Reminder!

We're not worried!!!

Great video of our ferry terminal! Fingers crossed we won't get hit...

http://www.wpix.com/wpix-hurricane-earl-long-island-wednesday,0,5178954.story

FAQ's

The FAQ post will be updated frequently, so please check back if you have any questions...they may be listed on here.

What time does the Ferry leave?

There are a number of ferries that leave throughout the day. Please check the Fire Island Ferries website for exact times.

How long is the Ferry Ride?

The ferry takes approximately 1/2 hour. There is not a restroom or snack bar on board.

Is there more than one stop on the Ferry?

If you are going to Ocean Beach, the ferry will be direct. However if you are going to Ocean Bay Park or Seaview, the Ferry often has 2 stops - Ocean Bay Park & Seaview. Make sure to ask which dock you are at before you depart.

How do I take the shuttle bus to / from the city?

Make sure to call to book a reservation. The van leaves from the Upper East Side at various times throughout the day & drops you right at the ferry station. You can also take the van back to the city from the ferry station. Check out David Bros Car Service for more information. This is a very convenient way to get to Fire Island from the city if you are not near Penn Station.

How far will it be to my hotel / house from the Ferry?

Depending on where your hotel / house is, nothing is more than a 10 minute walk from that specific ferry dock. Most are less than 5 minutes.

The hotel is sold out - is there an alternative?

There are a couple of options: Please call Brian at Fire Island Homes (631-583-6661) for a possible furnished house / apartment. They range from 1 bedrooms - 5 bedrooms. Also, Seashore Condo & Motel is aware of our wedding date, please call 631-583-5860 to book under the Barker / Ramzan Wedding.

What else is there to do on Fire Island?

In addition to the shops & restaurants in Ocean Beach, there are a number of fun things to do in Fire Island. Check out the Sunken Forest in Sailors Haven for a nice hike in the National Seashore. The Fire Island Lighthouse is another popular Fire Island destination. See the Fire Island website for more information on things to do.

What kind of transportation is there on the island?

Most people travel by foot or bike. Most houses / hotels have bikes for your use if you are staying with them, however it's a good idea to double check prior to your visit. For Bike Rental, call 631-583-9561.

Is there a grocery store on the island?

There are a markets located in Ocean Beach, Seaview & Ocean Bay Park. There are also liquor stores in each town that carry wine, beer, etc... Check out Matthews Seafood Market for fresh seafood, great for grilling. Meat can be found at the Butcher Shop in the Ocean Bay Park Market - ask at the Deli Counter. Please be aware that items on the island are marked up slightly compared to prices on the main land. It's not a bad idea to bring over what you can (especially beer, liquor)

What is the dress code for the wedding?

We are going with semi 'beach' formal. Please no jeans or shorts. The ceremony will be taking place on the beach, shoes are optional.

Is there a spa or salon on the island where I can get my nails and/or hair done?

There will be a manicurist available on Saturday morning specifically for our wedding from 9:30am - 12:00pm at Seasons Bed & Breakfast. Please stop by anytime during that timeframe & bring your favorite polish. There will be a few colors available to choose from.

Will there be a spa or salon on the island where I can get my hair done on the day of the wedding?

Please contact Mandy if you are interested in this as she needs to get a count of how many are interested before she can book anyone.

How do I get to the Beach Ceremony?

The Beach Ceremony will be located on the beach just off of Seneca on the Ocean Side of the island. Look for posted signs directing you there.

How do we get from the Beach Ceremony to the Reception?

Flynn's is a short 3 block walk away from the Ceremony.

I am bringing my kids. Is there a babysitting service?

We do know of a few babysitters on the Island. Please contact Mandy or Nav & we can pass along the contact numbers.

What if it rains?

It won't! But just in case...the ceremony will be held at Flynn's in Ocean Bay Park.

Is there a ferry that departs on Saturday night after the reception?

The last ferry departing from Ocean Bay Park on Saturday night is 6:30pm. There is also one from Ocean Beach at 9:30pm. If you miss both of those & would like to stay for the whole reception, there will be a water taxi available at 11:45pm leaving from Flynn's going back to BayShore.

What will the weather be like?

Averages for this time of the year are highs in the low 70's - low's in the mid 50's. It does get chilly at night so please remember to bring a sweater or jacket.

Where are you registered?

Pottery Barn & Williams-Sonoma.

I have more questions!

Contact Mandy or Nav

How do I get to Fire Island?

Yes, it's a bit of a trek, but never fear...it's actually easier than it sounds. I'm sure you know by now that you must take a ferry (from Bay Shore, NY) to get to Fire Island. I will try as best I can to explain below!

By Plane: The easiest airport to fly into is JFK, because of the frequency / options of flights. You can take the airtran from JFK to the Jamaica stop on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR - click here for schedules). From Jamaica, you will take the LIRR to Bay Shore. You more than likely will have to transfer trains at Babylon, but it's literally right across the platform. Once in Bay Shore, there will be shuttle vans to take you to the ferry terminal. The fee for the van is $4. You can also walk to the ferry terminal from the train station, it's about 3/4 of a mile right down 4th Ave. Look for the 7-11, head towards it & keep going. 4th Ave turns into Maple. **If you take the train, try to buy your ticket from one of the kiosks, as there is a fee for buying in on the train with cash.

