And affordable. 2022 Pricing: The ceremony fee is $1500 on Saturday evenings and $1000 all other times. Reception: Pond House Cafe, West Hartford CT. DJ: Kyle Douglas KMD Sound. They offered all of the couples huge portions of each appetizer and entree, and allowed us the chance to meet the chefs and ask questions. My guests continue to rave about how pretty the room was. We were in awe at the beauty of the room - it was a magical winter wonderland for our perfect day. I am still in awe from our wedding. Apr 22, 2023 - Explore CT wedding Photographer. And word to the wise, there is a wide range of budget options for the Pond House. he middle of a stunning park. This is whimsy establishment is a great place to eat and enjoy yourself among loved ones in addition to a great venue for weddings and special events. The room set up with all of the trees and winter dcor was so beautiful and beyond anything we could have dreamed up. Smoked Salmon on a Potato pancake. And my coworker's daughter said that the woman at this venue was rude to her as well. We were also extremely impressed with the chef and kitchen. utiful so you really don't need much in terms of decor. A garden ceremony-only wedding is available and will cost $600 for up to 50 people. Everyone loved the convenience of our wedding. From the first day we toured the venue with Diana we knew it was the perfect venue for us. We were very happy with our decision and would not have changed our day at Elizabeth Park and the Pond House! Her communication was seamless from beginning to end. A daytime wedding at Pond House Caf is either from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM or 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The presentation, from our stunning hors doeuvre trays to our beautifully decorated buffet table and our spectacular plated meals, will create quite a buzz amongst your guests! Everyone was talking about the appetizers and the meal. Unfortunately, we didnt get to eat too much. Incredible venue. I highly recommend searching for a "one-stop shop" to host your wedding. It is also really affordable given the prices in the area. Just wonderful people, wonderful staff, and a wonderful place. In colder months, wedding ceremonies are hosted inside, in front of the fireplace. I mean what else would you want from a venue?! 23 Pond House Cafe wedding West Hartford ideas in 2023 Once we were assigned Nicole, everything continued very smoothly. Linens and other details of the wedding that had been decided almost a year out were no longer available and no sense of urgency was made to make changes or alterations. Due to the venues central location within the park, walking around for portraits is really easy. Ibby & Eric ~ Elizabeth Park & Pond House Cafe Wedding Everyone was raving about the venue and the food the entire night (and one month later too). - See 259 traveller reviews, 105 candid photos, and great deals for West Hartford, CT, at Tripadvisor. Multiple guests told the groom and I that this was one of the best if not the best wedding they had ever been to. Susan is so kind and sweet and really went out of her way to make sure our day was perfect! Our guests could not stop talking about how beautiful it was. Our total wedding was about 170 people, and while we were close to the max number of guests, we still had a great size dance floor near the DJ. 29 Weddings @ Pond House Cafe ideas | cafe house, garden room, wedding My husband and I stumbled upon the Pond House during one of their open houses back in March 2015 when we first got engaged. Im not sure what happened from the beginning of the planning process to the end but it seemed to me that they either are very understaffed and don't have enough time to properly coordinate with all of their brides or they are uninterested once a contract is signed. The Central Park Boathouse a la Carte Restaurant, Express Caf, and Outdoor Bar are closed until further notice. (Suggestion: do the plates dinners!). We thought the Pond House was way out of our budget, but found that a Friday afternoon lunch buffet was a great value and worked for us. They made great drinks and were a lot of fun! Our minimums are based on how much you have to spend on food and beverage, not a per person minimum. I am a bride who lived out of state and had to select a venue in one weekend of visiting. CONTACT US The final payment for anything above the guaranteed amount will be due three days prior to your event date by bank check or cash. Everything was perfect; we're glad we gave them a chance. Main Street, Stoke Row, Henley-on-Thames RG9 5QA, England. It was stunningly beautiful and more than we expected. Friday - 558. The food was excellent - we chose the buffet and were really happy with that decision. Phone: 860.231.8823 Do yourself a favor and get a venue that actually cared about their customers during this pandemic. I can't say enough about how much I loved the Pond House. edding with a 12:30 ceremony and reception ending at 4pm. History of Elizabeth Park and Pond House Caf. There were only about 80 guests at Molly & Mike's wedding at The Pond House Cafe located in West Hartford CT at Elizabeth Park. Accommodating private parties for 25 - 165 guests, we have the perfect package for your event. We started with Susan for our wedding coordinator but a few months before our wedding Andrea took over. what is in the bar or adding an hour to the reception (which they will not do). It is a thriving community