Brides Helping Brides ™ - Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 29, 2007 10:30 PM

Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I'm having a small wedding with about 50-60 guests. I was just curious if there are any other brides that are having a small wedding with 75 guests or less?? Where are you having your wedding? I'm having mine at Leonard's of Great Neck in the Empire Room. After looking at about 30 catering halls we picked Leonard's. It was soooo hard to find places with 50 guest minimum. I felt like a lot of the halls didn't even think my party was important. Also I noticed a lot of the halls didn't really have nice smaller rooms It was sooo difficult finding a location!! Just wondering if you ladies had the same experience.

kabo0831 Posted: Oct 29, 2007 10:32 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

we are at about 80 ppl

little34 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 07:10 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

We are having 100 but my RH can do as little as 50 people and their max is 119.

egem523 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 08:57 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I am hoping to be at max 75 people @ the Chateau Briand. I had the same experience as you I did. When I told them 50 people they did want to bother. After making my list I had to raise the guarantee to 75. My choices were between Westbury Manor and Chateau Briand.

After my experience my dream one day will be to open a catering hall for small wedding only. So brides like us do not feel let out

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 10:32 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

LOL, do you need a partner egem??

I called Chateau Briand to find out there minimum before I went to look and they were a little nasty and said I had to have 100 minimum.

Fox Hollow was the absolute worst! I called and they said that they do have a 50 person minimum . So FH and I went to look and they left us sitting in the waiting area for about a half hour, they didn't even have anyone there. Then the receptionist was kinda rude and said that they don't do parties for 50 people. I told her that I called before I came and someone told me to come over. She said that's not true. They didn't even offer to show me the rooms or to talk to a BM just kinda said sorry and sent me on my way after I drove all the way there from Queens.

I would love to have 100 people at my wedding but there is absolutely no way we can afford it! We will only be able to invite our closest family and friends

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 10:38 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

It was hard too because a lot of places only offered me morning weddings or told me I could have my ceremony on site but only if a larger party didn't book and need the area. What the hell is that???

I loved Westbury Manor but unfortunately we would have had to have a morning wedding in Dec, Jan, or Feb to even get close to the cost that Leonard's quoted us. Also my FH's aunt is wheelchair bound and mentally slow and the room is upstairs and they don't have an elevator. They offered to carry her up but I could just picture that now. She would be scared and try to pinch of hit them and they would drop her. Also what aggravated me about WM was that I feel in love with the outdoor ceremony area. It is beautiful. When I went back to talk to them the second time they said they are no longer allowing the smaller room to use the ceremony garden. They showed me a patch of grass in the back and said they could set up a gazebo, but there was no aisle etc...just grass. That completely changed my mind. That was one of the things I loved so much about Westbury Manor.

LnF0405 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 11:37 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I am having a small wedding of 50-60 guests. I went to the swan club and they treat me great but the room was so tiny it remind me the conference room at my office. Tatched cottage have a beautiful room but and they accept outside ceremony but they were a little bit over my budget. I love watermill the service and the room the only problem is that they can't guarante outside ceremony b/c they give preference to bigger wedding for outside . My other obtion was the nautical cruise it was great but I had doubt about my family in a boat.

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 11:43 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I seen the Swan Club room too. It was soooo small. There was no way I could picture it set up with DJ and dancing. I think it would be good for just a sit down meal. It was a shame though because we really did like the Swan Club.

I requested information too from Nautical Cruise Lines but I didn't really check it out because I was nervous about the weather. I don't think I would enjoy it as much if it rained. Also if the water was really choppy some people might get seasick. Boat Rocking + Drunk People = a mess.

I didn't look at Thatched Cottage or Watermill. I wanted to stay as close to Queens/Nassau as possible. I'm glad Watermill was able to accomadate your smaller party. That kinda ***** about them not being able to guarantee your ceremony area though. I don't understand why they can't stagger the weddings in a way that both brides can use the ceremony area. It's really not fair. Now you have to wait to find out if someone books it

LnF0405 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 11:47 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

Watermill guarantee me a inside ceremony but the not the outside, and the problem is that the insde look like a funeral.

I really love tatched cottage because the room was so big and the ceremony area was outside but if the weather didn't permited they have a beautiful inside chapel with a great waterview.

egem523 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 11:53 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

Posted by MaureenM618

LOL, do you need a partner egem??

I called Chateau Briand to find out there minimum before I went to look and they were a little nasty and said I had to have 100 minimum.

