[title maintitle=”” subtitle=”The Garden City Hotel brings century-old decadence to modern-day weddings”]
[dropcap letter=”L”]ocation, location, location. When it comes to venues, it’s difficult to find the trifecta of excellence—a mouthwatering menu to satisfy the foodies, gay-friendly service that exceeds all expectations, and beauty that transports guests to another place and time.
Just minutes from Manhattan lays this near-antiquated combination at the Garden City Hotel. Perhaps because this world-class hotel’s tradition of grandeur and elegance sweeps more than a century, offering white glove service, award-winning cuisine and upscale guest accommodations since 1874, that it boasts its impeccable wedding venue reputation.
Located in Garden City, it’s the sole member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in Long Island and approximately 20-25 minutes (30-35 by public transportation) outside of New York’s bustling Midtown. It offers a dose of Long Island luxury that attracts high rollers from across the country, with their guest list reading as a Who’s Who of the Big Apple, including John Legend, Michael Jackson, Tony Bennett, Kirsten Dunst and Liza Minelli.
Whether you’re having an intimate affair of 100 or a 500-person extravagant event, Garden City Hotel caters to your every need, ensuring that your once-in-a-lifetime experience is a memorable one. They offer a host of wedding services specifically designed for matrimonial perfection, with their wedding professionals helping you along every step of the way.
The wedding menus offer award-winning cuisine by Belgian Master Chef Steven De Bruyn, presented in diverse international tailored tastes. A team of culinary and event experts advise on all facets of banquet operations, personalizing ethnic dining menus, custom-creating themed weddings and wedding cakes, and tailoring wine lists and guest services.
Their Grand Ballroom is the region’s most sought-after location for distinctive wedding receptions, with a dinner capacity for up to 500 guests. Designed by world-renowned architect and designer Robert DiLeonardo, the Grand Ballroom is the epitome of elegance, transporting guests to an era of gilded and ornate luxury with luxe carpeting and a hardwood dance floor, intricate crown molding, and sparkling crystal chandeliers that kiss the ceiling.
Adjacent to the Grand Ballroom is a series of smaller rooms, ideal for cocktail and intimate receptions, such as the Rotunda, a freshly designed 1,800-square-foot space, the Grand Salon, which offers the sophistication of a larger banquet facility at half the size, and their magnificent English Garden, which provides an enchanting backdrop for an outdoor affair.
Newlyweds are encouraged to spend their first night as a married couple in one of their breathtaking rooms, thanks to the hotel’s complimentary wedding night accommodations with chilled Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries waiting upon arrival. The morning after, enjoy their famous brunch, which lures even the most stubborn Manhattanites away from the city on Sunday mornings.
Its polished style has won this venue numerous awards including The Knot magazine’s 2012 Best of Weddings Winner and Editors’ Pick for Long Island, WeddingWire’s 2011 Bride’s Choice Awards Top Ceremony and Reception Venue, Wine Spectator magazine’s 2010 Award of Excellence, Best Wedding Cake at the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique International Competition, and many more. It was officially approved this year as a TAG (Travel Alternatives Group)-approved accommodation, earned by its non-discriminatory business practices on behalf of the LGBT community.
