Showing posts with label Makeup by Tatjana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Makeup by Tatjana. Show all posts

Mayda<3lester's Review 05.16.09

VENUE

Coral Gables Courtyard Marriott – A (service prior to the Wedding)/ B (Day of the Wedding)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/miagb-courtyard-miami-coral-gables/
I booked this Venue back in August 2008. It had recently been opened after they revamped the old hotel that used to be there and we looooved it the minute we walked in. The décor is very modern and stylish. The Ballroom was perfect for the small, intimate Wedding we wanted and since they only have one, we didn’t have to worry about running into another Wedding the same day.

Maggie, the Catering salesperson was very accommodating. We were the first ones to book a Contract for a Wedding once they opened as a Marriott. Their prices are very affordable being that is located in Coral Gables and the service is great! We did our tasting and changed a couple of things, so they scheduled another one for us to try the new Menu. Overall, the Cocktail Hour and Reception were perfect. The hor devours were delicious, they served Dinner on time, the waiters gave superb service to my guests and the food was great!

The only issue we had was on Wedding Day due to the weather. We really wanted the Ceremony to be Poolside in the Terrace but the forecast predicted rain for that Saturday so she called me on Friday to tell me that the Ceremony would not be outdoors as previously discussed in our meetings. The day of the Wedding the weather unexpectedly improved even though it was raining on and off. All we wanted was for her to give us the chance to wait a little longer to decide whether to move it or not but she was gave us a hard time and was not professional. Please contact me for further details…

My Ceremony was indoors but it was sooooo beautiful! (Even though, it didn’t rain outside in the end) We used our Chiavari chairs and they looked great! The Uplighting made it so romantic and we were very happy with how it turned out.



PHOTOGRAPHER

Devynn – DBImages A+++++++++++++++++++

http://www.dbimagesblog.wordpress.com/
http://www.dbimages.ca/
We were having issues with the photographer we had initially hired. Karla suggested to invest in a professional and reliable Photographer, and showed us Devynn’s wok. We fell in love right away! and hired her only 6 weeks before our Wedding. I am sooo glad she was still available for our date. Everything happens for a reason and even when you feel stressed, there’s something better out there. She was the BEST decision we made and we could not be happier with the end results.

Devynn was at the Hotel early to take some Getting-ready shots and even being pregnant, laid on the floor to get different angles. She and her crew were all over the place snapping shots of the night. She totally blew us away with the teasers only 2 days after our Wedding and captured our Beautiful Day perfectly. J I highly recommend Devynn to any bride looking for a Photographer, her work is awesome and she is a sweetheart!!!


VIDEO

Javier – My Treasure Videos A+++++++++

http://www.mytreasurevideos.com/
We contacted Javier right after we booked Devynn because my cancelled Contract with the other photographer included a video. I had seen his work and was crossing my fingers he was available so close to my Wedding date and he was!!!

We were very excited to have him on our Wedding Day. He is such a professional! plus he is very sweet. He was there early as well and started shooting our Pre-Ceremony pictures. We never really ‘felt’ him there because he did his job without being on everyone’s face. He even stayed over beyond the time contracted to get more footage and I can not thank him enough for being so generous. I totally recommend him!!!



UPLIGHTING

DJ Ubi A+++

http://www.ubismusic.com/
Ubi was our first option for DJ but he was booked for Our Wedding date already L. We hired him for Uplighting and he even went to walk-through our Venue to determine how many lights we needed. The end result was stunning! The room was glowing in pink and it gave such an ambiance! He also provided a GOBO and Pin-light for our Cake as a surprise to us from my sister. I highly recommend him!


MUSIC
JP Productions A++++++++++++++++++++++++

http://www.jpdisco.com/
Let me just say, JP had EVERYONE on the Dance floor all night long! He called me a couple of days prior to the Wedding to confirm our Play and Do not Play List. He followed everything to the T for all our Dances. We were going to provide him with a CD of music we wanted to play for our guests since it is very popular in our country but I was not able to get it. When he saw we didn’t have it, he downloaded the songs {very hard to find} into his laptop and played them for us!!! Our guests are very different to the usual Wedding crowd and he knew the in and outs of the music from our country which blew everyone away! We did the Crazy Hour and passed out masks and beads and he also did an amazing job with the Carnival Music.

This man went above and beyond our expectations and my guests are STILL talking about how good he was! At the end of the night, people were complimenting him as they left the party. I highly recommend!



