Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Hi all,

My fiance and I have been looking at venues near our family church in the Manhasset area, but we are really having a hard time coming up with anything  that is reasonable!  We are paying for the wedding ourselves and will have about 130 people plus children.  We were hoping to get married on a Saturday night in March.

We have looked at-  

The Mansion in Woodbury
Coindre Hall in Huntington
Fox Hollow in Syosset

We have called-

Millerage Inn
Captain Bills
Larkfield Manor
Verdis*
Stewart Manor*
New Hyde Park Inn
The Soundview
Memorare*

Only the venues with asterisks* seemed like they might be able to work with our $65-75 per plate budget.  Does anyone have any other suggestions of places we should look at before we take the plunge?  

TY in advance!  

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Hey,

Just got married on a sunday in fox hollow and we paid ourselves and it was fortune but so beautiful, i wouldn't have wanted it any other way. A friend of mine got married in Westbury and it was beautiful also affordable including centerpieces! Something to look into.. 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Hey! I know how stressful money is for wedding. Just had one lol

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

If you want something close in your area, I'd try the swan club. **Negotiate** they were reasonably priced. Be direct in what you are looking for otherwise negotiation will start off higher. Good Luck 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I got married a Verdis in westbury last year. 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Crest hollow, Riviera and Leonards

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Hi, not my venue but try Chateau Briand in Westbury

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Try being open to a Thursday night - that's what we did. We got married at chateau briand . Also try westbury manor.  I did a lot of diy as well. Florist was flowers by burton and they were able to make my vision come to life well within my budget. 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Unfortunately this seems a bit far away from the locations you have been looking at but I got married at the three village inn in stony brook for 82pp sit down dinner with open bar and my

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Try the coral house in Baldwin. They quoted me around your budget when I was looking in 2015. 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

This was 2016 pricing, but I got married at the Mansion at West Sayville in a Saturday night in March and paid exactly what you are looking to pay, $65pp. It doesn't look like you've tried many of the Lessings venues but they are generally beautiful and offer good packages especially in the off season. I had less than 100 people but my entire wedding cost less than $12k, including secondary vendors. I would note though that cut some extra stuff that a lot of weddings have in order to hit that number - videographer, fancy custom cake (ours was included in our venue package and we had pretty basic decorating options), day-of coordinator, opted for a pretty inexpensive DJ instead of a band, no fancy lighting - because none of that stuff mattered ultimately. We also DIYed almost all of our decor, our favors, our guest book, etc.  The best way to keep your cost down is for you and your fiance to be absolutely clear and in agreement about your priorities and eliminate or reduce any expenses that don't fit them. Good luck! 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I have been to many weddings and millridge inn is amazing.  However,  I had my wedding this past March at Verdi's.  Verdi's was so helpful and attentive to my husband and i.  They made us feel comfortable and at ease.  They were so attentive the day of our wedding.  People are still  talking about it.  We were so happy there.  We also used Chic boutique florist who was amazing.  She is located in college point and she was perfect and perfect pricing.  Good luck to you

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Sunset Harbour- our wedding day was phenomenal and we didn’t go broke!

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Hi,

Congratulations to you and your fiance.

I recently got married a few months ago in Long Island and it's definitely not cheap but here are some suggestions.
1) Come up with a budget in mind and stick to it, when you visit venues let them know that you have a budget, most venues will try and work with you.
2) Maybe consider having a Sunday night wedding as that tends to be cheaper than a Saturday night.
3) Wedding peak seasons are from ending of May to ending of September, off peak seaons are less expensive so I think March is a good month like you mentioned.
4) Have you thought about not having children at the wedding? That also helps to cut the cost down, maybe make exceptions for out of town guest or immediate family.
5) Decide on what's more important to you (example: food, music, location, photography) and put the most of your budget towards that and cut cost on other things.
6) Maybe give yourself some more time to save more time so that you are less stressed.

Just remember planning should be fun and memorable, it's about you and your fiance and whatever kind of wedding you decide to have it will be beautiful and symbolic to you and your husband.

I hope this helps and good luck to you and your fiance.

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I think keeping a wedding on Long Island under 15K is impossible but I think it depends on what date you pick. We are doing a summer wedding which is prime time in LI. I know if you get married in the winter its much cheaper.

We got a REALLY good price for Chateau La Mer even during wedding season (July). The good thing about them is they don't charge you the 20% administration or "gratuity" (aka the BS fee) that everyone else charges so you save a couple thousand there. We fell in love with the venue, its so beautiful I definitely recommend checking it out!

Some of the Lessings properties have all inclusive packages if your interested in those. We looked at Smithtown landing and a full wedding including centerpieces, photography, limo, venu and DJ would have been about 24k which is a steal on LI. Its cheaper during off season as well. Chateau also has all inclusive packages as well if you visit them.

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

Congrats!  It is so difficult to find a "reasonable" wedding venue on Long Island.
For a lower price I recommend having a wedding Monday through Thursday to save money.  Larkfield quoted me a Thursday night in October 2018 at $100 pp (excluding fees and taxes).  Willow Creek quoted $90 for the same date.  Miller Place Inn had decent pricing for Saturday night at an all inclusive price of approx. $22k (this includes vendors like dj and flowers) - likely would be less for a weekday wedding.  Old Field Club is absolutely beautiful however ridiculously priced any day of the week.  Good luck!    

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I got married in June, and was able to keep the entire wedding at 15K.
I had 115 people.
I did DIY a few things - but it is possible.

I also looked into places out east that were all inclusive like Mediterranean manor (includes DJ, flowers and photographer).

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I echo what some of these ladies are saying about Lessings venues - during the off-wedding months (early March would probably still work), several of them are extremely competitively priced. I looked at Coindre Hall for 2017 and you could absolutely have done 125 guests on a Saturday night for less than $15k...however, it's not the best bang for your buck. Lessings has gorgeous venues (I got married at The Mansion back when it was The Woodlands, I was one of their first weddings under the new management!), but Lessings obnoxiously nickels and dimes you for everything. But they are total professionals and know exactly what they are doing.  I'd recommend spending most of your budget on the venue and straight reception costs - skip flowers, you can get a great DJ for not that much, skip transportation, , skip fancy invitations... and good luck! And I recommend reading "The Broke *** Bride" which is a fantastic case-study about how to throw an amazing wedding for $15k. 

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I'm sorry, but there is no way you are going to have a wedding for $15k for 130 people on Long Island.  I mean, that may cover JUST the food/bev portion (on a Thursday night), but you have to take into consideration:
- dress
- suit or tux
- photo/video (if you decide to get video)
- hair/makeup
- wedding day accessories
- invitations
- decor (i.e., florals)
- cake
- DJ
- officiant

The best way is to cut the guest list, and have an adults only wedding.

RE:Mission Impossible! Keeping a LI Wedding under 15k

I agree I spent 16k on my wedding in total I had only 50 people