How Long Island Aquarium’s waterfront venue turns intimate celebrations into once-in-a-lifetime experiences for you and your guests.
Key Takeaways
- Micro wedding Long Island offers an intimate experience with 20 to 75 guests for a more personal celebration.
- Atlantis Banquets & Events combines unique settings, like an aquarium and waterfront views, perfect for memorable weddings.
- All-inclusive wedding packages streamline planning and provide a luxurious experience without the stress of multiple vendors.
- The venue allows for a customizable flow, from ceremonies to receptions, enhancing guest experiences.
- Convenient accommodations nearby make it easy for out-of-town guests and elevate the feeling of a destination wedding.
If you’re dreaming of a wedding that feels deeply personal, beautiful, and unforgettable, just with a smaller headcount, then a micro wedding on Long Island might be exactly what you’re looking for.
And if you want that small guest list to come with serious wow-factor, it’s hard to beat Atlantis Banquets & Events, located adjacent to the Long Island Aquarium, on the Peconic River in Riverhead, NY. From the elegant Sea Star Ballroom with stunning marina views to immersive spaces inside the aquarium itself, this is one of the most unique wedding venues on Long Island, perfect for couples planning an intimate celebration, or a grand-scale affair.
In this guide, we’ll walk through why micro, or smaller weddings, at Atlantis Banquets & Events deliver a big impact, how they work with wedding packages on Long Island, and the key steps to planning a smaller, but still spectacular, wedding of your dreams.
What Is a Micro Wedding (and Why Are Long Island Couples Loving Them)?
A micro wedding usually keeps the guest count to somewhere between 20 and 75 people. It’s a full wedding day, including the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, but designed on a more intimate scale. On Long Island, where a “typical” wedding can consist of around 150–200 guests, more couples are leaning into smaller affairs for a variety of reasons:
- Deeper connection with your guests
- More budget flexibility, particularly with an all-inclusive wedding
- More personalized details that reflect you, not tradition for tradition’s sake
Atlantis Banquets & Events is the perfect choice to match this trend. While the venue can host weddings up to 350 guests, it also offers smaller spaces, flexible floor plans, and creative micro wedding packages that couples can tailor to their style and budget.
Why Micro Weddings Shine at Atlantis Banquets & Events
1. A One-of-a-Kind Setting: Long Island Aquarium + Waterfront Views
Not many wedding venues can say your guests might sip cocktails next to a 120,000-gallon shark habitat, stroll past a vibrant coral reef display, or snap photos beside a giant Pacific octopus. At Atlantis Banquets & Events, you can design an aquarium wedding that feels like a private experience in another world.
Key highlights:
- Sea Star Ballroom – A modern, light-filled ballroom overlooking the Treasure Cove Resort Marina and Peconic River. Perfect if you want the feel of a classic ballroom with waterfront glamour.
- Long Island Aquarium event spaces – Celebrate your reception surrounded by stunning aquatic habitats for a truly unique wedding venue experience.
For couples looking specifically for small wedding venues on Long Island, that still feel epic, this combination of riverfront ballroom and aquarium backdrops is a dream.
2. Designed for Intimate Guest Counts Without Losing the “Wow”
Micro weddings aren’t “less than” a larger event, they’re just more concentrated. With a smaller guest list, your budget can go further on:
- Elevated menus and specialty stations
- Signature cocktails
- Lush floral and lighting design
- Interactive elements like unique animal photo ops
Atlantis Banquets & Events offers a range of spaces so your micro wedding still feels “just right,” not empty, and not crowded. With the ability to hold weddings from 50 to 350 guests in nine diverse locations, you get tons of flexibility to ensure your wedding looks exactly as you planned.
Whether you’re hosting a minimony, micro wedding, or small destination-style celebration on the East End of Long Island, Atlantis can provide the right setting and the flow of the evening to match your vision.
3. All-Inclusive Convenience for Stress-Free Planning
Micro weddings are often planned on shorter timelines, sometimes within 6-months. That’s where all-inclusive wedding packages really shine.
Atlantis Banquets & Events offers:
- In-house catering and premium bar packages
- Tables, chairs, linens, and décor that’s anything but basic
- Professional event staff and on-site coordinator
- Optional enhancements like specialty stations, signature cocktails, and more
Because you’re working with one expert team, you don’t have to coordinate dozens of separate vendors. For couples trying to stay within a budget or for smaller guest counts (particularly on weekdays or off-peak dates), this bundled approach can make the numbers more bearable while still feeling luxurious.
4. On-Site Hotel = Built-In Destination Wedding Vibes
Micro weddings often double as weekend getaways. With fewer guests, you can really focus on the experience: welcome drinks; a relaxed brunch; a visit to a local attraction like Tanger Outlets; or to the famed Hamptons beaches or local vineyard or brewery. Atlantis Banquets & Events is located at the center of the two forks of eastern Long Island, making it a convenient location to access East End attractions and a top tourist destination.
Atlantis also has two hotels adjacent to the event space. The Hyatt Place Long Island/East End, is directly next door, while the Preston Hotel is just across the street. This advantage means you can:
- Reserve room blocks for your guests. Atlantis wedding couples get first pick for room block dates.
- Get ready just steps from your ceremony site, limiting your transportation fees
- Host a rehearsal dinner or after-party steps from your reception space
- Turn your wedding into a full East End Long Island mini-vacation
For couples searching for an amazing East End wedding location, this kind of all-in-one campus, a stunning venue, hotel, waterfront options, convenient location, checks off a lot of boxes.
