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

We looked at:
Deseversky... It was just ok for us, a little too small for what we needed, wasn't thrilled with the BM or menu.

Coindre Hall... very pretty, unique place, didn't love the layout or grounds.

Vanderbilt Mansion at Dowling... Loved the grounds, ballroom/place in general a little small for our guest list... Loved the menu... but they pulled a bait and switch on us... went in there asking for a specific date, said it was available...after we looked around and started talking, the BM said it wasn't available and tried to sell us on a date we didn't want.

Bourne Mansion... Like the other ladies here, walked in and loved it, so unique and charming, on the water, no one I know has been there or even heard of it.

We saw these halls in this order!

George Washington Manor - too small for us. Too rustic for what I envisioned my wedding to be like. We were looking for a jan 4 2004 date at the time and they wouldnt guarantee me that the christmas tree would not be in the actual room.

Roslyn Claremont Hotel - i liked this place but the price was ridiculous for january and that was without anything included. I didnt like the fact that it was technically in the basement and there were no windows.

Sans Souci - i liked the place and heard the food was awesome but it was small and the number of people we were having would have been a tight squeeze. I also didnt like the layout too much because everyone wouldnt be able to see the bride & groom's table

the swan club - i liked the grounds, the price was great - i just wasnt sold on the room

Woodbury Country Club - the price was great, the hall was nice, at this point I started wanting a one wedding at a time reception. We were going to book them on the spot but decided to see the rest of the halls we had appointments with that day.

North Ritz Club - i walked in and my jaw dropped and KNEW right away that this was the hall. It is so beautiful, i loved the granite dance floor, i loved the bars built into the rooms. I told FH the second we walked in that this was the hall. And it was!!! We booked by the end of the week and cancelled our appointment with Fox Hollow

This is such a great thread.

Manor East- Loved the menu and price but I wanted a little bit more 'fancy-ness'

Swan Club- Loved the grounds and menu but we didnt come near the minimum for the room we liked

Riviera- Didnt like the room set-up for the amount of guests I have, liked the BM (I forget her name) and liked the bridal suite

Stewart Manor CC- Liked it alot especially the BM and that the CPs came with the room

Westbury Manor- FI didnt like the 'used car salesman' BM and we had my graduation dinner there and they messed up the bill and my dad never forgets

Woodbury CC- (the winning hall)- I love everything about it!!!

Places I have been but not for my wedding search:

Bridgeview Yacht Club- when it was a club
Chateau Briand- for a dinner with an ex
Crest Hollow- my prom
Fox Hollow- for another dinner with an ex (same ex)

We were all over the place on this. Originally we wanted the wedding in NYC, so we looked at some places in the city. We wanted St. Bart's Cafe, however they didn't have our date available. But we had our engagement party there instead!!! We just love this place. These are the places we looked at on Long Island:

Caffe on the Green - We have had dinner there a couple of times and the food was excellend. They had great prices and Saturday nights available, however was NOT impressed with the room. Hated the layout of the room.

Crest Hollow Country Club - FH liked this, I thought it was too 80s in decor. Loved the grounds outside. The one room I did like wasn't available.

Fox Hollow Country Club - Very charming and roustic, really liked it. But we also were only showed one room (there were weddings going on) and then were given a video - if I couldn't see the rooms, why did i need an appointment? I really did like what I saw though.

Woodbury Country Club - They kept us waiting for so long and then had a high school kid come in and show us pics. The downstairs room smelled musty. The BM took us to the rooms and waited by the door as we walked around and even went outside. So unfriendly.

Roselyn Claremont Hotel - Lovely! It was so pretty and food was nice.

Westbury Manor - They didn't have any of the dates available we wanted. The place is beautiful. But we were there during 2 weddings and it was quite hectic, very chaotic.

FlowerField

Inn at Great Neck - Since FH's family is from Boston we are having a lot of OOT. We thought a hotel would be great, however this just wasn't our taste - very art deco.

Thatched Cottage - We went there on a Sunday, right before a wedding. The parking situation was horrendous. The guests were backed up down the street. Loved the grounds and the lake. Ceiling felt too low.

