. The shoes came fast, and in the right color and size. If they weren't, I'd have been able to return/exchange them right at the nearest store.
I got my shoes online at dsw.com. I already knew I could live at the store, but their online service is great too. The shoes came fast, and in the right color and size. If they weren't, I'd have been able to return/exchange them right at the nearest store.
Sharon's Wedding Art - Roselle, NJ - www.sharonsweddingart.com
A+
For our photographer, we had Sharon Curia of Sharon's Wedding Art. We immediately both liked her personality.
We looked at her albums and sets of proofs from other weddings, and loved her style and talent. We wanted someone more real and photojournalistic, who doesn't believe in making each couple stop for the photo during the ceremony processional, so Sharon is perfect.
Sharon brought an assistant and both were terrific. They arrived and were ready on time, if not a little early. Sharon was great at organizing everyone quickly and getting them together for pre-ceremony photos. Since we didn't get outdoor shots of me & Eric, and we didn't want to miss our cocktail hour, it was her great suggestion that she slip away with us once the salads were served to do those few.
Aside from those organized photos, she and her assistant were so unobtrusive, we barely saw them, but they must've been around because I've seen a slideshow of teasers of our photos, and they're absolutely amazing. We love her!
For our photographer, we had Sharon Curia of Sharon's Wedding Art. We immediately both liked her personality.
We looked at her albums and sets of proofs from other weddings, and loved her style and talent. We wanted someone more real and photojournalistic, who doesn't believe in making each couple stop for the photo during the ceremony processional, so Sharon is perfect.
Sharon brought an assistant and both were terrific. They arrived and were ready on time, if not a little early. Sharon was great at organizing everyone quickly and getting them together for pre-ceremony photos. Since we didn't get outdoor shots of me & Eric, and we didn't want to miss our cocktail hour, it was her great suggestion that she slip away with us once the salads were served to do those few.
Aside from those organized photos, she and her assistant were so unobtrusive, we barely saw them, but they must've been around because I've seen a slideshow of teasers of our photos, and they're absolutely amazing. We love her!
Good Times Productions - Queens, NY - www.goodtimesdjnyc.com
A+
We used Anthony Gelo, of Good Times Productions, as our DJ. He was personable and had the right personality for the sort of DJ we want. He brought an assistant and did two setups - one for the ceremony, and another for the cocktail hour/reception.
He was amazing, kept everyone dancing, took requests, and announced us exactly the way I wanted. He was fun and lively. Unlike some DJs I've seen, he didn't sound like a lounge performer or a game show host. We were very happy with him.
We used Anthony Gelo, of Good Times Productions, as our DJ. He was personable and had the right personality for the sort of DJ we want. He brought an assistant and did two setups - one for the ceremony, and another for the cocktail hour/reception.
He was amazing, kept everyone dancing, took requests, and announced us exactly the way I wanted. He was fun and lively. Unlike some DJs I've seen, he didn't sound like a lounge performer or a game show host. We were very happy with him.
Metropolitan Plant Exchange - 2125 Fletcher Avenue, Fort Lee, NJ
A+
Angie at the Fort Lee location was the best! She's the sweetest girl, and completely talented. She gave me exactly what I wanted and was in constant contact and on top of everything. When her supplier couldn't get certain flowers we'd planned, she took it personally, got in touch with me immediately, and came up with suggestions and solutions that turned out even better than the original idea.
Angie at the Fort Lee location was the best! She's the sweetest girl, and completely talented. She gave me exactly what I wanted and was in constant contact and on top of everything. When her supplier couldn't get certain flowers we'd planned, she took it personally, got in touch with me immediately, and came up with suggestions and solutions that turned out even better than the original idea.
Magic Cuts - 308A St. Nicholas Avenue, Haworth, NJ
A
Billy at Magic Cuts is my regular hairdresser; he does my cut & color. The week before the wedding, I went to him for that.
He doesn't do wedding 'dos, so I used his employee Doreen. She did an amazing job. She's very nice, a lot of fun, and was great. I paid her a little extra to come to my house in the early morning before she went to the salon for her regularly scheduled day.
