Please please please help

So my FH and I recently got engaged. We want to do a 2014 wedding, either in May, September, October or Early November. We want to stay away from the summer Months bc FH hates the heat lol. Our inspiration is The Great Gatsby if that even makes sense lol. Basically we want a really romantic vintage looking wedding. I have been looking at Venues but a lot of the places that I have seen I can not find a lot of information on. Like how many people you can have around how much it is per person how the food is (very important to Future Father In Law) great reviews or pictures that I can see before I go to look and ect.We of course want to keep it reasonable my ideal would be about $80-95 per person lol but I feel like the places we like so far are going to be way more than that, which we could probably swing I just want to get ideas of how much. The places that we are interested in are

-NYIT de Seversky Mansion
-The Woodlands
-Glen Cove Mansion
-Vanderbilt Mansion in Centerport
-Dowling Vanderbilt Mansion
-Bourne Mansion * (my fave in pictures so far)
-Westbury Manor
-Larkfield Manor

I'm very open to suggestions if you girls know any other places that fit that romantic 1920's feel.
Thank you so much in advance xoxo!!

Re: Please please please help

You really need to visit them all or call them to knock things out. I am very nit picky myself with things and there are pros and cons to each. Price may knock out a few places straight away too.

Good luck! Have fun!!

Re: Please please please help

Also try Lombardis on the Sound. They have a very old world feel and its on the water wich would go great with your theme! The room is fairly large and its Lombardis so you know the food is fantastic!!

Re: Please please please help

Vanderbilt Mansion in Centerport is beautiful and the people there are great. BUT, you pay a site fee to the mansion, and then you have to hire out for EVERYTHING (including tables and chairs if you exceed a certain number of people).

I almost booked there, but I did not want to have to deal with hiring everything separately.

I also don't know about fall weddings. I know we were looking at August. But the cocktail hour is outdoors and the reception is in a tent. Don't know how that will fare in the fall.

It is worth talking to them though!

HTH

Re: Please please please help

FH & I looked at Larkfield Manor when we were looking for our RH. I don't think it's going to be what you are looking for if you are going to be looking for romantic vintage, but I did see it PRE construction & they told us that it wasn't going to look like the mock ups they showed us - so I could be wrong on that. But, the woman we spoke to told us that if we booked after the construction, it would be upwards of $150 pp for a Sunday night wedding (we were looking into October).

Re: Please please please help

Look on the Brides review board :) most girls have pics and a full blown review. You could also fm them and ask more specific questions :) good luck! And congrats!

Re: Please please please help

I am booked at Bourne and went to visit a bunch of the places on your list. i am having a similar theme- vintage glamorous 1920-30. As for price, you really need to go and ask. I found that i was able to get a Sat night at a price that worked for me but only because i am getting married in low season- you are looking at the high seasons, so prices will be higher. I went with Bourne because i got the feeling that it was a real lived in house. they have done some major up grades and i have not see any pics of them yet, so i would def suggest going there to get a real feeling

Re: Please please please help

The Riviera in Massapequa might fit the look you are going for. Don't know about prices now, but they were reasonable when I looked.

Message edited 2/22/2012 2:42:04 PM.

Re: Please please please help

Thanks girls!!! We are going to look at our first 3 places this weekend!!
-Smithtown Landing
- Bellport Country Club
- Lombardi's on the Bay.

I'm so excited!! I'll let u all know how it goes

Re: Please please please help

we are at larkfield. i'm not sure about the look either. they should have updated pix by now, we are going over there tonight remind me to update you lol

if you booked pre january for 2013 they gave the old prices, once they announced (officially) construction, i heard they offered the higher prices, but if you book pre-construction, they would give a discount? maybe that was only til the end of january? not sure. also not sure if they are booking reduced pricing for 2014.

