A Wedding Story - Chrissy and Danny

Danny Locrotondo and Chrissy Jones

The Engagement

My engagement story is a hoot! Here we go! As Danny and I approached our 2 year anniversary, I started to get that quintessential "girlfriend feeling" way down at the pit of my tummy that the famous "next step" could be surfacing rapidly. Of course, I did what most woman do during this specific time; Question! The nagging did not seem to faze Dan, as we both pressed forward with our weekly routines of driving back and forth between each others homes. A 45 minutes drive neither one of us could wait to get rid of.

February 12th marked our special 2 year anniversary. It came, and it went. Spring was near and for the 2 years spent together we planned our annual getaway. Florida was usually top pick. Can’t seem to get enough of Margaretaville in Orlando! That was our spot. We would be returning for the 3rd time. Our trip was set for April 4th. We planned on loading up the car and road tripping it all the way down I-95, stopping only for gas, bathroom break, and of course, a Waffle House, or Cracker Barrel. Naturally, in my head, THIS exact vacation was going to bring me that shiny shiny ring. I just knew it. (I could not have been more wrong.)

April 1st, 2009. Yes, that’s right. April Fools Day. For me, a typical Wednesday night at Dance class. Everything seemed about normal and ordinary. I did take notice at one point that the studio was pretty packed that night. Even a couple Moms were hanging around. None the less, Barbara Rocco’s Dance and Tumble was a pretty neat place to hang. I should know… I have been there since age 14!!! In the mist of all the dancing glory, my good friend Nicole comes up with a marvelous suggestion. She thinks I would be a grand idea for me to practice performing my solo in front everyone and she will even video tape it. This way, I can watch myself after and make minor, or major, corrections. Nicolle is so smart!!!! I jumped on that idea and away I went. Dancing and twirling while about 25 women sat perfectly still and watched. I must have been good.

Queue Dan. In walks my loving boyfriend. The funny thing was, I never flinched. I had requested he stop by and say hi. So I smile, wave, and continue circling and cart wheeling about. The he shouts over to me. “Come here!” How rude!!!! Can’t he see that I am performing?! I stop abruptly and walk over to him with a stern look in my eye. Dan reaches out with both hands to grab mine and says, “I have something to ask you. Will you marry me?”

Most ladies fall to the floor in love. Nope. I think pull back and shout, “Is this an April Fools?! Not funny!”

Dan had the last laugh when he pulled a diamond ring box out his baggy sweatpants pocket. Not only did I cry, but the entire dance studio cried. Of course, maybe it was the anticipation that set them off…. After all, they knew the whole time.

The Wedding Plan

The wedding plan was simple. We did not want one! The money, the stress, the planning. Not my forte and definitely not his!!! My mother said, "You have two options. ONE- Elope. TWO- Let me throw you the wedding of a lifetime! We will pay for everything and plan it all! Give us your input when you want and don't when you don't want to. Just show up and enjoy." SOLD!

The Wedding Information

Our wedding will be held on 9.10.11 at Giorgios in Baiting Hollow. A Saturday afternoon. The ceremony will start at 11am, cocktail hour is from 11:30am to 1pm, and the reception is 1pm to 5pm. We will have live music for both the ceremony and cocktail hour. And for the reception we will have a DJ and MC. We are super excited!!! The so far estimated cost is about $40,000.

A Tip for Brides

• HIRE A PLANNER! Thank God for my mother. She has a doubled as mother-of-the-bride and wedding planner. If it was for her great taste, sense of style and class, and being so patient with us crazy bride and groom...none of this would be possible!!!!

New Astrological Signs!!

So as you might have heard, the world of astrology has now decided to add another sign! This, in turn, will change a lot of people's signs. Here is the new break-down.

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21.
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

Apparently there have always been 13 signs, but it was thrown out by Babylonians because they only wanted 12 signs in a year. The new sign is Ophiuchus (which I now apparently am). In an article I read about this shift in signs, they said, "The sign is associated with healing, enlightenment, medicine and higher education -- and also with black holes. That's oddly coincidental, given this discovery announced Wednesday." Creepy.