Milleridge Cottages - Just didn't do it for me. Didn't like how the parking lot ran into the shopping center (picky I know). Pretty.

Carltun on the Park - Loved it! But no Saturday night's available in October.

Carlyle on the Green - Very nice. FI thought it was too dark though. My cousin also had just booked it for her wedding.

Garden City Hotel - Perfect for us! Especially with all of the OOT guests from MA. The ballroom was beautiful. The folks we met with were wonderful, very friendly & accomodating. The menu choices are fabulous.

We saw:

1. Swan Club: Beautiful grounds but we didn't like the reception room or CH room.

2. Leonard's: Liked it, but didn't like the fact that there are many wedding/parties going on at the same time

3. Jericho Terrace: didn't like the person we dealt with or the room they were offering us.

4. Floral Terrace: We walked in and our jaws drop. We both KNEW this was the place.

k we saw the following-

Villa Lombardis- nice but not nice enough to travel that far (we're from Queens)

Woodbury CC- Ceilings too low

Westbury Manor-Ceilings too low

North Ritz Club- Loved everything about it, except that you can't come there directly after your church ceremony, but still kept in mind in case I didn't like anything else...

The Fountainhead- didn't think it was anything special, and the BM was a snob for no reason

The Glen Island Harbour Club- Loved everything, even had a tear in my eye how much I loved it...but soooooooooo $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I visited another 2, but can't remember who or where...

and Crest Hollow CC was the last place we visited- FH loved it....I liked it...the price was right and the accomodations after the ceremony were right....so we booked it...
but we said on our way there, if we're not happy with this one...then we'll book North Ritz.

I looked at so many.

Westbury Manor: I like it a lot. FH got into fight with someone over the gardens, and that was the end of that. He's a landscape architect.

Flowerfield: I loved it then I didn't. Can't explain. Loved the grounds, didn't like the airplain hanger look or the industrial look of the buildings. Too much money for us also.

Estate at East Wind & the Ballroom: Love the person I met. The estate decor was not my taste. The Ballroom was nice and the price was nice. I loved the staircase for pictures.

Miller Place Inn: Just wasn't my taste.

Giorgios: Great view, nice decor. We actually tasted the food in the restaurant and it was excellent. I guess it was too far, since most of our guests are coming from NJ.

Vanderbuilt at Dowling: We had to many people for it. Thought it was run down and the idea that guest would be using the school bathroom, turned me off.

The Hamlet (there are two): The one in Hauppauge was absolutly rude to us. The other was not my decor taste.

Oldfield Club: I loved this place but we had too many guests. We cut the list down and we both love the look of this place and that it's not your typical wedding central place. We booked with them 2 months ago and got a nice deal because we picked October 2004 for our wedding.

Riviera at Massapequa (our place!)
Fox Hollow (our second choice)
Westbury Manor (third choice)
also (in no particular order)

Long Island:
Bridgeview Yacht Club
Windows on the Lake
George Washington Manor
Huntington Townhouse
The Milleridge
Garden City Hotel
Vineyard Caterers

New York City:
The Kitano Hotel
The Lotus Club
The Yale Club
Alger Mansion
Manhattan Penthouse
Brookly Botanic Gardens
Le Parker Meridian
Remi

.... I am sure I am missing some. Yeah, I am thorough.

North Ritz: I liked this one very much. It has only one event at a time and great menu selections. The lobby was nice. Fi felt that the ceilings in the reception room were too low, though. Also, the BM and reception were professional.

Fox Hollow: There was nothing we liked about this one. It was too dark for our taste. Also, the BM was a little too 'car salesman-y'. Even the receptionist was disinterested/rude. We also didn't like that there were two events and a restaurant at the same place (and, if I remember correctly, the two events share the bathroom?). They still call to see if we're interested.

The Riviera at Massapequa:: This was also too dark for our taste. Also, being on the water for a December wedding didn't make sense.

