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| The guy Leo from 7Even Entertainment that we spoke with last week recommended DaeDong Manor, so we went to check it out today. The place is Korean, but they serve western food, and the place looks decent too. The place is on the second floor of Korean Village on Northern Blvd. in Flushing, so it's pretty close for people who live in NY. The menu was decent too, although we weren't allowed to keep a copy of it unless we sign with them. There was a birthday party going on in the smaller of the 2 rooms, and we got to see food they were serving.
Here's a picture of the bigger banquet room, but they one requires more people. After speaking with 2 of my aunts+uncles & relatives, it sounds like our family does not like western-style receptions, they said people don't get full... What about at Chinese-styles? Personally, I've never gotten full at the latter, I've been full at all the western receptions I've been to. I mean, at Chinese weddings, everyone has to fight for the food, and if you sit with strangers, how do you get full without looking like a jerk and taking all the good stuff? Impossible! My mom and I both prefer Western...even if it means I have less relatives showing up...I really don't care about the relatives who I never talk to anyways. 
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| The second reception venue we checked out today is Il Villaggio in Carlstadt right on Rt. 17. As the name suggests, it's an Italian place, there's also a restaurant area. I guess we're suckers for places with high ceilings, because this place was awesome too!
Our appointment was actually for 12:30, but I think we got there around 12:20 or so and he was already waiting by the door for us. When he was showing us the place and explaining everything, he sounded very....confident and cool. hahaha...almost a bit cocky. Oh yeah, the manager actually asked me if I had any questions BEFORE we went over any of the details, because he wants to know what's important to us for the reception. It was definitely a different approach, and he even took my sheets of questions and answered them FOR me, rather than me asking him like an interview! 
Right near the lobby of the venue is the bar area for the cocktail hour, with all top shelf liquors. There's also 2 TV screens for slideshows/pictures.
There's also another cocktail hour room, but there was an event (some sort of shower going on) so I couldn't take a picture of it.
This is the main ballroom, could sit 200+ guests.
Here is the lobby area to Il Villaggio, we were walking up the stairs to the bridal suite. Behind the columns on the left is where the bar is.
There's a small balcony from the bridal suite overlooking the main ballroom area. The manager told me that people use the balcony for a lot of things, even for bouquet toss! Speaking of which, I would like to have a separate bouquet for that, since I'd want to keep my own bouquet! 
Here's the main portion of the bridal suite, to the right is the changing area + bathroom
Bathroom of the bridal suite...this even has a shower! Yes, I like taking pictures of bathrooms! At least there's no one in there!
Il Villaggio is pricier than The Graycliff, and there's no picturesque area (i.e. gazebo or waterfalls) outdoors. The menu doesn't include the viennese table, but does include hot and cold seafood during cocktail hour, whereas The Graycliff would charge extra for seafood. An interesting thing of note about Il Villaggio is that you can pack your dinner to go if you can't finish! The Graycliff would do it for the bride + groom, plus all the desserts, but I don't think they do it for the guests. This is also a place we can go food tasting at before booking! 
Food tastings so far: Bridgewater Manor (free for B+G), Mudan, Graycliff (free for up to 6), Il Villaggio (free for up to 4). These are all potential places...maybe food would be the major deciding factor? Who knows.
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| Wednesday evening we went to meet with the banquet sales manager of Fiesta Banquets in WoodRidge, but the place was not good at all, so no pictures were taken. We stopped by another place that was literally 3 minutes away, called the Graycliff in Moonachie, since I made an appointment for today and wanted to stop by there just to check it out. That night we also drove by another reception venue called Il Villaggio, which we also visited today. That will be posted in the next entry. First off, The Graycliff!
It is located right off of Rt. 17, next to the Teterboro Airport. All of these reception venues are within 5minutes of each other, and only ~10minutes from the George Washington Bridge! Location is a major plus, compared to The Imperia, which is still very nice, just a bit far from NY.
The Graycliff could potentially have 2 events going on staggered (i.e. different start times), one room's minimum is 120, the other is 160. The 120 minimum in the "Forum" room would mean the cocktail hour happens in the Greenhouse and the Lounge area, while the 160 minimum would be in the "Grande Ballroom" and cocktail hour happens in the Greenhouse + Embassy Room. This venue is unique in that the cold and hot foods during cocktail hour happen in separate rooms.
Pictures of the Greenhouse where the cold foods would be displayed.
This is the lounge area used for the smaller "group"...the bar is where the chairs are.
Bar/Viennese table area for the smaller of the 2 rooms
The Forum (smaller of the 2 rooms...), bar area is to the left. The stairs on the right would be where the bride+groom arrive during introductions.
Here is the "hot foods" room for the bigger cocktail hour (as opposed to the lounge area). There are doors connecting this room with the Greenhouse.
The bar at the cocktail hour room
The table where the martini station would be that guests can take upon arrival through the doors after having their cars valet parked.
Hallway leading from the cocktail hour to the ballroom.
The Grande Ballroom. The bar is to the right of the camera, they also have 2 projection screens where pictures/slideshows can be shown throughout the dinner. The room is surrounded by mirrors, giving it a very roomy feel.
The stairs on the left in the picture is where the introductions would take place.
They have a gazebo outdoors, but in case of bad weather, there's a little studio area for pictures...
