My Community Bio
	Knot Name:  DRZWife
	Wedding Role:  Bride
	Wedding Date:  April 02, 2005
	Location:  Wedding in Philadelphia, PA; Live in NYC
	Age:  30
	What I do when I'm not on The Knot (occupation): Consultant
	Where you'll find me on The Knot (favorite board): Advice from Recent Brides
	About our wedding: Our Wedding YAY!! We made it into the Knot Magazine! We’re in the Spring/Summer 2006 Issue (for Central PA and Philadelphia region) which hits newsstands in mid-December. Here are the scanned images of the pages. Unfortunately, I can’t get better images because of my scanner, but they look much better in person! I created a My Publisher Honeymoon album with all of our honeymoon pictures. It actually came out a lot better than I thought it would. It’s a lot of work to put together pages but in the end, I love being able to share my pictures with family and friends in such an easy way. I think I’m going to do this with all my vacation pics! Here are some pictures of my pages! After nine months of planning, all of our wedding hopes came true on April 2, 2005. Since my planning bio got too big, I have created a “married” bio with wedding pictures for those who cannot access the picture slideshow. All pictures are from my wedding photographer – Marie Labbancz (www.artoflove.com) PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION...I'VE RUN INTO SOME PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES AND PASSING THEM OFF AS THEIR OWN...IN PARTICULAR, VENDORS AND THOSE SELLING ITEMS ON THE INTERNET...I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ANY PICS TO HELP WITH YOUR PLANNING! JUST ASK! Here is a link to the my planning bio… Old Planning Bio Here’s a link to the professional picture slideshow (remember to turn your sound on for the music!) Pro Pic Slideshow My videographer (Tangerine Media Group) put together a 2 minute "movie trailer" of our wedding. My actual video won't get here for a while but this should give you a taste of what Tangerine's work is like...Again, make sure your sound is on! Tangerine Clip - Movie Preview **UPDATE** - We got our video!! Can't believe how good it is! I've put a link to the 10 minute Highlight Recap here. It may give some brides ideas on how they want their videos edited...Hope you like it!! Tangerine Clip - Video Recap Here are some professional pics of me getting ready… Some detail shots of bouquets and invitation… Out initials in blue… Almost done! Finally done! We get to do our last champagne toast before going to church… Some pics of my DH getting ready with his GM. Here's a picture of the boutonnieres...Stephanotis with green crystals... Pictures of the church and ceremony… A pic taken during the presentation to Mary. This is the Veil/Cord/Candle ceremony (a filipino tradition)... This is when they first announced as Mr. and Mrs.... Getting Bustled... This is what the back of the dress looked like before the train got bustled...This is during the cocktail hour while the band was setting up... Here are some pics of the low centerpieces and the surrounding smaller vases... My Bouquet Ring Bearer's Pillow Placecard Table A close-up of the apple candles that served as Table assignments. Yes - I cut every single one of those "leaves"!! BMs dressed in all different gowns in the same color and by the same designer. Here are the groomsmen lined up...DH is wearing a white tie and cumberbund and everyone else is wearing black. I got all of my BMs pink pashminas to wear in case it got cold...It actually ended up looking really pretty with all the flowers. Oh, and they all wore whatever shoes, jewelry, hairstyles they wanted. I thought they look so pretty because they all looked different! Pictures of the room First Dance This is me crying and laughing at the same time...not an attractive picture, but captures the moment...and my DH looks really cute!! Some great pictures of the Academy of Fine Arts and the artwork they have… Some pictures of my photographer took of the two of us… Here are some pics of our rehearsal dinner and the Korean Pyabaeck ceremony…. This is me and DH during the Rehearsal Dinner... Since it was a korean-themed Rehearsal dinner, we had karaoke and dancing!! Here are the pics of the Korean Ceremony... My Vendor Reviews Ceremony Cathedral Basilica of SS Peter and Paul (A+): Normally, knotties do not review the church that they got married in but I had to put in a note about them here. Monsignor Close has been wonderful!! He really treated us with so much respect and we felt like he really cared about our wedding day. Even though we brought in our own priest to perform the ceremony, he was a huge part of the preparations. He even called us the day we got back from our honeymoon to congratulate us and let us know about some packages that may have been left behind. Obviously, the location is beautiful but the staff sometimes gets a bad rap because they can be curt. Just take it with a grain of salt because they get calls about weddings ALL the time and get annoyed with the same questions. All of the people I met with and dealt with were kind and wonderful. Lastly, our wedding ceremony was taking place when the Pope was passing away. In fact, he passed away at 3:45pm and our ceremony started at 3:00pm, so it happened during our ceremony. There was a lot of press at the Basilica throughout the Rehearsal and the ceremony (which is how our picture ended up in the paper, I