Links ladies

BellaSposa223

Hi ya'll,

I just got home a lil while ago from the wedding I went to at the Links last night so I figured I'd give you a review as a guest.

The ceremony- It was held at The Links; 5pm outdoor wedding. Not at the fault of the venue, but couple. They didn't say that it would be an outdoor ceremony and it was freezing. The setup out there is really nice with the chairs and gazebo. Minus the cold it was really nice. Also just something I found odd. Anyone that's gotten married by someone that wasn't someone you've known all your life, has the officiant cried? This officiant was crying in the very beginning of the ceremony and its all the people talked about.

Cocktail hour- There wasn't a lot but I think enough. There was the American side and Italian side of cheese, crackers, veggies,  antipasto and fruits. There was one macaroni hot dish. The o'derves passed were maybe about 5; scallops wrapped in bacon, asparagus wrapped in something, a salmon thing, mini sliders (my fav), an eggplant crustini, and a mini Reuben. All in all it was decent.

Reception- Let me do food first. There was a potato leek soup and I wasn't a fan. Then there was Caesar salad, just an average salad. Then it was dinner time; 3 choices of stuffed chicken, steak, and salmon. Here's what I didn't like about this; they never told you before you got it what it was stuffed with. It was stuffed with spinach and personally I don't like spinach so I barely ate it and just ate the sides of rice and mixed veggies. J liked the steak. And no one I knew ate the salmon so I can't tell you about that. For dessert, they brought out a tray of chocolate covered strawberries, cannoli's and some other chocolately things; this was good. The cake was okay as well, not sure what the filling was; I think strawberry mousse. And that was it. The room itself is lovely. It's definitely not glitzy-glam if that's what you're looking for. It's on a golf course and very much in the country so if that's what you're looking for this would be a good match for you. The room itself wasn't big, there was about 130 ppl. Again though it was really nice. Overall I'd give it a B+

ssage

Ok, I know I was married there but my guests experience was completely the opposite. 

first, about having the ceremony there...I can tell you this....my wedding was at the Links and it poured that day.  We were to have an outdoor ceremony.  The manager, Teri, who also does the wedding, pulled me to the side at the rehearsal dinner to discuss the weather for the next day as it was expected to pour.  We discussed the porch which is their Plan B...but the area was expecting high winds....we ended up having the ceremony in the ballroom.  Although not ideal in the sense that i love the "big reveal" for the reception area....they went above and beyond to accomodate my husgand and I.

Cocktail Hour...my wedding had at least 8 passed hor d'oeuvres...so maybe the bride and groom chose less?????

Reception Food...we put the choices on our response card and I stated "Chicken Breast Stuffed with Apples and something" (I can't remember but it was fall like).  Personally, that is the fault of the bride and groom in my opinion.  If they didn't tell you the choices before the wedding and you had to choose at the links, although i agree that the waiter/waitress should have said something, i think the bride and groom should have had a menu card to tell you..  The salmon is great...that is what i had. 

Cakes, for reference of brides, are done by the Pastry Garden.  They are NOT done in house.

Honestly, no one complained about the food...and trust me, I have complainers...i'm sorry you didn't have such a great experience Jaimie b/c it really is a great venue.

BellaSposa223

Steph-- Don't get me wrong it was a great wedding, and from what I can tell the service was great. It wasn't a bad experience, it was just the food was just ok for me. Regarding the ceremony, like I said it was beautiful just very cold out and we had no idea it'd be outside, so it just would've been nice to know. The cocktail hour, I liked what I ate, especially the sliders and the lilttle eggplant crustini. I think it was a fine amount of food, I think I probably just expected more because the weddings I've been to have been more. Reception food...I wish there would've been the chicken you had! And I just wish I knew. Your totally right, it should've been told somehow. At the couple, it would've been great to have a menu card because the waitress just came over and asked if we remembered what we ordered and a lot of people couldn't remember so it would've been helpful. As for the cake, not for nothing there was 3 cakes and they only cut one because we saw the other two sitting in the lobby as we left. It was just those few things that threw me off, otherwise it was really nice. I'm def not saying don't have your wedding there just make sure your guests know it's going to be an outdoor ceremony and exactly what the entrees are.