Ophiuchus

I feel that once people (who really care about astrological signs) hear about this, there will be severe personality disorder problems! I woke up this morning thinking I was a loving, adventurous, carefree, optimistic Sagittarius and now I find out that I am a sign that I can not even pronounce and no one knows anything about!  (Maybe this will mean I am finally "sign compatible" with my fiance, who used to be a Pisces but is now an Aquarius, haha.)

I did hear from someone that it apparently is only for people who are born from here on, but I do not see how that is possible. Now when people try to get their horoscopes, they will only be able to get the new one if they put in their birth date.

When I find out more information about all of this insanity, I will post about it again. As for now, enjoy your new sign!!

**Update** Here is some more information about the new sign Ophiuchus!
The constellation Ophiuchus represents a man wrestling a serpent, dividing the snake's body in two parts.  It is the only sign of the zodiac linked to real men, sharing traits with Imhotep, a 27th century BCE Egyptian doctor, and biblical Joseph. Like Imhotep, Ophiuchus is considered a healer of men and a doctor of medicine or science. He seeks higher education and enlightenment. He is expected to achieve a high position in life. Like Joseph, he is an interpreter of dreams and vivid premonitions. He is envied by his peers and favored by his father and authority figures

10 Songs You Should Not Play At Your Wedding

There are many songs that you may love, but they do not portray the mood that you would like to have at your wedding. These songs are okay for your birthday party bash or backyard BBQ, but they should not be played at your wedding! Will you/did you play any of these at your wedding?

1. Love Stinks - J. Geils Band
2. Your Cheating Heart - Hank Williams
3. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
4. Secret Love - Doris Day
5. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
6. Every Breath You Take - The Police 
7. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
8. Brick House - The Commodores
9. Closer - Nine Inch Nails
10. Macarena - Los del Rio

**My Fiance did not understand why I have "Brick House" on here, but if you click the link and read the lyrics, you'll understand!

Most Popular Father of the Bride Songs

The song that a girl dances with her father to is a very special and important wedding tradition. Here is a list of the 15 most popular Father of the Bride dance songs! Is yours on here??

1. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
2. Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle
3. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) - James Taylor
4. When Angels Fly - Tony Ransom
5. I Loved Her First - Heartland
6. You Are So Beautiful To Me - Joe Cocker
7. Through The Years - Kenny Rogers
8. Always Be Your Baby - Natalie Grant
9. You Are The Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
10. What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
11. Dancing On Daddy's Shoes - Leon Redbone
12. The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
13. My Girl - The Temptations
14. Isn't She Lovely -Stevie Wonder
15. My Little Girl - Tim McGraw

The Meadow Club Bridal Show

There is a Bridal Show at The Meadow Club tomorrow, Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 at 7pm. The show goes until 9pm and it will include a cocktail buffet. The show will feature music from Absolute Entertainment. The staff will be available throughout the evening to answer any questions you may have, and assist you in planning your special day.

**I am not sure if this is a "normal" Bridal Show with other vendors and such, or if it is just an informational for the place itself. Either way, my fiance and I hope to see you there!

The Meadow Club
Address: 1147 Route 112 Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
Phone Number:  631-928-3800

Most Popular Wedding Songs

Everyone wants to find the perfect song to have your first dance as husband and wife. Here is a list of the most popular "first dance" songs. Is your song on here??

1. Nothing Compares To You - Sinead O’Connor
2. Close To You - Maxi Priest
3. Power of Love - Jennifer Rush
4. Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
5. I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You - Elvis Presley
6. Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
7. When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating
8. From This Moment On - Shania Twain
9. You Made Me Love You - Al Jolson
10. How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees

**I was thinking about this list after I wrote it. I do not understand how "Nothing Compares To You" is the number one wedding song according to my source!! That song is not a love song. Maybe a break-up-cry-yourself-to-sleep-after-watching-a-sad-sappy-movie song... I am sorry if this is your wedding song.. Maybe you can explain it to the blog world??

