NY reception sites - help!!

[xandra]

Hello everyone!
I need help... I''ve been searching on the net for reception/banquet halls in the NY/NJ area. Could you please recommend websites that have directories?

A while ago, I found a website where you could click on search options, such as mansions, castle, price, etc. and it would generate a listing. now I can''t find it...

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

[sparkler29]

xandra - Check out the Knot.com. You can search within each city/state for all kinds of vendors, including reception locations. There are links to websites.

Good luck!

 

[moremoremore]

There is also a book that ''they'' put out...you can get it any major book store..it''s called Destinations or something...

 

[treysar]

Here''s a few:

weddingchannel.com

westchesterweddings.com

wedalert.com

Good luck - let me know if you wind up in the Westchester area, I can give you a lot of scoop!

 

[xandra]

Thanks everyone for the info!! It''s very helpful.

Treystar, I absolutely love Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill
Tarrytown however, I''m not sure what the price range is. Do you know anything about it?

Thanks!

 

[sparkler29]

My cousin was married at Tappan Hill. It was beautiful and I''m quite sure VERY VERY expensive. They had the works - I mean my FH and I thought the cocktail hour was the reception - that''s how much food there was. It was opulent to say the least

Abigail Kirsh has amazing food - yum. If you like her food but don''t have quite that budget, we considered the Snuff Mill at the New York Botanical Gardens (in the Bronx). It''s more reasonably priced. Let me know if I can be of more help - I looked at many venues in NYC and the Hudson Valley.

 

[xandra]

Hi Sparkler29, thanks for your input.

I agree, the food at Tappan Hill is really good. I''m just starting to do my research but I was always impressed by Tappan Hill. Aside from the food, I''m looking more for the same facility style and around the same location.

Any information would be much appreciated!

 

[Cath]

Abigail Kirsch has a website -- http://www.abigailkirsch.com/home.html -- but I don''t see any pricing on it.

I remember buying the magazine that MMM is talking about at the local bookstore. It had a ton of local reception sites listed.

My memory is pretty fuzzy at this point but I know Tappan Hill was expensive. I''m tempted to say it was around $150/pp -- minimum -- that was probably for a Saturday evening, peak season wedding. The problem I found was that you have to call up most places to get actual pricing, and even then some will say "Well, you really have to come in..." and I''d say "Can''t you at least give me a ballpark figure? I don''t have time to drive to every place only to find out I can''t afford it!"

 

[xandra]

Cath, I know what you mean! that''s exactly what I''ve been asking "ballpark figures."

So would you recommend this book? Does it have stuff that I can''t find on the internet?

 

[Cath]

You can probably find all the same stuff on the internet, but I did find the book helpful just because things were all in one place which made comparing places easier. I don''t think it''s very expensive either -- maybe $5? Just keep in mind that it doesn''t list every place -- I think only the ones that pay for the space.

I don''t know what your budget is, but Westchester is overall expensive as is Manhattan. NJ or Long Island or the other NYC boroughs will generally have lower prices. For peak season and Saturday evening, you''re probably looking at around $150/pp for Westchester/Manhattan, and around $100/pp in NJ or Long Island. Of course there are places that will be cheaper or more expensive, I''m just giving a general ballpark from what I remember. Also, I got married several years ago, so I don''t know how much prices have changed since.

 

[sparkler29]

I''ll list some of the places I looked at - you might like these places if you like Tappan Hill. Not sure if you only want to look in Westchester (these are in other nearby locations as well)...

1. Estherwood (beautiful mansion - you get to use the whole downstairs for your wedding)

2. F.E.A.S.T. Catering - two lovely locations called Round Hill (an old home) and Glenmere Mansion (we considered having our wedding here)

3. Wave Hill in Riverdale, Bronx. Also one of our top contenders, but VERY VERY expensive. It''s gorgeous though.

4. Castle on the Hudson, Tarrytown. I didn''t look here but I hear it''s beautiful.

Hope this helps - you can info on all these places on the Knot.

 

[xandra]

sparkler29,

thanks a lot for the info. it''s really helpful. I agree with you, castle on the Hudson looks breathtaking, but I think it''s even more expensive than tappan hill. Estherwood is beautiful as well... i''ll have to find out more.

where did you end up having your wedding? I just want it to be close to manhattan since everyone''s from nyc or north jersey.

Do you know anything about "the fountainhead" in new rochelle, ny?

thanks again!

 

[Cath]

I think there was a typo in an earlier post. Site should be:

http://www.westchester-weddings.com/

 

[sparkler29]

Hi again Xandra! I''m getting married in August at Battery Gardens in Manhattan (www.batterygardens.com). It was the best place we came across for our style and requirements (outdoor space, not formal or stuffy), plus it''s right on the water and has a view of the Staue of Liberty

They also gave me a pretty good deal (considering the location). It''s just going to be easier having the wedding in Manhattan - people from out of town will be staying in the city anyway, and we won''t have to pay for extra transportation to take them to another location.

Sorry I don''t know anything about the Fountainhead...let me know if you need any other info!

 

[Jennifer5973]

If you're looking for something intimate yet elegant/personalized, try Portobello in Oakland, in Bergen Country, NJ. This was 8 years ago (when I got married) but I don't think it's changed much. It iis beautiful I found it by accident--they don't advertise.

