I am DJ Kenny Casanova from Albany, NY. Quite often me customers ask if I recommend any locations for wedding receptions & big parties, so I decided to put together a list.
If you are planning a wedding, you probably already know that there are a million different places in The Capital District where you can have it. Here are some great locations to check out, if you are planning your wedding reception. I have broken them down kind of into regional areas, rather than alphabetical order, to help you get an idea.
If you know of a good one or would like to see your own establishment on this list (which will soon become a tab on my website) drop me a line at ken@theDJservice.com. Thanks! DJ Kenny Casanova – 518-506-3305.
~ALBANY AREA~ Albany Clarion Hotel
3 Watervliet Ave Ext., Albany, NY – (518) 438-8431
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of working with the good people at The Inn at Saratoga, right off of Broadway Street.
The Inn is a nice little place and I thought I would chime in about it for those of you who may be planning a small wedding celebration soon in the Saratoga area.
While a huge guest list event probably won’t work well there, if you are planning a laid back smaller wedding of 80-90 people or less in this area, The Inn at Saratoga m
ight be right for you. Their accommodations were comfortable for about this many friends and family, in my estimation.
Tent Ceremony in Courtyard
CEREMONY – The Inn at Saratoga has a nice little courtyard with a tent, suitable for smaller outdoor weddings safe from the elements. (On this past Saturday in particular, the tent turned out to be a useful option for the bride and groom, due to the drizzle and wind.)
COCKTAIL HOUR – This faciltiy also has an inside dining hall with an outside porch leading into it from the bricked courtyard. Both the porch and the inside area have bars and room for cocktail hour goodies and snacks, however, my estimation is that the outside bar on the porch by the tent would be the best bet, when weather allows. Outside there is more room for cocktails and appetizers. The inside bar option feels more like a hallway between the restaurant and the wedding dinning hall.
The Inn also has a complete public bar in the front, to compliment its actual restaurant. The public bar serves for a great hiding place for the bride and groom before their grand introduction into the dining hall, while the people are seated and waiting.
Banquet Hall
THE BANQUET HALL – The dinning hall, again, is a venue not made for guest lists of 100 +, however, it is a comfy and fun place at around 80 people or less. There is a small dance floor and enough space to fit eight people comfortably at about ten round tables. They have a little fireplace, as well as a huge victorian-like decorative mirror by the doors that lead to the courtyard.
FOOD – I had the prime rib. It was a pretty tasty hunk ‘o beef, garnished with wild rice and a mixed veggie blend of peppers, green beans, and broccoli. (A little over-cooked for me personally, perhaps, but then again, I like my cow still mooing and running.)
PARKING – Is a little cramped there, as it is many places on Broadway in Saratoga. The Inn makes up for it, however, in that they do provide a free valet service that parks your care and retrieves it upon exit.
HOTEL ROOMS – It also helps that it is an actual functioning Inn and that guests can stay right there, if you they choose to do so. The hotel is located in a very convenient place, right near the nightlife of the city. Nearby is Canfield Casino and Congress Park and the hotel provides free wireless Internet to everyone. Being the DJ for the event, I had no problem downloading an oddball music request. (It’s great when you don’t need a wifi password.)
All in all, this hall is not a bad option if you are looking for 8o-90 people as your guests, at most.
