Lauryn & Michael | Bourne Mansion | Oakdale, NY

Excellent Cuisine & Service

Lauryn and I met while working together at a BBQ restaurant called Blue Smoke in NYC. She was the hostess and I was the server/bartender. We were good friends for a few years before I asked her out. For our first date, we enjoyed music and mimosas in Tompkins Square Park. Two years later, I asked her father, her stepfather, and her uncle for their blessing to propose to her and they gladly approved. I took Lauryn back to Tompkins Square Park and proposed, with our photographer friend Chelsea hiding in the bushes to capture the moment!

My father, Michael Lessing Sr., is the president of Lessing’s Hospitality, which operates several catering venues, including Bourne Mansion. In my summers home from college, I bartended at Bourne Mansion and I always loved the classic layout, grand rooms, and timeless feel of the mansion. Since Lauryn and I both work in the restaurant business, food and service were important to us and I knew Bourne Mansion had delicious food and an extraordinary wait staff. We worked closely with my father Michael and with Steve Melita, the general manager, and they ensured we got the best of the best.

We were married at a nearby church. During the ceremony, my friend Sergio spoke and Lauryn’s uncle read a prayer. Our cocktail hour had a Great South Bay clam and oyster bar, a sushi station, an antipasto station. We had several passed hors d’oeuvres, including favorites like the pesto and goat cheese tartlets, watermelon and feta pyramids, tomato and basil bruschetta, and phyllo wrapped asparagus. The craft beer tasting station was also a big hit!

To highlight the grand luxurious feeling of the ballroom, we had simple, elegant décor. The room was lit with a pink uplighting and the tables had alternating high and low centerpieces filled with white and blush flowers. Our band was incredible and so talented. They had a wonderful female lead singer and another great male rapper. The band created great energy that had everyone dancing all night.
Dinner began with a warm goat cheese salad accompanied by fingerling potatoes and duck prosciutto. For the main course, we offered a duet meal of grilled filet mignon and jumbo shrimp in a cabernet sauvignon sauce.

In addition to our delicious wedding cake, we had an elaborate Viennese Hour with all the works. It included a chocolate fountain, Italian pastries, chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and everything you could think of. Later at our after-party, we offered late night snacks including a hot pretzel grill and French fries. Our guests were thrilled when a Mister Softee truck pulled up outside Bourne Mansion and served various ice creams!

Thank you to my dad Michael and to Steve at Bourne Mansion for helping make our dream wedding possible. Thank you to all our incredible vendors, especially our band, for your talent and professionalism. Thank you to our parents, friends, and family for their love and support and for celebrating this day with us.

Bourne Mansion
500 Montauk Highway, St. John's Gate #2, Oakdale, NY 11769
631.277.7800, www.lessingsweddings.com