With many couples rethinking their wedding plans or choosing smaller affairs, we wanted to celebrate the non-traditional reception! An unexpected setting can allow you to create a truly unique and memorable experience for your guests.
We immediately thought of our former clients, Amy + Patrick, who hosted their wedding reception at the now (sadly) closed Augustine restaurant in The Beekman Hotel and wanted to get their thoughts on selecting a venue, how to incorporate traditional elements and what they loved most about their intimate celebration!
photo credits // Kelly Guenther Studio
Q: How did you decide on a restaurant reception rather than a more traditional venue?
A: To be honest, there wasn’t too much deliberation. Patrick and I use any excuse to celebrate with a night out and an amazing dinner. It’s a really festive, intimate and magical way to spend time with people you cherish. It made sense that we would want our wedding day to reflect our shared love language!
Q: What led you to choose Augustine for your reception dinner?
A: There are so many great restaurant options in New York City and we really took our time finding the perfect spot. It was a bit of a needle in a haystack but we agreed upon some non-negotiable criteria:
Private + Open Layout // We wanted to buy out an entire restaurant for the evening rather than a private room. To allow for everyone to be seated together, we needed a single dining room to accommodate our 80-90 guests.
Exceptional Ambiance + Food // We didn’t have a preferred type of cuisine, so long as everything was absolutely delicious and wasn’t too casual for our formal wedding. Augustine was perfect - the seating worked flawlessly, the space was absolutely dreamy, and the food was incredible. We loved that we could trust the restaurant staff to do what they do best and didn’t need to change a thing!
Convenience // Most of our guests traveled to NYC for our wedding and their comfort was really important to us. Although an adjoining hotel wasn’t a deal breaker, it was a real bonus that Augustine was connected to the beautiful Beekman Hotel and made for a seamless guest experience.
Q: How did you customize the dining experience + menu for your event?
A: The chefs and staff at Augustine were fantastic! It was a collaborative process and a few months before our wedding, we worked with their team to customize the menu from start to finish.
In addition to the full bar, we requested that Augustine offer my dad’s favorite: Coors Light. Specially ordered beer cans were served on silver trays along with champagne during the cocktail hour. Everybody recognized the gesture and loved the personal touch. It was actually pretty popular; the bar was almost out by the end of the night!
For appetizers and entrees, Patrick and I really wanted the feel of a special occasion dinner. The guests ordered from a hand-picked menu of favorites and were served like they would be on a standard evening at Augustine.
Augustine is a sister to the fabulous Balthazar Bakery and we worked with their pastry chef to create a bespoke version of my husband’s favorite dessert - carrot cake with matching petit fours. The restaurant was also able to offer my favorite at the end of the evening - late night french fries :).
Q: Were you nervous that guests would miss the more standard format of dinner + dancing?
A: Truthfully, no. We put so much care into making the night feel lively and deeply personal. Everyone was really excited to be in New York doing something very much in the spirit of the City. In the end, the lack of a dance floor didn’t deter people from staying. We created a playlist to help keep things buzzing and the staff pushed tables to the side after dinner to allow more room to mingle. Everybody celebrated (and danced!) until the wee hours!
Q: How did you incorporate more traditional elements throughout the weekend?
While our reception setting was unique, we made a conscious decision to incorporate more traditional details such as hand-calligraphed invitations, a welcome party, church ceremony, seated dinner and champagne toasts. The components were recognizable overall so nobody was perplexed by the evening. It was really the best of both worlds!
Q: Was there anything that stood out to your guests about the experience?
A: Everyone was enchanted by Augustine - from the food, to the vibrant setting. We got a lot of comments on how fun and warm the evening was. Our guests felt like they were actually out to dinner with us.
Q: What were your favorite moments or elements of your reception?
A: I really loved the whole night. Right from the beginning- walking into a restaurant full of our family and friends. Because there wasn’t dancing, we were able to spend time talking to all our nearest and dearest which was really important to us.
Q: What advice would you share with other couples who may be considering a restaurant for their wedding reception?
A: Do your research and take the time to find a restaurant that fits your style and vision. Augustine set the tone we wanted and we loved all the aspects of their design from the decor and lighting, to the table settings and server uniforms. In addition to their fantastic food and drinks and convenient location, their staff made it very easy for us to create our perfect night.
Q: If you were to do it again, would you choose the same setting?
A: Yes, 100%! Patrick and I loved how special the entire evening felt to us and our guests. It was very true to us and our style as a couple. Because Augustine aligned so well with our vision we really didn’t have to stress about creating the environment we imagined - it was already there for us. With the added guidance of Copper + Cream, the planning process was relatively relaxing and a time Patrick and I really enjoyed.
