Cheap/Intimate Venues

Hi and congratulations!

If cheap is the most important part then I recommend the public parks. Permits are somewhere around $100. and many of them are beautiful. The people in each town will know which has more of the flowers and how many people each place is best for. State, Town, and Village will be three different things so ask family and friends if their area has any hidden jewels.

If it doesn't have to be the cheapest option as long as it's reasonable and you are willing to have a morning ceremony some of the Gold Coast Mansions are open to ceremony only weddings. Being in and out leaving them free to host a full wedding on your day usually means a 10:00am start.

The Bailey Arboretum in Lattingtown has also been giving my couples some great prices. Beautiful and well worth a look.

Planting Fields in Oyster Bay has some amazing sites but if it's raining I don't know if they move you inside. The mansion there has it's own site fee that is substantially larger than the grounds permit.

Something like the big gazebo at Northport Harbor is great too. It's not the green that you're looking for, but the water and boats in the background are nice, and you can fit all 75 of your guests under the roof if it's raining or for shade if it's in the 90's.

Bayard Cutting is beautiful as well. I had a wedding there a few years ago where the bride got a 'really good deal' on the chairs. They were delivered and left in a pile. She was only charged to drop them off. So in negotiating always ask what is included and what's not. (not that this was a bad thing, just that they would have had some of the younger folks come early if they knew there was going to be set up)

Just some things to think about! Good luck in your search and many happy years to you both!

L&L, Pastor April
516-785-4191
http://www.churchofancientways.org