Woodbury: This is the one we chose. Everyone (the owner, BM, reception) was very warm. The grounds are beautiful. There are two events at the same time but it seems that they do a good job keeping them separate since there are no shared spaces.

LANDS END - Gorgoeus grounds and beautiful place. Out of our price range $$$$$

HUNTINGTON HILTON - FBIL was a mangaer there so we could have got a sick deal but I hated the lay out of the place. Cocktail Hour is in the middle of the lobby while guest are checking in and out....No thanks!

VILLA LOMBARDI'S - Our second choice! again, a tad out of our price range. But BM was nice, cocktail hour room is gorgeous. But FH had gone to a bunch of baseball dinners there and he wanted to try someplace different.

NORTH RITZ CLUB - Very nice, liked one wedding at a time idea. Too much $$$

ESTATE AT EAST WIND - SOLD!!!!

I visited:

Fox Hollow - loved it, but I didn't care for the front room they wanted to give us (it was long and narrow) plus cocktail hour had to start at 8, not 7.

Crest Hollow - price was right, but seemed to busy of a place for me.

Woodbury Country Club - my dream come true and the place where I had my reception. They made my wedding incredible. I have not one complaint about them.

Jericho Terrace - just wasn't for me

Rivera (Massapequa) too small and I didn't care for the shape of the room

Westbury Manor - liked it, but a friend of mine got married there a couple of years earlier and I wanted to be different

Chateau Briand - loved it, DH did not

John Anthony's - loved it, DH did not

atlantica - loved it but not the price
med. manor - didnt like the food
east wind - too many weddings at once - didnt like the whole partition thing
martha jefferson steamboat - too small for number of people we are inviting

and miller place in where we booked

We only looked at few:

Oheka Castle

Loved it, the castle the gardens, didn't like the ballroom at all. I thought it was very simple compared to the rest of the place. a lot of money, way over $300 pp

New York Botanical Gardens-Abigail Kirsch

Liked it, very pretty, great food, too small for over 200 people

Carlyle on the Green

Didn't care for it. The ballroom was ok, the entrance area very low ceiling, felt like a old fashioned country club. FH wanted to leave as soon as we walked in. outside area of the CH very small.

and Finally the Winner!!!! The Carltun!!

Love it!! Once I saw the ballroom I knew it was it!!!! All the colors we wanted.. we are having ivory/gold motif. CH area very nice with an outside area and formal gardens. Love the upstairs...the Havana Room...can't wait!!

Roslyn Claremont: room is downstairs, no windows; it also wasn't big enough (good for weddings under 175)

Woodbury Country Club: good menu; another party was scheduled for my day

Carlyle on the Green: very nice but cocktail area too small for my guest list and just a bit too dark for what I was looking for

Thatched Cottage: purple is one of the main colors in the room and it doesn't go with what I'd picked

Fox Hollow: cocktail hour would have been in a windowless room on the lower level; didn't like the BM too much

Chateau La Mer: considered it for June; not my style; I didn't want to ruin my hair on the yacht

Harbor Club: ceilings were low; afraid that the pillars on the dance floor would take away from dance space for guests;far from home; BM was very nice

Huntington Hilton: I wasn't a fan of the carpets; catering person was very nice

Hamlet Golf and Country Club: The room is green and pink and it didn't quite go with my colors; again, the catering person was very nice

The Carltun: I was so close to booking; it's absolutely stunning - but I felt it was too expensive just for one day and I didn't feel like the person I was dealing with 'cared' about us, if that makes any sense.

My hall: FH wanted it on the water (even for winter) and I did want windows everywhere. I just felt very relieved when I walked in. And it's close to me!

Giorgio's - we loved it there. They had everything we wanted - a garden to get married in, beach and golf course for pictures and one wedding at a time. I couldn't be happier to be married here. It's absolutely AMAZING!

Sandcastles - Great price, I hear food and service was amazing, I did not like the decore

Chateau Briand - We loved this place and got a great deal, but we really wanted one wedding at a time and our hall not to be located off such a main road. I could only imagine the horns honking as I walk down the aisle in their garden.

