Venue help / ideas needed

Hello everyone.

I feel like an outsider here, because I am a guy! =)
I am looking for advice to help out my fiance as she is going crazy with trying to find a venue.

I know the wedding day is the most important day for a woman, so she wants it to be perfect, of course in my opinion, you can't get EVERYTHING.
Yes, you can have a 900 guest wedding in Central Park, but not if your wedding budget is 5 dollars =)
You have to balance your desire with the reality of money.


We live in Flushing, and are looking for something in Long Island, but nothing TOO far out since we have people coming in from NJ, Brooklyn and other places.
We are looking into a September wedding date, Saturday daytime since it is cheaper than Saturday night. But because we are having it in the daytime, she wants to block out the windows during the reception so it has the appearance of night.

Here are the places we've gone to so far: (and PLEASE...if you had/are having a wedding here, do not take our opinion as an insult on the place)
1. Waterview Club in Bayville - I really liked the view of the water. But you cannot block out the sun and make it look like night. Plus the place was one of the more expensive places we've seen, and if you block out the windows you lose the view, which is the whole point of this place.
2. Sand Castle - She really liked the place inside and the food. The 2 problems with the place are - the cost (most expensive place we've seen) and the outside. She said that the building looks like something from Vegas, and not the pretty part of Vegas :(
3. Leonards - she felt the grounds were a bit small outside. The ceremony area outside is just a tiny spot.
4. Woodbury Country Club - 2 rooms, upstairs which has a bad location for cocktail hour, and downstairs which has a bad reception room (ceilings are too low)
5. Westbury Manor - she felt it looked a bit cramped and old
6. Swan Club - Same problem as Waterview, she doesnt think you can block out the windows, plus she felt the lobby and bathroom area were just too small.
7. Crest Hollow - she is worried that they don't guarantee which room your ceremony and cocktail hour will be in. Plus there are multiple events happening at the sametime, we are both 'low key, non-pushy' type people, so we might not get the attention we need on that day, since we won't PUSH/Demand things (we'll get walked over)
8. Watermill in Smithtown - she felt it was too far for people to go to.

Anyone have any other places we should look at?
She told me she went through many web pages and searches and magazines, but couldnt find anything else (thats not too far or too expensive)

Again, I hope nobody takes our thoughts on places as put downs on those locations, we liked all the places, but shes just picky.

Thank you

Maybe Jericho Terrace?? from what I remember there are no windows so you dont have to block them out.

If you liked parts about the Sand Castle maybe try Floral Terrace - they are owned by the same people. And it's an old movie theater so maybe the windows thing wouldn't be an issue - im not 100% sure though I haven't been there.

Good luck!!!!!

Try
Milleradge inn ( 1 wedding at a time, Mid Nassau )

Chateau briand (i think 2-3 weddings but in the day there may be less, they have a beautiful outdoor area)

Chatue La mer (2 weddings at a time on the water western Suffolk)

Fox Hollow ( a few weddings at a time but very pretty place Mid Nassau)

The metropolitan( glen cove , interesting atmosphere)

West bury Manor( beautiful gardens 2 weddings at a time)

Douglas ton Manor(Beautiful out doors and rooms. 1 wedding at a time. beautiful bridal suit)

The Riviera ( on the water, eastern Nassau, 1 wedding at a time)

Thatched cottage( i think 2 weddings at a time on the water north shore )

Watermill ( out east but the main rooms don't have windows so it could look like night)

Personally if i was having a day wedding i think you she accent it with big window and a beautiful view so you can see out side instead of covering the windows to look like night.

Check out Jericho Terrace!! (my Hall)

great prices... they give you great deals and the quality is GREAT!! The rooms are renovated and so beautiful! Also coming from Queens... perfect location!

Ohhhh opps... just saw that you are looking for a place with not many windows!!

I think there is a room with less windows.. but the room I am in has a glass ceiling. SO maybe not what you are looking for. Still see about them tho... I believe they have an enclosed room.

I would say Milleradge inn is also no good if you want it dark... the whole place is windows.

I think your BEST bet is Floral Terrace!!! I have seen it... beautiful and you can get a nighttime feel in the day there

When I did my wedding search I called up tons and tons of places and illiminated just as you both are.

I fell in love with Woodbury Country Club - when we spoke to them they told us we can do an outside ceremony and have the cocktail hr outside and then the upstairs room for the reception which I thought was very pretty.
They are a bit on the higher range as far as pricing is concerned (but my wedding is in Summer so maybe the pricing is different in Sept)

You can try Chateau Briand, Floral Terrace, Jericho Terrace, Leonards all in LI and not far out and all very pretty.

Also, if you guys want to, you can look into hotels too. I'm actually doing my wedding at the Marriott. They have big spacious ballrooms and very pleasant to work with.

Another place which was very affordable and pretty was The Sterling in Hicksville. They have a whole package with food, open bar, photo/video, DJ, etc etc. but you can also not take the package. I've been to many weddings there and its nice and they have a good display of 'fireworks' dessert table.

Hope this helps and good luck!

North Ritz Club in Syosset

Not too far out on the island, one wedding at a time, gorgeous grounds, amazing ballroom, not too many windows Oh and the food and service was fantastic.