LINENS & CHAIRS

ABCovers A+++++++++

http://www.abcoverdesigners.net/
I had a pleasant experience with Ana when I came in for my appointment. They have a great selection and she was very helpful when offering different options for Linens and Chairs. We came up with a Beautiful table set-up using my Wedding Colors, Lime Green and Pink.

I had rented some sashes for my Ceremony chairs but when we had to switch to plan B due to the rain, their crew came back to set-up those sashes on the white Chiavari Chairs we were using inside the Ballroom. It definitely looked even better than I had envisioned. Everything looked gorgeous on my Wedding Day!



FLORIST

Flowers by Gerardo- Final Product (A+++++++) Customer Service (Read below)

http://www.flowersbygerardo.com/
Gerardo came recommended by another bride who got married in November. She said he was affordable and her flowers were beautiful! When I came in for a consultation, he was not very helpful when it came to giving ideas (being the expert) but fortunately we knew exactly what we wanted. We just didn’t find his personality to be customer-friendly.

He gave us the quote right there and then, and when we saw the prices we knew we couldn’t get that somewhere else so we booked him on the spot! The fact that we were providing the Glass Cylinders helped us with pricing. When it was time to drop them off 2 weeks before my Wedding, I mistakenly took the wring vases to him. Once I realized that and took the right ones, we had an issue because he claimed not to know that they were that big but we had told him in advance.

In the end, he too blew us away with the Centerpieces, altar arrangements and my bouquet, oh so gorgeous!!! He even included a calla inside the vases, which he had told me wasn’t included so I appreciate that! Honestly, I just think his customer service can be improved but the quality and value for cost, it’s phenomenal! I highly recommend to all the brides on a budget just like me.



WEDDING CAKE

Rosie – Elegant Temptations A+++++++
http://www.eleganttemptations.com/
We met with Rosie to work on a custom design for my Cake. I wanted something that didn't look so common or copied out of a magazine. I told her that we were doing a Elegant Garden theme and she came up with a beautiful design that incorporated flowers, rhinestones and a gorgeous stand.

I was blown away when I saw my Wedding Cake. It was definitely a focal point in the Reception and my guests raved about the flavor and how original it was. I highly recommend Rosie if you want to have a delicious custom cake and great customer service.

I personally think that Edda's and Ana Paz are becoming too commercial and the service is not that good anymore. You feel like you are just another cake for the weekend and I prefer to pay a bit more for better service.


DOC

Karla – Stylish Events

http://www.stylishevents.net/
Karla designed our Wedding from scratch. We wanted a Garden-themed Wedding that was not overdone or tacky but Elegant and Classy. She took my vision and brought it to reality 100x more than I could have ever imagined! Our guests were WOWed with every detail throughout my Wedding, as it is I’m still getting calls to find out where I got this or how did I do that.

She designed and printed my paper goods (Programs, Placecards, Menus, Table Numbers and Signs). I wanted to have a Huppah for the Ceremony and Backdrop draping behind my Sweetheart Table but it was way out of my budget so she offered build it and it all came out perfect!. Karla also decorated the Cake stand to implement our theme and the result was stunning! I could go on and on talking about everything she did and it would still not be enough because it was all flawless!!!

I've been as impartially honest as possible and did not grade this review because besides being my DOC, she is also my sister and I'd like to avoid the validity of review being questioned.



Make Up

Jorge Pena - A+
786-306-5463
I had a trial with Jorge a few weeks before my Wedding and I loved how he did my make-up. That day, I had my Bachelorette party and the make-up looked weird (too white under my eyes) in the pictures so I brought this up to him the day of my Wedding and I showed him the pics. He worked on my make-up and then took pictures with my camera to make sure it was ok.

The make-up lasted all night and everyone told me how natural I looked which is what I really wanted. Jorge is really outgoing and clicks with you right away! I highly recommend him.



Hair

Alcira - A+
305-205-3579
I didn't have a trail with Alcira. I met with her in her house and showed her pictures of what I wanted my hair to look like. I simply wanted a loose updo that matched the natural make-up look I was going for.

She had done that Hair do for other brides as well and showed pictures of them. She arrived early the day of the Wedding and did my hair just as I had asked. It turned out perfect! After dancing all night, it started to undo a little bit but it was totally fixable. I was really pleased with Alcira and would recommed to other brides!


