The Riviera - Reception Locations - Catering Halls Long Island, NY

Total 47 Reviews

5 out of 5 by Korinne Nolan
The Riviera threw the best wedding ever! They still didn't have power the day of our wedding due to Superstorm Sandy but thank the good Lord for generators! The food was outstanding; all our guests raved about it and are still talking about it. The maître d' was very accommodating and attended to all our needs. The wait staff was superb and the bartender was outstanding. He remembered every drink our guests ordered and as soon as someone approached the bar, he had their drink ready and waiting. The venue itself is gorgeous and the view is breathtaking! The fireplaces were lit which made it a very romantic setting. I love the fact that there is only one wedding at a time there so you truly feel special and all the attention is on you!
5 out of 5 by Kelly O'Leary
The Riviera was an awesome wedding venue. Vicki was a great person to work with for the full year leading up to the wedding. She was very responsive and helped us in every way. The place was setup exactly how we wanted it and it looked great once the sun set. The bartenders were great and made all types of drinks for our guests. There were plenty of tables for the cocktail hour and the food was fantastic. We got a sample tray of all the entrees for our meal and never went a few minutes without a drink in our hands. No complaints from us, we loved The Riviera and it made our wedding memorable.
5 out of 5 by Helen Partlow
The Riviera was AMAZING! The staff was great, the place was beautiful and the food was delicious. All of my guests raved about how nice the place was. There are a lot of wood features and two fireplaces. It is cozy, inviting, and warm. NOT the typical all white reception hall that plagues this island. Mary and Paul were exceptional.
5 out of 5 by Devin Hartnett
We could not be happier with our choice to have our wedding reception at the Riviera. The moment we walked inside, we knew this was the place. The Riviera is a beautiful venue with outstanding food, but the service is what really sets it apart. This is a wonderful family-run business where friendliness and personal attention are more than the norm. Vicki spent over an hour with my family our first time visiting answering questions, showing us the grounds, and putting together a package that met our needs. We spent as much time with Mary later on choosing our menu and working out the details for our day. Vicki, Mary, and others at the Riviera were always organized, had all of our details on file, and returned our calls nearly instantly anytime a question came up. I come from a family of artists, and we spent a lot of time handcrafting favors and other decorative items for the reception. Peter and Anthony made sure the staff at the Riviera took great of everything we dropped off and were meticulous in setting it up the way we asked. Our reception, of course, was flawless and beautiful. Our guests still rave about the food, the atmosphere and the outside patio, on which we were fortunate enough to have a gorgeous summer night to enjoy our cocktail hour. We had 150 guests, and the amount of space was absolutely perfect - and nobody waited long at the bar for a drink! I'm so thankful to have found the Riviera. Book it!
5 out of 5 by Brooke Giordano
My fiance and I were looking for a venue that was less gaudy Long Island and more old English Barn. We found perfection with The Riviera. We held both our ceremony and reception here, and can't express in words how great our experience was. From planning the day with Michelle, to actually executing the day with our amazing Bridal Attendant Tara, everything was a breeze. The location, ambiance, staff, food, and service were beyond what we could even have dreamed of. If I could do it all again, I'd never waver from The Riviera.

The Riviera Bridal Shows

About The Riviera

Welcome to the Riviera Waterfront Mansion; a charming wedding venue located in Massapequa NY. A landmark waterfront mansion Established in 1926 with breathtaking views of The Great South Bay a truly one of a kind wedding facility.

15,000 square foot mansion
Outdoor waterfront wedding ceremony location with seating up to 350 guests
In door Waterview ceremony location with seating up to 350 guests
1200 ft of outdoor shoreline on the great south bay
300 ft of windows facing the great south bay
1200 square foot dance floor
Outdoor waterfront cocktail hour
Indoor Waterview cocktail hour
100 guests minimum 350 guests maximum
One wedding at a time!

Nestled on acres of beautifully manicured waterfront grounds and gardens with pristine views of The Great South Bay as your backdrop, The Riviera Waterfront Mansion is the perfect venue for your perfect wedding or event.

Interview With The Riviera

Everyone who works at the Riviera is devoted to helping our couples realize their wedding dreams come true.

“Everyone who works at the Riviera is devoted to helping our couples realize their wedding dreams come true.”

That’s exactly the dedication a passion you can expect from the Riviera and all who work there.

1.Tell us about some of the wedding packages you offer?