Bridal Suite for the smaller room...
Bridal Suite for the bigger room. The bad part about this is the suites are right next to each other, and they are both on the upper level of the place, with a LOT of stairs to climb. If I have to change 2-3times that night and wear high heels, I don't know how much of the stair-climbing I can take!
Overall The Graycliff is also a place that's on the "maybe" list. I'd rate it higher than the Bridgewater manor, given it's proximity to New York City and the decor. Oh yeah, I'm keeping a running tab of the places that offer complimentary food tastings, and this is one of them!
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| Went to Flushing today to take some family portrait (free 4"x6" photo) at a new studio that opened up called Max Wedding Studio. My mom got the certificate from shopping at the supermarket, and they were giving those out. The owner is the main photographer, he was an awesome guy! Took 8 pictures total, and my parents loved him and the pictures he took, so of course we talked more about the wedding packages they have available. Actually get to pick 2 outdoor locations (typically one during the day, one at night), the typical package deal, but the style of photography and the way he tells people to pose is good! There's a very high chance that we will get a package from him. Interestingly, they have frames where the picture is printed on LEATHER! Looked very impressive. Oh yeah, and unlike most other places, alterations of the wedding dress (if I decide to buy from them) is included, which could really add up otherwise. The girl could also put the bouquet together if we get the flowers. It would be awesome to get some roses with mini purple calla lillies in the bouquet! Anyways...this entry is for the banquet venue Mudan in Flushing located in Queens Crossing, which is a decently new building behind TDBank on Main Street. They serve Chinese style dinner with a more contemparary decor, rather than the usual red tablebloths at other Chinese banquet venues. They charge per table dinner only...I think 10-12 courses for the table of 10. They could accommodate 200+ people...but the downside is that open bar and hors d'oerves are additional charge. They also don't include a wedding cake, but we could order that separately anyways. Speaking of wedding cake, we could take a design that we want, and even ask Taipan for an estimate! I wonder if our idea would be doable for them...I need it to look like the real thing though, not like something that people can't even tell what it is. That would be sad... 
There's a wedding tonight there, that's why they're putting the chair covers on. The pink/purple neon lights in the ceiling can be switched to blue, green, or red to match the color theme or the bride's evening dresses! 
There were also a DJ company there to set up the music and lights too, they also brought some sort of fog or bubble machine. Overall, I think this place is feasible option. Even though the cocktail hour/hors d'oerves is additional charge, we also need to keep in mind how many people will show up to the place @ the specified time on the invites, because traditionally, even though the invites SAY 6 or 7 恭候(welcoming), we don't show up until around 8pm since that's when we 入席(sitdown) and start eating. Most people don't want to get there earlier than 8pm coz there's no food there. But I'm just not sure what the food tastes like...the only one review I found on weddingwire only gave it a mediocre rating due to the quality of service and taste. 
Not exactly sure who this guy is...but this oversized sculpture was just too funny! | | |
| I've passed by the Imperia on numerous occasions when driving back to North Jersey from New Brunswick, and we finally went to check out the place today! It was built in 2007, so the place is still brand new. Choice of entrees include chicken, beef (filet mignon is the same price!), fish, and vegetarian. They also include fresh flower centerpieces for every table that we can work with the house florist for. We were definitely impressed with this place =0~ For a banquet our size, we would pretty much book the whole lower level, which is what the lady showed us.  This is the entrance to the place. The curb is for the valet parking service.
A little gazebo right outside across from the entrance which leads to the outdoor patio area attached to the lower level area.  Front door to The Imperia.
 Lobby area. Upstairs are where the offices are located. The 2 couches under these stairs have the water "curtain" falling down around the clear tubes that make the water look like it's falling in a clear steady stream.
 A picture of the "chandelier" in the lobby.
On the left and right of the ground floor are 2 separate rooms, one holds up to 300ish people, the other holds up to 550!  This room is for the 300ish people.
 In the other room that holds 550 people, there's a wedding there this evening, and the picture above is the centerpiece on every table!
 This is the hallway area in the lower level. Right after you go down the stairs is a hallway adorned by mirrors and small couches on both sides leading to this open space area. If the weather doesn't permit, this is where the cocktail hour would be.
 The bridal suite room! She told us that they've had tea ceremonies for about 40 relatives in this room there before the actual ceremony, and they would be able to let us use this room an hour before the actual ceremony + reception. There's a fireplace and LCD TV in this suite, as well as a private bathroom.
 The ladies' bathroom in the lower level...hahaha. Right near the entrance to the bathroom is a round giant ottoman.
 A chandelier in the corner of the ladies' room...the lady was laughing b/c we took pictures in the bathroom...haha
 The lower level is already set up for a wedding for tonight as well, there were flowers that the florist brought in, there were Calla lillies!!! The lillies were used in some centerpieces too...oh so pretty!
 The sweetheart table...tonight's party is for 225 people.
 The patio area that is right behind the sweetheart table in the picture above. Weather permitting, this is where the cocktail hour and ceremony would take place. She said it's lit at night (I would hope so!)
 A picture of the patio area taken from the ground level near the gazebo.
Overall, I am very impressed with The Imperia. Their food selection sounds decent, and the decor is simple yet elegant. This venue is a possibility! 
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"This is all a moo point."
