BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

Original post by mavirella

Oct 01, 2006 09:52 AM

Hi all. I just figured the last one was getting ridiculously long.

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 25, 2006 09:28 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

Hi,
I just met with Ernest over the weekend with a whole list of questions. The Valet is included. I asked him about napkin/linen colors, the cake (many runors on here about it), decorating, tipping and 100 other questions.

He was really nice and very helpful.

Try to pick a photographer that knows Leonard's it helps!

Are you doing a fall theme?

Good Luck!

Jen

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 25, 2006 09:32 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

The Empire room holds up to 120 people. My reception is between 60-80 people.

Go in on a Saturday before parties start at around 12:00 and ask to see the room.. I was able to view it right befre a party began. It hepled me see what the set up was like, what I would need etc.

Good Luck!

luvabul Posted: Oct 25, 2006 10:38 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

hows everyones planning goiNg?!!

mavirella Posted: Oct 27, 2006 10:53 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

For those married brides and those who have chosen your cake, what filling did you use and why? I think I might go with th basics here.

mavirella Posted: Oct 28, 2006 10:18 AM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

bump

luvabul Posted: Oct 28, 2006 01:02 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

the basic cake with just flowers on it is nice! i think ive seen it in some reviews over here the 3 tiers and the brides have their florist decorate it! i however always wanted a huge cake...so im getting mine from an outside bakery. Other than that...everything is going by...hows ur planning and situation coming along mavirella ?

AMANDA2378 Posted: Oct 28, 2006 01:05 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

im confused................valet is included??? i was under the impression it was about 200 more??????

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 28, 2006 04:38 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

II just spoke to Ernest last week. He said it was included! I have the updreded menu. wonder if that makes a difference? It seems like the more you upgrade the more they throw in. I think it's free no matter what though.

luvabul Posted: Oct 28, 2006 05:41 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

nope its not free no matter what sadly i have 300 guests and they said if i wanted valet it would be $500.00 , ALL BM tell you different things i guess depending on your party size, package etc

luvabul Posted: Oct 28, 2006 05:41 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

im being charged $500.00 for valet for 300 guests

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 28, 2006 10:02 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

Wow, you would think because you are spending so much on 300 guests that they would.

One other person told me that if other people want a valet that you can use them for free. I don't get it!

My wedding is small between 60-80 people. I only upgraded to the second menu, two small stations (no fish) and an ice sculpture (all for 7 more pp) for the CH and to the Vientian hour.

I heard stories that if you upgrade to the Vientian hour that you are only entilted to some of the things and when I spoke to Ernest he said it was all included.

I also heard that they don't throw in the chair covers for some people. It is weird!

You would think because your party is so large that they would give it to you for free and just tell you to tip. Maybe because there are so many they are askign for it.
Listen , I don' t think there is a need for one anyway. I actually prefer to park my own car. I hate valet. You and your wedding party will be in a limo so that's all that matters!

I just can't beleive how one is so different form another. That isn't fair!

Did you upgrade to anything?
Good Luck and keep me posted.

Jen

mavirella Posted: Oct 28, 2006 10:16 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

I went to a food tasting today at leonard's and was satisfied. I brought along my sis and husband as the objective parties. They were also satisfied with the food. One thing I noticed about Leonard's from my experience and from what I read is that, while they service is generally pretty good, you have to ask for things as opposed to the waiter checking in on you. I noticed this with the coffee. However, i do have to say that I left feeling better.
PS what's the second menu? I remember asking about one seafood dish and was told it would cost about 6 per person. I thought this was steep.

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 28, 2006 10:43 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

I think the second menu added filet mignon and another fish.

luvabul Posted: Oct 29, 2006 02:56 AM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

As far as the valet , um my wedding will be in July and they have AMPLE room to park....its not like my guests will be scrambling on the street for parking, the weather will be beautiful so they can walk a few inches lol. And as for chair covers, i was charged $3 per chair = $900 for chair covers...which i dont even think it was that spectacular but they do make the room a little more elegant, i am soo concerned over these inconsistencies.!! oh well... im just going to try to enjoy my day to the fullest...

Regal Beagle Posted: Oct 29, 2006 08:25 AM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

Wow! Who is you BM?

I started with Maurizo and ended up with Ernest because Maurizo went on vacation. I had Antonio along the way and I didn't care for him. I felt like he was scaming us and had the attitude like 'look at what we are doing for you, you should be grateful'
I called him 3 times too and he never returned my call so I said I DO NOT want to deal with him anymore.

