Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Hi everyone! I'm brand new to the boards and wanted to introduce myself to everyone. I'm only a month engaged but I live in Virginia and plan on coming up for my first 'visit' to the reception places up on LI and was wondering if anyone had any pro's/con's that you could let me know about for the following places for a winter wedding:
Harrison House
Hyatt Windwatch
Fox Hollow
and possibly the Port Jeff country club
I hope you all have a great weekend!
happy halloween!

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

congrats and welcome! I'm also planning from Virginia! Where in VA are you?

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Welcome

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Congrats on your engagement! Unfortunately I dont fall into either of your two categories, but good luck with all of your planning and welcome to the boards!

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

I'm a long distance bride planning from Michigan, but I don't have any advice on any of your halls. I've already been home twice for wedding planning, but my mom is so great, that she does a lot of the leg work in planning. I'm to the point where I have to find a DJ and Photographer and I'm just hoping that the people I like aren't booked up before my next trip home at Christmas.

If there are a lot of us long distance brides, maybe we can start a thread with tips on planning from afar.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Hey I'm an OOT bride too (planning from Chicago, IL). I think starting a thread is a great idea. I'm sorry I haven't been to any of those places, so I can't offer any advice.

I booked my hall last year around Christmas. Since I was going to be in NY I tried to see as many reception halls that I could on that visit. I think my father thought I was going crazy because one day he pulled me away from the computer and was like 'You are scaring me. Please take a break. I don't want you to get stressed out.' So I listened and took like a 30 min break and then I was back on the computer trying to look up more banquet halls.

Being an OOT bride is difficult if you want to be involved in the planning. I have about 3 friends that got married in another state then where they lived and they all told me that they had nothing to do with the planning. They said that they basically showed up and was surprised. This is not how I want my wedding to be. I want to choose my florist. I wanted to select my own photographer. Honestly, you really have to rely on family and great friends. FH and I have basically use LIW and the internet in order to pick our vendors. Basically, we read the reccomendations from the Newleyweds and then look at the company website. From there we shortlist about 4-5 companies and ask our families to check them out and tell us which one they like the best.

We did this for Limos, and photographers. However, I did happen to be in NY during the summer so I went to the last 3 that my sister liked the best.

The worst part of being OOT is that I know my family don't mind helping out, but they are not the fastest people in getting things done. I've been waiting for about 1 month now for my sis to check out videographers. So FH and I decided to call videographers and ask them to send us sample videos.

I'm waiting until Christmas to book my florist. I don't think it should be too difficult to book that from OOT. Has anyone did this? I figure that if I wanted to do some looking while in IL that I can call the FL and ask them to send pics.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Welcome & Congrats on the


Happy Planning!

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Congrats!

I am an out of town guest also. I am only about 4 hours away in Upstate NY. But it is still difficult. We usually collect a bunch of information on a certain type of vedor, go down and visit everyone that does that one thing (ie halls) and make a decision based on those we saw. It worked well for the hall and the DJ. But not so well with flowers or hotels.

It can get very stressful so I suggest you use this board to the best of your abilities. Other places to look for info:

www.weddingsitesandservices.com

www.theknot.com

www.modernbride.com

Also, modernbride has a New York edition out and includes a bunch of halls and info about them. Though Wedding Sites and Services (online or in magazine form) may be better for that.

Good luck and congrats

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

thanks everyone for all your advice. its so hard to make a decision on a place from so far away but luckily i do get to go up and check out some places this weekend coming up after we meet with a priest....hopefully they don't ask about pre-marital living arrangements...catholics don't like the whole living in sin

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Hello and welcome.


I am getting married at East Wind in Wading River, NY.

When I was looking through pictures at the East Wind, a lot of the photos were taken in the winter and they were SOOOO BEAUTIFUL.

I am know I am biased, but they were lovely.

Also, I have heard aweome feedback abut the Port Jeff Country Club. My friend got married at East wind, but the Port Jeff CC was his second choice.


If you need any help, let me know.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

hehe. you can tell I have been doing too much wedding planning. I am an out of town bride and not guest.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Welcome .... I am getting married at the huntington townhouse ..... Im not panning from out of town but I really did find that the boards helped.... You will find alot of stuff here... need any help just ask and you will get many responses.... Happy planning

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Welcome to LI Weddings! You will love it here!

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Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Welcome!! I'm a winter bride and did look into the Harrison House. We ended up using it for our out of town guest accomadations but decided to have our reception at the Metropolitan which is 5 minutes away. I found the Harrison House to be a bit over priced (FM for details) and a bit disjointed with all the different rooms. Let me know if you want more info.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Hi Jimmysgirl!

Congratulations! You picked a great wedding date!!!!!!!! I think there are 3 of us now with that date

I've been to a wedding at the Foxhollow and loved it. I'm having my wedding at the Westbury Manor, which is owned and operated by the same people as Foxhollow. A number of brides have posted reviews of the foxhollow on the Brides Review board - it's gorgeous and the service is wonderful.

I went to a corporate event at the Harrison House - but I never went inside (it was warm weather and we were under a tent). The mansion was stunning though, from the outside.

How many people are you thinking of having? If there is anything you need, this is the site to go to.

Oh - and I went to college in VA - my sister lived there for 5 years - great place.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Hi- I am an OOT bride too and Welcome! I think an OOT thread would be a great idea to help us all with things that pop up related to being far away.

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Congratulations!!! The Harrison House is beautiful and I believe that they've even done some renovating in the main ballroom. One benefit of HH is that they have hotel rooms on premises for your OOT guests and they have a bar that you can go to for an 'after party.' The only downside to a winter wedding is that one of the most stunning features of a HH wedding is the cocktail hour outside by the pool. But you never know--there were a few days last winter where it was like 60 degrees outside!! Good luck!

Re: Winter Brides/ Long Distance Long Island brides

Winter Bride here...
Im having my wedding at Woodbury Country Club... Great prices and wonderful people to work with...
If you go there, speak with Harry he was one in million!!!

Good Luck!!!