guess.) Monsignor and his staff were there to personally make sure everything was going to run smoothly. Reception Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts – www.pafa.org (B+): I fell in love with this location the minute I laid eyes on it. It was exactly what I was looking for – intimate, stylish and a little bit unconventional. Problem is that it’s expensive and an art museum (with lots of museum rules). I happen to be a bit detail-oriented (have you noticed??) and I was able to deal with all of the rules, paperwork etc. that the PAFA required but I have to warn future knotties who aren’t as anal as I am…it’s a little overwhelming. We had to get insurance policies for all the vendors we were bringing in and we weren’t allowed to use candles etc. On the day of my wedding though, I was thrilled because the artwork and the architecture just brought everything together. The people are very accommodating but at times were a bit confused about all the rules as well. I thought it was well worth it for the great locale. So, I say an A+ for location and a C for the hassle which averages to a B+ Jimmy Duffy’s Caterers (B+): The PAFA has an exclusive contract with Duffy’s so it’s the only option for catering. However, they really work hand in hand (in fact, my Duffy’s rep has an office at PAFA). It was a seamless relationship. The food was excellent and the service was impeccable. However, they didn’t bring the food out fast enough during the cocktail hour and would only come in from one side of the room so that only half the guests ever saw food. They quickly remedied the situation when my DH and I pointed it out. I would recommend getting more cocktail hour food than they suggest because my guests were gobbling them up! (Lambchops are excellent as is the seafood bar). They also made substitutions for me at the bar (my DH is a Johnny Walker Scotch drinker and they had Dewars.) for no additional charge. They also made two additional little flubs…they forgot to check and make sure each table had a menu card with a wax seal on it (for the centerpiece winner) and they didn’t check to make sure each favor was facing in the right direction. I know, I told you I was anal! But, it was quickly fixed. Beautiful Blooms Floral Design – www.beautifulblooms.com (A+): One thing I looked for in vendors is that they didn’t need a lot of guidance from me. There are many florists out there that you can choose from and admittedly for a cheaper price. Let’s face it, flowers are a commodity and you can find them being bought and sold at cheaper prices always. But, I really wanted to find someone who was not only talented but creative. That way, I didn’t have to look at my flower trial and think ‘well, could you put more hydrangea here? Or, how about a pink rose?’ Instead, they could offer me suggestions and come up with some creative options…this is why I chose Donna. Instead of sitting with her for hours about what exact flowers I wanted in each arrangement, we talked about the place, the dresses, the feel and my and my DH’s personalities. After that, she came up with the suggestions for the flowers and I was thrilled with the results. She’s the one who initially suggested the apple candles for the placecards and then made the centerpiece so beautiful that it brought the whole thing together. Donna is very enthusiastic about her business and she really wants your wedding to look beautiful. I would often get emails from her saying things like, “I saw this in Martha Stewart weddings and I thought it would look so nice on your cocktail tables etc. What do you think?” Or, “I saw peonies in the market today and they look really wonderful!” You have to be excited about someone who’s that excited about your event! I HIGHLY recommend her. Scott Lighting (www.scottentertainment.com)(B-): Gobo looked great! The stand that was holding the huge lamp did not! I should have checked to see how they were going to light the Gobo and instead was presented with a surprise at the reception when I noticed a big black stand on the side of the dance floor. Annoying. They didn’t hide it behind a column like I had thought they would. Overall, would recommend the Gobo and ask that they hide the stand discreetly… D’Executives Band (B+): The dance floor was packed all night. The music was fantastic. The band was very talented! Our intros were perfect. They also had a DJ who would play when the band was on a break…so, we had both older band dance music and fun DJ music. But, they made a couple mistakes. First, they brought a lot more people and equipment than I thought they would. They took up soooo much space! The dance floor was compromised as a result. Second, they didn’t make certain announcements that we had requested. For instance, they didn’t tell the crowd NOT to take the vases for the centerpieces (a costly mistake for me who has to pay for missing vases). Also, they didn’t allow me to introduce my wedding gift to my DH (Swoop from the Philadelphia Eagles) which kind of bummed me out because I had a nice little speech about how I wanted to get my DH the perfect gift etc…They also didn’t give Dennis the microphone right before the cake cutting so that he could say his thank you’s etc. All little details that nobody noticed but also moments that I will never get back. Overall, I recommend them. Especially, if you have the room for a band – they are the best deal we found in the planning