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Wedding Day
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Initial Planning | Evaluating Your Venue | Personalizing Your Wedding | Beautiful Grounds “Before you start looking at venues,” advises Gerry Burns, catering director of Hilton Pearl River, “decide what type of wedding you would like to have.” She encourages you to focus on the six areas noted below.
“Then set up an appointment," says Gerry, "so the catering sales person has a block of uninterrupted time to give you and the attention you need. Don’t hesitate to ask a lot of questions.” When you visit Hilton Pearl River, or any thoughtful venue, they first try to assess your needs. “Then we review our menu and pricing structure,” says Gerry, “and provide a guided tour of the hotel. “We also try to have you view our hotel a few hours prior to a wedding. It gives prospective bridal couples a better feel of how we set up for a party. It also gives a more accurate representation of how the space looks for an event.” back to top
“There are always questions to ask us, or any venue,” says Gerry. “Is there any flexibility on menu items? For a koscher-style affair, can an innovative non-dairy menu be created? Are chefs comfortable with creating a specific traditional ethnic dish? Our culinary staff has the talent to produce a wide selection of foods for the most selective brides, but not all catering facilities have that ability. “Of course, you should ask about pricing structure and what that incudes. Is there special pricing for children and teens? If having an exclusive party is important to you, ask if that requires a guaranteed minimum number of persons. “We are confident that our wines, champagnes, and liquors are well suited to our sophisticated clientele. Certainly ask what brands are routinely served. If you want menu or bar upgrades, such as a sushi bar attended to by chefs, or a fashionable martini bar, inquire about the costs.” The Hilton Pear River’s lobby lounge may be the perfect spot for your guests to relax and unwind after your affair has ended. “Another advance of a hotel venue is the convenience of overnight accommodations and preferential guest room rates,” says Gerry. “We have confidence in the quality and reliability of our preferred vendors. But of course you may use any band, photographer, or florist. For the security of all, we require insurance certification from outside vendors.” If you want to host a breakfast the next day, what are the prices for different menus? “In our hotel, you might be able to use the garden room, LeJardin, which overlooks the Blue Hill Golf Course.” Also, do you have the opportunity to taste the food and beverages beforehand? “We do a tasting for the bride and groom, and parents a few months prior to the wedding. This gives you an excellent opportunity to sample the food items and wines before making your final selections for your special day. It usually turns into a fun evening for everyone, and is a nice break amid the stress of all the planning details swirling around you.” back to top Personalize Your Wedding
“The venue should be willing to work with you in producing a wedding that is a reflection of you and your groom, while providing realistic suggestions based on your budget.” The Hilton Pearl River has planned events such as a 500-person Indian wedding — “in which, for the procession, the groom rode in on a horse” — to an intimate upscale 50-person affair. “There the focus was on understated, elegant simplicity. We’ve also done everything in between. “Whenever possible, our catering manager, maitre d’, and entire staff helps incorporate cultural traditions by way of their dress,” Gerry explains. “At an Indian wedding, for example, they will wear saris.” Personalizing your wedding can be essential to how memorable and enjoyable it is. “Here at the Hilton Pearl River your catering manager, Phillip Ferrari or Paulette Scatassa, works with you throughout your planning, and is present the day of your event to ensure all details are taken care of. We also try to provide ideas that personalize the event for you.” These can include creating special welcome bags with carefully selected goodies for your guests at check-in. “Your welcome bag can include a personal note welcoming your guests as well as the itinerary for the weekend, outlining the timing and location of the rehearsal dinner, any pre-wedding activities, and the farewell breakfast the morning after. “The Hilton Pearl River has a wide offering of rooms for different events, and providing your guests with an itinerary allows them to feel more at ease with where they are expected to be at any specific time.” back to top Beautiful Grounds
“One of the best things about our hotel,” says Gerry, “is our French château styling, which affords the convenience of a hotel with a much more romantic ambiance.” The hotel’s garden room, LeJardin, often hosts an informal BBQ the evening before the wedding. “Our Conservatory, with its hand-painted domed ceiling and fiber-optic lighting, and our majestic Grand Ballroom, with floor to ceiling windows, offer an elegant, private, and magnificent setting for cocktail hour and dinner-dance. “Every bride and groom has different ideas about what they would like. We try to guide them without taking away the creative control, while maintaining an eye on their budget. “Timing is so important at a wedding. We create a timeline with you so all your desired elements — such as toasts, speeches, and dances — are worked in with the music and the menu to maintain a flow to the evening. Speeches should be short and sweet, as those hours fly by.” Gerry explains that maitre d’ Barbara Kelly will speak with the band in advance, so the courses of the meal and the rituals of the evening are choreographed appropriately. “This way the evening flows and does not seem choppy.” Event menus are now usually three-course functions, with an amazing cocktail hour. “This eliminates the need for seating people on four or five separate occasions for different courses. It also lends itself to a more fluid evening.” back to top Attention To Detail “A testament to this is the consistent influx of letters and phone calls telling us about their wonderful experience at the Hilton Pearl River, whether it was the food, service, or ambiance. “On a personal note, I have a job that I love in a place that creates amazing weddings! Each one is different, always personalized, and fulfills the ‘dream’ of the bride and groom, who entrust us with one of the most important days as they begin their life together. “To be a part of this day is a privilege that we don’t take lightly. I think this genuineness accounts in large part for the level of repeat business we receive, as well as referrals of friends and family for other types of events.”
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