In Brides of Long Island’s Monthly “Mrs.” series, we profile some of our members’ unforgettable weddings. This month, Clarissa talks about planning her wedding on a budget, and how her photographer went above and beyond for her before and after the wedding.
(Photo courtesy of Bernard Alexis Photography)
Clarissa and Kevin knew when they got engaged that they would be paying for it themselves. They were cognizant of their budget, and were able to find a hidden gem in the Essex Club, a BOLI preferred vendor. Essex Club not only worked with them to plan their dream wedding, but made sure everything ran smoothly on their wedding day.
A High School Love….After College
Clarissa and Kevin went to the same high school, but didn’t run in the same crowd. They knew of each other and friended each other on social media, but that was it. When Clarissa got back from college in 2015, they slid into each other’s DMs. Eight years later at Clarissa’s 30th birthday party, Kevin proposed as she blew out her candles in front of their family and friends. “We had just bought a house together, and were hosting my birthday party,” said Clarissa. “He didn’t tell anyone, so we were all surprised. It was perfect because everyone we love was there.”
Tweaking a Party Package
As Clarissa and Kevin started venue shopping in the summer of 2023, they had a little bit of a sticker shock. “We knew we wanted a smaller wedding,” said Clarissa. “And we were paying for it ourselves, so we needed to find a venue that fit within our budget.” And that venue was the Essex Club in Brentwood. “It also had a beautiful ballroom, and only hosted one wedding at a time, which was important to us,” said Clarissa. And since their wedding was on November 9, 2024, Clarissa and Kevin were thrilled they were able to get a Saturday night reception for winter pricing.
The Essex Club offered a package that included different vendors, and they decided to use most of those vendors – including the DJ, florist and transportation service. They also were able to get a discount with Long Island Party Walls for their flower wall, champagne wall and seating chart. But when it came to their photography, Clarissa and Kevin strayed from the package. “I had heard of Bernard Alexis from friends and family,” said Clarissa, of Bernard Alexis Photography, a BOLI preferred vendor. “But I was so impressed when we had our consultation. He was the only photographer who pointed out that due to daylight saving time, I wasn’t going to have daylight for photos.” As a result of their consultation, Clarissa not only booked Bernard, but she changed the time of her wedding. “I called the church and moved up our ceremony to 12:30 p.m. And then I called the Essex Club and moved up our cocktail hour start time.”
(Photo courtesy of Bernard Alexis Photography)
MORE: Essex Club offers versatility, affordability, and charm
Taking the Time to Breathe
Clarissa didn’t let any hiccups bother her on her wedding day. In fact, when a groomsman noticed the seating chart was missing a few guests, Jessica from the Essex Club jumped in and got it fixed. “Jessica was our sales person throughout the planning process,” explained Clarissa. “She was really only supposed to be there to set up, but she immediately helped out to get the seating chart fixed. I barely had time to even think about it.” Clarissa adds that she didn’t really have a creative vision on how to set up the ballroom, and Jessica did a great job creating her own vision to set up that flower wall and champagne wall with sage greenery. “It was so beautiful when we walked in,” said Clarissa.
MORE: How to make a wedding budget
Clarissa’s favorite moment of the night? When she and Kevin took about a half hour to sit in the bridal suite and soak in the day between pictures and cocktail hour. “The maitre’d whisked us away and set out cocktail hour food for us in the suite,” she said. “It was great to just decompress and recap our ceremony and envision how we wanted the rest of the evening to go.” Clarissa and Kevin then made sure to greet guests during the rest of the cocktail hour, so they could dance the night away during the reception and afterparty.
After their wedding, Clarissa had a death in the family. As they were searching for photos for her uncle’s service, she realized the most current one was at her wedding. “I reached out to Bernard to see if he could expedite a specific photo of my uncle. And within a day or two, he sent it over,” said Clarissa. “Bernard truly went above and beyond from before we even booked him to after our wedding day during a difficult time. He didn’t have to do any of that, but he did, and I’m beyond grateful.”
(Photo courtesy of Bernard Alexis Photography)
Go With the Flow
Clarissa researched every single vendor that she used (and didn’t use) on the Brides of Long Island Facebook page. “I was so grateful for all of the honest reviews that all of the brides leave,” said Clarissa. And now that she’s graduated from bride to wife, Clarissa wants future brides to remember that even if things don’t go the way you planned, just go with the flow. “Everyone was so impressed with how calm I was – even when the DJ introduced us with a different last name!” said Clarissa. “But it’s not worth the stress. Things will happen, but they shouldn’t be enough to ruin your day.”
MORE: Don’t sweat the small stuff
Clarissa also adds that you need to make sure you do what you and your future spouse want, and not to let other people’s opinions sway your decisions. “For us, it was important that we keep our guest list to no more than 100 people,” she said. “We didn’t want strangers in our photos. And even when people asked if we could include others, we stood our ground. It’s your wedding day – don’t let anyone else tell you what you want.”
(Photo courtesy of Bernard Alexis Photography)
Vendors:
Venue: Essex Club, a BOLI preferred vendor
Photographer: Bernard Alexis Photography, a BOLI preferred vendor
Videography: JL Wedding Films
DJ: Just For the Record
Florist: Tom’s Towers Flowers, a BOLI preferred vendor
Hair: @Samantha.ashleyy_
Makeup: Amber Taylor Artistry
Dress: North Fork Bridal Shoppe, a BOLI preferred vendor
Cake: Campbell’s Bakery, a BOLI preferred vendor
Tuxedos: Rico’s Clothing, a BOLI preferred vendor
Transportation: Mark of Elegance, a BOLI preferred vendor
Flower Wall/Champagne Wall/Seating Chart: Long Island Party Walls
Honeymoon: Melissa at Tripguy Travel, a BOLI preferred vendor