process. In fact, they’re super cheap for a 8 piece live band - less than $3K for band and DJ. Day-of-Coordinator – Melody Appel (www.innoveeventdesign.com) (A+): By far, the BEST decision I made in the planning process. Melody was an absolute lifesaver. First of all, she is soooo CALM and a welcome presence on a hectic day. Second, she is just as detail oriented as me and was on top of all the little details of the day. She ran the entire Rehearsal which was such a relief because I had over 30 people in the wedding party (including primary and secondary sponsors). On Saturday, she was at the hotel bright and early and ran errands for us all day long! She would run out and get more false eyelashes or fresh flowers for people’s hair, or water etc…Then, she would run over to the boy’s room and make sure they knew what they were doing. Also, since it was raining cats and dogs, we had to change a lot of the picture taking plans and she was on top of it. There were so many things she took care of that night (for example, my photographer had left one of her cameras in the limousine and Melody had to go track it down – I didn’t even know about it until the next day.) Lastly, she was the only one who would constantly ask me if I wanted to go to the bathroom and freshen up, or would fix my bustle. Ladies, trust me, your BMs are probably wonderful and great trusting friends but they’re having fun and getting drunk at your wedding. Nobody is out to make sure you aren’t looking too sweaty or your bra is showing or your bustle broke. Melody made sure I was ok all the time and was checking my lipstick and my dress etc…what a relief too because cameras are on you at all times! Even my DH was impressed and commented that Melody was the best investment in the wedding planning. (I bit my tongue before I could say ‘I told you so!!’) Photographer – Marie Labbancz (www.artoflove.com) (A+): I fell in love with Marie’s work when I met her early on in the planning process. She has such a great eye and amazing talent for making simple things look extraordinary. I also love the way she made each wedding so romantic. She focuses on the couple and their love for one another as opposed to posed pictures of family. She is really easy to work with and came all the way to NYC for our engagement session. I cannot wait to see how the pictures turned out! Oh, and she will give you all negatives and digital proofs for her price. One thing I was impressed with is her love for her work. She stayed over her allotted 8 hours because she wanted to capture all the events (cake cutting etc) and I appreciate a vendor that is willing to go above and beyond. Highly recommend! Videographer – Tangerine Media Group (www.tangerinemediagroup.com) (A+): We haven’t received the DVD yet but they sent us a 2 minute “movie trailer” clip and I was soooooo impressed that I shared it with everyone that would listen! (link is at the top of the bio). I really hope this experience will generate some business for them because I really think that they are such talented and wonderful people! They met with us for over an hour after we signed with them to discuss our style and our interests…they even asked what our favorite movies are! The Movie Trailer uses quotes out of my own program and they tied in my theme and colors so well…I was floored when I saw it. If you have not chosen a Videographer yet, please give them a call – they are really really good! Oh, and if you are on the fence about videography, I say you should definitely do it. I was on the fence too but my DH was adamant about it and we went on a pursuit to find one that we liked. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the cheapest option. BUT, I am SOOOO glad that he convinced me to sign Tangerine because I love the video just as much as the pictures. And, I think my friends and family enjoy watching the video rather than flipping through album after album…. Clothes, Makeup and Hair Kleinfelds New York (C+): Yes, they have the biggest selection and yes, they are a superstore, but I wasn’t impressed by their service. It was extremely overwhelming and I felt sooooo much pressure when I went there!! Then, they wanted to order me a dress size that was way too big. I had to write a letter asking them to change it (they wouldn’t do it verbally over the phone). What a pain! I absolutely LOVE my dress (Amsale) and thrilled that I bought it, but not there. Plus, the alterations were close to $400!! Are you kidding me??? I love the seamstress – she did an excellent job but $400?? for a little hemming and a bustle? Ugh. Makeup – Stanford Smith (A+): I found Stanford Smith at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. He’s the business manager at the Nars counter there. I ended up getting a makeover there for a fun night out and was really, really impressed by his makeup skills. Because I’m Asian, I have a really hard time finding anyone who can do my makeup well. Anyways, not only is he good, he’s fun and really knows how to pamper you! I had him do all the BM’s makeup and each one of them looked incredible. I had a very multi-ethnic bridal party (Indian, Korean, Filipino, Black) and each one of them looked like models!! He brought his assistant Patrick and they worked efficiently together. Very calming and very talented. I highly recommend. He’s a little bit expensive but totally worth it, I promise!! Oh, and he provided as many