I was very happy with how my hair looked, and she was great about changing it up from the trial and achieving what I wanted.
Billy at Magic Cuts is my regular hairdresser; he does my cut & color. The week before the wedding, I went to him for that.
He doesn't do wedding 'dos, so I used his employee Doreen. She did an amazing job. She's very nice, a lot of fun, and was great. I paid her a little extra to come to my house in the early morning before she went to the salon for her regularly scheduled day.
I was very happy with how my hair looked, and she was great about changing it up from the trial and achieving what I wanted.
The Party Box - 240 Route 17 South, Lodi, NJ
A
The Party Box is an all-around party supply store with a section of invitations. Most of their wedding invitation books contain the same old cheesy invitations you can see on any website, but there are a few high-end books with obviously higher quality invitations. Eric and I chose a pocketfold that was perfect, even as-is in the sample. The colors go with our wedding colors and we loved the font.
The woman working with us was very nice, and when I found a new apartment a few days after putting in the invitation order, I was allowed to change the return address.
Despite that, the invitations still came in earlier than the estimate we were given - and all correct and in perfect condition.
The Party Box is very reasonably priced.
The Party Box is an all-around party supply store with a section of invitations. Most of their wedding invitation books contain the same old cheesy invitations you can see on any website, but there are a few high-end books with obviously higher quality invitations. Eric and I chose a pocketfold that was perfect, even as-is in the sample. The colors go with our wedding colors and we loved the font.
The woman working with us was very nice, and when I found a new apartment a few days after putting in the invitation order, I was allowed to change the return address.
Despite that, the invitations still came in earlier than the estimate we were given - and all correct and in perfect condition.
The Party Box is very reasonably priced.
VistaPrint - www.vistaprint.com
A
From vistaprint.com, we ordered our magnet Save-the-Dates, our Accommodations Card inserts, and our photoshare cards. I've never had a bad experience with their products, not once.
Every single thing was free, except for uploading the photo of myself and Eric for the Save-the-Dates and shipping. Get on their mailing list and you get constant e-mails for free ordering.
Note: If you're going to use them, be careful not to click on any of the deals unless you actually want them. Once you get the swing of things, it's easy to avoid, but the unsuspecting first-time shopper will often end up saying "yes" to something accidentally. Definitely check your cart while checking out!
From vistaprint.com, we ordered our magnet Save-the-Dates, our Accommodations Card inserts, and our photoshare cards. I've never had a bad experience with their products, not once.
Every single thing was free, except for uploading the photo of myself and Eric for the Save-the-Dates and shipping. Get on their mailing list and you get constant e-mails for free ordering.
Note: If you're going to use them, be careful not to click on any of the deals unless you actually want them. Once you get the swing of things, it's easy to avoid, but the unsuspecting first-time shopper will often end up saying "yes" to something accidentally. Definitely check your cart while checking out!
The Residence Inn - 107 Prospect Avenue, West Orange, NJ - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ewrog-residence-inn-west-orange/
A
We set up our room block here. The minimum block is 10 rooms, and the discount is decent. Eric and I didn't get a free room; but we did get one at the discount block rate. The "honeymoon suite," though, would be a bunch more expensive; no discount.
When the block deadline arrived, I found that only we and one other couple had reserved rooms under the block, which didn't make sense until I contacted my friends and found that they'd gotten better deals through AAA or the hotel website than the block. Argh! At least the room block person at the hotel and her manager were great about canceling the block without trying to charge us for the unfilled rooms.
Everyone was very gracious, and the hotel staff sent a complimentary bottle of champagne - in an electric cooler - and a box of chocolates to the room on our wedding night.
The bartenders down in the hotel bar were great too. We were there the night before the wedding, just hanging out with out-of-town friends and then the night of the wedding for our afterparty. The bartender on the first night was a little clueless when it came to some drink recipes, but she was very sweet and looked them up. Both nights the bartenders were really fun.
