Started our reception hall search

My and my FI went started our reception hall search yesterday. We're looking at September 2008. Yesterday we checked out Westbury Manor and Verdi's of Westbury. I'm in love with Westbury Manor!! It's perfect! I do want to take a peek at a couple more places just to be sure though. I was offered a drink on the house while I waited to speak to someone. I met with the BM, Mel. He gave us a tour of the facility and it is just perfect. After the tour we were shown to his office where they had a chocolate fondue plate set up for us and a rose for me. I felt like royalty, even in my jeans and t-shirt. We'll be using the Hill room upstairs, we're having about 50-60 guests. The cocktail hour will be in the room across the hall. I want to have my ceremony outdoors and they have a beautiful chapel garden. He said we would have to do a saturday or sunday afternoon if we are having a ceremony. The ceremony will cost $650, and he said it includes the cost of flowers down the aisle and on the arch in front. The officiant will cost $325. Ceremony total = $975. He said they would set up a continental breakfast for our guests for before the ceremony (danish, muffins, strawberries, etc). Then after the ceremony the cocktail hour begins with the works. After the cocktail hour we would move to the Hill room across the hall. We did recieve the 7 choice dinner menu. Open premium bar, wine on the tables with dinner, chair covers and ribbons included. Okay here's the prices for a Sunday afternoon plus tax and tip.
Jan, Feb, Mar - $55/person
April - $70
Sept, Oct - $75

Verdi's of Westbury
Did not like it. Enough said.

sounds really good.

I visited Verdi as well wasn't too impress with them. the garden that they say they have is a little wall outside the hall (so silly).

good luck on your search

I loved Westbury Manor! You can't go wrong and there are tons of girls on this site that will say the same.

Good Luck!

I feel better looking at this site and realizing I'm not the only 2008 bride planning already. All my friends and my FI are telling me I'm crazy and that we have plenty of time.

As far as Verdi's goes, I met the BM, can't remember his name. He looked sloppy, stained shirt, etc.. After being treated like royalty at Westbury Manor, I was not offered anything, no drink, nothing. He couldn't show us the room they use for a chapel because it was locked, he didn't have the key. We were there for maybe ten minutes. He just showed us the room ( it was okay) and then just handed us a sheet with prices. They were about the same price as Westbury Manor between 50-70 dollars but without all the nice little extras. No chair covers and a much more limited menu. They didn't have an outdoor ceremony area which I really would like and the photo area was a joke.

CONGRATS & WELCOME!!!! Its sooo exciting!!!!!

---

Posted by MaureenM618

I feel better looking at this site and realizing I'm not the only 2008 bride planning already. All my friends and my FI are telling me I'm crazy and that we have plenty of time.

---

Actually, you'd be surprised at how fast it goes!! And you will also learn that things book up so fast it's almost hard to believe. My FH and I have a two and a half year long engagement... and we learned that it's better to take our time, save money so we are not killing ourselves and do everything at a nice pace... we had tons of people telling us we have plenty of time and it's funny because those are the same people who are now telling us OMG that went so fast-- we are down to the one year mark and it went SO fast!! I was at my Engagement Party last month thinking holy COW, I can't believe it! So, enjoy it-- these are the best times and they come and go quickly!
Good luck!!

Welcome....

My wedding is this October at the WM.

No matter when you go there they will always treat you like Royalty...

They are the best

I'm newly engaged too...Congratulations!!

Try the Metropolitan in Glen Cove- they gave us a price of $80pp for a Saturday night in July (we're not going with them b/c it would be too small for the number of people we'd have). They have a beautiful room for the ceremony- it has balconies over both the ceremony room and the reception area. For a Sunday afternoon- they'd probably give you a great price....we also tasted the food when we were there- it was amazing!!! The outdoor area they have for pictures is pretty small, but they do get their brides a permit for a park with a lake, they told me its a mile away.

Sans Souci in Sea Cliff (near Roslyn) was also beautiful, I would love to book them but again, my FH thinks its too small. They gave us a price of $80 pp, including your centerpieces!! They are right across from the water....breathtaking views!!

The Coral House in Baldwin also has great prices.

I'm going to check out Stuart Thomas Manor in Farmingdale- I think their prices are around $70pp for a Saturday night (which makes me wonder what it looks like!!)

Good luck with your search, I'm also in Queens, so if you need anymore suggestions let me know!