venue set in the heart of Shoreham by Sea. This wedding was the intimate quaint fall wedding of your DREAMS. When I tell you that this was the most generous event that I've ever attendedI'm telling the truth!! The night flew by!!! The food (and yes, I am biased) better than an Pond house cafe is an absolutely stunning venue with incredible food and VERY AFFORDABLE. Featuring high ceilings, adorned with twinkle lights, and floor-to-ceiling cathedral windows, this space is flooded with light. Friday - 125 minimum guests - $120++ pp. 1555 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117 | Phone: 860.231.8823 | cafe@pondhousecafe.com | Site Design: Socially Savvy Studio, Our experienced sales team will guide you through the process of choosing, Ask for details about available specials for. The off-peak wedding season for this venue, where prices are at their lowest, is January through March. A few of mine and our guests favorites: Apps: Mini Chicken and Waffle. The environment is romantic and cozy, and staff do a beautiful j We had an amazing fall wedding at the Pond House for 100 guests. Andrea is the one who took our vision and made it reality. She was stalwart and perfectly relaxed throughout the entire planning process which we greatly appreciated. If there is inclement weather the ceremony would be held inside in front of our field stone fireplace. Elizabeth Park offers just over one hundred acres of formal gardens, green space, recreational facilities, walking loops, and the Pond House Caf. Your email address will not be published. Stephanie was a calming presence, and was always very accommodating and flexible. Everyone talked about how good the food wa We had the most wonderful wedding at the Pond House Cafe at the end of June. It's a perfect venue for any couple who are nature-oriented and want an outdoor wedding. Our off-peak season of January March offer the lowest minimums. Leah + Kevin Wedding Hillary L Photography The dining room is small and pleasant and is supplemented by an outdoor patio overlooking the pond where you can dine under umbrellas by day and by lantern light at night. $25 starting price Get a personalized quote About On WeddingWire since 2021 1754 House is a historic wedding venue located in Woodbury, Connecticut. We will be recommending them to everyone we know! We had booked the venue about a year and a half prior to the wedding and everyone answered all of our questions and helped us plan every step of the way. We enjoyed working with the Pond House every step of the way and they truly went above and beyond to ensure our day was everything we wanted. Pond House Wedding - Brian Ambrose Photography Pangdean Old Barn Wedding venue | Bridebook This is the wedding I have been dreaming about my whole life! Use the links below to learn more about my work. Overall it was the perfect evening. Leah and Kevin are absolute angels, and the love they have for one another was the sweetest thing to capture :). The waitstaff and wedding planner, Lexie made everything run smoothly and the food was delicious! My decorations were MINIMAL because of how spectacular the space already is and how much dcor is already on-site. The food was so good, we still think about it! I actually found them on Wedding Wire searching around. We have put a great deal of time and consideration into creating policies and procedures that are fair to both parties. Our experienced sales team will guide you through the process of choosing Leslie was our coordinator and we couldnt have asked for a better person to support us for our day. 2022 Pricing: The ceremony fee is $1500 on Saturday evenings and $1000 all other times. It exceeded all of our expectations. The Pond House was beautiful for our wedding on 7/8/16. d so many compliments from our guests about their meals. We were already losing the wedding we've been looking forward to for months and our venue was pouring salt into the wound. (The menu did change, but we were able to still go with the 2012 menu choices. 10 Unique Wedding Venues in Connecticut We had to significantly change the size of our invite list, and at one point had planned to move everything onto the patio due to COVID restrictions. have to add much for decorations. All our guests raved about never having better food at any wedding before. Come enjoy the beauty of the gardens and grounds. We specifically loved the speciality cocktails, people LOVED the basil strawberry vodka lemonades we had at Happy Hour. Diana gave menu recommendations based on allergies and dietary restrictions, helping us provide guests with a well-rounded selection. Excellent wedding meal and service - Pond House Cafe - Tripadvisor Everything went perfectly. Below you'll find a complete wedding budget breakdown, based on the average total costs of UK wedding suppliers. She worked with the DJ to take care of the whole evening schedule and set up all of our decorations, which turned out just like I wanted. I cannot emphasize how perfect this venue isfrom the room itself to the food to Andrea and the rest of the staffit was purely magic. the look of Pond House. This venue is one of the more affordable wedding venues in Connecticut. Leslie was our coordinator and she is simply the BEST! Elizabeth Park is beautiful, and our wedding photos are priceless! The staff was great. After my daughter returned this woman couldn't stop offering her wine. Once you choose this venue, keep your worries aside and let Pond House Caf do