Romance Beauty Fashions Registry WeddingDay Honeymoon Resources AboutUs

ALWAYS ELEGANT

Plan Early & Often | The New Expanded Wedding | Contact

"I don’t think you can ever compare anything with the traditional elegance a property like this has to offer," says the director of catering at The Pierre.

"People no longer go to a venue based on its reputation alone. We have to go one step further. We constantly have to show the bride we’ll stay on top of trends, and that whoever is working directly with the bride is able to address her needs and see potential obstacles."
The Grand Ballroom at The Pierre
Photo: Fred Marcus Photography

No two weddings are identical. "There are standards we uphold in terms of service and food, but we try to customize each party to each individual bride and her tastes.

"We take care of china, specialty glassware and silver, for example. These things create a difference that separates your wedding from everybody else’s."

Each hotel and reception site in the tri-state area tries to be especially creative when it comes to food. "Certain clients want their dishes to be very different. Here, we have a strong knowledge of food, but we also go out to see what the trends are."

Banquet directors always stress the importance of presentation. Using new serving and display pieces, for instance, can give new life to a buffet. "So even though some of the dishes may be similar to what people have seen, the way it’s presented is fresh. Eye appeal is always something people look for. It’s not just the taste that’s important, but how it looks.

"The whole mood of the party, be it through the decorations or through the entertainment, is very important."

Some people want a very classical approach, and they can design a whole party around that with ‘Old World elegance.’

Others want a more contemporary feel, whether it be in the look of the room or the style of the music. Live music, a DJ, or different lighting can change the whole mood of the party.

"Every time we see something new, we try to keep it in the back of our minds for the particular bride or other client who might want to do that."

When it comes to handling some of the details, "if you don’t have enough time, you might be well suited to hire a wedding planner. But if you have more time to devote, you can do a lot with the help of the on-site personnel.

"Of course, with the Internet, brides can get a lot more information. They are finding music, decorations, photography, and wedding tips."

"The trend these days is to make the wedding as different as it can be, while giving great service and personal care for our guests. That’s why it's so important to work well with the team at your venue."

back to top
Plan Early & Often | The New Expanded Wedding | Contact

Plan Early, Plan Often
When you’re planning your wedding, it’s important to set up your venue first, then the music, then photography. "The top people in those areas get booked up. If you want your first choices, we encourage you to secure them early in your planning.

"Some brides don’t feel as strongly about one band, one photographer, or one florist. So if you are more open to several ideas and several suppliers, you have that much more time.

"We have brides who come in a year, even a year and a half before the wedding. We also have people who come in six months before the wedding, and we can make them feel comfortable also. But we think 10 months to one year is a very good comfort level.

"You don’t want to start too early, because then you can make yourself crazy with, ‘Should I do it a different way? Did I forget anything?’ "

The Pierre strongly recommends that if you have a specific date or time of year when you want to get married, you might want to leave more time, since Saturdays and Sundays especially, for example, get booked quickly.

"You should be organized to the point where you have time to enjoy your engagement. This should be a fun time. You should have time to go shopping for dresses and invitations. You can line that all up, even though you’re not going to send out your invitations until a couple of months before.

"Then you’ll have time for items like planning your menu and exactly what is going to happen that evening."

The time-frame for sending invitations depends on the time of year you hold your wedding and where the guests are coming from.

"If your guests are mostly from the metropolitan area, you might not need to send out invitations as far in advance. Six weeks is fine.

"But if your guests are from out of town or another country, you need to give them more time. Travel plans and accommodations need to be taken into consideration."

back to top
Plan Early & Often | The New Expanded Wedding | Contact

The New (& Expanded) Wedding
A wedding is not just one night anymore. "It’s a whole series of events. There may be a Thursday or a Friday night rehearsal dinner or reception. The wedding day itself is very full, and many times there is a brunch the next day. People come in for an extra couple of days before and after the wedding. They want to have a good restaurant or a show to go to.

"Since New York is such a great destination, it’s an opportunity for people to have a full series of events, to give them a really special experience to take back with them.

"We’d love to say every wedding is easy, but that would make it boring. Our ultimate goal is to make each bride and groom feel like a guest at their own party."

"When you see a great energy level at a party, and happy faces in the pictures, you know it was a success. We love it when we get that call from the hosts saying people haven’t stopped telling them how much they enjoyed the party."

More Wedding Banquet Experts