Riviera Waterfront Mansion

ngs about this venue that we absolutely loved. First and foremost, the food is phenomenal. Everything came out quickly, was delicious, and our guests raved about it. The serving staff was also wonderful, especially Maria, who saved the day! She was kind, attentive, and constantly made sure everything went smoothly from the moment we booked through our wedding day. The venue itself is also gorgeous, and our cigar bar outside was a huge hit. We are genuinely grateful to the Riviera for being part of our wedding. That being said, there are a few things future couples — especially those planning a larger wedding — really need to know before booking. None of these things ruined our wedding, but they are things I wish had been explained upfront. The biggest issue was the indoor capacity when weather doesn’t cooperate. We had rain on our wedding day, so our ceremony had to be moved inside. With 230 guests, the space was extremely tight. The cocktail hour was very congested, and several guests mentioned that they didn’t get a chance to try all of the food because there simply wasn’t enough room to comfortably move around. The ceremony was also very tight, with some guests standing and the aisles extremely close to where my husband and I were standing. If you’re planning a wedding around this size, I would strongly recommend asking exactly what the indoor setup looks like in the event of rain. The bar situation is another thing to consider. With 230 guests, one bar is not enough. In my opinion, a second bar should be included for a wedding of that size. There were also some smaller logistical things that caused more stress than expected. The venue requires all decorations to be placed in large storage bins that you have to purchase yourself. When you’re spending close to $60,000 on a wedding, making a last-minute Home Depot run for huge bins is not something you’re necessarily thinking about. I genuinely assumed they were provided and wish I had known this when booking. We also had an arch that the venue would not allow us to store there. Two weeks before the wedding, I had to purchase additional insurance and find someone to bring it to the venue. It sounds minor, but it caused a surprising amount of stress, and my uncle ended up doing the drop-off and therefore couldn’t be present for our photos. These are the little details I wish had been communicated beforehand. The other major inconvenience was the 30-minute arrival policy. By the time we arrived, guests had already started showing up, so we couldn’t take the bridal and couple’s photos we had envisioned at the venue without being seen. We had to find a separate location, which meant additional travel, planning, and permits. We would have loved to take our photos at the Riviera itself. With all of that said, our wedding was still an amazing night. The food was incredible, the staff was wonderful, our guests had a great time, and the Riviera is undeniably beautiful. I’m not writing this to be negative — I simply want to share the things I wish someone had told me before signing the contract. At the end of the day, we got married, surrounded by all the people that we loved and it was a beautiful night!

absolutely perfect. The food and drinks were incredible—every dish was beautifully prepared and our guests are still talking about how amazing everything tasted. The waterfront views were absolutely spectacular and created the most breathtaking backdrop for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. What truly made the experience unforgettable, though, was the exceptional staff. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure our day was seamless, stress-free, and special. A very special thank you to our maître d', Julie, who was absolutely outstanding. She was attentive, organized, kind, and made sure every detail was taken care of so we could simply enjoy every moment of our wedding day. Since the celebration, our guests haven't stopped raving about the venue, the service, and the overall experience. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful place to celebrate such an important day. Thank you to everyone at the Riviera Waterfront Mansion for making our wedding celebration truly unforgettable. We will cherish these memories forever! - Patrick and Nicolette