its magic while you dance, laugh, and sip champagne with your friends and family! for us. The dramatic floor to ceiling windows, along with twinkling Christmas lights, a fireplace and seasonal decorations were exactly what we were looking for for our theme of "rustic elegance." They have Christmas lights wrapped around the beams on the ceiling and I loved the huge fireplace. Every purchase at the Pond House supports the Elizabeth Park Conservancy and our beautiful park. It was perfect from start to finish and we would highly recommend this venue to anyone! , but actually using a barn would have been in the end too expensive. Groomsmen giving speech. Excellent food, friendly staff (coordinator, bartenders and wait staff). Saturday nights during peak season being the highest. My husband and I would like to thank the Pond House Cafe for the best night of our lives. Even more so than the beauty of the Garden Room and the tranquil park setting, the food at the Pond House will steal the show. Pond House Crab Cake Sandwich US$16.36. Susan, our wedding coordinator, was amazing. Due to covid-19, we ended up postponing our wedding twice! My wedding coordinator ensured a seamless event and the food was fabulous. Every purchase at the Pond House supports the Elizabeth Park Conservancy and our beautiful park. Food platings and some menu items were changed without notification when compared to the initial tasting presentation 3. The same goes for Susan! They made a very stressful time pleasant & easy for my now husband & I. In the end, there were no major errors and the wedding day was a success. She wrote down every detail and it came out beautifully (I did all my own wedding planning and brought in about 12 tubs of decorations!) Changed seasonally we offer eclectic comfort food that reflects the down to earth but playful spirit of our staff. ver! Excellent Food and Very Good Service!! - Pond House Cafe - Tripadvisor We understand how heartbreaking this has been for all of our weddings as it has been for us as well. In the grand scheme of things, neither were a big deal. There is also a fieldstone gas fireplace and a beautiful park setting, which acts as a scenic wedding backdrop. SPRING CAF HOURS From the twinkly lights to the exposed beams, it has the rustic feel we were looking for, without the added expense and stress of a barn or tent wedding! November 15, 2018 BrianAmbrosePhoto. Susan was so accomodating with everything! the Bateman's estates team as they get to grips with the jobs that need doing throughout the year from coppicing and pond clearing to surveying dormouse nest boxes. Theyll just need to inquire with the City of Hartford about obtaining a photography permit. When the pandemic hit, we made the unfortunate decision to postpone our wedding from September 2020 to July 2021. Yes! cafe@pondhousecafe.com. Still cant get over how beautiful everything was. Best Face Ever. Check out Ryan & Stephanie's June 2022 wedding at the Pond House Cafe in West Hartford, Connecticut. Show prices. She listened with care and answered my hundreds of questions quickly. She was awesome in taking care of all of our needs before and during our event. Absolutely loved the pond house! The staff was calm, kind, and accommodating. . es. We definitely recommend the braised short rib! I highly recommend the evening option for a wedding! She was on top of everything, set up all my decorations,etc perfectly, and made sure I had everything I needed at the reception. This incredible wedding venue in Connecticut offers a variety of facilities that caters to every style of wedding, including: Pond House Cafe's fieldstone fireplace makes a superb wedding backdrop for late fall and winter weddings. 1 deal $12k - $15k 150 Request pricing The Pond House was incredible in helping us coordinate a new date with no penalties except food cost. The perfect wedding day marrying my best friend :). care of. Now this wouldn't have been a problem, but we paid $0.30/Swarovski crystal (which were different colors) to indicate the meal choices, as well as we gave a list by table number with the meal choices. Absolutely, our chefs are well versed in handling a variety of dietary needs. She has the coolest personality! The waitstaff was so helpful and friendly. There are so many great menu options that allow you to break the mold of traditional wedding food. On the day of the w My husband and I loved this venue from the start. The food was also top notch. Pond House Cafe is home to a culinary team that offers unique food options, made from fresh, local ingredients. Also probably just hands down the best food I have ever had. Everyone we worked with was warm and accommodating. Weve recommended the Pond House to our friends and are glad to recommend it publicly. Would REALLY recommend. In-house catering (price per head) Prices Start At. The Pond House was a perfect venue for our wedding of 95 guests. For purchase Pond Cafe : https://hanestudios.tebex.io/package/4857894- Only available on FIVEMINFORMATI. Nope. Our guests were very impressed with the beautiful grounds, the room and especially blown away by the delicious food. Ceremony fees - West Sussex County Council They never return emails or phone calls. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Many other vendors know the Pond House well, so coordination among all our vendors was easy. She was excited about their venue but wasn't pushy or too "salesy" to try to convince me to book there, unlike some other venues I visited. (and that is something we would have never picked unless we went to the tasting!) Great to work with, we loved having our reception here! Being able to coordinate food, cake, drinks, and on site ceremony through the venue was so easy, and it took a huge amount of weight off of our shoulders! The food was fantastic and the venue is already stunning inside so we did not We got married here 1-28-23. Elizabeth Park is on the national register of historic places. Dress: BHLDN Florist: Forget Me Not Florist. We wish all of our weddings that have chosen to not reschedule all the happiness in the world as they begin their lives together. The food was delicious (all of our guests were raving), and the team made sure that, even as the bride and groom, we never went hungry. POND HOUSE CAFE - 467 Photos & 283 Reviews - Yelp Second-hand bookshop stocked with pre-loved books. Hidden away in the heart of scenic Elizabeth Park, it is an idyllic retreat for couples and their guests to celebrate. Bring your camera! Kim was wonderful and I loved seeing her enjoying the music as well! Mar 9, 2016 - Our Garden Room is the perfect setting for a wedding or celebration. I suggest doing a signature cocktail, the strawberry basil lemonade was delicious. Pond House Cafe Address:1555 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA Phone:(860) 231-8823More popular RESTAURANT recommandedThe Bagel Basket31timesRods Olde Irish Tavern31times If you are interested at all, this venue/date would be an absolute steal. Naturally then, you may want to look into accommodations nearby for the two of your and all of your guests. Our on-site ceremony location is on our terrace overlooking the pond. I encourage you to go to any open houses or tastings they hold. Served with a small house salad. The terrace was a beautiful setting for our ceremony. Our experienced sales and banquet team will help you through every step of the planning process. Pond House Caf We love how this West Hartford venue mixes contemporary with classic. Venue itself is bea Getting married at The Pond House was a romantic dream. The factor that really made our wedding planning smooth and painless was our coordinator, Nicole. They made our special day The Cherry Tree Inn. Elizabeth Park is a perfect setting for photos before/after/during your event and the terrace outside the reception hall was gorgeous for the ceremony. GORGEOUS! In addition they are not flexible with changing options such as Amazing! If you are interested in reserving a date we would draw up a contract for you. The food was spectacular and all of our guests gave fabulous reviews on the food and the decorations within the venue. She was also fabulous at making some last minute adjustments to our meal counts as we had some unexpected changes. We will forever remember the kindness of the staff, the perfect decor, and the thoughtful details that made our day so special- they even accommodated a last-minute rain storm with a beautiful indoor setup! LGBTQ+-owned Business, Woman-owned Business, Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Food & Catering, Service Staff. The sirloin just didn't give me the same "wow" as the others. They also valued keeping our guests and their employees safe, which was important to us. All deposits are non-refundable. On my first visit I met with Diana who showed me around and answered all of my questions. Diana assisted with the perfect menu selections for our special occasion and ensured all would be taken care of to our expectations!!! Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device. Find an approved wedding venue. We had a great day hosting our annual Wedding Plated Tasting for 65 couples today! Pond House Cafe: First time experience for lunch at the Pond House - See 259 traveller reviews, 105 candid photos, and great deals for West Hartford, CT, at Tripadvisor. It was the only venue my husband and I looked at, because when we walked in, we knew right away it was the one. ssured that all went smoothly on the big day. #12 Best Value of 9,893 places to stay in Reading. The venue, the FOOD, the staff, everyone and everything was perfection! 1555 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117 E-mail: sales@pondhousecafe.com 860.231.8823 www.pondhousecafe.com 2022 Wedding Plated Dinner Menu BUTLERED HORS D'OEUVRES Please select seven: POULTRY: Thai Peanut Chicken Skewer with sweet chili dipping sauce* Chicken & Waffle with bacon, bourbon maple aoli Jerk Chicken Nacho with fruit salsa Row Boats will continue to operate, weather permitting. There is limited parking during rose season - we rented buses for the day. Delicious food with an eclectic menu. Thankfully the big day ended up being everything we had envisioned and more. They will see to every detail the day of the event from arranging the placecards and lighting candles to placing favors at each place setting. The facility has a restaurant on site (by the same name) and is located in Elizabeth Park. Excellent food and service for a bridal shower. For more information and to contact our sales department at www.pondhousecafe.com! If you want to find out how to stay on budget, take a look at our other articles for some of our top wedding saving tips. We also had the chicken coq a vin (wonderful), salmon (amazing) and the vegetarian spinach and ricotta gnocchi (scrumptious). The food was delicious - all of our guests complimented us and said that it was the best