Spinoff to how many reception sites visited /// what sites did you visit??

Including the one you picked. Any tasteful coments about what you liked or didnt like about the other halls visited is welcome. Might help some people who havent chosen a hall yet

*ETA - I would start but I booked the first and only hall we saw!!
I knew I DEFINITLY didnt want russo's b/c EVERYONE else in FH's family gets married there.
And I knew I wouldnt look at leanords b/c fh's cousin had her sweet 16 there right after we were engaged and we didnt like the way the handled certain situations that came up that night. Also my sister was previously engaged and booked there... and wound up calling off the wedding lol

Foxhollow...what didn't i like

Westbury manor...loved the beautiful gardens...the best i have ever seen! Didn't care for the menues and the entree's

Woodbury Country Club...beautiful too
Jericho Terrece
Crest hollow CC

Watermill...again beautiful
Villa Lombardi's Beautiful hall, didn't like the main room, how it was cut in half by a wall divider

We looked at the Woodbury Country Club, the Wyndham Wind Watch Hotel, and the Hamlet Wind Watch. We really want people to be able to go outside during the cocktail hour if the weather is nice.

At the Woodbury Country Club, the outside area was downstairs, and our cocktail hour room would have been upstairs. We didn't like how it didn't really flow.

We liked the people at the Wyndham, but there was really no possibility for anything outdoors, and the rooms had no windows.

The Metropolitan - Loved it, couldn't do it
Some place at North Shore Towers - YUCK
The Woodlands - didn't like the layout
Looked at making the whole thing myself
Finally found Sans Souci

We visited the following:

1. Larkfield Manor : Room to small and rectangular, other wise price was right.

2. Miller Place Inn : New management, so along came an increase in price. They were not welcoming to negotiate neither.

3. Villa Lombardi's : Love it, would have had it there, but Sis booked first and didn't want to have the 'same wedding' The food is out of this world, along with the service. You truley get what you pay for there.

4. Majestic Gardens : Wouldn't budge with the price and was asking WAY TO MUCH for a winter wedding, when we wouldn't even be using 'the gardens'.

5. Manor East : The room was in the basement, very dark and low ceilings... didn't feel comfortable with that. Otherwise they have great prices with from what I hear a great menu.

6. The Riviera : 'The Winner ' I feel in love from the instand I stepped inside and so did FI. That in itself sold the place to use. The grounds are beautiful, I love the felling you get when inside the reception room. For a winter wedding, I look forward to having the two fireplaces burning for that Romantic feel. The tasting was great and their menu was just up-date to even more yummy food. Very happy with the service as well.

Out of the 16 halls I checked out, only a few were in LI.
Swan Club- beautiful grounds, wasn't impressed with the menu
Windows on the Lake- I liked the view on the lake, but I was worried the CH room would be way too small- also didn't get the best service there
The Beach Club- owned by the same people as WOL, but they couldn't accomodate 200 people.
The Crescent- as soon as I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for us

If anyone has any questions about places in the Westchester area, feel free to ask. I looked at Tappan Hill, Greenwich Hyatt, and a bunch of others in CT. and up as far as New Paltz.

The Metropolitan- Only bad thing was that it was too close to the FI's office and he admitted he would be thinking about work the entire time!!

Marina Del Ray- Good food, good people and large space

Water's Edge- I didn't need to look any further! The view is the most amazing thing ever...still haven't tried the food but who cares, its all about the view.

Places we saw:

Watermill...way too far, couldn't have the ceremony onsite on a Friday

Villa Lombardi's...too far

Crest Hollow Country Club...Above our price range, wanted us to guarantee more guests, and they don't have ceremonies onsite

Someplace on the Green (dont remember the exact name)...didn't like the location, no elevator for wheelchair bound guests and the room was on the second floor.

We chose Leonard's...isn't too far, fit within our price range and wedding size, they offered the ceremony onsite, have an elevator for our handicap guests.

I looked at 30 both on LI and in Westchester. Some of the ones we saw were:
-Carltun
-Carlyle
-Harrison House
-Stonebridge
-Glen Island ()
-VIP Country Club
-Greentree Country Club
-Swan Club
-Roslyn Claremont Hotel
-Atlantica
-Vineyard Caterers
-Hamlet Wind Watch
-Stewart Manor
-Crest Hollow
-Fox Hollow
-Crescent Club
-Woodbury Country Club

Larkfield Manor: Something about the guy that worked there rubbed me the wrong way. The staff was smoking in the outside vestibule and it was leaking into the lobby.

Meadow Club: Not crazy about the room for the cocktail hour.

Westbury Manor: Very very pretty. Loved everything about it, but we had to choose between either Nassau or Suffolk County and we went with Suffolk.

Foxhollow: Very pretty as well. Loved the room for the cocktail hour, but again, in Nassau County.