Re: Please please please help

We looked in January so maybe you are right about being until the end of January. They never told FH about the construction until we sat down to speak with them, which automatically put a bad taste in my mouth. They had said if we waited to book it would be about $150 per person. I honestly don't remember if it would have to be after January or not - I had a really hard time listening after the first 10 minutes of the meeting due to how we were being spoken to and whatnot.

Message edited 2/22/2012 5:29:17 PM.

Re: Please please please help

I have to be honest, I wasnt a fan of lark field manor either. The staff seemed rude. When one of the guys told us about the construction and he stepped away for a minute, the other guys was trying to lie to us saying "what construction?". That instantly put me off. Go with your gut.

I know this might sound outrageous, but go see Oheka castle. It has the Gatsby feel because it was built as a house in the early 20's and was even in the great Gatsby documentary. You get a lot, more than other places for the price per person. In off months it's about the same as the de seversky mansion.

Make an appt, go there, and what's the worst that can happen? You try to talk them down, you can't meet the numbers, so you don't book. No biggie. Also unlike many venues, they give you a taste testing at your FIRST meeting. It's worth it to atleast meet with them.

HTH! Good luck!!

Re: Please please please help

Definitely check out Westbury Manor. The food is out of this world, along with the service and staff. I do not know what the pricing would be for the months you are interested in, but for a February wedding, they beat out all of the other places we looked at by a significant dollar amount per person with a top shelf open bar included, along with a TON more food than anywhere else we looked at.

As far as the look you are going for, WM is more of a cozy vintage feel in my opinion. When I picture the Great Gatsby, I picture something a little bigger and more extravagant - however, I have not seen the Manor room in person, which is for larger weddings and may be more in line with your vision. We are in the Garden room, which can accommodate up to 140 guests, and the Manor room would accommodate upwards of that (not sure of the occupancy limit on that room, though).

ETA - The dollar amount per person in February is way under the budget you are looking for, so totally worth checking out what they can do for you for the months you are interested in.

Message edited 2/23/2012 9:11:53 AM.

Re: Please please please help

I know I'm probably bias, but you should definitely check out The Royalton Mansion!! The house is beautiful and you get it all to yourself on your wedding day, even though its not on the water it does have the feel of the Gatsby era.

Re: Please please please help

You have FM!

Re: Please please please help

Be sure to check out if they force you to use house vendors, bc unexpected things like that start to add up. I know some of the ones ppl recc do.

Re: Please please please help

You should try Westbury Manor. They are definitely within your budget and they also will work with you. Ian the banquet manager is the best. I would definily go there.

When I was searching venues I found going there is better than the websites. Some places te websites look better plus ou want to get a feel of the place.

I know it sound corny but when I enter Westbury Manor I always get that good feeling. It is very intimate their. Everyone remembers you every time you go there. The food is really good.

Let me know if you have questions

Re: Please please please help

The woman I spoke to told me the same thing. She said they wanted to charge as much as their competitors because of their 8mil dollar renovations

Re: Please please please help

I totally agree!

I'm going to have the garden room also!

Re: Please please please help

We're you at their showcase this month?

Re: Please please please help

its honestly best if you go there and talk to them to help you narrow it down and see what you like..i spent a day going to all the catering halls to negoiate and see what they had to offer me... i had my engagement party at stewart mannor and they do an amazing job...u may want to look two.

Re: Please please please help

you really need to go check out all of the different locations. some places look absolutely amazing on websites, and then you get there and its the total opposite. im going to be honest with you about larkfield manor, stay far far away! i went there for a showcase and wouldnt even try the food, there were flies on the cold food and ants in the bathroom.

Re: Please please please help

Hi,

For late September & early October Westbury Manor charges $87-90 pp...It might change though since yours is still 2 years out. HTH!

Re: Please please please help

I would also look at some of the brides review section. You can see how some of the places look also

Message edited 3/30/2012 5:36:25 PM.

Re: Please please please help

same thing happened to us...a real bad taste in our mouths...