Review of the East Wind Bridal Show

Sunday was the Bridal Show at East Wind Caterers. When we first walked in, it was a little tricky to find where we needed to sign in for the show. We finally found the table and was told that there was a $15 fee per person (the website made it sound that there was only a charge if you waited to register).

We were let in at exactly 12 and were handed a bag and a few folders from Fantasia Bridal. There were not many vendors at this show, which you would have thought would be the opposite, but it was nice to walk around and talk to everyone. The Spa at East Wind had a table where they were giving complimentary hand and back massages (amazing – worth the $15 alone) and complimentary hair and make-up trials. The hair and make-up took too long so we did not get a chance to do that.

At 12:50pm they opened up the dining area. They had different stations set up. There was a mashed potato bar – complete with mashed and sweet potatoes and many different toppings to put on them. Then, they had a pizza and seafood station, pasta and meats, fruit and veggies, salad and little soup bread bowls. The food was good. It wasn’t anything too spectacular, but it was not the worst food I have ever had at a catering hall. The Penne a la Vodka tasted more like plain red sauce and the Rigatoni Bolognese tasted the same way. My fiancé’s sister said that the bread bowl was amazing. She said it was buttery and light. My favorite dish was definitely the turkey. It had some sort of glaze on it and it was very yummy.

After dinner there was a DJ show. It seemed a little chaotic because they were serving dessert at the same time. The DJ kept saying “5 minutes until we start”. I have seen LI Sound perform at many different Bridal Shows in the past so their show was normal to me. However, every time the guy who plays the drums comes out, there are always "oohs and ahhs" from the audience. He is very good at what he does. Another new thing they had was a Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong impersonator. He sang “What A Wonderful World” remarkably well.

When the DJ was finished, After Hours went on with their band, and that is where the show went downhill. The band was awful. I could not imagine listening to them for 5 hours at a wedding. The people playing the instruments looked bored. One man actually looked like he was getting a root canal. The place cleared out. They sang a bunch of songs that varied from decade to decade and they showed what could potentially be for a cocktail hour, dinner time, father/daughter dance, etc. They finished the set off with “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease, which was awkward because it was an older gentleman singing with a young girl. Creepy.

At the end of the show they gave out the prizes. Astra, from WBLI was there and she called out the names. They had to go through a bunch of names before someone was present to get their gift. The gifts were pretty lame. You had to make serious purchases to even use the coupons. When she was finished, station interns, along with Astra, threw t-shirts at the crowd and then gave out a few free movie tickets. This was one of the best parts of the show.

All in all I am not sure if I would go to another Bridal Show at East Wind. There are so many more shows that are free and you get the same experience and then some. I will keep you all posted on more Bridal Shows as I hear about them! 

 Chrissy and Astra.

"Do it yourself" Tips

If you are on a tight wedding budget, I am sure you have considered "do it yourself" wedding projects. Here are some ideas and tips of easy DIY projects.