makeup trials as I wanted until I was satisfied with the way I would look…. Hair – Claudia Seyler (A+): She gets raves on this board all the time but I’m still going to sing her praises! She did all the BMs hair and each of them had a different style and they all looked beautiful and unique! She worked soooo quickly and was done with all our hair before Stanford and his asst. were done with makeup. Plus, she’s just such a NICE person! I love what she did with my hair and I must have said 2 sentences to her about what I was looking for…she just knew. Gotta love that. Highly recommend! Tuxes- Men’s Wearhouse (B): Not much to comment on here. Super easy and very convenient. Everyone got their tuxes there for less than 100 bucks. We returned everyone’s tuxes to the nearest location the next day. One warning – you should definitely try the tux on before taking home….my DH and my dad’s were off in size. Bridesmaid Dresses – Bloomingdales NYC (D): After searching high and low for discounts on Vera Wang BM dresses, I found out that you can get 15% off when opening a Bloomingdales card and ordering them through Bloomies. So, I had all the girls try them on at different VW stores and give me style numbers and sizes. Ordering was simple and easy. The problem happened when one of my BM got pregnant and decided to drop out of the wedding. We had to change the size of one of the dresses to a larger size to fit another BM who decided to take her place. Because of this one change, I didn’t get any of my BM dresses until 2 weeks before the wedding. Not only that, but the last dress (the one that got changed) didn’t come in until 5 days before the actual wedding. I felt like I was completely getting the run around each time I called and I couldn’t understand why Bloomies wouldn’t at least let me have the other dresses earlier. Oh, and they never gave me tracking numbers even though I kept asking for them. The only reason I didn’t put “F” for their service is because the rep actually came to my home to hand deliver the last dress because she was afraid it getting lost again. It was a stress that I didn’t need in the last week of planning. Miscellaneous OOT gable boxes – www.bagsandbowsonline.com (A): About $60 for 100 of them. Smaller than I’d hoped for but totally enough space for everything. Favor boxes – www.papermart.com (A): Fast, easy and convenient. Custom Wax Seal – www.oldschoolseals.com (A+): They recreated exactly what I was looking for! Works perfectly. Faux Wax Sticks – www.scribesdelight.com (A): Kind of expensive but the exact color I was looking for. Service was fast and easy. Flower Monograms – www.bouquetjewels.com (A+): Arrived in perfect condition and they even exchanged one of the letters for another when one of my BMs dropped out. Cake Topper – www.lovelettersweddings.com (B+): They recreated my custom monogram exactly and the colors were perfect. I rated them slightly lower because I feel like they’re overpriced. There seems to be many vendors out there now that can provide the same topper for cheaper (but it may also be because my topper was customized with my specific font? Hard to say). Ritz Carlton Philadelphia (A+): This is where we stayed during our wedding weekend and I couldn’t be happier with their service! It’s pricey but you only get married once! The car valet lost our rental car key and the Ritz paid for the replacement cost of the key and never questioned it. This was a relief because the parking lot and the Ritz weren’t the same company so ultimately, the Ritz will be responsible for tracking down that replacement cost from the lot. The suites were big and the bar was fun to hang out in after the wedding. Apple Candles – www.waxwizard.net (A): They were the perfect size and came quickly. One of my favorite details in the wedding. Bridesmaid Gifts – www.bagettes.com (A+): Service was really on top of things and had the bags at my door within 2 weeks of ordering them. All the girls loved them! Customized M&Ms – www.colorworks.com (A): I did a trial order and realized that if you put quotations around your saying, it won’t print them. Otherwise, perfect service and perfect product. Albeit, expensive for what is basically M&Ms. Invitations – www.innoveeventdesign.com (A): Melody is wonderful to work with for stationary ideas. Very creative and she listens to find what you are looking for. If you haven’t ordered your invites yet, I would highly suggest contacting her. Everyone commented on the invites! Even, people you would never expect would notice that kind of thing…. Rehearsal Dinner – Han Chon Restaurant (Cherry Hill, NJ) (A): OK, I admit, my uncle owns this restaurant…but, I would have chosen it anyways because it’s perfect for a large Rehearsal Dinner and a great setting for the Korean Pyabaeck ceremony. They served so much food!! We were in a separate private room and they set up a buffet line for us. It was perfect – casual yet very Korean. Food was excellent and service was superb. We even had a little dancing and karaoke! Calligraphy – Carmela Mazzarulli, 856-428-2543: Many knotties know how GREAT her work is and her price is a steal! Book her now! Ok – that’s it for now…if you have any questions about anything in my bio, you can page me or email me at drzbride@yahoo.com!! Good luck to all of you!! And, THANK YOU for making wedding planning so fun!! Post comments and sign my guestbook! Thank you for looking at my bio!