Our wedding package includes five hours of time; open bar; cocktail hour with eight hot dishes, two carved meats, passed hot hors d'oeuvres, and cold displays; appetizer; salad; sit-down or buffet dinner; viennese tables; four layer wedding cake; and floral centerpieces. Our prices range from 50-115$ per person (prices are based on day of the week and time of the year), and our minimum number of guests ranges from 100-150 people. We can also hold ceremonies on our premises, either outside in our scenic gazebo overlooking the Great South Bay, or inside in front of our cozy fireplace.

2. What makes your location unique and special?

Our location provides panoramic views of the Great South Bay, and contains luscious landscaping that will make photographs unforgettable. Our best attribute is by far the fact that we only offer one event at a time, so we really take the time to customize our package and our menu to the needs of our brides and grooms. The Rivera was originally built in the 1920s; the current owners are third generation owners of the Riviera--their grandparents purchased the establishment in the 1940s. Similar to the owners, the staff has worked here at the Riviera for many years, which adds to the family environment cultivated at the hall. Once booked, our brides and grooms are welcomed into the Riviera family.

3. Tell us why you decided to go into the wedding industry.

I actually grew up down the block from the Riviera- my friends and I used to go on walks in the neighborhood, and look at the Riviera- imagining what our weddings would one day be like- I always imagined that my own wedding would be held at the Riviera (and it was, in November 2007)! It was natural for me to begin working at the Riviera when I was in high school, and I slowly made my way from waitress to bridal attendant to batender, and after college, to maitre 'd and finally to banquet manager, so you can say that I am really familiar with all aspects of the hall and of the planning process, from both the bride's and the employee's perspective.This is an amazing career to have- there is nothing like helping brides and grooms prepare for one of the most important days of their lives.

4. Tell us about some of the most unique events you’ve hosted?

We have had the privilege of hosting many unique events here at the Riviera. Our most popular theme is certainly a beach theme, and some of our brides and grooms have really gone above and beyond: centerpieces with live fish in them, small lighthouses decorating our hall, palm trees (both live and plastic with lights) have graced our outdoor cocktail area. We had a bride do a Disney theme- all of the table numbers had different pictures of the bride and groom at different locations in the famous theme park; we had a fantastic Phantom of the Opera style introduction, with dry ice and red roses being tossed; another couple (who were big hockey fans) had their entire bridal party (including the bride and groom) enter wearing hockey jerseys supporting opposing teams. One Halloween, a bride and groom encouraged all of their guests to dress up in costume, and asked our staff to come in costume as well. We've also had Medieval themed events with bridal parties dressed in period clothing, we recently had a German wedding-the bridesmaids wore traditional German dresses, and ice sculptures crafted to look like beer steins decorated the cocktail hour. The great thing about the Riviera is that our hall is decorated with white lights above the dance floor and windows, and we have soft-colored floral displays played sporadically around the hall, so the bride and groom with more simple tastes will not have to add any decorations to our hall, yet the couple who would like to add more details can do so without worrying about their additions conflicting with the decorations already in place.

5. How would your describe your wedding day mission.

From the moment brides and grooms arrive at the Riviera to even after their party has ended, our staff is 100% focused on the event. Because there is only one party, our staff can see that every detail, from the set up of the tables to the placement of the slipper basket, is exactly as the bride and groom request it to be. Our brides and grooms can relax and enjoy their wedding day, and know that any and all details they specify will be taken care of..

6. How far in advance should a couple start looking for and book their catering hall?

It is difficult to give a specific formula for how far in advance a couple should book their hall. Generally, we find that brides and grooms book about a year or so in advance; if a couple has a very specific date in mind, the sooner they book, the better, as we can only have one event at a time, but if a couple is flexible with their date, a year to a year and a half is plenty of time to secure a date. We have booked and planned events in as little as two months!

7. How can you help couples 'customize' their special event?

After a couple books with us, we ask them what they imagine their wedding to look like- many brides and grooms are not sure yet about color schemes or themes- we encourage them to return to our hall as often as they'd like to see what the hall looks like set up with different decorations and colors. Once they know generally what they are looking for, our banquet managers can assist brides and grooms by passing along ideas from previous brides with similar themes/colors, as well as our own breadth of knowledge of weddings. We also have photo albums that show details that past couples have included in their wedding, from table linen combinations to creative place cards and centerpieces. We meet with brides and grooms about two months before their wedding to discuss the details that they are planning to incorporate in their reception, and to discuss floral arrangements, menu, and wedding cake. Our experienced banquet staff (who have been working at the Riviera for at least seven years, and three of whom have had their own weddings here) are happy to be as involved in the wedding planning process as our couples would like-we are all here to help make their day perfect!

The Riviera Gallery