ssage

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_links-ladies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:113Discussion:762963b6-ac0d-4597-afd9-722223d8d142Post:33f73454-efce-4ef0-812f-189b661000f0">Re: Links ladies</a>:
[QUOTE]Steph-- Don't get me wrong it was a great wedding, and from what I can tell the service was great. It wasn't a bad experience, it was just the food was just ok for me. Regarding the ceremony, like I said it was beautiful just very cold out and we had no idea it'd be outside, so it just would've been nice to know. The cocktail hour, I liked what I ate, especially the sliders and the lilttle eggplant crustini. I think it was a fine amount of food, I think I probably just expected more because the weddings I've been to have been more. Reception food...I wish there would've been the chicken you had! And I just wish I knew. Your totally right, it should've been told somehow. At the couple, it would've been great to have a menu card because the waitress just came over and asked if we remembered what we ordered and a lot of people couldn't remember so it would've been helpful. As for the cake, not for nothing there was 3 cakes and they only cut one because we saw the other two sitting in the lobby as we left. It was just those few things that threw me off, otherwise it was really nice. I'm def not saying don't have your wedding there just make sure your guests know it's going to be an outdoor ceremony and exactly what the entrees are.
Posted by BellaSposa223[/QUOTE]

I know you were not saying that!  Sorry if I came across in a bad way...we just had such a great experience and some different things than you experience, i wanted people to know.

I really wanted to comment on the outdoor ceremony thing b/c they were VERY accomodating to us and I thought it only fair for potential brides to know that.  I do agree somehow you should have been told the ceremony would be outside. 

And THREE cakes? That is not the norm!  And here too, i just wanted people to know it is the Pastry Garden that is their bakery, it is not in house.  I know when I got married there, you had one cake and like anywhere, you chose fillings, etc. 

TerriandJoe

Regarding cocktail hour - We looked at The Links and I do remember that we would would have had to add to it. When we looked I think it said it included three of our choice (they have since changed the package) but on the list it listed fruit, cheese and veggies as three individual items. So since we wanted that we would have had to pay for additional displayed items.

They have now changed their packages to include fruit, veggies and cheese and antipasto. And that's the displayed items for cocktail hour unless you want to add more.

There was a post not long ago asking about how many displayed items should one have at cocktail hour.

It's so easy to get venue-jealousy based on what some girls post that their venue offers them.

Our venue (not the links) included four displayed items (but they considered fruit&cheese (with crackers) as one)

So it all depends on what you feel comfortable with. The wedding you went to apparently added the one hot display item. so they had 5 total. And they probably felt comfortable with that.

We added 2 to our package (totaling 6) but they gave us one additional. So we ended up with seven. (or what would be possibly 8 at places that separate fruit and cheese as two items)

And we felt good with our selections. But yeah, depending on what you are used to, some people expect tons of food at cocktail hour and not every venue's packages include tons of food.

But glad that you had a good time!

To brides considering the Links or other venues that only have 3 or 4 displayed items at cocktail hour:

First, confirm that when a tray is empty it gets replenished. (four constantly refilled trays beats eight that go empty in the first 5 minutes and are never refilled)

Then, consider adding an item or two.

Know your guests. what will they expect. 

What will they be happy with

If you are choosing 3, 4, 5 or 6 displayed items (not stations, I'm talking about individual items) Select a wide range of food to cover your self. 1 meat, 1 chicken, 1 seafood, 1 veggie, 1 pasta. Don't have the displayed items duplicate the passed items. Maybe some basic displayed stuff and exciting passed, or something like that.

Make sure there all your guests will be able to find something to eat.

It's only an hour! Don't go crazy over it.

Finally, quality beats quantity anyday!

Good luck!

ssage

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_links-ladies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:113Discussion:762963b6-ac0d-4597-afd9-722223d8d142Post:c0f6adbe-7f3a-4580-a8d4-ab4e75584b79">Re: Links ladies</a>:
[QUOTE]  Select a wide range of food to cover your self. 1 meat, 1 chicken, 1 seafood, 1 veggie, 1 pasta. Don't have the displayed items duplicate the passed items.
Posted by TerriandJoe[/QUOTE]

I can tell you that the banquet manager suggests that you are low on beef or seafood or whatever when you are choosing your passed items.  So, if there were more of one than another, that was the bride/groom and not them.