Alterations

Reina - A+
954-785-6222
I highly recommend Reina! She is not only very sweet but also does amazing work. She hemmed my dress and took in a couple inches. She steamed it for me and I was very pleased with the results! She is located in Pompano Beach but is worth the trip.


Tuxedo Rentals

Tommy's Tuxedos - A

http://www.tommystuxedos.com/
Best price in town. They are located on 87th Ave and SW 8th Street. Tommy takes care of his clients himself and the service is outstanding. They have tuxedos for $60.00 +tax and when you take the Bridal Party, the Groom gets his for free. I only had a Best Man and some family members but I think that is a great deal.


Vendor I do NOT recommend:

VARONA PHOTOGRAPHY- D
Do NOT use. Nestor Varona was the photographer I had initially hired and we canceled our Contract almost
6 weeks before the Wedding. Contact me for further details @ mayda.lester at gmail dot com

Ceventa's Reviews 01.27.08

Grand Bay Miami- A
We were really happy that we found this venue because it gave us the feeling we were looking for at a wonderful price. The catering manager, Noelia Trana, was a pleasure to work with. The food was excellent and the service was great. The only complaint I heard from guests was that the bar service was slow. The outside ceremony area didn't have a sound system, so we did have to bring that on our own. However, everything turned out great.

Cynthia Seaman from Lasso the Moon- A+
Cynthia was my planner from day one. I was so happy to have her there with me while I was planning. She always found away to make my vision come true and make it even better than I could have imagined it. I appreciated that she handled my vendors, this took a lot of stress away. Day of, everything was ontime and organized. She is one if the sweetest and most talented people I know. She was my absolute favorite vendor because she made everything fun and her vision for the wedding was impeccable. Our linens and lighting were provided through her company, everything came out beautiful! Contact: 305-668-9699

Cindy Karp Photography- A-
This is an interesting case for me mainly because I have so many mixed emotions. Our pictures came out beautiful and we had some amazing shots. I really loved how sweet Cindy was and how she took an interest in us as a couple. I fell in love with the photojournalism style and was so happy to have her on board. Her package was great, mainly the unlimited time. She was with us on the wedding day for 13 hours! As well as the day before for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. My mixed feelings come from the fact that there were shots that I wish I had, like us leaving during the sparkler send off. Some pictures came out a little dark. Day of, I noticed her getting flustered and sometimes she would tell me how she couldn't get the shot and why. Honestly, day of, I did not need the added stress of my photographer telling me the shots we didn't get. Some of the moving shots came out blurry, which was a little disappointing. However, I guess you can't have it all, the shots that we did get were amazing. This is the reason why I give her an A-, because the pictures were beautiful, I just wish we had gotten some key ones that were missed. Contact: http://www.cindykarpphoto.com/

Dreammaker Video- A-
We received our video on time, 12 weeks after the wedding. At first we weren't going to have video because we didn't think it would fit in our budget, however when we found this company, we were so happy that they were able to create a package that fit exactly what we wanted. In the end, I was so happy that we did choose to have a wedding video, it captured moments that photos could not. Our cameraman was very nice, he arrived on time (2 hours before the ceremony) and stayed until the very end. We didn't notice him the entire night. I wish he would have moved around more during the ceremony, instead he parked himself in one spot, I understand we only had one camerman and that tends to happen, however, I would have really like to have seen some more angles. The video turned out great, they used the music we asked for and they captured some great moments during the wedding. Contact: http://www.dreammakervideo.com/

Flowers: Parrish Designs- A+
Parrish Designs was one of my favorite vendors to work with. In the beginning, florals and decor intimidated me because I did not know where to begin. However, they were so creative and fun to work with that it made designing the wedding a blast. The flowers were absolutely beautiful, they went above and beyond my expectations. I think I had, by far, some of the most interesting centerpieces out there and I loved them. What I most appreciated was when my florist called me the day before to see how I was doing with all the wedding stress and to tell me that he had my favorite flowers available for the wedding, burgundy peonies! I loved the energy of Parrish and their attention to detail. Contact: http://www.parrishdesignslondon.com/

Cake: Ana Paz - A-
Ana Paz is a famous cake vendor here in South Florida, so I was really excited to find that they were included in our wedding package. My only peeve was the fact that during the tasting, the service was not good, I felt rushed and the lady seemed very distracted. However, they did replicate the design of the cake perfectly. Day of, the cake looked absolutely beautiful! It tasted wonderful. They did a great job and I would recommend them...just have a little patience during your tasting! Contact: http://www.anapazcakes.com/