We set up our room block here. The minimum block is 10 rooms, and the discount is decent. Eric and I didn't get a free room; but we did get one at the discount block rate. The "honeymoon suite," though, would be a bunch more expensive; no discount.
When the block deadline arrived, I found that only we and one other couple had reserved rooms under the block, which didn't make sense until I contacted my friends and found that they'd gotten better deals through AAA or the hotel website than the block. Argh! At least the room block person at the hotel and her manager were great about canceling the block without trying to charge us for the unfilled rooms.
Everyone was very gracious, and the hotel staff sent a complimentary bottle of champagne - in an electric cooler - and a box of chocolates to the room on our wedding night.
The bartenders down in the hotel bar were great too. We were there the night before the wedding, just hanging out with out-of-town friends and then the night of the wedding for our afterparty. The bartender on the first night was a little clueless when it came to some drink recipes, but she was very sweet and looked them up. Both nights the bartenders were really fun.
The Bacari Grill - 800 Ridgewood Road, Washington Twp, NJ - www.bacarigrill.com
A+
My bridal party and mom hosted my surprise wedding shower here. The venue is beautiful and the food phenomenal. Plus, they worked with my sister to fool me into thinking that I was attending a tricky tray fund raiser.
My bridal party and mom hosted my surprise wedding shower here. The venue is beautiful and the food phenomenal. Plus, they worked with my sister to fool me into thinking that I was attending a tricky tray fund raiser.
Dance Manhattan - 39 West 19th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY - www.dance-manhattan.com
B-
The positives: We ADORE our dance instructor, Ed Britten. HE gets an A+++. I would highly recommend him any day, any time, anywhere. He's the only reason we stuck with this dance school. In fact, Eric & I love him so much we are/were considering inviting him to the wedding and are considering continuing lessons with him after the wedding, just for fun.
The negatives: The school is overcrowded and often double-books rooms for the "private lessons," so you end up with competing music from the other couple and unless you concentrate REALLY well, you're losing half your time. Also, they're the most disorganized bunch I've ever seen in my life, and while some of the employees are terrific, others are downright terrible. They lost one week's reservation because they booked it under Eric's name, and then instead of believing that I had a statement showing the payment for that week, the girl argued with me that it could have been from a prior week. Plus, when it occurred to me that the lesson might have been booked under Eric's name, I tried to have her check, but she wouldn't even listen or let me tell her what his name was to see. I got nasty, and the next thing I knew the owner was calling me to apologize and check up on what had happened. It was solved, but not until I'd spent an hour or more of my work time fighting with them.
The positives: We ADORE our dance instructor, Ed Britten. HE gets an A+++. I would highly recommend him any day, any time, anywhere. He's the only reason we stuck with this dance school. In fact, Eric & I love him so much we are/were considering inviting him to the wedding and are considering continuing lessons with him after the wedding, just for fun.
The negatives: The school is overcrowded and often double-books rooms for the "private lessons," so you end up with competing music from the other couple and unless you concentrate REALLY well, you're losing half your time. Also, they're the most disorganized bunch I've ever seen in my life, and while some of the employees are terrific, others are downright terrible. They lost one week's reservation because they booked it under Eric's name, and then instead of believing that I had a statement showing the payment for that week, the girl argued with me that it could have been from a prior week. Plus, when it occurred to me that the lesson might have been booked under Eric's name, I tried to have her check, but she wouldn't even listen or let me tell her what his name was to see. I got nasty, and the next thing I knew the owner was calling me to apologize and check up on what had happened. It was solved, but not until I'd spent an hour or more of my work time fighting with them.
Paramus Diamond Center - Paramus Park Mall, Paramus, NJ
A-
This was the first place we found precisely what we were looking for in wedding rings, and we got a really good price. In fact, our salesperson called me after we'd signed the order form to tell me he could lower the price by another $100 for the two rings! Then we just had to wait for my ring, which was ordered in my size. They already had one on the store in what we thought was Eric's size.
