Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

04, are you looking for grounds and water? If not, then I would check out the Manor East. They have beautiful rooms and their prices are very good. ChippaTriD and I are both havong our reception there.

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

JMO, but good food should be at the top of your list when scouting out a catering hall.

Food and music to me are the most important components of a successful wedding. It is what people remember and if neither are up to par you will be talked about.

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

I agree with Vicki - not all catering halls are the same when it comes to food. Some are downright awful, and other are really good.

I don't think my best meal was ever a wedding, but the meal is a the main part of the evening, so it should still be a big reason to book a hall, IMHO.

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

I don't think the food should be the reason to pick the hall. But I think the food should be a reason NOT to pick a hall. JMO

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

Maybe i wasnt completely clear yes I agree food is a reason not to book . If I go to riviera for example and the testing is HORRIBLE i will probobly NOT book but if I go there and the food is what i think is standard for wedding food I will book it beacause the atmosphere outweighs the food in my opinion. I know most people eat the cocktail hour food more that the dinner and that is what i am going to be tastaing.
Also i agree that he music is a big part probobly bigger than the food in my opinion. We have somone in mind for a dj but any recomendations are appreciated not looking to spend more than 2000.00 on th dj

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

04 bride,
I agree with you 100% about wedding food. Unless you have a $200pp wedding(& even sometimes then you won't)will you get memorable food.
We chose to have a cocktail style reception for that reason. It was like a 4 hour cocktail hour, carving stations, serveral chaffing stations & misc special dishes. We had a true cocktail hour to start, then served salad & then food all day. Our guests were told at each table by the maitre d when they could begin, so there were no lines & no DJ shouting the buffet is open. Everyone from my 85 yr Aunt Millie to my Dad's super wealthy friends said that was a great choice & they enjoyed it more than any other wedding in years. We even got Thank you notes from a few guests!!! How weird is that!
We made sure that our guests were entertained in many ways & we are just thrilled with the way things turned out!
I also just thought of another really pretty waterview location-it's called Captian Bills' in Bayshore. I was there last September, it's much better than the name makes it sound!!! Worth checking out!

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

Friends of ours went to a reception just last month at the Riveria and told us the food was great. They are very good friends and would not lie to us. I tiold them I wanted to know b/c if it was bad I would got to another place. I have to say that unfortunatley you can not please everyone. so if you like the place and the food there are going to be other people who hate it! Good luck with your decision and keep us posted

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

Hi,

Thanks everyone for your input. i will be scheduling a food tasting soon at riviera and am seeing the other places I mentioned in a previous post this saturday. I'll fill you in them.

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

Kelly - I was doing a search on Captain Bill's and saw a response from you that you liked it. I am concerned that I cannot tell much from the pictures on-line and of course that name has got to go. But since you have seen it in person, can you tell me a little more about it? The color scheme? What is the view from the room that they DON'T show you on-line? How is the cocktail hour room? Is it worth a trip out there to visit? What was your first impression when walking up to the place (it doesn't look like much from the outside)......? Anyone else been there?

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

RichsBride - you have FM!!!!!

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

i booked the Riviera for May of 2004, we went to a tasting and the food was very good. no complaints here at all. We are on a saturday night, so we have guarantee the 150, i dont think it will be too small at all for that amount of people. The dance floor is huge, the cocktail hour would be small if it does rain (praying for no rain!!!!) but the place is absolutely beautiful!!

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

LauraPete you have forum mail.

Re: I saw the Sans Souci and Riviera and smcc..my opinions

Just to let you know, I booked the Riviera for May 2004 and I am in love with the place! It's so cute and personal and the people are so nice there. I have been to a bunch of weddings there and not once have I had a problem with the food. The cocktail hour was great and of my entrees, they've been good too. AND they give you a mini Viennese table WITH an ice cream sundae station (I LOVE ice cream)!!! And the cake comes from one of the best bakeries on LI...Black Forest...and it's the only wedding cake I think I've EVER eaten. I've actually been a bridesmaid there and they treat the wedding party like gold...the last wedding I attended there had 200 people and it was fine because of the outside (it was during the summer) Just some stuff to think about! :)
Oh, and one more thing...they are revamping their entire menu...they told us that it would not be complete for a little while and that the change would definitely work in our favor....there's a wedding showcase there on Thursday nite Feb 27th...you need to reserve but it's only 5 bucks and you get to taste some of the food and meet their vendors.