Step-by-Step: Planning a Wedding at Atlantis Banquets & Events
If you’ve been Googling “steps to planning a wedding” or “how to plan a wedding step by step,” here’s how that process looks when you choose Atlantis as your Long Island home base.
1. Set Your Guest Count and Budget
Start by deciding roughly how many guests you’d like to invite and what you’re comfortable spending overall. Whether you’re planning a very small celebration with just your closest people or a slightly larger, but still intimate, reception, having a ballpark number helps the Atlantis team recommend the best event spaces and wedding package options for your event size and priorities.
2. Choose Your Setting: Aquarium, Ballroom, or Both
You might:
- Host your ceremony outside, in the Riverside Pavilion along the Peconic River.
- Enjoy cocktail hour in the Aquarium among the stunning aquatic displays.
- Head to the Sea Star Ballroom for your reception overlooking the marina.
Or keep it all in one room for a cozy, seamless flow. Your planner at Atlantis can walk you through the options during a tour.
3. Lock in Your Date and Package
Working with an all-inclusive Long Island wedding venue means you can select from established packages that bundle:
- Open bar
- Plated or buffet dinner
- Cocktail hour
- Coffee & dessert
- Enhancements like specialty stations or late-night bites
4. Personalize the Experience
This is where micro weddings really shine. With fewer guests, you can add special touches like:
- Personalized escort cards and menus
- Custom signature cocktails
- Unique Aquarium experiences like photos with a penguin or within the indoor Butterfly Garden
- Specialty décor like underwater-inspired centerpieces or whimsical reception up-lighting
Your Atlantis coordinator and outside vendors (florist, DJ, photographer) will help you create a cohesive look and feel to match your vision.
5. Plan the Flow of the Day
A sample micro wedding timeline:
- First look & photos by the Peconic River
- Ceremony inside the Foyer at the Sea Star Ballroom or by the water in the Riverside Pavilion
- Cocktail hour among the habitats within the Long Island Aquarium
- Reception in the waterfront Sea Star Ballroom
- After-party in the wine cellar at the 1905 Wine Lounge at the Preston Hotel (across the street)
Because everything is on one property, transitions are smooth and your guests never feel rushed or lost.
Is a Micro Wedding at Atlantis Right for You?
A smaller celebration at Atlantis Banquets & Events might be perfect if:
- You want a unique Long Island wedding venue that guests will never forget
- You’re drawn to waterfront views, unique experiences or both
- You’d like the simplicity of all-inclusive wedding packages Long Island couples rave about
- You prefer spending more per guest on an incredible experience rather than stretching your budget thin on a huge guest list
- You like the idea of turning your wedding into a Long Island couples getaway with on-site hotel accommodations
If you found yourself nodding along to most of these, you’re very much in micro-wedding territory.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Micro Weddings at Atlantis Banquets & Events
1. What counts as a “micro wedding” at Atlantis Banquets & Events?
While there’s no official rulebook, many couples consider 20–75 guests a micro wedding. Atlantis Banquets & Events can accommodate groups as small as about 50 and up to 350 across its nine spaces, so there’s flexibility to design a micro wedding Long Island celebration that feels intimate, but is still full of energy.
2. Can we have our cocktail hour in the Long Island Aquarium and our reception in the Sea Star Ballroom?
Yes, many couples choose exactly that combination! Atlantis Banquets & Events offers several beautiful ceremony spots, including in the Riverside Pavilion along the Peconic River, guests can then move to the Aquarium for the cocktail hour, then to the Sea Star Ballroom with marina views for the reception. It’s a great way to give your guests two completely different, memorable environments in a single night.
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3. Are there all-inclusive wedding packages for smaller weddings?
Atlantis Banquets & Events offers packages that bundle food, bar, and essential services, like floral, DJ and photography, which is ideal if you’re looking for all-inclusive wedding venues that Long Island couples love. For smaller guest counts, your sales manager can help you choose weekday, off-season, or micro-focused options that align with your budget. Pricing details are typically discussed during your consultation and can also be previewed by signing up for their pricing guide. Click here to complete the form and get the pricing guide.
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4. Is Atlantis Banquets & Events convenient for out-of-town guests?
Absolutely! With the Hyatt Place Long Island/East End right on property and the Preston Hotel just across the street, your guests can stay just steps from the venue. Riverhead is also a great jumping-off point for exploring the East End of Long Island, from wineries on the North Fork to beaches and attractions in the Hamptons on the South Fork. That makes Atlantis a fantastic choice if you want your smaller wedding to feel like a destination wedding without asking everyone to travel by plane.
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Ready to Plan Your Dream Wedding at Atlantis Banquets & Events?
From the Sea Star Ballroom and its sweeping marina views to the immersive magic of the Long Island Aquarium setting, Atlantis Banquets & Events makes it easy to host an intimate celebration that still feels absolutely unforgettable.
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Start planning your micro wedding at Atlantis Banquets & Events today.
Visit AtlantisBanquetsAndEvents.com to explore spaces, view sample menus, and request a tour of this one-of-a-kind Riverhead wedding venue. Your small guest list deserves a big, beautiful backdrop—and Atlantis is ready to help you create the perfect wedding on the water.
Let’s get the conversation started, click HERE to request more information
To schedule an appointment with one of our Sales Professionals, please click HERE.