Fox Hollow was the absolute worst! I called and they said that they do have a 50 person minimum . So FH and I went to look and they left us sitting in the waiting area for about a half hour, they didn't even have anyone there. Then the receptionist was kinda rude and said that they don't do parties for 50 people. I told her that I called before I came and someone told me to come over. She said that's not true. They didn't even offer to show me the rooms or to talk to a BM just kinda said sorry and sent me on my way after I drove all the way there from Queens.

I would love to have 100 people at my wedding but there is absolutely no way we can afford it! We will only be able to invite our closest family and friends

You can be a partner

Fox Hollow was very nasty, But Chateau was willing to work with me when I told them 75 they showed me a room that they used for the cocktail hour but them I told her the list may go she showed the smallest room they have which was bigger then Westbury Manor. I loved WM, but too have an outdoor wedding I had to get the room with the higher gurantee which I did not want to committ to. If they lowered the gurantee then they would charge me more that was bull. When FH visited CB he really like it and would not talking to the BM. When went to WM you could not get word out of his mouth.

I love small wedding because I am not the kind of person who like the attention. But my closet family was close to 50 for me only to i had to bump the list. You still have enough time you never know down the road what fortune may strike you. Plus you do not need alot of people to have a great wedding.

egem523 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 11:59 AM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

Posted by MaureenM618

I seen the Swan Club room too. It was soooo small. There was no way I could picture it set up with DJ and dancing. I think it would be good for just a sit down meal. It was a shame though because we really did like the Swan Club.

I requested information too from Nautical Cruise Lines but I didn't really check it out because I was nervous about the weather. I don't think I would enjoy it as much if it rained. Also if the water was really choppy some people might get seasick. Boat Rocking + Drunk People = a mess.

I didn't look at Thatched Cottage or Watermill. I wanted to stay as close to Queens/Nassau as possible. I'm glad Watermill was able to accomadate your smaller party. That kinda ***** about them not being able to guarantee your ceremony area though. I don't understand why they can't stagger the weddings in a way that both brides can use the ceremony area. It's really not fair. Now you have to wait to find out if someone books it

I like the swan club too but I did not like the small room they showed. I thought the room was so dark. They said they will be updating in the near future but I did want to take that chance. I also was worried that if the weather was not were would i take my photos. I went there during the day I got lost so I could only imagine what my guest would go through during the night when it is dark.

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 12:01 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

LOL, I got soooo lost as well!!! i almost said forget it and turned around to go home.

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 12:06 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I was sooo sure I wanted an outdoor ceremony when I was looking at RH's....I just think it's funny that now I'm using the indoor chapel at Leonard's instead of their outdoor area. I liked the indoor on better and now I don't have to worry about the weather! Here are pics of bothe areas...you be the judge.

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 12:08 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

They only thing that I'm not happy with are that the ceremony flowers that come with the room are fake I wish they provided real flowers when it costs $700 to have your ceremony there.

egem523 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 12:23 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

Please speak to someone about that!! That is were they are trying to get you. For fake flowers that is crazy. CB charges $750 to have the cermony there they do decorate with fresh flowers but the main thing they charging me for is an Arch with flowers. I just told them last week that I do not want the Arch can they come down in price and she was able to bring it down to $500 which I found ok because if you get married in church that is how much they charge.

BTW the inside is much better for the ceremony

MaureenM618 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 12:46 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

I thought the inside was nicer too. Also the outdoor area is right of Northern Blvd...I was nervous that you would hear the traffic. I did talk to my BM and tried to ask for fresh flowers but he totally shot that down. They wouldn't budge on that. Otherwise I have no complaints and Antonio have been awesome. I guess I can live with the fake flowers for a half hour ceremony.

LnF0405 Posted: Oct 30, 2007 02:32 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

Watermill is only charging me 350 for the ceremony, that is why I dont mind so much that the ceremony may be inside.

CMS Posted: Oct 30, 2007 02:40 PM

Re: Who else is having a small wedding wit7h 75 guests or less??

We started looking at places with a guest list of 82. All we wanted was a simple brunch for family and friends. But it seemed to me that it was almost impossible to do anything simple.

The way we settled this is instead of having the traditional wedding/reception that I wanted, we decided to elope in St. Thomas when we go on vacation in February and when we get back we're going to have a brunch at a restuarant for family and friends at a restaurant.

This way it takes care of both of our needs: FH hates being the center of attention and he would have been so uncomfortable standing in front of a church full of people. And I'm a social butterfly, so the brunch takes care of that.