Douglaston Manor and Swan Club - Food

Hi everyone! I am new to this blog. Have looked at several venues -- and so far - we are down to Douglaston Manor and Swan Club.

I'd love any input you have about weddings you have planned or attended at either of these places.
Specifically, I'm concerned about:
(1) At Swan Club, they seem to have three weddings at a time. Do they herd the guests from one point to the next? Does it feel rushed? Can you hear the other parties?
(2) How is the food at these places? I'm a vegetarian and some of my guests are foodies. Was the food delicious? Well seasoned? Plentiful?
(3) How is the wedding cake each venue provides?
(4) Were the venues open to tweaking the menu to add more ethnic food options or alternative food options?

I'd love any feedback you could provide. It seems like we need to make a decision really soon.

We're planning a tasting at each place, but I'm not sure if that is representative of what the actual food will be.

Thank you so much. I'm feeling super stressed - so your input would be really appreciated!!!!

i have not been to either so i cant say..but i know a 10er just had her vegetarian wedding at the swan club, maybe post this on that board?
hth!
gl!
xo

I also considered both these venues and attended showcases (with tastings) at both. Never went to an actual wedding but here is my opinion based on the several visits i made to both their showcases & the food i tasted...

The Swan Club-this was one of my final choices so i have the most to say about them...I loved the grounds; SC lays on a beautiful property. The grounds are just amazing no matter what time of year! I thought the food at the tasting was really good. I would have to look back at my menu to remember exactly what everything was called. But i remember liking the eggplant parm (and i never like eggplant). tasting the tortellini; some sort of beef; chicken in a lemon type of sauce. And beef short ribs. FH doesn't eat meat so the only options he tasted would be the eggplant and pasta-similar things you'd have for your menu. BUt there was a bride on here that had a vegetarian wedding at the swan club-look for her review on the brides review board. They have their showcase every January. But they should have invited you to come in for lunch to taste the food.

Only thing that i didn't like food/beverage was that when we went for an appt there and I asked for a gingerale it didn't really taste like ginger ale. oh and we had the Red Velvet cake from their bakery-it was creamcheese filled but a whipped icing-really good!

But other than that; i have nothing be great things to say about the staff; Jordana rocks; the food we did taste was really good. And i hear nothing but going things about the food & service from past; & future brides.

Yes-they can have up to 3 events at one time. But I haven't heard of any bride that actually had that happen. At least not 3 weddings all at the same time. They told me that you can't hear the music between the rooms. BUt i remember being at the showcase in the contessa room and was able to hear the music coming from the camelot. The SC itself is one low building and the room entrances are pretty close together (not a big lobby really to seperate rooms). Except for the Garden room that has it's own sep. entrance. They have nice bridal suites; of course the room reserved for the camelot was the biggest; but the BM told me if no one is using it that day i could use it. I don't remember the small bridal suite having it's on seperate bathroom. If you're having your ceremony on site; i did get that feeling of hurding everyone into each space-like you get married in the pavilion; then you to go either up stairs to the CH or you circle around the garden and back into the pavilion for CH (i didn't like this option). That's just my opinion; but i'm sure other girls don't mind it so much. And back to the food-they are very easy to work with-everything is cooked on the premises so if you want to get creative i'm sure they're more then willing to try different menus for you.

FM me if you have any specific questions :)

Now i loved douglaston Manor but they were above my budget; and the BM i met with the night of the showcase appeared to have had 1 too many drinks (he told us it was his b-day!) I went to their showcase several years ago when my sister was planning her wedding and most recently this past winter to scope it out again. It was free before (now they charge $10pp) but they had SO much food! And wine service. I pretty much got to taste everything and it was so good! All the cocktail hour food and samplings of their entree choices. I toured the bridal suites-very big; perfect for getting ready. I do remember there being a big selection of pasta; eggplants; vegetables at the tasting and it all tasting very good! Very tasty and plentiful.

I know DM has a smaller room upstairs-it would probably hold a small wedding or shower type of event. Then the room with the glass windows on the side might be used as a reception space. I feel like their entrances are well spaced apart but their large ballroom backs against the smaller reception space so you might hear music (although i didn't hear any while eating dinner in the smaller room).

I met with w/a BM and discussed what comes in their menu; but didn't really inquire much beyond that since i knew it was above my budget-but i would imagine they could try to make anything for you since it's all made on the premises. I remember the cake being very good-it didn't really stand out it was cannoli style (at least the one they had at the showcase) and i'm not really a fan of that. Oh they did have a chocolate cake that was good; that i nibbled at (don't like chocolate) but i can't really give a good opinion on that.

Again-if there's anything specific-FM & i'll try to help.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Edited for spelling errors