You can also fly into Islip. It's about 10 miles from Bay Shore, reachable by cab.

Laguardia is of course an option as well...you would just somehow need to get to the LIRR (Jamaica station), most likely by cab. It will probably run around $40. There is also a shuttle bus that runs between LGA & JFK ($15.)

By Car: There are a number of different parkways, expressways, etc...that will get you to Bay Shore, here is a pretty direct one - take I-495 to Exit 31S for Cross Island Parkway. Take Exit 25A on the left for Southern State Parkway East toward Eastern Long Island. Take the Exit onto Robert Moses State Parkway. Take Exit RM2E for New York 27A East towards Bay Shore. Turn Right at NY 27A East. Turn Right at Bay Shore Avenue. Continue onto Shore Lane and Turn Right onto Maple Avenue. The Ocean Beach ferry terminal will be on your left. The Ocean Bay Park ferry terminal will be on your right. Parking is available M-T $8/day; Sat-Sun $16day.

By Train: The LIRR runs from Penn Station to Bay Shore. Click here for schedule. Depending on the train you take, you will need to transfer at Jamaica or Bay Shore (the schedule will tell you where you need to transfer). Train fare is $15 peak; $12 off peak. Once you get to Bay Shore, there are shuttle vans ($4) that will take you to the ferry terminal. You can also walk, it's about 3/4 mile right down 4th Ave. Look for the 7-11, head towards it & keep going. 4th Ave turns into Maple.

By Shuttle Bus: If you are coming from Manhattan, there is a Shuttle Bus that runs from the Upper East Side. The rate is $22/person. Click here for schedule. Please note - you DO need to make a reservation for this shuttle, so please call ahead to do so.

ONCE YOU GET TO THE FERRY TERMINAL:

You will need either the Ocean Beach or Ocean Bay Park Ferry, depending on where you need to go once you get to Fire Island. The terminals are very near each other, so if you accidently go to wrong one...no worries you can walk to the other.

A round trip ferry ticket is $17. Unfortunately the ferry schedule isn't available yet for late summer / fall, however click here for a sample of the current ferry schedule. This site also gives all kinds of helpful information which I am probably failing to mention!

If you arrive early, there is a great spot next to the Ocean Beach terminal, Nicky's. Perfect for a drink / cup of clam chowder before you get on the ferry. At the Ocean Bay Park Terminal, there is a concession stand, as well as Molly Malones - much bigger place than Nicky's, but again...great for a drink if you have time before your ferry leaves.

Once you get to Fire Island...coming next!

And as always, please let us know if you have any questions!

Accommodations

Greetings! Good news for those of you wondering about accommodations in Fire Island for the weekend of the wedding. We have reserved the Blue Waters Hotel. Blue Waters is a brand new, just opened this season, boutique hotel located in Ocean Beach, Fire Island. Although we are actually getting married in Ocean Bay Park, Ocean Beach is just 2 little 'townships' away. It's an easy walk (in comfy shoes) or an even easier bike ride to & from each town. Ocean Beach is also the main town on the island, full of shops, restaurants, etc...

To reserve a room, simply call 631-583-8295. It's under the Barker / Ramzan Wedding. Rates are $450/room. HOWEVER this is per stay, NOT per night. So the longer you stay & play...the better the deal! (They will honor the $450/stay rate from Wednesday - Sunday night.)

If you are looking to bunk with a group, we will also have apartments & houses for rent. The various houses accommodate anywhere from 4 - 12 people and range from approximately $1000+. Again, these are rates for the whole stay, not per day. So please take into consideration that the rate will be split among all of those staying in the house. The houses are fully furnished, include a full kitchen, and most of them provide washer/dryer, decks with grills, and cable TV, among many other amenities.

Please call Brian with Fire Island Homes & he can better assist with the perfect house for your group. He can be reached at 631-583-6661. You can also check out the Fire Island Homes website at http://www.fihomes.net/. (Rates listed on the website are in season rates. Our wedding weekend is considered off season.) Ocean Bay Park, Seaview and Ocean Beach are the 3 communities which are most convenient for the wedding weekend.

We will be on the island all week prior to the big day, so please come early or stay late & enjoy the island. And remember, if you have any questions at all...please let me know!

Mandy

A few people have been asking about Fire Island & accommodations. For those of you who don't know, Fire Island is a very small island just south of Long Island. During the winter, it literally shuts down... in other words, we don't have all the information on hotels / apartments / houses / etc...for the weekend of our wedding quite yet.

Don't fret though! There will be enough places for our guests to stay...and we hope you will come early to relax, have fun, and celebrate with us the entire weekend.

In the meantime, please get excited by taking a look at the Fire Island website: www.fireisland.com

More info to come!

Love,

Mandy

PS. Check out some pics below from Fire Island '09!

Uncle Nav playing with the kids on the beach.

Our means of transportation on the Island.

Sunset on the beach.

Winner!!!

I won!!! I rarely enter contests, but for some odd reason I entered & won!

I had to submit a creative element that I am incorporating into my wedding. Apparently they liked my idea! I'm sure you are all wondering what 'creative detail' we have planned, but you will just have to wait & see. In the meantime, Eventus will be supplying me with my bridal bouquet for winning the contest. I know it's not much, but I will take it!

Thank you Eventus! I can't wait to see what they will come up with.