“Warm & Welcoming”
Dana: Tom and I met in high school at Saint Anthony’s in Long Island. We always hung out together and started dating the summer before our senior year of college. After I moved back home to start Physician’s Assistant school, he was my support system. When I graduated, we moved in together and adopted a dog, Sandy, who will be three soon.
Tom: I bought Dana’s engagement ring not knowing when I would propose. We’d always been friends and dating happened so seamlessly it feels like we’ve always been together. North Port felt like the best place to mark the change of relationship, so I found a weekend we were both free and made dinner reservations in the same town where we had our first date. I wanted to propose in the gazebo we sat in that night, but walking up to it I realized there were no lights. We walked a bit further and I got down on one knee, pulled out the ring box, and proposed. I arranged to have her family there to surprise her and planned a weekend trip upstate.
Dana: When we saw the Château at Coindre Hall, we loved it immediately. It was something different, had various rooms for different parts of the night, and the staff was warm and welcoming. We visited the venue on multiple occasions and every time were greeted with enthusiasm. John Schlenke, our maître d’, was immensely helpful and kept the process smooth and easy. When we learned our original date wasn’t available, he suggested a New Year’s Eve wedding and we loved the idea of a magical winter wonderland. Throughout, John was friendly, responsive, and gave us fantastic suggestions.
Tom: We took exceptional care when choosing our vendors, and our band in particular was amazing. We love concerts and had seen them playing at a bar in Greenport before seeing them on the vendor list. We’ve had at least five guests from our wedding book them for their own events.
Dana: Tom’s great uncle is a priest and he’s officiated all his family’s sacraments. It was special to have him marry us, and we are grateful to the church for allowing our New Year’s Eve ceremony. We arrived early at the venue to take portraits and had some family also arrive early for photos. Coindre Hall was happy to welcome our large group of early-comers, providing them with drinks and refreshments.
Tom: Our cocktail hour was in a room with large windows overlooking the courtyard in the center of the building. We loved the open layout and that there were different rooms for our guests to wander in and explore. Everyone was taking pictures and enjoying the beer on tap, champagne, and specialty cocktails. John helped guide us through the many options available for our menu. We loved their chickpea fries; they’re something different and really tasty.
Dana: The ballroom focused on New Year’s by keeping the palette neutral and using candles to create a romantic glow. We adorned the three fireplaces with candles and flowers, one of them showcasing marriage portraits of our elder family members. One set of our centerpieces were single, delicate gold candelabras holding up candles, the largest of which were tastefully encircled by flowers. The others were a low circle of eucalyptus and roses surrounding a trio of ornate candle holders. The ballroom has a grand staircase leading to the bridal suite and we decorated the bannister with elaborate greenery and candles along the stairs. I made our favors of little glass jars with Hershey’s Kisses that said, “Midnight Kisses from the Mr. & Mrs.” Towards midnight, we broke out hats, crowns, and noise makers for the big countdown!
Tom: Dinner was an absolute hit. We chose chateaubriand, pesto grilled shrimp and lobster risotto, and Long Island seared duck. You couldn’t go wrong with any choice and the duck in particular was highly complimented by our guests! The rest of the evening was spent dancing to everything we used to listen to in high school and college. There was never a lull in the party, the band was interactive and energetic, and at midnight when our guests demanded an encore they were happy to oblige. Everyone loved our exit station with bagels, donuts, and coffee. The egg everything with vegetable cream cheese was our favorite!
Dana & Tom: Thank you so much to John, who is absolutely amazing and made the whole process stress-free and fun. To our band, the party wouldn’t have been what it was without you and we’d hire you again in a heartbeat. To our parents, bridal parties, and siblings, thank you for everything you’ve done for us and being there on our biggest day. We’d love to do it all over again! It was the best day ever!
Château at Coindre Hall, Huntington, NY, 631.751.0339, lessings.com
“When we saw the Château at Coindre Hall, we loved it immediately. It had various rooms for different parts of the night, and the staff was warm and welcoming. Every time we visited the venue we were greeted with enthusiasm. John Schlenke, our maître d’, was immensely helpful and kept the process smooth and easy. When we learned our original date wasn’t available, he suggested a New Year’s Eve wedding and we loved the idea of a magical winter wonderland. Throughout, John was friendly, responsive, and gave us fantastic suggestions.”
