Nassau's Newest Weding Venue, The Loft By Bridgeview, Opens Its Doors

John Vitale, owner of Island Park's Bridgeview Yacht Club, has just opened his latest venture in the area: The Loft By Bridgeview. The new venue offers a smaller, more modern setting for weddings and other special events.

Bridgeview, Vitale's staple waterfront catering hall, just celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Though Bridgeview has become an icon of the Island Park waterfront, the area around it has changed. Vitale opened two other restaurants -- Coyote Grill and Paddy McGee's -- and then closed them after Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage. On a huge plot of land he owns in southern Island Park, he built the community's first supermarket, and is in the process of building apartments where Paddy McGee's used to stand.

Adding to the changing area is The Loft, at 80 Waterfront Blvd. The Loft is designed to be smaller and more intimate than Bridgeview, with a more modern, rustic feel to compliment Bridgeview's classic aesthetic. It's also priced more affordably than the main catering hall.

“There are two things we wanted to capture: smaller weddings, which are getting more common,” Vitale told Patch in September. “The other thing we’re exploring is people who try to do destination weddings, and they’ll go upstate and look for a barn. We’ll be more upscale than a barn, but we’ll appeal to those people. The Loft will have a rustic, eclectic feel to it.”

The Loft is open now. For more information, call (516) 432-2400 or visit www.The LoftByBridgeview.com.

Photo: The Loft By Bridgeview