Tiffany & Co. -A+
Tiffany's was our jeweler from the very beginning when my husband bought my engagement ring there. It was the ring I had fallen in love with from the beginning, and perfect princess cut solitaire. From then one, we decided to get both of our wedding bands there. Their service was amazing and the selection was beautiful. As a gift, my parents also gave me my wedding jewlery from Tiffany's. I still wear my pearl earings and bracelet, they are my favorite peices. Contact: http://www.tiffanys.com/

Ceremony Cellist: Robert Moore-A+
We found Robert Moore through the local music school where he is one of the instuctors. He used to play with the Miami Philharmonic and started teaching and playing freelance. He was a pleasure to work with, truly talented, he offered me a huge variety of music to choose from. Along with his cello, he had an amazing background system of music to play along with, which made it sound like we had an orchestra playing during the ceremony. Contact: http://www.musictechstudios.com/

Cocktail Hour: Jazz Trio- A+
Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the trio or their contact information. They were hired by my father as a gift to us. They were fantastic during the cocktail hour, full of energy, and lots of fun. They made the cocktail hour hip and classy, our New Orleans relatives really loved it.

Havanna Soul - A+
They were awesome! Along with the band, we hired their DJ who had everyone up and dancing between sets. He did a great job and used all the music we requested. The band was phenomenal, they really got the guests dancing. Best part, they had that authentic Cuban feel that we were going for right down to their guayaberas. They were one of my favorite vendors to work with, I highly recommend them. Contact: www.gigmasters.com/cubanmusic/HavanaSoul/

Victoria's Bridal Couture - A+
I loved this bridal shop. They were so much fun to shop with! Being that I work in the area, I was able to make on weekday when they aren't busy and able to enjoy having the store to myself. They did a great job with my dress, the seamstress Sheila was amazing. All of my BMs and my mom bought their dresses there. The service was great, I highly recommend them. Contact: http://www.victoriasbridalcouture.com/

Hair and Makeup: Tatjana Tezeric - A
Tatjana was fantastic! She made us all look beautiful, I was so happy to have her as our makeup artist. This was my first experience with airbrush and I loved it. I appreciated how professional she was and how she knew her stuff. Her hair personal was Amelia, she did a great job with everyone's hair, it turned out exactly the way we wanted it to look. She is a little on the pricey side, which is why she got an A, however, I thought she was awesome and would highly recommend her...totally worth it! Contact: http://www.makeupbytatjana.com/

Wedding Paper Divas - A
We ordered our invitations from them and were so happy with the result. The invites were different and matched the style of our wedding perfectly, in fact, we carried the logo throughout the wedding. The prices were fantastic and they arrived quickly. I loved all the options they offered, however I wished they offered other paper items that matched the invites like programs, escort cards, etc. I think they offer it now though, just wish they had it then. Contact: http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/

Kate Spade- A+
A small vendor review, but an important one. My shoes were a wedding gift to me. Kate Spade was so much fun to shop in, if you can, make a trip. I loved the little personalized note that they sent! Contact: http://www.katespade.com/

Mens Warehouse- A
They did a great job with the tuxes, our orders came in on time and were what we requested. A couple of sizes came in wrong, however the were able to order new ones and have them on time for the wedding. We chose them because of all their locations which was very important since all of our groomsmen were in different parts of the country. Contact: http://www.menswarehouse.com/

Favors: Schakolad Chocolate Factory
We ordered our favors from this chocolate shop, chocolate covered cherries in white and dark chocolate. They were amazing, in fact, they were eaten before the entree arrived! I highly recommend them, they were a pleasure to work with. Contact: http://www.schakolad.com/

Shutterfly - A
We made our photo guestbook from Shutterfly. It was a big hit, I loved how it turned out. Contact: http://www.shutterfly.com/

The Knot - A+
Oh, what in the world would I have done without The Knot? This brought wedding planning to a whole new level. Fantastic references and ideas, most of all, I loved my local board and all of the great fun and support they gave...shout out to all my girls! I also ordered from The Knot Shop, their items were great, they just take a long time to get to you. The Knot was such an essential to me while planning...I big puffy heart The Knot! Contact: http://www.theknot.com/

Bridal Party Tees - A
I ordered the bridesmaid tanks and Ts from this company. I loved how I could personalize every shirt. The items were great and I received them quickly. Contact: www.bridalpartytees.com