NYIT de Seversky Mansion — Attraction in Town of Oyster Bay

The NYIT de Seversky Mansion is a startlingly gorgeous mansion with an intriguing Gold Coast history which we selected for our November 2019 wedding. We chose the de Seversky in August of last year, so it was a real race to the finish line. Fortunately de Seversky team really rose to the occasion to help make our wedding truly special.

We worked with Dana Perna and manager Robert Jay Calo as our primary contacts. We had two main requirements: responsiveness and an all-vegetarian wedding. I'll note that on the responsiveness front the first month or so was a bit challenging; I'm used to direct/immediate responses and there was some lag time in communications. However, when the timeline got to under a month and a half a switch was flipped and everything fell into place. It was frankly a little nerve wracking for us during the early going, but a pleasure once we knew we could rely on the de Seversky team. They also worked extremely well with our wedding coordinator. Additionally although we wanted to go off-book with our vendor selections and not simply use the venue's suggestions, the vendors we did use from their lists really were excellent and trustworthy.

For the food, we had multiple conversations with the head chef and his sous chef straight through the final tasting. While at first the options presented were a bit pedestrian we were assured that the team would rise to the occasion and proved to be highly collaborative with feedback and suggestions after I sent through an array of potential dishes and recipes. I got the sense that the challenge of an all-vegetarian wedding was fun for the staff and that really shone through. We received many compliments from our guests on the quality of the appetizers and entrees (we actually pushed to have Impossible Burgers which went over like gangbusters). We opted for the dessert cafe and substituted Crepes Suzette for the waffles, which guests adored. In fact, there was so (so) much food that although after-dinner food add-ons are available there was absolutely no need.

The day-of Groom and Bridal attendants, whose names I'm embarrassed to say I don't recall in the whirl of the day, were excellent; calming, reassuring and focused on the goals at hand. Really top-notch.

The ability to create specialty cocktails, while standard, was another part of the creativity of the experience as the excellent Head Bartender was more than willing to go "off book" from the typically offerings to work on drinks with more creative pizazz. I also requested a beer option like a winter porter that is no longer made...and somehow he was able to find cases OF that out of stock beer! That was a real surprise and delight.

There are two relatively minor negatives to report. One is the lack of an elevator to the second floor where the Bride's suite is located. This is unfortunate as it does limit the ability of mobility-challenged guests to participate in some moments. Second is the organization of the mansion itself. There are a number of rooms which all flow into each other, making it a very special location and experience - but it becomes very easy for guests (particularly older ones) to get either lost or confused in the layout. We had multiple guests report to us that they weren't aware there WAS a second room serving appetizers, for example; at the end of the night dessert is served in a separate room which means guests wander off and don't return to the dance floor. More signage or just the servers letting guests know about what's available would really help.

Altogether we, and our guests, had a delightful and memorable experience at the de Seversky and, keeping in mind the need to be collaborative with the team and to ensure your guests know the layout, would highly recommend for...

This venue is beautiful, and the food was delicious. The bridal attendant Mellissa and the Maître De Kemi were both incredibly helpful and on top of everything. Unfortunately, that is all the good I can say. The planning process was a headache. Trying to get answers from the Sales Rep Dana was incredibly frustrating. It would take days if not weeks for her to respond to emails and when she did the answers to my questions were confusing and misleading. When I did try to call for answers, I was met with a full voicemail box and no other contact. Numerous times we were told that we could do something to later find out that it was not possible or would cost hundreds of dollars more. We were told we could change out the portrait in the Ballroom, but in reality, the venue has no idea how big the portrait is, how it is attached to the wall, or have a ladder to facilitate work around or on it. In addition, if we still wanted to do something with it we would have to sign a liability weaver and only the person who signed would be allowed to touch the portrait. We planned on doing a photo both/guest book in the Library Room; but when I inquired about setting up tables in a certain configuration for that I was told guest wouldn’t be allowed in that room following Cocktail hour. To decorate for the day we were told that we would be able to drop stuff off the week/day before the event; however when I tried to plan when to drop things off I found out not only could I not drop anything off before the day of if I wanted to drop anything off before 4pm we would have to pay an additional $300 an hour so that the staff could provide snacks and drinks even though I explained that no one needed any type of service and were just going to be there to set up. Similarly, we were told that we could pick things up the day after the event for a fee; however, when I inquired about the fee I was informed that we couldn’t leave anything in the venue after the event. I wish I could say that the headache of planning was worth it. There were tables set up for the ceremony area that wasn’t planned or talked about. There were also tables set up with the incorrect place setting so that there weren’t enough seats at the assigned tables. On our paperwork for the cake flavor and information on the top tier, I listed the 2 cake flavors to be served and that we didn’t want to save the top tier. It was then surprising when we talked to guests during dessert who knew about the 2 cake flavors, who told us that the staff said there was only one flavor. Unfortunately, the tiered cake to our knowledge was not served. That would be fine if we had received the uneaten cake. This cake was not provided by the venue it was purchased from a separate preferred vendor. The baker gave us 2 flavors of cake because that is what he always does for this venue; so the venue should expected 2 cake flavors. At the end of the day our entire 2-tiered cake went uneaten and is unaccounted for with the cake toppers that I requested to be saved. This venue is not DYI friendly. When we toured the venue, we were told that the staff could help set up given things were clearly labeled with where they were to be placed. However, once they realized that I was the one providing the décor without the help of a rental company or event planner they said the staff could not help set up. Overall, I would caution anyone who has a very specific way they want their special day to go...

I always wanted to have my wedding at a place that did not ‘feel’ like a venue and where I could utilize the entire space throughout the day. When you walk into the de Seversky mansion, you are transported back to the early 1900s. Every detail of the place is in incredible condition and so intricate. You drive up through a wooded path that opens to the magnificent building. The entryway is pure marble and every room has a different theme and feel. We decided to do a ‘European’ style wedding so that our guests could explore the rooms as the night went on. Planning a winter wedding, I wanted people to ‘feel’ as though they were outside, but with temperature control. The Garden Room, a glass solarium overlooking a lake, was picture perfect. But it was not until we read the hundreds of rave reviews about the food and service that we were sold. The staff at this venue went above and beyond from day one, accommodating every single question and request. Dana and Robert Jay were always available and made us feel like family. Dana even realized one tiny item I forgot to pack for my drop off that I would have forgotten if she had not intimately known all the details of our day. Our maître d’, Jose, and our bridal attendant, Melissa, were two of the kindest and most thoughtful people. Melissa stuck to me like glue all night, proactively taking care of everything from my dress to making sure I was hydrated to reminding me where I needed to be at all times. Jose, similarly, did the same with the staff, coordinating the team like a conductor with an orchestra and boy did he not miss a beat! I have never seen such dedicated service in my life and to top it all off, the food and drinks were OUT OF THIS WORLD. No exaggeration, the food was like a 5-star restaurant but with so many options no guest could be bored. They also made all of the food cook to order, so every dietary need and desire was accounted for. Our guests were blown away by how taken care of they were throughout the night, on top of the nonstop care given to us and our wedding party. This venue exceeded every single...