First, can I just say this is really sweet and thoughtful to take it upon yourself to get this information. I give you major points!

Second, we only went to 4 places - Westbury Manor, Jericho Terrace, Chateau Briand and Terrace on The Park.

I would definitely check out Jericho Terrace and Chateau Briand. CB has a great outdoor area that would be very pretty for the ceremony or cocktail hour. And the rooms are definitely dark enough that you could think its night outside.

Its so great that you're really trying to help!!!

I was on a tight budget and ended up having my wedding at Verdi's of Westbury. They have 2 main ballrooms and neither of them have windows, so it will feel like night time! They did a great job with my wedding. The food was incredible and the price was amazing (especially for what we had). Let me know if you have any more questions! I am happy to help!

Good luck!

Everyone has mentioned the places I would recommend but I did want to say that if you do a place on the water it makes more sense to do it during the day because the view is wasted at night, in the dark it jut looks black so I would try not to get so caught up in creating a night time feel if you are having a day time wedding embrace it! It will be beautiful!

Also if you are trying to save money consider having a Sunday wedding. We were going to do Sunday and then looked at Thursday prices and we are torn but I believe we may do a Thursday because the savings are incredible! Ask to see thursday prices at your next hall you'll see what I mean

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Posted by WeezyGirl2354

Maybe Jericho Terrace?? from what I remember there are no windows so you don't have to block them out.

If you liked parts about the Sand Castle maybe try Floral Terrace - they are owned by the same people. And it's an old movie theater so maybe the windows thing wouldn't be an issue - im not 100% sure though I haven't been there.

Good luck!!!!!

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Yes Floral terrace room has no windows, but it does not have a outside ceremony if that is what you are looking for. Verdi's of Westbury has no Windows to, and are pretty affordable...but again no outside ceremony. Good Luck.

I would definitely check out Floral Terrace! They are the same owners on Sand Castle. My cousin got married here (and the wife's sister too). It was a great wedding, no windows, dome shaped ceiling (if i remember correctly) and the dance floor is raised. I thought it was a nice place, and i was considering it for my wedding.

It is less expansive than the sandcastle though, and that is because it is more a la carte. The sandcastle is a 7 hour event that includes EVERYTHING. at floral terrace you can pick and choose things that you won't

definitely worth checking out.

EDITED: didn't see previous post about floral terrace.

Ok, lots of replies, Thank you all! I'll answer them as best I can.
These are her thoughts...so don't blame me! =)
Some of them have the same reasons, so I grouped them together.


Milleradge inn - she feels it looks too old.


Chatue La mer
Watermill - we had checked it out...bit too far.


Fox Hollow
North Ritz Club - we had stopped by previously, no dates available.


Sterling
Verdi's of Westbury - didnt like outside
shes getting too picky!


Terrace on The Park - she doesnt like how you have to go upstairs, so guests wont be free to just head outside easier (wacky!)

Chateau briand - she feels the area is too busy

Floral Terrace - she does not like the way the front looks, and also doesnt like the fact the entrance is directly on a major street. (shes wacky I say!)
She says a place like Leonards is different because its not DIRECTLY on the street.


metropolitan - we stopped by earlier, forgot why but we decided against it


New Hyde Park Inn
The Riviera
Douglaston Manor -
Jericho Terrace - shes thinking...and maybe try to make an appointment for these.


Leonards
Woodbury Country Club
Wesbury manor - checked these places out already, mentioned above why not.


Specific answers:
Friday/Sunday wedding - we are going to have a number of people travel in, so that makes those days a lot tougher.
Of course we are concerned with price, but venue is the number one thing now.

Budget pp - nothing really set. Sand Castle quoted us about 115 (for day), which we would have been willing to do, IF she had liked the outside. So I would say anything below 100 (for Sat day), unless the place is really good.

'I would try not to get so caught up in creating a night time feel if you are having a day time wedding embrace it! It will be beautiful! '

She feels that daytime weddings dont 'feel like a party' and thats how she wants it.


I have to admit, this is getting a bit frustrating, I sent her a list of places I found, and some from you all, and she's knocking them down! (reasons listed above).
She wants outside for ceremony (weather permitting), cocktail hour in daylight, reception in night/nighttime look.

She basically wants her cake and wants to eat it too!

Thank you all for the help.

Woodbury Country Club is beautiful ... they stagger their wedding times, so although they have more than one wedding at a time, you still get a private feel. I've heard nothing but good things about them.

Jericho Terrace is also beautiful, I've heard food is mediocre though ...

Have you looked into Chateau LaMer? They have a beautiful cocktail hour and introduce the bride and groom on a boat - its unique.

Swan Club is also a nice Nassau reception hall. Its been a long time since I've been there, but I remember the food was pretty good, and the grounds were gorgeous.

Best of luck to you, and Kudos to you for joining this site to help your bride out! I wish my fiance would do that! LOL

How many people are you looking to have?

I think the Sat day thing makes it harder... why not a Sunday day? Or Friday night?

Friday night will 'feel like a party' and still be cheaper... and the people who are important are gonna be at your wedding no matter when it is. Fri night is very common now.

That said, I know you said LI, but if you're having a smaller wedding, why not Vetro in Howard Beach? Place is gorgeous, and it's not far for your guests. And you CAN NOT beat the food anywhere.