Need a realllllly cost effecient reception hall...any recommendations?

Hey Girls,
a friend of mine is getting married, but has a reallly really tight budget. I mean really tight!
Please recommend some catering halls that is easy on the pocket, but includes, dinner and drinks... buffet/sit down dinner, doesn't matter.

Any help will greatly be appreciated.
Much thanks.

CLM can work with a budget if your flexible with date/time
Larkfield the same as above
Brentwood Country Club - has great packages

The Holiday Inn in Plainview has a great package deal..its a little under $10,000 for 100 people. In that dj and photog are included (I dont remember what else). Its reallyyy nice- the cocktail room is different. You wont get the same 'feel' as a Reception Hall, but its still very beautiful. Also, Manor East and Ariana Waterfall both offer package deals, but I think the Holiday Inn was the nicest.

Other than that, the cheapest RH I found was Antun's in Hicksville. It was $45++. I think it may have been cheaper for buffet? It was the nicest RH but def. the cheapest.

What about Verdis...theres one in Westbury..which is a bit more expensive than the one in whitestone...

But the one in whitestone...we're talking about $60pp for a saturday night. I think the room holds up to 150ppl.

This is going to kind of long so brace yourself.LOL
I'm getting married at Fox Hollow on a Sunday evening in Feb.'09. It's $55pp for a complete 5hr affair not including 1/2hr for ceremony which is $750 extra. If she is flexible with her dates, it's best to go off season(Jan-Mar) because that's when she'll get the best rates not only with the RH but with other vendors also.

There is a place called Ariana Waterfall on Hempstead turnipke in West Hempstead that has unbelievable packages. I wasn't too fond of the outside surroundings when i drove by (it's in the middle of a busy street) but the inside looked gorgeous from what i was able to see. Here's what their prices are looking like:ARIANA

WEDDING SPECIAL :
$9,500

Includes:

Complete 5 Hour Affair Up to 100 Guests
$50.00 Per Added Guest Over 100

Cocktail Hour:

Unlimited Premium Open Bar (5 Hours)
Butler Service with an assortment of 6 Hot/Cold Hors d'oeuvres (Your Choice)
Seasonal Fresh Carved Fruit Display
Fresh Vegetable Crudites
Strawberry Champagne Punch

Reception Dinner:
Champagne Toast
Appetizer - Fresh Fruit Medley
Salad - Mixed Garden/Herb Vinaigrette
Entrée - Combination - Includes all Per Guest: Sliced Sirloin Steak with Chicken Marsala
Rosemary Red Roasted Potatoes
Mixed Vegetables
Deluxe Tier Wedding Cake of Your Choice
Coffee/ Tea/ Brewed Decaf/
3 Choice Dinner Also Available

Also Includes:
Complete Photography Package
Complete Videography Package
Disc Jockey/ MC with CD Sound System
10 Passenger Limousine
Special Bonus:
10 Floral Table Centerpieces
Personalized Ice Sculpture


*ARIANA FOUNTAIN PACKAGE :
$10,500
($9,500 in January, February, and March 2008)

Includes:

Complete 5 Hour Affair Up to 100 Guests
$60.00 Per Added Guest Over 100

Cocktail Hour:

Unlimited Premium Open Bar (5 Hours)
Butler Service with an assortment of 6 Hot/Cold Hors d'oeuvres (Your Choice)
Carving Board (Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, or Virginia Ham)
Pasta Station with 2 Pasta Choices
Chinese Wok-Stir Fry Station
Seasonal Fresh Carved Fruit Display
Fresh Vegetable Crudites
Strawberry Champagne Punch

Reception Dinner:
Champagne Toast
Appetizer - Fresh Fruit Medley
Salad -Caesar or Mixed Garden
Entrée - Combination - Includes all Per Guest: Sliced Sirloin Steak with Chicken Marsala
Rosemary Red Roasted Potatoes
Mixed Vegetables
Deluxe Tier Wedding Cake of Your Choice
Coffee/ Tea/ Brewed Decaf/
3 Choice Dinner Also Available

Also Includes:
Complete Photography Package
Complete Videography Package
Disc Jockey/ MC with CD Sound System
10 Passenger Limousine
Special Bonus:
10 Floral Table Centerpieces
Personalized Ice Sculpture
Linen Chair Covers

ARIANA CASCADE PACKAGE:
$11,500

Includes:

Complete 5 Hour Affair Up to 100 Guests
$70.00 Per Added Guest Over 100
Cocktail Hour:

Unlimited Premium Open Bar (5 Hours)
Butler Service with an assortment of 6 Hot/Cold Hors d'oeuvres (Your Choice)
2 Carving Boards (Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, or Virginia Ham)
3 Seafood Choices (Baked Clams, Fried Calamari, Mussels Marinara, Fried Rice with Shrimp)
Pasta Station with 3 Pasta Choices
Chinese Wok-Stir Fry Station
Seasonal Fresh Carved Fruit Display
Fresh Vegetable Crudites
Strawberry Champagne Punch

Reception Dinner:

Champagne Toast
Appetizer – Pineapple Basket or Cold Antipasto
Salad – Caesar or Mixed Garden
Entrée – Tri Combination - Includes all per guest: Sliced Filet Mignon, Chicken Francese & Large Stuffed Shrimp
Rosemary Red Roasted Potatoes
Mixed Garden Vegetables
Deluxe Tier Wedding Cake of Your Choice
Coffee/ Tea/ Brewed Decaf/
3 Choice Dinner Also Available
Also Includes:

Complete Photography Package
Complete Videography Package
Disc Jockey/MC with CD Sound System
10 Passenger Limousine
Special Bonus:

Includes Deluxe Floral Table Centerpieces (up to 15)
Personalized Ice Sculpture
Linen Chair Covers


I personally think the second package is the best value because she can get a discount if she books for Jan-Mar. She can check it out more at
http://www.arianawaterfall.com/. Good Luck and keep us posted.

Stewart Manor CC
The Metropolitan
Ariana Waterfall
Patchogue (sp) Manor
Verdis of Westbury


Brentwood Country Club and Plainview Holiday Inn both have packages for 10k for 100 people, includes flowers, invites, food, photos, video, limo and DJ.

Also, if they find a hall they like thats a little more, the Wedding World usually has a package for 5k that includes flowers, limo, dj, photo and video

When I first started looking in Nov 2006 I went to Galaxie in Lindenhurst on rte 109.

I found only 1 post here about it so I decided to look for RH with more info about it. But the price was very very reasonable and you could add/subtract feature very easily.

price quote I got was about $45 for 1/2 hr CH with only passed trays like mini pizzas, cocktail franks, canapes. but you could extend it to 1 hr and add carving stations, hot trays etc for more $$$.

price was for beer/wine/soda but another $5 per person you got open bar, add more $$$ it went top shekp liquor.

entrees were typical roast beef, chicken, salmon.

I don't know how good the place is, how food is but for a tight budget it might be worth checking 2008 prices.

hth

check out

Cafe on the Green -- bayside
Dominicos -- in Levittow
La Piazza -- Merrick
Thatched Cottage -- Centerreach (winter months)
The Riveria
The Coral House
The Swan Club