If I could give a venue 10 stars, The Meadow Club would get 11! My fiance and I started looking at venues across Long Island last fall. Everything was very expensive and most venues treated you like a second class citizen if you didn't seem rea...dy to hand over 20 grand. Every other venue I spoke with didn't want to give me a Saturday night in August for the budget wedding I was looking for. I was ready to give up on my dream until I met Kiran at The Meadow Club. From our very first meeting, she made it clear that what I wanted for what I could afford was exactly what I would get, even on a Saturday evening in August. I told her what I envisioned, she quoted it for me, and then she worked with me to get it to a price I could feel good about. I left that meeting feeling like a bride someone cared about! Not only was this venue EXTREMELY budget-friendly, but they also allowed me to cut costs by making my own decorations. There was no pressure to make me use their services or vendors.
The Meadow Club is also amazing with deposits and payments. There was a very small deposit required (like $500) and they were very patient even for that. I then made payments whenever I could in any amount until the full amount was due - a week or two before the event. There was never any pressure. There were never hidden fees or unexpected/unexplained taxes. Everything was clearly itemized on the contract and I felt very comfortable with their transparency.
After several months (and lots of questions that Kiran always answered immediately with a smile, despite how many I asked), it came time for my final guest count meeting. It was at this time that I realized I was not going to make my contracted guest count by about 30 people. I went to this meeting fully expecting them to hold me to my contract as it was just under a month from my wedding, but I explained my situation and true to spirit, Kiran allowed me to cut down my guest count, effectively changing my contract and saving me almost $3,000. I ended up putting at least $1,500 back into the venue with upsales such as a chocolate fountain and sangria bar. It worked out great because by them allowing me to change my guest count, I was able to save money and then put that money back into the venue.
Less than a week after this final meeting, The Meadow Club suffered a horrible fire in which no one was hurt (it happened in the middle of the night) but it destroyed half their building. This happened 3 weeks before my wedding.
The Meadow Club immediately went to work making their clients feel comfortable and rest assured that their events would go on. They found me another venue nearby that was willing to take over my contract and honor the price of my contract. Unfortunately I had a poor experience with the venue they had to place me with when I initially visited that venue before The Meadow Club. The other venue was pushy and interested in sales. When I expressed this experience to Kiran, she immediately offered to attend the meeting with me at the other venue to ensure that my contract is honored AND she said she would still attend my wedding the day of to be sure I receive exactly what I envisioned.
I will be having my wedding in less than 2 weeks at a different venue (Windows on the Lake in Ronkonkoma) due to unforeseen circumstances, but I felt that it was incredibly important for me to review The Meadow Club so that other brides can see how no matter what, even if their venue burns down, Kiran and her family WILL BE THERE FOR YOU! This was the ONLY venue I visited that truly made me feel like a person and a bride, not just a payout.
The Meadow Club plans to rebuild in the next few months and be open for business again. I will never recommend any other venue on Long Island. If you want to feel important and stress-free, you MUST book here! I will continue to review them everywhere I can!
Thank you so much to The Meadow Club, Kiran, and her family. I'm so glad they will be there to support me every step of the way with this alternative venue.