Sigh. We were told the rings would be there in approximately 10 days (from November 17, 2008). I called repeatedly, and was told repeatedly that they'd find out why they hadn't come in and call me back, but never did. I found out over two months later that the ring has been in the store for ages, and they just weren't finding it. They're apparently in an envelope with a notation on it saying that THEY called ME on December 18 to let me know they were there. I received no such call.
They redeemed themselves, though. When we got there to pick up the rings, we realized that Eric had misjudged his sizing and what felt right. The ring was swimming on him. The new ring, half a size smaller, was ordered immediately, and came in quickly. We picked it up tonight, and it's perfect.
This was the first place we found precisely what we were looking for in wedding rings, and we got a really good price. In fact, our salesperson called me after we'd signed the order form to tell me he could lower the price by another $100 for the two rings! Then we just had to wait for my ring, which was ordered in my size. They already had one on the store in what we thought was Eric's size.
Sigh. We were told the rings would be there in approximately 10 days (from November 17, 2008). I called repeatedly, and was told repeatedly that they'd find out why they hadn't come in and call me back, but never did. I found out over two months later that the ring has been in the store for ages, and they just weren't finding it. They're apparently in an envelope with a notation on it saying that THEY called ME on December 18 to let me know they were there. I received no such call.
They redeemed themselves, though. When we got there to pick up the rings, we realized that Eric had misjudged his sizing and what felt right. The ring was swimming on him. The new ring, half a size smaller, was ordered immediately, and came in quickly. We picked it up tonight, and it's perfect.
Lord & Taylor - Garden State Plaza Mall - Paramus, NJ
A
I got my earrings and the bridesmaid jewelry at Lord & Taylor, and my mom got her earrings here. The woman helping us (me and mom) was great and I found exactly what I wanted, without even knowing what that was before I got there.
I got my earrings and the bridesmaid jewelry at Lord & Taylor, and my mom got her earrings here. The woman helping us (me and mom) was great and I found exactly what I wanted, without even knowing what that was before I got there.
Aer Lingus - 300 Jericho Quadrangle, Ste. 130, Jericho, NY - www.aerlingus.com
B+
I won our honeymoon flight to Ireland by blogging my wedding planning on an Irish-interest website! Our flight is on Aer Lingus. We've not yet reserved the flight or made the plans, but so far the airline is being great about working with us, letting us fly into Dublin and out of Shannon. We plan to rent a car and drive around the country.
The flight into Dublin was great. We told them we were on our honeymoon, and though they didn't upgrade us, they did put us in the very first row of coach, so we had tons of legroom. The flight attendants were really nice. We each had our own TV and could choose movies and shows. The food was "eh."
The flight from Shannon back to the US wasn't as good. We were in the exact same seats as the previous flight, but in an older, smaller plane. No private TV screens. The flight attendants, in between actual service, announced that anyone could just come up to the galley and help themselves to refreshments, which sucked. We were right near the galley, so people were hovering over us, crowding around us, blocking our view of the movie, and generally annoying us. The main course of the lunch was terrible, but I did like the scone snack & the side dishes.
I won our honeymoon flight to Ireland by blogging my wedding planning on an Irish-interest website! Our flight is on Aer Lingus. We've not yet reserved the flight or made the plans, but so far the airline is being great about working with us, letting us fly into Dublin and out of Shannon. We plan to rent a car and drive around the country.
The flight into Dublin was great. We told them we were on our honeymoon, and though they didn't upgrade us, they did put us in the very first row of coach, so we had tons of legroom. The flight attendants were really nice. We each had our own TV and could choose movies and shows. The food was "eh."
The flight from Shannon back to the US wasn't as good. We were in the exact same seats as the previous flight, but in an older, smaller plane. No private TV screens. The flight attendants, in between actual service, announced that anyone could just come up to the galley and help themselves to refreshments, which sucked. We were right near the galley, so people were hovering over us, crowding around us, blocking our view of the movie, and generally annoying us. The main course of the lunch was terrible, but I did like the scone snack & the side dishes.