I would ask why the hell you are not getting these things. Ask other brides on here. I am sure these things were thrown in for them too.

I went to Ernest and asked a million questions about of these rumors here and he assured me that they weren't true. I had many questions about the cake situation because one bride said they were trying to charge her 2,000 for the cake that she wanted. He assured me that as long as isn't wasn't really fancy that they could do anything. He says that brides these days want these crazy cakes with odd shapes.

That is not fair and the money is a lot! It all adds up. I am sorry that they did that to you. I wonder why everyone is different??????.

My mom said to me, 'Don't go to your vendors with a lot of jewelry on or in fancy clothes'---lol
(Like I have any of that!)

I think that vendor charge a little by sizing you up and how business is running at that point.

My florist charged me a bit more than other brides here for the same things.

I would def. go in person and ask. I worked in the service industry for so many years and I hate to bother people with a million questions because I remember how it was. I snapped out of that mentality real quick when I realized that my FI and I are paying for this 100% ourselves and we are hiring these people to do a service for us.

Ask and bother all you want!

Please let me know what happens!

Good Luck,
Jen

luvabul Posted: Oct 29, 2006 02:49 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

my Banquet Manager is Maurizio. He's nice but verrry stubborn, he would never budge during negotiating, and trust me the first time i went was like in a sweatshirt lol ... not like i dress up in designerwear were he would think were loaded with money, yes my parents are spending a lot..theyre paying for the wedding, but still its nice to get a break sometimes...

but yes im going to call and ask him 101 questions...

oOMarshmallowOo Posted: Oct 29, 2006 10:44 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

Posted by luvabul

im being charged $500.00 for valet for 300 guests

I actually went to Leonard's this weekend to ask Antonio questions since we might not do our ceremony there due to the space limitation of their ceremony room. I brought up the questions of Valet parking. He told me that it's included. He specifically told me that they do full event service and they don't charge for valet parking!!! This is very strange to me that some brides are getting charged. Also, my chair covers and linens are included in the package. I didn't have to pay for the ice sculpture either. I guess I did negotiate all of these into my package and I did upgrade the cocktail hour.
I was wondering if the ladies that are getting charged for the valet parking are having a day wedding instead of evening wedding affair? Could that be the reason? Well, whether it's a day wedding or evening wedding, there should be a consistency!
Anyways...don't let these misc. things get to the fun of the wedding planning!!!
BTW.....did anyone go to Leonard's recently? They did some renovation and added 2 new front doors that cost $75,000 each!! Antonio told me that they have a big project coming up for the stairs!!!!!!! I think they should renovate their gardens and get rid of the mirrors in a lot of their rooms!!!! Photographers hate mirrors!!!!

luvabul Posted: Oct 29, 2006 11:07 PM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

lol i agree

but no i am having an evening wedding...its okay overall im satisfied...the lil inconsitencies ill knot them out! but thats cool new info... havent been there recently but ill check it out!! thanks

eddies girl Posted: Oct 30, 2006 12:19 AM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

hey i was just thinking maybe u are paying for all this because u are not having the food from them?? u are just renting the room out right? maybe that makes a difference...does anybody know when the next food tasting is?? how anyone gone? is it a big selection of food?

AMANDA2378 Posted: Oct 30, 2006 09:23 AM

Re: BRAND NEW LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK THREAD

WOW, i am very shocked with how different everyone was treated????

ok, i spoke with Antonio who i thought was pretty nice. Everytime i called, he spoke to me and was never nasty. When we booked, i had a list of questions for him that he answered all of them honestly as to what i caould see. he never tried to sell us on anything. if anything he saved us??

we also have to keep in mind that these are business ppl and as much as we would like to think they are on our sides...they are not!! they are looking out for the best interest of there place.

im not saying they screw us all, but i def agree that based on you and what you are looking for...thats how they base whats included or not.

my wedding is a sat after noon in nov.
he threw in the chair covers, and giving us red/white wine for each table.

i am not getting valet bc its NOT inclueded (200 extra) forget that......my guest can park themsleves!!!! BUT the guest et all the front spots and majority of ppl like to park there own cars, so i dont care about that!!!

i am happy with my choice, and hope everyone else is too. im not gonna worry about what everyone else was given or not given.

You have to be happy with what you got and thats all that matters!!!!!!

GOOD Luck to all.

I hope you dont think im being nasty!! Im not!!