1. Stationery: You can print out your invitations yourself using your own printer and make it the way you want it. For the envelopes, you can either use a calligraphy pen, or print those out as well using your printer. You have to be patient when printing on the envelopes because they are usually thicker than what your printer is used to.
• Price: An estimate price would be $600 (based on 100 guests). That includes the invitations, envelopes, save the dates, escort cards, stamps, ink, and RSVP cards and envelopes.
2. Music: Rent a sound system and create different play-lists on your laptop/iPod for the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can ask a friend to check on it occasionally and switch the play-lists when needed. You can download music off itunes for your play-lists, or rip CD's to your computer.
• Price: To rent a sound-system would cost about $250 for a basic set-up.
3.  Photography: There are many options that you can do to get around an expensive photographer. The best one I have heard yet is to have a family friend take pictures for you at the ceremony/reception (maybe you know someone with a nice digital camera). Then, have the disposable cameras on the tables and ask for people to put them on the gift table when they are used up. Also, spread the word around that if people have pictures that they took themselves to send them to you. You can make a nice photo CD and have them printed out somewhere on the cheaper side (CVS, Walgreens - they are always competing with price and you can usually find a great deal.) Another thing about these stores, you can make great photo-books for super cheap and they are really nice quality. You can also make other picture products and give them away as gifts for your parents and wedding party.
• Price: $500 (without photo-books or gifts included)
• Disposable cameras - For a case of 24 "wedding themed" cameras, it is around $150. Another website is selling them for $4.49 each when you buy 30, and that includes table cards for each camera.
• A "thank you gift" for the friend/family member who took the pictures should be around $300. You could give this in the form of a gift card.
• Printing pictures - 300 pictures at an average of $.15/picture would be about $45.
• Photo-books - These range from $5.99 to $39.99
• Photo-gifts - These can range from $.19 and up.
4.  Flowers: Order flowers in bulk. The website will give you tips as to when you need to have the flowers delivered in order to prepare them for the wedding. This will be a very time-consuming project. If you order roses, they will probably not be de-thorned. They will also need time to open, so make your flower centerpieces the day before the wedding. Make sure you make a "mock centerpiece" before you order the flowers so that you know exactly how many you will need. I recommend buying more than you need (in case a few don't make it through the night) and then with the left-overs, you can make a few extra flower arrangements for around the room.
• Price: In an article I read, the woman spend $1,100 online at the flower store. That included 500 white roses, 50 red roses, 100 hypericum berries, 20 green hydrangeas, 12,000 white rose petals, and 6,000 red rose petals.  
• You will also need to buy some materials for the centerpieces which can be bought at Michael's and some buckets to store the flowers in overnight, which can be bought at Home Depot.
5. Cake: If you are feeling adventurous, you can give this a try! There are many websites and youtube videos that can teach you the art of rolling fondant.
• Price: This whole task will cost you about $175 (if you do not do a trial run) $350 ish with a trial run. 
• You will need to purchase pans, cake caddies, fondant smoothers and rollers, cutouts and fondant dye.
• Just think, with all of your new materials, and if it comes out well, you could have a new side business making cakes for all of your friends and family!!

Kleinfeld Blowout Sale

Don't miss the Kleinfeld Blowout Sale!! Save up to 70% off!!!

Tuesday, February 1st

3:00pm - 7:00pm
*Get there early. They will hand out numbers and only let a few in at a time.

Gowns starting at $799 and up!
Veils and Headpieces from $99!
Bridal Shoes from $20!

These dresses are all samples! No regular priced merchandise will be shown. Cash/Credit Card and Carry!!!

Direct from the website: Due to space limitations, Kleinfeld can only accommodate one guest per bride and please be prepared to share a dressing room with other brides.

Bridal Show at East Wind

This Bridal Show is free, unless you wait to register.

The Inn and Spa at East Wind
Address: 5720 Route 25A Wading River, New York 11792
Phone Number: 631-929-6585.

Kleinfeld Bridal

Of course my first "official" post has to be about this place! I watch the show, Say Yes To The Dress, and I am in love with everything Kleinfeld. Although their prices are way out of my "bridal gown budget", it is still an amazingly beautiful store and everyone who works there seems to be friendly, helpful, and honest.

Kleinfeld was founded in Brooklyn in 1941. They moved to Manhattan and they carry the largest amount of wedding dresses (or so it is said) out of every other bridal store. A fun fact: Twice a year, professionals at Kleinfeld fly to Europe and get the latest trends in dresses so that you can have a designer American OR European dress right at your fingertips!

Making an appointment: Visits are by appointment only. You are required to give a credit card number, and are charged $50 if the appointment is canceled without at least 48 hours notice.

Kleinfeld Bridal
Address: 110 West 20th Street, New York, New York 10011
Phone Number: 646-633-4300

An introduction...

As a bride-to-be, I know how stressful planning a wedding can be. I have been engaged since March and I still have no idea where to even begin (lucky for me, we are not planning on getting married until early 2012). In the meantime, I thought I would have a place that people could come to and check out the latest wedding trends, some money-saving tips, cool fashion information, and much more! Also, I attend a lot of bridal shows on Long Island, so I will review the catering halls here in New York, as well as DJ's, florists, photographers, make-up artists, etc.

I want this blog to be a fun place where girls, or guys, can come and check out all of the latest information about planning their special day!