We chose The Empire Club for our 4-21-12 wedding. The very first vendor I secured was the reception venue. I searched high & low to find a place that was reasonably priced and would accommodate our smaller guest list. Several years ago my cousin and a different friend were married here, so I thought I’d check them out. I’m so glad I did! The venue was renovated only a few years ago, so the décor is much more modern. The cocktail room is pretty basic and a decent size. The garden was the perfect place for our family photos. The main ballroom was just wonderful. The décor is neutral enough to go with many different styles. The dance floor is large and there is plenty of room for tables. The chandeliers and sconces added a wonderful touch. I loved that the room came equipped with uplighting that was free. I met with Chris several times who was very kind and accommodating to my long list of questions. I liked that they didn’t have any hidden fees such as extra gratuity, cake cutting fee, cork fee…etc. We were able to work out a price that fit our budget by choosing April, limiting alcohol to beer/wine and paying in cash. We were allowed to bring in our own cupcakes and were discounted the price of the cake. I was very concerned about the food since tastings aren’t done until about 2 weeks before your wedding and I am vegan. I certainly didn’t want dry/boring food. Chris and the chef were very kind and offered me a special tasting in order to accommodate my vegan requests. All of the food was fantastic and the 4 of us left stuffed. Our last meeting discussed every last detail from napkin colors to table numbers. The Maitre’D had it all under control along with my DOC and the Captain who served us was a doll. Overall, the event went beautifully. My only demerit would be regarding the bar. During our last meeting, I clearly stated that I did NOT want a cash bar. We chose to limit the alcohol for reasons other than monetary. Although Chris stated that guests may complain (which they did), he agreed to respect my wishes by placing a mobile bar in the other event if necessary. Several days later, I find out that there was a cash bar. After contacting the venue, Chris explained that the other event in the smaller cocktail room wanted to have a cash bar. Since they were too over packed, they could not fit a mobile bar in their room as I was promised. So, the cash bar was set up on their side of the bar in the hallway. Of course, my guests had no way of knowing that wasn’t for them and went there anyway. I was terribly embarrassed and felt slighted. There is nothing I can do about it now. I understand that the venue felt this was their only option, but I do wish that my wishes had been respected and that I had been notified (even if it was after the fact). If it wasn’t for that, it would have been perfect.
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