wedding meal they've ever had. Pond House Cafe, West Hartford Traveller Reviews - Tripadvisor We did a buffet and there were plenty of options to choose from. The Garden Room hall can hold 200 people for parties, weddings, and fundraisers. Any bigger than that and there's not much of a dance floor, which is the reason we kept our wedding to 130 people but it ended up being the perfect size. The cafe itself looks quite casual from the outside but the venue room is gorgeous. It was the perfect day for a Pond House wedding! The food. Depending on your event and number of people the cost for the venue includes, venue room , table,and linens. Totally recommend!! Sunday - 100 minimum guests - $100++ pp. We received so many compliments from our guests about the gorgeous rustic interior. Throughout the process we worked with Brittany. Ibby & Eric ~ Elizabeth Park | Pond House Cafe Wedding - CT Natural At the reception we had a personal waiter who tended to us and provided hor'dourves to the bridal party before our entrance. where our first coordinator didn't show up to an appointment(who no longer works there, the new coordinator is wonderful) and so the cafe gave us dinner on the house. All I would recommend is to make sure if youre unhappy with your coordinator just request a different one. We got so many compliments and questions about how we found such a beautiful venue. First dance as a married couple. A huge plus is the location, it is in Elizabeth Park which is great for pictures, regardless of the season. The banquet hall was decorated perfectly (even with social distancing standards). The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because they wedding planner that organized everything was not always organized and at times hard to get a hold of. This review took me a while to post because I had to process my thoughts and grief that I felt about the way my fiance and I were treated. My guests shared that they felt the same way, longing for leftovers and future visits to Pond House to foray further into the cuisine, so I cant be far off. Elizabeth Park & the Pond House | A Wedding Photographer's View signature blended beef, buttery brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, and crispy onion strings. Thanks to the Pond House, the whole night ran seamlessly - we cant imagine a more wonderful wedding day. Our guests are still talking about how amazing everything was - from the decor to the food to the mac and cheese bar. Other than that we could not say enough positive things about this venue! Step outside the side entrance of the Garden Room onto our private terrace overlooking the pond and the park! It was truly perfect. The food and drinks were amazing. Remember the banker who used to own Elizabeth Park? And the staff was amazing. We are so happy we chose Pond House Cafe for our wedding venue! I was so happy with the way that they decorated and set everything up. The venue itself is GORGEOUS. They had a great presentation from apps to dinner. It was a beautiful and perfect day. iling windows along two walls, and there is so much decor already, that all you really need are centerpieces. It was the only place we looked at, and we pretty much booked it on the spot. The pond house was a little more pricey than we set out to spend, but the excellent food, the service, beautiful setting, and the peace of mind was worth it. This includes a half hour earlier start time for the ceremony, the set up and breakdown of the ceremony as well as a half hour rehearsal time 1-2 days prior to the wedding. Stephanie is amazing and she was there to help us in every way, even helping me to figure out a difficult bustle! Molly and Mike - The Pond House Cafe - West Hartford CT Wedding The venue has a very unique vibe to it which we LOVED. 8 oz. Our wedding was at the end of June, when the roses in Elizabeth Park are in full bloom which made for the most amazing pictures! They were incredibly agile and adaptive, more than generous when working with us around the updated regulations, and responsive to our many, many questions. Pond House Cafe 1555 Asylum Ave West Hartford, CT 06117 (860) 231-8823 BOOK A PHOTO SESSION Let us help you find the perfect photographer in hartford. We had a small issue with our assigned planner, but after discussing the issue with another staff member we were immediately set-up with someone else who was exceptional. We had our beautiful wedding at the Pond House on September 29, 2017 and it was the most amazing night of our lives. We will bring out water and drinks for the wedding party. By the date of the event I was so comfortable just dropping my stuff off and letting her go at it. Would recommend for weddings/ parties of 150 or less, otherwise it might be a little tight. Pond House Cafe Winter Christmas Wedding Ceremony and Reception in West Hartford, Connecticut We had their in-house pastry chef make our Lemon, Mascarpone,2 tier vow cake and the guests swooned. I can't thank Diana & The Pond House Cafe staff enough. I saw under age guests that never went to the bar drinking. Homepage - Elizabeth Park We want to answer some of the most common questions we are asked when we are giving our personalized wedding tours. It's a beautiful venue tucked inside gorgeous Elizabeth Park. Pond House Cafe: Excellent Food and Very Good Service!! The day ended up being absolutely perfect. Like Boston Public Garden, Elizabeth Park is open to the public. We cannot thank you enough for everything!