FEBRUARY 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 15
A bride and groom celebrate their nuptials in the formal gardens outside Oheka Castle in Huntington. (Photo by Brett Matthews Photography)
NEW WORLD FOR WEDDINGS
HOW CATERING HALLS ARE ADAPTING TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
BY CLAUDE SOLNIK
Oheka Castle is a large venue in Huntington that has been used for many lavish weddings, a
beautiful castle with big ballrooms and gardens that seem lifted out of the pages of The Great
Gatsby. Movies going back as far as Citizen Kane, TV shows such as Royal Pains and music
videos have been shot there. It’s a venue at once luxurious and large.
But lately, weddings there have been limited to up to 50 people, complying with New York
State regulations regarding gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. While Long Island
has more than its share of scenic wedding venues, they have been balancing safety and
regulations with the desire to celebrate joyous occasions. That has meant smaller groups,
per regulations as of early February: up to 10 people per table, no dancing, modified cocktail
hours, seats 6 feet apart at ceremonies, and other precautions.
“It’s a very different experience, but it can still be elegant,” Nancy Melius, Oheka’s director of
marketing and design, said of events that must end by 10 p.m. “It can still be a beautiful day
and an elegant wedding with gorgeous photos and time with family and friends, even though
it’ll be a more intimate affair.”
Venues have been doing variations on traditions, tweaking cocktail hours so you don’t
pick hors d’oeuvres up from waiters bearing platters, but from stations.
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