So I got engaged at the beginning of the month and my fiance and I decided that we wanted a small-ish wedding. About 75 people (which for NY - especially Long Island is considered small). We are having such a hard time finding places to meet our needs for the ceremony and reception. It is so frustrating. We really don't want to break the bank on this even though our families are helping us out. We would love to have a Sunday brunch. I really don't want it in a "typical" Long Island catering hall - it's just not our style. However, every restaurant I've looked into either a) can't do a ceremony or b) is super super expensive! I'm becoming obsessed with finding places to look at. I just want us to have a great day with our friends and family without having to spend 40,000+!!!!! UGH! Just needed to vent! :sorry: :thanks:
I know exactly how you feel. I recently got engaged and will have about 150 people, whereas I would love to only have 75. It is so stressful to plan everything. I finally got a venue and thought I could rest for a bit but now I have to book about 10 more things it seems. I am losing sleep over it! I wish I could offer advice. I decided I am taking a two week break from planning so I could calm down a little
the Soundview looks like it does small parties and the prices seem reasonable... Look at others on this list: http://www.northforkweddings.com/north-fork-restaurants/index.html
Since I'm not in your area, I can't be of help. But just wanted to say, hugs and good luck! I just got married in August!The planning was stressful at times, but it all came together!
I can understand..kind of. My best friend is going through the same thing because she lives 1,800 miles away from home and is going through "do I want it where I live now or where home is" and she keeps going back and forth. Good luck!
When are you getting married? I bet that, off season, you would have some luck on the Nautical Mile in Freeport. Somehow it never occurs to me to go there except in summer. Would you consider the New Hyde Park Inn? I know that, in addition to their catering facilities they also have a restaurant. They may have a smallish room that would do.
Thanks for the ideas Alice. We are looking to get married in February of 2012. The Nautical Mile might not be a bad idea. My brother and his fiance are getting married at the Inn at New Hyde Park in October 2011 so I don't really want to look there.
There was a time when I wanted a big wedding (but I don't know how when I don't really have friends or a big family!) However, these days, it could be just my fiance's parents & my parents in a nice location & that's it as far as I'm concerned. Actually, scratch that, my BF (if I marry him) doesn't even want his dad at our wedding & I don't blame him. Lately, I had been thinking of getting married in Hawaii though. (I live in California.)
Even though I am not in your area, I was faced with the same dilemma as you 24 years ago! I checked local hotels. Most have catering and a hall, and we found it very affordable. We even got the honeymoon suite for free on our wedding night. They offered a discount rate for out of town guests too. Just a thought.
I know that with some local hotels, you need to guarantee a certain number of guests. My friend got married last year and she said they don't seem to want to give a free honeymoon suite or discounted rates to a couple having less than 100 guests (she invited 130 and ended up with only 85). Keep looking around, you'll find something February is only a few months away but it is an "off" month so there might be many options available.
Are you in Nassau or Suffolk? I went to a wedding at the IRish COffee Pub in East ISlip this summer and the ceremony was also there...it was awesome! They did the ceremony upstairs, we went downstairs for cocktail hour and then back up and it was all set up for the reception.
PCDiva - thanks I am going to look into it! I'm actually in Queens but prices for the city are out of control so I've been looking on the island even though I'm not too thrilled with it. :lol:
Oh...well then going out to LI may deter some guests from coming and lower your count...sad but true! It could save you some money though LOL! You would probably be better off staying in Nassau...Garden City Hotel is beautiful and I went to a fabulous wedding there...but it was probably expensive.
WOW 40+ is a lot for a wedding. My wedding came in around 14000 for everything. How about a destination wedding?
My wedding was a little over $8,000. We used a union hall for our reception, our photographer and cake were vendors that do this on the side, and I did many things on my own. It's amazing the deals you can find when you just ask around! That's how we found our photographer and cake lady!
Here's where we had ours: http://www.knightsofcolumbusoceanside.com/catering.php It's actually much prettier ( and lighter-- those pictures are so dark!!!!!) than the pictures show-- it rivals any big name catering hall I've ever been to. And the prices, at least in 1989, were much more reasonable than the other places we tried. Or, for restaurants: And I have no idea whether it's big enough, but how about the Fishery in East Rockaway? (Near Lynbrook, not Rockaway Beach) The food is great, and they have a terrific local reputation. http://www.restaurant.com/microsite...271|the fishery east rockaway||S|b|4546351404 http://www.thefishery1.com/ Both of those places have the added bonus that they're close to the Queens border; neither is more than 10 minutes or so from the Belt Pkwy. In Hicksville, off either the LIE or the Northern State/Grand Central: http://www.milleridge.com/ http://www.peppercornsny.com/ http://www.wickersrestaurant.net/about.html Or you could try: http://www.eatoutlongisland.com/
Thanks everyone - I am looking into some of the suggestions here. The Irish Coffee Pub might be a possibility. And while I would love to get married at the Garden City hotel, that place is super expensive. It would stop us from being able to buy a house in the near future.
We were married in an off month - February. We def saved a lot than our friends who were married during prime times. We were able to negoitate more with the vendors b/c they don't have many weddings during the wintery months.
I figured it was expensive but that was the only Nassau wedding I could remember quick! Im totally with you...not worth it to have an outrageous wedding and then rent for the rest of your life!! Keep us posted!
