Catering

For many people it starts with a price and what they can fit into their budget. Weighing out the balance between what you want and what you can afford is the real trick.

About three years ago I booked a bride and groom who had to have fireworks at their wedding. Considering the enormous cost of hiring Grucci to do the pyrotechnics they were left with some interesting decisions! Where to have the wedding was the first major decision.

Of all the catering halls they visited the Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue was the place they wanted most of all. Aside from the many wonderful features there is a huge vineyard next to the hall that would prove to be the perfect place for Grucci to set up for its fireworks display. Although reasonably priced for all that you get the Vineyard Caterers is still not cheap. In order to have the hall they wanted with the firework show they wanted they decided to do the following; instead of having their wedding on a Saturday night they booked the hall for a Tuesday night (July 3rd) and had a less expensive buffet dinner instead of a full sit down dinner. Aside from the huge savings they worked out with the hall for the Tuesday night wedding they were also able to get great deals on their entertainment, photography, and video. This combination of savings and compromise allowed them to have the two things they really wanted for their wedding, the Vineyard Caterers and a fireworks show by Grucci.

Once you decide on a price range for booking your hall you will find that there are many considerations in choosing the hall that is right for you.

Location: For many people location is a huge factor in where they are going to celebrate their wedding. Many of us still have family driving out to Long Island from Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, etc. My feeling is that if they are going to be driving 40 miles to get to your hall then what's another 10 or 15 if you prefer to have it on the east end! If you're the kind of relative that drives all over the place for other people's functions then they can drive for yours!

If travel is an important issue for you then you need to make sure that your hall is easily accessable from the major parkways and for those friends and relatives traveling from out of state you may want to make sure that there is a hotel within a reasonable distance from the hall.

You may also want to look into shuttle service from the hotel to your reception. If you are having a large number of people staying at the Marriott in Islandia then you will also have a place to send your guests between the ceremony and the reception. Those that are not staying at the hotel can still join the ones who are by socializing at the bar or in the lobby until the shuttle is ready to leave. This type of arrangement has several wonderful benefits including not having to worry about your guests drinking and driving, it will keep many of your guests from leaving the wedding right after the cake is cut, it will free up the bride and groom for a longer photo-session so that they will not have to miss much of their cocktail hour, and by booking several rooms at a hotel you should have no problem working out an arrangement with hotel management to have your photo-session done in the lobby or in one of their vacant ballrooms as a fallback for bad weather.

A one room hall vs a multi-room hall: For the most part the catering halls that cater to one wedding at a time will give you better service than the so called "factory" halls. Places like Majestic Gardens, Vineyard Caterers, Flowerfields, and Land's End offer outstanding service. There are a few halls who can handle mulitiple parties exceptionally well like the Watermill, Mediterranean Manor, and Jericho Terrace.

The advantages of having your wedding at a one room hall include........

• By being the only married couple of the day you can expect more personalized service without the confusion of the catering wondering which cake goes in which room, etc... (I've seen that happen)
• As the only couple at the facility you will have access to the entire hall at all times with little or no restrictions. One of the main problems photographers have with places that run more than one party at a time is that they are limited to the amount of time they can spend in a particular garden or lobby. I would not be happy if I were a bride or groom who just spent twenty thousand dollars on a catering hall and was told that I only had twenty minutes to shoot in the lobby!
• Many of the factory halls are known for falling behind in the kitchen. When dinner is served 30 or 40 minutes late you can almost count on cake being served late as well. I was recently at an affair which was supposed to end at 11:00PM. The Catering hall was so backed up that the cake was not served until 10:50PM. The last dance was played by the band and while people were still being served and eating their desert the band pulled out all of their cases and started breaking down their equipment.

Shooting areas:  Make sure you have access to shooting areas inside and out! Places like Majestic Gardens and the Vineyard Caterers offer great locations for all kinds of weather. Majestic Gardens in Rocky Point offers the most diversified shooting area of any catering hall on Long Island. They have a lovely (rose covered) Gazebo area which is private and hidden from the guests, a spectacular and award winning "Secret Garden" area, and of course the breath taking fountain area with its columns, steps, and abundant plant life which ads so much color and beauty to your photographs. Many clients who celebrate at halls like Majestic Gardens and the Vineyard Caterers find that they can save money on Limos because they can take incredible pictures at the hall and do not have to be driven all around town.

Make sure your catering hall has the facilities to take indoor pictures. As much as couples try not to think about bad weather on their wedding day rain happens! If you are getting married in a hall with a small lobby and no where else to shoot then your photographer will be extremely limited with what they can do for you.

Service: Service starts from the top down. If the people you meet with are cold and unfriendly then chances are they have people working for them who hate their jobs and it will be reflected in the service. Don't be afraid to ask questions and to look around. Take a notebook and pen and take plenty of notes. If possible schedule an appointment to visit the hall just before a wedding so you can get a good idea as to how the room looks set up with linens and centerpieces, etc. .