It's one wedding at a time, with very personal customized catering and elegant appointments, such as a hexagonal granite dance floor instead of the standard wood and 2.5 story peachtree windows in the ballroom. When you arrive, you ascend up a staircase out of Twelve Oaks in GWTW, into the cocktail area with a huge, hand-carved wlanut bar, a separate cockatil hour room with giant fireplace, and plenty of cocktail tables scattered around...where people can sit and chat with their food--a must IMO. I hate being crowded at the cocktail hour and trying to hold a plate of food, a drink, and my purse...When it's time for dinner, three sets of French doors open elegantly for people to drift into the 2.5 story ballroom.

Note: Another nice North Jersey location with an elegant setting and good food is the Westmont Country Club in West Paterson, off of Rt 3. they can acocmodate larger weddings as well, but I think they will do 2 weddings a ta time--this was a big no-no for me. One bride at a time, please (ME).

 

[moremoremore]

Xandra- I was married at The Fountainhead 3 years ago. I loved it. I saw some other Long Island locations that made me want to gag. We got a good deal b/c I booked them about 4 months ahead b/c I switched locations last minute...I saw something for them in one of those destinations books and they said the price was 90bucks a head- Yeah right, for a tuesday afternoon wedding maybe LOL...It was a bit more but didn't break the bank. It's next to a shopping center which is "ok" b/c the place is pretty elegant. People still talk about the food they had at my wedding which makes me freel really good. You have to use one of two house florists...But I LOVED my florist. Nicrez mayt be getting married at the Glen Island Harbor Club ( I forget the exact name) which is owned by the same people.

 

[moremoremore]

Here are some shots from "thefountainhead-ny.com"

 

[moremoremore]

another

 

[moremoremore]

I''m sure you''ll find the perfect spot, NY and NJ have so much to offer!

 

[hannah]

Have you tried Wedding Sites and Services ?

 

[moremoremore]

There is also a site called wedphotos.com
It''s a photographer''s website. But the cool thing is, you can click on the locations of the weddings, and you see pictures from peopel''s weddings. it gives you a great view of the place without making the trip!

 

[Jennifer5973]

MMM-that is stunning! Your wedding must have been fantastic! And you are right--people remember 3 things about your wedding:

The food
The booze
The music

..and underscoring all of that is the elegance/atmosphere you/the place creates. People STILL talk about the food and top-shelf alcohol at our wedding too--8 yrs ago!

 

[xandra]

Hannah, Yes I have been getting most of my info from "wedding sites and services." It is the most helpful site so far.

 

[xandra]

moremoremore, the fountainhead looks very elegant. question: is it in an urban setting or is it secluded with ample parking? From the pictures, it looks like it''s on a busy street...

 

[xandra]

moremoremore, when you said "Nicrez" is getting married at the fountainhead, i thought it was some sort of celebrity hahaah!

What does it mean when a reception says "everything''s included"? help, i''m new at this!

 

[xandra]

Jennifer5973,

Portobello sounds so elegant. the ballroom must be dreamy!
You''re right, there''s no info on Portobello. Is their address 155 Ramapo Valley Road, Oakland, NJ 07436?

 

[xandra]

Sparkler29,
you got great taste! Battery Gardens looks beautiful and the location is great.
Unfortunately for me, all our guests will be driving so ample parking is a must. This is why we''re looking for in the westchester area.

 

[moremoremore]

LOL..A pricescope moviestar...But it was the Glen Island Harbour Club.I think she was considering it..the fountainhead's nicer sister Very beautiful...
I wouldn't say it is secluded but not right off of a busy street. There is valet parking anyway... But Not like a country club on a golf course or with tons of grounds that I had previously booked....but I liked the fountainhead better....I also did a winter 7

0 pm wedding so it was pitch black. Don't know if I would have done day time b/c of the somewhat commercial surroundings...It may bother you if you're looking for sprawling grounds like Carlye on the Park or on the Green or something like that LOL...
I had a hard time finding a place that would do a 125 people sat night wedding. Most places had 200+ min....
p.s. That's a parked car in the pic..not the street.

 

[Jennifer5973]

yes--that is Portobello''s address.

And like MMM, I had a 7 PM Winter wedding.... Portobello is not an estate-type facility on a sprawling piece of land. Also, they run a restaurant downstairs--you can go eat dinner there and sample the food (this is how I found it--I had met my mom there for lunch one day and fell in love) .When I got married, they would include any dish on the regular menu for your wedding menu. This was GREAT--insted of the usual filet mignon or surf & turf, I chose Chicken Portobello--stuffed with fresh herbs, fontina cheese, in a wine demi glaze, Asian-glazed salmon with sesame and fresh ginger & snow peas, Veal Saltimbocca and Rack of Lamb crusted in mustard & hebs with thyme potatoes--all the guests'' choice upon arrival.. And to top it all off, people had the nerve to ask for stuff that wasns''t among the FOUR entree choices they were given... I saw plates of veal parm, pasta priimavera, etc. whizzing by...and they never said a word to us or charged us a nickel more...the service was white glove and outstanding--pple said that their drinks were 1/2 gone and poof! another one would be there--the staff remembered what each person was drinking!

 

[july_rain]

Thank you so much for suggesting Wave Hill!!! I''d been looking for months and had resigned myself to having the wedding at a stuffy, ugly country club. . . . . .AND THEN I READ YOUR POST. You are like a little angel !!! Thank you. Thank you! My wedding was going to be wonderful because I am marrying the boy of my dreams, but now the atmosphere will be perfect too!

Heads up to all you brides still looking, Wave Hill is a lot cheaper than the website states. Just make sure you don''t go with their caterer, Great Performances, who costs a fortune. Wave Hill does accept other caterers! Happy searching!