Watermill: Our final choice. I was against going there because I had some preconcieved notion that I didn't like the place - not sure why. But I fell in love with the lobby when we walked in - I started picturing our pictures on those stairs.....and it was in Suffolk County, so it was the winner!

This thread is a great idea!! Good idea!!

Timber Point:
Nice, a little too far for me, good price 1 wedding at a time


-:East Wind Country Gardens:
+: Very pretty grounds, the room is nice, great price for all that you get, 1 wedding at a time
-: The CH and bridal suit is in a seperate building from the dinner.... what if it rains?


Vanderbilt Mansion at Dowling:
+: Great food, beautiful grounds
-: when I went their the catereing manager was very rude, starts at $125 for a sat night


Majestic Gardens:
+: The people here are incredibly nice, very flexible with the menus, pretty garden in the back, 1 wedding at a time, great prices
-: I think small weddings would get lost in the ballroom (on the big side!)


Bellport CC:
+: Pretty low key country club, flexible with the menu, recently renovated, good price
-' Went there for easter and all of the food was cold


Vineyard Caterers:
+: Pretty inside, love the vineyard back drop, like the outdoor deck as long as the weather is nice
-: Ballroom is on the small side, even though they have heaters and plastic that rolls down, the outdoor deck is freezing in the spring.

Sunset Harbour:
+: By far the best price that I got, the people there are extremely nice and helpful
-: not the best layout and decor, kind of overlooks a parking lot.

Miller Place Inn:
+: Food looked good, people were friendly (but kind of pushy)
-: There is not a whole lot of room outside

Lands End:
+: Excellent food!!! Pretty location
-: $165 on a sat night with 185 person min

Tall Grass CC:
+: Food looks good, Excellent price (pre-construction)
-: Bridal suite does not have a bathroom, CH is outside, if it rains it is in the ballroom (they do not have a seperate room)

Gurneys
+: Right on the beach in Montauk, food is good, they throw in a complimentary room for bride and groom on wedding night if you meet their minimmum.
-: Did not want my family to have to fight the horrible traffic out there, very basic package starts at $125

Mill Pond:
+: Pretty room, seperate entrance from golfers $69/pp any day of the week!
-: The catering manager would not stop talking!!

Middle Island CC:
+: More laid back and casual than the other places I looked at, excellent prices
-: They did not really give me much info when I met with them, I was there around 2pm and they were setting up for an evening wedding but the cake was already set up in the room... that kind of made me nervous!

Villa Lombardi's:
+: Lots of very good food
-: Decor not really my taste, most of the food is Italian (not necessarily a bad thing, just not much variety)

Port Jeff CC: (Before renovation have not been there since)
+: Beautiful location, tasteful decor, great food
-: The new people there were rude on the phone so we never went back


Of course all of thes is JMO!
There are a few more... when I think of them I will add!!

I booked the first place I saw. No regrets.

However, I intended to see:

Coral House: price was right, seemed very nice.

Huntington Town House: also seemed very nice.

Westbury Manor: I had driven by here so many times and loved it from the outside. We were going to look at it two days after our appt. at GWM. Because we had a short engagement, I was worried about the places being booked and was anxious.

The other places I wanted to see, but were booked:
Fox Hollow: seemed beautiful and intimate.
The Riviera: my brother was married here. I loved this place. But I'm glad that we chose a place that's 'ours.'
Chateau La Mer: I loved the look of this place!
The Swan Club: I should have known before the guy even checked the book from the way he said, 'You want October of THIS year?'
Caffe on the Green: I live very close to this place and I have eaten here. The food is fab and the gardens are gorgeous!
Stewart Manor CC: My aunt had been to functions here and I almost had my heart set on it before we went there, based on what I saw in pics. This was my biggest disappointment.

I also loved the Milleridge Cottage and Carriage House, but my cousin got married at the Carriage House in April and her brother got married at the Cottage last year.

edited because sometimes I forget basic spelling!

1. Watermill - Very nice but BM was very annoying and turned me off to the place

2. Villa Lombardi - Too much $$$

3. Smithtown Landing CC - Too close to home
Larkfield Manor - Too mnay family parties have been held there

4. Meadow Club - Liked alot but showed us the romm while an event was going on. Big No No!

5. Mediterranean Manor - Great price but not my style.

6. Crest Hollow CC - Love it, but again showed us a room while a ceremony was going on. How rude! Also didn't like bathrooms on one floor.

7. Holbrook CC - Great price, Loved it but too small

8. Brentwood CC - Great Price, Loved it too small

9. Huntington Townhouse - Great Price, beautiful room, can accomodate our amount of guests and still be affordable.

We looked at

Miller Place Inn: Didn't like the layout of the rooms but the food was pretty good.

Window on the Lake: Nice place, nice people, just not our style.