Flowerfields - AMAZING, but out of our price range

Cresent - same as flowerfields

Windows on the Lake - smelled musty and didn't like the shape of the room

Watermill - I hated the BM and I walked out of the appointment in the middle of him talking! The place seemed very pretty though.

Jericho Terrace - I was worried about fitting 200-220 people in the big room w/the dome. I saw it set up and it was tight, especially with the bars in the corners. We did get a great price though

Westbury Manor - does not do weddings on site on Sundays so it was out of the question. The outside area for the cocktail hr was nice.

Swan Club - beautiful and a great price but I wanted one wedding at a time and the room was too small.

Woodbury Country Club and Crest Hollow - I've been to too many proms there and I wanted one wedding at a time.

Hamlet Windwatch - didn't like the shape of the room, but we got a great price

Windwatch Hyatt - I hated the ballroom wall dividers. The room fits 400+, so they would only give me half the room and I hated the ugly wall divider. Very good place to have a wedding for people w/lots of OOT guests, if you can get over the wall divider! My mom made fun of me for weeks about that one!

East Winds (N or S Hampton rooms) - Great price, beautiful location. My FH just didn't like it. This was the cheapest place to get married tthat we looked at!

West Sayville CC - too small for us and we didn't like the position of the dance floor. Plus I was exactly on time for my meeting and when I showed up guests were showing up for a wedding - I didn't like that! BM was super nice - she was my favorite banquet manager of all the sites.

Harbor Club - a little too ornate for my personal preference - the colors didn't match my theme. Loved the location and outdoor area. I can see how people would love it, but not my style. FH's second choice.

Snapper Inn - I actually loved the setup. It had a nice casual vibe - great locale. The BM was very rude to us though. She acted annoyed that I didn't have an exact date in mind and seemed put out that we wanted to SEE the pavilion (it was winter and not set up, but still....and when we got to the pavilion she left because she had another appt!). We waited 45 minutes and she was with us for TOPS 5 minutes.

Timberpoint CC - I liked the decor, but FH didn't like the colors. Wasn't as close to the water as I had expected and wanted.

Bayview House at Captain Bill's - my second choice. Loved the windows, love the inside. If we were having a winter wedding, it would be here. We were worried the view would be gone in the summer when boats were docked. Also CH space was very small. We wanted more outdoor space for our guests. Also no real spot for onsite ceremony.

Thatched Cottage - Well when we got there the BM wasn't even there and didn't show for 45 minutes. When she got there she said she hadn't realized I had an appt (I made it four days earlier). She ended up being super nice, but I was a little put off by the lack of coordination. The outdoor area I liked alot. I don't remember exactly what I didn't like, but something about the inside decor was not to my liking. I think, again, it was just not my style.

Land's End - I fell in love. I visited a # of the other sites after Land's End trying to find a cheaper place, but I found I was always comparing them to Land's End. It was exactly what I wanted - actually it was more than I even wanted!

Windows on the Lake:: Room felt a little too small and didn't like there was a main road between the location and the lake.

The Thatched Cottage:: Ceiling was too low, the ground were nice, but there was geese poop all over outside.

The Woodlands:: Love the 'feel' of the place, very different. We loved the style of it, definitely not catering hall-ish. I love the 'saloon' type black and white checked floor, the Drawing Room and the grounds! The ballroom kind of irked me, as it's rectangular but I booked it regardless because I loved the place. I think with the amount of people we are having, we will have plenty of space.

Flowerfield:: Beautiful place and very spaceous, but we liked The Woodlands better.

Bourne Mansion:: This was it. It was between all the great things I heard about Bourne and The Woodlands. Very nice place, grand in scale and loved the rooms, but we liked The Woodlands better because it felt a little more intimate. We felt the grounds and the outside weren't kept up as well as they could have been, but everything else was beautiful, but again, not really our style. The ballroom has no carpeting, which was an issue for us as well.

Quote from Summer 05
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.


I just got back from my final planning at Sunset Harbour...They renovated the entire place...OMG its gorgeous!!!!!!!! Thank god I paid before renoveations...LOL!