Estate at East Wind: Everything was nice...except the price they gave us.

Majestic Gardens: beautiful gardens, very nice people...our second choice but don't know how much we could use the gardens and such with the date we have.

Giorgio's: When we walked in I knew it was where I wanted to have it...food was great, people were great, place is beautiful and we got a kick $ss price!

we looked at ....

san souci- no offense to anyone getting married there i just didnt like it( but hey i know a lot of people who dont like my hall so to each his own)

Fox hollow- really liked it but wanted one wedding at a time

North ritz- loved it couldnt come down to meet our minimum

GW MAnor- nice but too small

Millridge- again couldnt mke teh gaurentte for thre big ropom and small room was too small.

stewart manor- my friend is the BM and we couldvr otten an AWESOME deql but we reslly wanted water in addition to one at a time sooo....
we went with the Riviera and so far they have been a PLEASURE to deal with!

Here are mine ... I feel like I am forgetting one, but this gives you a general idea -

San Souci - LOVED it, just our style, but it was too small and old in the end. however, it is our RD location

Metropolitan - love it, esp. if you have the ceremony there - but i didnt like the bar and band set up.

Mediterranean Manor - really didnt like it. very cheap per person, but not my style

GW Manor - very cute, considered it mainly for price, but too small and too old in the end

Sail Harbor - didnt like the owner, he was rude

Vanderbuilt Mansion at Dowling - really pretty, but expensive and small

Harrison House - felt that it was old and run down

Fox Hollow - almost booked Winter Garden Terrace, it was so pretty and really affordable! but it was too small in the end and I didnt like the larger room

Westbury Manor - decor too 'red'

Riviera - didnt like the set up - it was pretty but a lot of tables were set up in corners and were very seperate from the others

North Ritz Club - loved everything about it, except cakes ... to expensive at first but we changed dates and it was a lot more affordable. BOOKED it and love it.

We looked at:
Crest Hollow CC..The guy handed us a video and told us to watch it, they were 'closing up'..very rude and too many weddings at one time.

Fox Hollow..Very nice, couldnt see the room cuz there was a wedding going on (on a Thurs, I asked? and he said 'yes, its getting popular now)..

Larkfield Manor: Beautiful room, the guy turned us off! Did not like him at all.
Villa Lombardi's..My now husband didnt want to go in..he didnt like the outside, yes, I was a little upset with him for not 'trying', but we went off to the next place.

Harbor Club: Beautiful, on the water, nice staff, nice room, great price...

Watermill ..As soon as he opened the door to the room downstairs, I fell in love!! I knew this was it! Called my FI right away and took him there a few nights later and he said 'Book it'..It was great and I love still reading great reviews about it!!!

Coral House and Miller Place Inn...Both beautiful places, great food...too small..we were very tight at the cocktail hours for that many guests..(these were weddings I was a guest at)

I have weddings coming up at:
The Riviera (8/04)
The Wyndham(9/04)
Lands End (4/05)
The Meadow Club (7/05)
Larkfield Manor (10/05)

Garden City Hotel:
I thought it was pricey for what you got. I did not think the ballroom was special...it was just a really nice room. Just not what I was looking for.

Harrison House:
I personally hate Glen Cove. I did not like the set up of the ballroom. I also did not like the decor of the ballroom (it seemed too casual). Also, I wanted to get married outside, and I was worried about noise from the traffic outside. I think Harrison House had a lot of great stuff about it-beautiful, unique, bar upstairs.

Oheka:
Just what I wanted.

DeSeversky:
Too much construction going on outside. The awnings on the building bothered me.

Huntington Town House: I didn't like the decor and the fact that anyone who smokes had to travel 3 floors down to go outside. The worst was the Banquet Manager we dealt with was absolutely HORRENDOUS. He should be selling used cars not reception halls.

Harbor Club : Love, Love LOVED it. Oh we were so taken in by the service and the menu and the view into the harbor. However, we live in Queens and it is just too far to get there for our guests.

Douglaston Manor : Just starting construction - didn't like it at all, especially the 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' sign when you walked in

Westbury Manor: We fell in love with the Westbury Manor as soon as we walked in. Totally my style - Victorian, not flashy, old world. Just loved everything about it.

Fox Hollow: Very pretty but the cocktail room was too small, there were too many passageways and the big room was too long. The bride and groom sit on the end not in the center of their guests.

North Ritz Also, very beautiful. I didn't like the bar in the cocktail room - it looked like a separate room and I didn't want guests congregating at the bar there. Also, same thing with the bride and groom being at one point in the room and then all the tables lined up after them. I like when the bride and groom are in the center and there are two sides of tables.

Riveria : Loved the Riveria. But the cocktail room was too tiny and the reception hall would never have held all my guests. Too bad, I loved the people too!